When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Blue Water Image 2009 and the Blue Water Venture 2011 are modified vee designs with fiberglass 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 — Blue Water Image 2009 at 19,0 ft versus Blue Water Venture 2011 at 19,6 ft. At 245 lbs and 286 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 — 225 hp for the Blue Water Image 2009 and 225 hp for the Blue Water Venture 2011. 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 Blue Water Image 2009 carries 25 gallons versus 4 gallons in the Blue Water Venture 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 Blue Water Venture 2011 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Blue Water Image 2009 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Blue Water Venture 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Blue Water Venture 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 19,6 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Blue Water Image 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.