When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2008 and the Alumacraft Dominator 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 Dominator 165 CS 2008 at 16,0 ft versus Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2013 at 16,7 ft. At 1 175 lbs and 1 175 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 90 hp for the Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2008 and 90 hp for the Alumacraft Dominator 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 Dominator 165 CS 2013 carries 17 gallons versus 2 gallons in the Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 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 Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2013 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2008 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2013 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2013 comes in at 13 lbs per hp versus 13 lbs per hp for the Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2008. 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.
Bottom line: Choose the Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 16,7 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Alumacraft Dominator 165 CS 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.