Both the Blue Water Escape 2012 and the Blue Water Shadow 2011 are modified-V designs, both built in fibreglass, so 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 - Blue Water Escape 2012 at 21,6 ft versus Blue Water Shadow 2011 at 20,6 ft. At 3 400 lbs and 3 360 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.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 320 hp, the Blue Water Escape 2012 has a 50-hp advantage over the Blue Water Shadow 2011's 270-hp ceiling - enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads - 40 gal and 40 gal - so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Blue Water Escape 2012 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Blue Water Shadow 2011 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Blue Water Escape 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Blue Water Escape 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 10 passengers and at 21,6 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Blue Water Shadow 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.