When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bennington 22 SF 2013 and the Bennington 24 SLi 2011 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 22 SF 2013 at 21,8 ft versus Bennington 24 SLi 2011 at 23,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bennington 22 SF 2013 tips the scales at 2 553 lbs — 2 367 lbs more than the Bennington 24 SLi 2011 at 186 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 150 hp, the Bennington 24 SLi 2011 has a 35-hp advantage over the Bennington 22 SF 2013's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 21 gal and 24 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Bennington 22 SF 2013 is rated for 25 passengers, while the Bennington 24 SLi 2011 caps at 13. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 22 SF 2013 could be the deciding factor.