When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Blue Water Mirage 2009 and the Blue Water Venture 2012 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?
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Blue Water Venture 2012 measures 19,6 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 17,6 additional feet of deck space compared to the Blue Water Mirage 2009 at 2,0 feet (2009). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Blue Water Venture 2012 tips the scales at 286 lbs — 261 lbs less than the Blue Water Mirage 2009 at 25 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 320 hp, the Blue Water Mirage 2009 has a 95-hp advantage over the Blue Water Venture 2012's 225-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 3 gal and 4 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Blue Water Venture 2012 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Blue Water Mirage 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 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Blue Water Venture 2012 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 Mirage 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.