When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Centurion Flight 33 2013 and the Centurion Lightning C4 2009 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?
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Centurion Flight 33 2013 measures 32,0 feet overall (2013), giving it roughly 11,0 additional feet of deck space compared to the Centurion Lightning C4 2009 at 21,0 feet (2009). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Centurion Lightning C4 2009 tips the scales at 358 lbs — 229 lbs less than the Centurion Flight 33 2013 at 129 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Centurion Flight 33 2013 is rated for 17 passengers, while the Centurion Lightning C4 2009 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Centurion Flight 33 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Centurion Flight 33 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 17 passengers and at 32,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Centurion Lightning C4 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.