Both the AB Inflatables 17 DLX - Widebody Bowrider 2008 and the AB Inflatables 24 VST - Bowrider 2012 are rigid inflatable designs, both built in fibreglass, so 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?

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The AB Inflatables 24 VST - Bowrider 2012 measures 24,0 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 7,0 additional feet of deck space compared to the AB Inflatables 17 DLX - Widebody Bowrider 2008 at 17,0 feet (2008). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the AB Inflatables 24 VST - Bowrider 2012 tips the scales at 2 213 lbs - 1 135 lbs less than the AB Inflatables 17 DLX - Widebody Bowrider 2008 at 1 078 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 AB Inflatables 24 VST - Bowrider 2012 has a 60-hp advantage over the AB Inflatables 17 DLX - Widebody Bowrider 2008's 90-hp ceiling - enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the AB Inflatables 24 VST - Bowrider 2012 carries 65 gallons versus 33 gallons in the AB Inflatables 17 DLX - Widebody Bowrider 2008. 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 AB Inflatables 24 VST - Bowrider 2012 is rated for 20 passengers, while the AB Inflatables 17 DLX - Widebody Bowrider 2008 caps at 10. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the AB Inflatables 24 VST - Bowrider 2012 could be the deciding factor.