When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Reinell 198 FNS 2011 and the Reinell 220 LSE 2008 are modified vee designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Reinell 198 FNS 2011 at 19,6 ft versus Reinell 220 LSE 2008 at 21,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Reinell 198 FNS 2011 tips the scales at 306 lbs — 272 lbs more than the Reinell 220 LSE 2008 at 34 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 320 hp, the Reinell 220 LSE 2008 has a 100-hp advantage over the Reinell 198 FNS 2011's 220-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 4 gal and 4 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Reinell 198 FNS 2011 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Reinell 220 LSE 2008 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Reinell 198 FNS 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Reinell 198 FNS 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 19,6 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Reinell 220 LSE 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.