When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Alumacraft Competitor 185 Tiller 2012 and the Alumacraft Navigator 165 CS 2013 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 Competitor 185 Tiller 2012 at 18,7 ft versus Alumacraft Navigator 165 CS 2013 at 16,7 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Alumacraft Navigator 165 CS 2013 tips the scales at 965 lbs — 952 lbs less than the Alumacraft Competitor 185 Tiller 2012 at 13 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.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 90 hp for the Alumacraft Competitor 185 Tiller 2012 and 90 hp for the Alumacraft Navigator 165 CS 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. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Alumacraft Competitor 185 Tiller 2012 carries 35 gallons versus 17 gallons in the Alumacraft Navigator 165 CS 2013. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

Both boats are rated for 6 passengers — a good fit for a family of four or five plus guests. Comfort at capacity is another matter; the longer hull typically means more seat options and better weight distribution.