Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Bennington 185 L 2005 vs Bennington 2875RLTD I/O 2008 — Same Brand, Different Boat
The Bennington 185 L 2005 vs Bennington 2875RLTD I/O 2008 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 320 hp, the Bennington 2875RLTD I/O 2008 has a 245-hp advantage over the Bennington 185 L 2005's 75-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 Bennington 2875RLTD I/O 2008 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Bennington 185 L 2005 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 2875RLTD I/O 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Bennington 2875RLTD I/O 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 15 passengers and at 28,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bennington 185 L 2005 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 9 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeBennington
MakeBennington
Model185 L
Model2875RLTD I/O
Model Year2005
Model Year2008
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam - Meters2.44
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Inches96
Beam - Inches102
Weight - Detail1,640 lbs
Weight - Detailnot available
Weight - kg743.89
Weight - kgnot available
Weight - lbs.164
Weight - lbs.not available
Length [deck]17 ft. 11 in
Length [deck]27 ft. 11 in
Length - Feet18
Length - Feet28
Length overall - Detail18 ft. 0 in
Length overall - Detail28 ft. 6 in
Length overall - Meters5.49
Length overall - Meters8.69
Length overall - Inches216
Length overall - Inches342
Length - Inchesnot available
Length - Inches6
Length [over all with swim platform]not available
Length [over all with swim platform]31 ft
Pontoon and Inflatable Specific
Tube diameter23 in
Tube diameter25 in. Center: 32 in
Tube gauge.080 in
Tube gauge0.09 in
Number of tubesnot available
Number of tubes3
Engine and Drivetrain
Fuel tank capacity - Detail26 gal
Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Liters98.42
Fuel tank capacity - Litersnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Gal26
Fuel tank capacity - Galnot available
Drive typeOutBoard
Drive typeI/O
Engine max75 hp
Engine max320 hp
Fuel typenot available
Fuel typeGas
Operational Info
Maximum capacity2,000 lbs
Maximum capacitynot available
Maximum people9
Maximum people15
Body / Hull
Hull materialnot available
Hull materialAluminum
Hull typenot available
Hull typePontoon