When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Contender 23 Open 2011 and the Contender 35 LS 2012 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 Contender 35 LS 2012 measures 34,8 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 11,6 additional feet of deck space compared to the Contender 23 Open 2011 at 23,3 feet (2011). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Contender 23 Open 2011 tips the scales at 475 lbs — 340 lbs more than the Contender 35 LS 2012 at 135 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 1 050 hp, the Contender 35 LS 2012 has a 650-hp advantage over the Contender 23 Open 2011's 400-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Contender 35 LS 2012 carries 31 gallons versus 15 gallons in the Contender 23 Open 2011. 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 Contender 35 LS 2012 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Contender 23 Open 2011 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Contender 35 LS 2012 could be the deciding factor.