The Bennington 1850 LX 2005 vs Bennington 20 SFX 2013 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.
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Bennington 1850 LX 2005 at 18,0 ft versus Bennington 20 SFX 2013 at 20,4 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bennington 20 SFX 2013 tips the scales at 1 761 lbs — 1 597 lbs less than the Bennington 1850 LX 2005 at 164 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 — 75 hp for the Bennington 1850 LX 2005 and 70 hp for the Bennington 20 SFX 2013. 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. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Bennington 1850 LX 2005 carries 26 gallons versus 21 gallons in the Bennington 20 SFX 2013. 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 Bennington 20 SFX 2013 is rated for 23 passengers, while the Bennington 1850 LX 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 20 SFX 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Bennington 20 SFX 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 23 passengers and at 20,4 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bennington 1850 LX 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.