Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Chaparral 18 Ski & Fish 2012 vs Chaparral 210 SSi Sportsman 2005 — Which Modified Vee Fits Your Needs?
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Chaparral 18 Ski & Fish 2012 and the Chaparral 210 SSi Sportsman 2005 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?
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 300 hp, the Chaparral 210 SSi Sportsman 2005 has a 165-hp advantage over the Chaparral 18 Ski & Fish 2012's 135-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Chaparral 210 SSi Sportsman 2005 carries 47 gallons versus 25 gallons in the Chaparral 18 Ski & Fish 2012. 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 Chaparral 18 Ski & Fish 2012 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Chaparral 210 SSi Sportsman 2005 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Chaparral 18 Ski & Fish 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Chaparral 18 Ski & Fish 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 18,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Chaparral 210 SSi Sportsman 2005 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeChaparral
MakeChaparral
Model18 Ski & Fish
Model210 SSi Sportsman
Model Year2012
Model Year2005
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam7 ft. 6 in. (2.29 m)
Beam8 ft. 3 in. (2.51 m)
Beam - Meters2.29
Beam - Meters2.51
Beam - Inches9
Beam - Inches99
Bridge clearance - DetailWith Wakeboard Tower: 7 ft. 3 in. (2.22 m) Without Wakeboard Tower: 4 ft. 6 in. (1.37 m)
Bridge clearance - Detail4 ft. 6 in. (1.37 m)
Bridge clearance - Meters2.21
Bridge clearance - Meters1.37
Bridge clearance - Inches87
Bridge clearance - Inches54
Deadrise18°
Deadrise20℃
Draft [drive up] - Detail13 in. (33 cm)
Draft [drive up] - Detail23 in. (58 cm)
Draft [drive up] meters0.33
Draft [drive up] meters0.58
Draft [drive up] inches13
Draft [drive up] inches23
Draft [max] - Detail31 in. (79 cm)
Draft [max] - Detail34 in. (86 cm)
Draft [max] - Meters0.79
Draft [max] - Meters0.86
Draft [max] - Inches31
Draft [max] - Inches34
Weight - Detail2,420 lbs. (1,098 kg)
Weight - Detail3,200 lbs. (1,452 kg)
Weight - kg1097.69
Weight - kg1451.49
Weight - lbs.242
Weight - lbs.32
Length - Feet18.33
Length - Feetnot available
Length overall - Detail18 ft. 4 in. (5.59 m)
Length overall - Detail20 ft. 6 in. (6.20 m)
Length overall - Meters5.59
Length overall - Meters6.25
Length overall - Inches22
Length overall - Inches246
Length [over all with swim platform]not available
Length [over all with swim platform]22 ft. (6.71 m)
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialnot available
Hull typeModified Vee
Hull typeModified Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Engine makeMercury
Engine makenot available
Engine model3.0L MPI (Catalyst) Alpha
Engine modelnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Detail25 gal. (95 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail47 gal. (178 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters94.64
Fuel tank capacity - Liters177.91
Fuel tank capacity - Gal25
Fuel tank capacity - Gal47
Fuel typeGas
Fuel typenot available
Drive typeI/O
Drive typenot available
Horsepower135 hp
Horsepowernot available
Engine max135 hp (101 kW)
Engine max300 hp (224 kw)
Engine/s standardnot available
Engine/s standard190 hp
Operational Info
Maximum capacity1,060 lbs
Maximum capacitynot available
Maximum people8
Maximum people1