The Abeking & Rasmussen Exellence V 2012 vs Abeking & Rasmussen Secret 2013 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 2 038 hp, the Abeking & Rasmussen Exellence V 2012 has a 38-hp advantage over the Abeking & Rasmussen Secret 2013's 2 000-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Abeking & Rasmussen Secret 2013 carries 52 834 gallons versus 42 267 gallons in the Abeking & Rasmussen Exellence V 2012. 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 Abeking & Rasmussen Secret 2013 is rated for 87 passengers, while the Abeking & Rasmussen Exellence V 2012 caps at 60. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Abeking & Rasmussen Secret 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Abeking & Rasmussen Secret 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 87 passengers and at 286,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Abeking & Rasmussen Exellence V 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 60 that costs less to run day-to-day.