When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Tahoe Boats 228 2012 and the Tahoe Boats Q7i 2013 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 — Tahoe Boats 228 2012 at 22,4 ft versus Tahoe Boats Q7i 2013 at 20,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Tahoe Boats Q7i 2013 tips the scales at 3 031 lbs — 2 636 lbs less than the Tahoe Boats 228 2012 at 395 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.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 300 hp for the Tahoe Boats 228 2012 and 300 hp for the Tahoe Boats Q7i 2013. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 38 gal and 35 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Tahoe Boats 228 2012 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Tahoe Boats Q7i 2013 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Tahoe Boats 228 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Tahoe Boats 228 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 22,4 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Tahoe Boats Q7i 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 9 that costs less to run day-to-day.