When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Avalon 24 ft. CT - Fish N Cruise 2011 and the Avalon Excalibur - 29 Foot 2008 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?
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Avalon Excalibur - 29 Foot 2008 measures 29,0 feet overall (2008), giving it roughly 5,0 additional feet of deck space compared to the Avalon 24 ft. CT - Fish N Cruise 2011 at 24,0 feet (2011). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Avalon Excalibur - 29 Foot 2008 tips the scales at 2 702 lbs — 2 477 lbs less than the Avalon 24 ft. CT - Fish N Cruise 2011 at 225 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 175 hp, the Avalon Excalibur - 29 Foot 2008 has a 25-hp advantage over the Avalon 24 ft. CT - Fish N Cruise 2011's 150-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Avalon Excalibur - 29 Foot 2008 carries 36 gallons versus 24 gallons in the Avalon 24 ft. CT - Fish N Cruise 2011. 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 Avalon Excalibur - 29 Foot 2008 is rated for 20 passengers, while the Avalon 24 ft. CT - Fish N Cruise 2011 caps at 13. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Avalon Excalibur - 29 Foot 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Avalon Excalibur - 29 Foot 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 20 passengers and at 29,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Avalon 24 ft. CT - Fish N Cruise 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 13 that costs less to run day-to-day.