When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Tracker Guide V-16 Laker DLX T 2013 and the Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 are deep vee designs with aluminum 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 — Tracker Guide V-16 Laker DLX T 2013 at 16,0 ft versus Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 at 18,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 tips the scales at 1 115 lbs — 507 lbs less than the Tracker Guide V-16 Laker DLX T 2013 at 608 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 115 hp, the Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 has a 75-hp advantage over the Tracker Guide V-16 Laker DLX T 2013's 40-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 carries 25 gallons versus 6 gallons in the Tracker Guide V-16 Laker DLX T 2013. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 is rated for 5 passengers, while the Tracker Guide V-16 Laker DLX T 2013 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 comes in at 10 lbs per hp versus 15 lbs per hp for the Tracker Guide V-16 Laker DLX T 2013. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.
Bottom line: Choose the Tracker Tournament V-18 All Fish 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 5 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Tracker Guide V-16 Laker DLX T 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.