When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bennington 165SLi 2009 and the Bennington 1850GL 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?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Bennington 165SLi 2009 at 16,0 ft versus Bennington 1850GL 2008 at 18,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bennington 1850GL 2008 tips the scales at 1 909 lbs — 418 lbs less than the Bennington 165SLi 2009 at 1 491 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 — 50 hp for the Bennington 165SLi 2009 and 60 hp for the Bennington 1850GL 2008. 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Bennington 1850GL 2008 is rated for 23 passengers, while the Bennington 165SLi 2009 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 1850GL 2008 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Bennington 165SLi 2009 comes in at 30 lbs per hp versus 32 lbs per hp for the Bennington 1850GL 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.
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 Bennington 1850GL 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 23 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bennington 165SLi 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.