Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Bennington 185E 2008 vs Bennington 23XSP 2021 — Same Brand, Different Boat
The Bennington 185E 2008 vs Bennington 23XSP 2021 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 150 hp, the Bennington 23XSP 2021 has a 90-hp advantage over the Bennington 185E 2008's 60-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 185E 2008 is rated for 23 passengers, while the Bennington 23XSP 2021 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 185E 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Bennington 185E 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 23XSP 2021 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeBennington
Makenot available
Model185E
Modelnot available
Model Year2008
Model Yearnot available
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam8 ft
Beamnot available
Beam - Meters2.44
Beam - Metersnot available
Beam - Inches96
Beam - Inchesnot available
Weight - DetailWith 23 in. Tubes: 1,869 lbs. With 25 in. Tubes: 1,909 lbs
Weight - Detailnot available
Weight - kg865.91
Weight - kgnot available
Weight - lbs.1909
Weight - lbs.not available
Length [deck]17 ft. 11 in
Length [deck]not available
Length - Feet18
Length - Feet23
Length - Inches6
Length - Inchesnot available
Length overall - Detail18 ft. 6 in
Length overall - Detail23.00 ft
Length overall - Meters5.64
Length overall - Meters7.01
Length overall - Inches222
Length overall - Inches276
Body / Hull
Hull materialAluminum
Hull materialnot available
Hull typePontoon
Hull typenot available
Pontoon and Inflatable Specific
Tube diameter23 or 25 in
Tube diameternot available
Tube gauge0.08 in
Tube gaugenot available
Number of tubes2
Number of tubesnot available
Engine and Drivetrain
Drive typeOutboard
Drive typeoutboard
Engine max60 hp
Engine maxnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Galnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Gal32
Fuel tank capacity - Litersnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Liters121.13
Engine makenot available
Engine makeYamaha
Horsepowernot available
Horsepower150 hp
Operational Info
Maximum capacityWith 23 in. Tubes: 915 lbs. With 25 in. Tubes: 1,225 lbs
Maximum capacitynot available
Maximum peopleWith 23 in. Tubes: 7 With 25 in. Tubes: 9
Maximum peoplenot available
Boat typenot available
Boat typePower