When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Checkmate ZT 240 2009 and the Checkmate ZT 244 2013 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 — Checkmate ZT 240 2009 at 24,0 ft versus Checkmate ZT 244 2013 at 24,2 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Checkmate ZT 244 2013 tips the scales at 375 lbs — 339 lbs less than the Checkmate ZT 240 2009 at 36 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 Checkmate ZT 240 2009 carries a rated maximum of 425 hp. Engine data for the Checkmate ZT 244 2013 wasn't available in our records — check the manufacturer's spec sheet before sizing a motor.Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Checkmate ZT 240 2009 carries 75 gallons versus 8 gallons in the Checkmate ZT 244 2013. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.