When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Weld-Craft Duck 2013 and the Weld-Craft Stick 2013 are modified 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 — Weld-Craft Duck 2013 at 15,0 ft versus Weld-Craft Stick 2013 at 15,0 ft. At 26 lbs and 5 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 25 hp for the Weld-Craft Duck 2013 and 40 hp for the Weld-Craft Stick 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Weld-Craft Duck 2013 is rated for 4 passengers, while the Weld-Craft Stick 2013 caps at 3. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Weld-Craft Duck 2013 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Weld-Craft Stick 2013 comes in at 0 lbs per hp versus 1 lbs per hp for the Weld-Craft Duck 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 Weld-Craft Duck 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 4 passengers and at 15,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Weld-Craft Stick 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 3 that costs less to run day-to-day.