When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Chaparral 204 Xtreme 2011 and the Chaparral 264 Xtreme 2010 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 Chaparral 264 Xtreme 2010 measures 26,3 feet overall (2010), giving it roughly 5,8 additional feet of deck space compared to the Chaparral 204 Xtreme 2011 at 20,5 feet (2011). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Chaparral 204 Xtreme 2011 tips the scales at 355 lbs — 297 lbs more than the Chaparral 264 Xtreme 2010 at 58 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 425 hp, the Chaparral 264 Xtreme 2010 has a 155-hp advantage over the Chaparral 204 Xtreme 2011's 270-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 204 Xtreme 2011 carries 35 gallons versus 8 gallons in the Chaparral 264 Xtreme 2010. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

The Chaparral 204 Xtreme 2011 is rated for up to 10 people. Passenger data for the Chaparral 264 Xtreme 2010 wasn't available.