Both the Champion Boats 186 FH 2008 and the Champion Boats 206 Elite 2006 are modified-V designs, so 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 - Champion Boats 186 FH 2008 at 18,0 ft versus Champion Boats 206 Elite 2006 at 20,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Champion Boats 186 FH 2008 tips the scales at 1 950 lbs - 250 lbs more than the Champion Boats 206 Elite 2006 at 1 700 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.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling - 200 hp for the Champion Boats 186 FH 2008 and 200 hp for the Champion Boats 206 Elite 2006. 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 Champion Boats 206 Elite 2006 carries 50 gallons versus 32 gallons in the Champion Boats 186 FH 2008. 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 Champion Boats 186 FH 2008 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Champion Boats 206 Elite 2006 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Champion Boats 186 FH 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Champion Boats 186 FH 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 6 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Champion Boats 206 Elite 2006 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.