When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bennington 2874 RCW I/O 2012 and the Bennington 2874 RCW I/O 2013 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 2874 RCW I/O 2012 at 31,1 ft versus Bennington 2874 RCW I/O 2013 at 31,1 ft. At 4 262 lbs and 4 262 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 425 hp for the Bennington 2874 RCW I/O 2012 and 430 hp for the Bennington 2874 RCW I/O 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 2874 RCW I/O 2012 carries 62 gallons versus 59 gallons in the Bennington 2874 RCW I/O 2013. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

Both boats are rated for 16 passengers — a good fit for a family of four or five plus guests. Comfort at capacity is another matter; the longer hull typically means more seat options and better weight distribution.

One place where both boats are genuinely identical is tube construction: both run 3 aluminum tubes at 25" diameter. That shared spec means stability and buoyancy characteristics are closely matched — the ride difference you'll feel between them comes primarily from deck length, weight distribution, and motor choice.