When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Campion Allante 505i 2012 and the Campion Allante 535i 2012 are deep 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 — Campion Allante 505i 2012 at 17,1 ft versus Campion Allante 535i 2012 at 17,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Campion Allante 505i 2012 tips the scales at 128 lbs — 110 lbs more than the Campion Allante 535i 2012 at 18 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 Campion Allante 535i 2012 has a 25-hp advantage over the Campion Allante 505i 2012's 125-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 24 gal and 24 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Campion Allante 535i 2012 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Campion Allante 505i 2012 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Campion Allante 535i 2012 could be the deciding factor.

At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Campion Allante 535i 2012 comes in at 0 lbs per hp versus 1 lbs per hp for the Campion Allante 505i 2012. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.