When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Berkshire Pontoons 180CL LTD 2009 and the Berkshire Pontoons STS 190CL 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 — Berkshire Pontoons 180CL LTD 2009 at 19,0 ft versus Berkshire Pontoons STS 190CL 2013 at 20,6 ft. At 145 lbs and 195 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 — 75 hp for the Berkshire Pontoons 180CL LTD 2009 and 90 hp for the Berkshire Pontoons STS 190CL 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Berkshire Pontoons STS 190CL 2013 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Berkshire Pontoons 180CL LTD 2009 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Berkshire Pontoons STS 190CL 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Both are 2-tube and 2-tube pontoon designs respectively. Tube diameter and gauge affect stability and load capacity — more so than most buyers realize when comparing on paper.
Bottom line: Choose the Berkshire Pontoons STS 190CL 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 10 passengers and at 20,6 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Berkshire Pontoons 180CL LTD 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 9 that costs less to run day-to-day.