When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bennington 23 SL I/O 2011 and the Bennington 24 SFi 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 23 SL I/O 2011 at 22,3 ft versus Bennington 24 SFi 2011 at 23,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bennington 23 SL I/O 2011 tips the scales at 2 811 lbs — 936 lbs more than the Bennington 24 SFi 2011 at 1 875 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 SFi 2011 has a 118-hp advantage over the Bennington 23 SL I/O 2011's 32-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Bennington 23 SL I/O 2011 carries 62 gallons versus 24 gallons in the Bennington 24 SFi 2011. 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 24 SFi 2011 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Bennington 23 SL I/O 2011 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 24 SFi 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Bennington 24 SFi 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 23,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bennington 23 SL I/O 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 12 that costs less to run day-to-day.