When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 38 2012 and the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 49 2011 are modified vee designs with fiberglass 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 Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 49 2011 measures 51,2 feet overall (2011), giving it roughly 11,5 additional feet of deck space compared to the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 38 2012 at 39,7 feet (2012). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 49 2011 tips the scales at 25 566 lbs — 9 102 lbs less than the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 38 2012 at 16 464 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 — 2 hp for the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 38 2012 and 2 hp for the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 49 2011. 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. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 172 gal and 172 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 49 2011 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 38 2012 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Beneteau Flyer Gran Turismo 49 2011 could be the deciding factor.