When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Zodiac Medline 540 2013 and the Zodiac Medline II 2012 are deep vee designs with rigid inflatable 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 — Zodiac Medline 540 2013 at 17,8 ft versus Zodiac Medline II 2012 at 19,7 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Zodiac Medline II 2012 tips the scales at 1 521 lbs — 630 lbs less than the Zodiac Medline 540 2013 at 891 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 150 hp, the Zodiac Medline II 2012 has a 90-hp advantage over the Zodiac Medline 540 2013's 60-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Zodiac Medline II 2012 carries 58 gallons versus 23 gallons in the Zodiac Medline 540 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 Zodiac Medline II 2012 is rated for 5 passengers, while the Zodiac Medline 540 2013 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Zodiac Medline II 2012 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Zodiac Medline II 2012 comes in at 10 lbs per hp versus 15 lbs per hp for the Zodiac Medline 540 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.
The Zodiac Medline II 2012 has a documented top speed of 46 mph. Speed data wasn't available for the other model.
Both are inflatable designs, which means they pack down for compact storage, can be carried in a bag, and are dramatically lighter than equivalent rigid hulls. The trade-off is setup time and the need to monitor tube pressure regularly. Tube diameter differs: 1 ft. 8 in. (0.5 m) on the Zodiac Medline 540 2013 vs 1 ft. 11 in. (0.575 m) on the Zodiac Medline II 2012 — larger tubes generally mean more buoyancy and a drier, more stable ride.
Bottom line: Choose the Zodiac Medline II 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 5 passengers and at 19,7 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Zodiac Medline 540 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.