When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Boston Whaler 170 Super Sport 2010 and the Boston Whaler 180 Dauntless 2013 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 — Boston Whaler 170 Super Sport 2010 at 17,0 ft versus Boston Whaler 180 Dauntless 2013 at 18,1 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Boston Whaler 170 Super Sport 2010 tips the scales at 115 lbs — 113 lbs more than the Boston Whaler 180 Dauntless 2013 at 2 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 150 hp, the Boston Whaler 180 Dauntless 2013 has a 60-hp advantage over the Boston Whaler 170 Super Sport 2010's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Boston Whaler 180 Dauntless 2013 carries 53 gallons versus 12 gallons in the Boston Whaler 170 Super Sport 2010. 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 Boston Whaler 180 Dauntless 2013 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Boston Whaler 170 Super Sport 2010 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Boston Whaler 180 Dauntless 2013 could be the deciding factor.