When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Alumacraft Competitior 185 CS 2011 and the Alumacraft Fisherman 160 CS 2012 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 — Alumacraft Competitior 185 CS 2011 at 18,7 ft versus Alumacraft Fisherman 160 CS 2012 at 16,3 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Alumacraft Fisherman 160 CS 2012 tips the scales at 622 lbs — 480 lbs less than the Alumacraft Competitior 185 CS 2011 at 142 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 Alumacraft Competitior 185 CS 2011 has a 110-hp advantage over the Alumacraft Fisherman 160 CS 2012's 40-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Alumacraft Competitior 185 CS 2011 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Alumacraft Fisherman 160 CS 2012 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Alumacraft Competitior 185 CS 2011 could be the deciding factor.