When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Avalon 16 ft. Eagle - Fish RE 2012 and the Avalon 18 ft. Catalina 2012 are pontoon 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 — Avalon 16 ft. Eagle - Fish RE 2012 at 16,0 ft versus Avalon 18 ft. Catalina 2012 at 18,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Avalon 16 ft. Eagle - Fish RE 2012 tips the scales at 135 lbs — 119 lbs more than the Avalon 18 ft. Catalina 2012 at 16 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 75 hp, the Avalon 18 ft. Catalina 2012 has a 25-hp advantage over the Avalon 16 ft. Eagle - Fish RE 2012's 50-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 Avalon 18 ft. Catalina 2012 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Avalon 16 ft. Eagle - Fish RE 2012 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Avalon 18 ft. Catalina 2012 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Avalon 18 ft. Catalina 2012 comes in at 0 lbs per hp versus 3 lbs per hp for the Avalon 16 ft. Eagle - Fish RE 2012. 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.
One place where both boats are genuinely identical is tube construction: both run 2 aluminum tubes at 23" diameter. That shared spec means stability and buoyancy characteristics are closely matched — the ride difference you'll feel between them comes primarily from deck length, weight distribution, and motor choice.
Bottom line: Choose the Avalon 18 ft. Catalina 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Avalon 16 ft. Eagle - Fish RE 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.