When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bennington 185E 2009 and the Bennington 2050 GL Classic 2012 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 185E 2009 at 18,6 ft versus Bennington 2050 GL Classic 2012 at 21,3 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bennington 185E 2009 tips the scales at 1 909 lbs — 1 888 lbs more than the Bennington 2050 GL Classic 2012 at 21 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.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 25 hp, the Bennington 2050 GL Classic 2012 has a 23-hp advantage over the Bennington 185E 2009's 2-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 2050 GL Classic 2012 is rated for 25 passengers, while the Bennington 185E 2009 caps at 2. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 2050 GL Classic 2012 could be the deciding factor.