When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Contender 25 Tournament 2012 and the Contender 25 Tournament 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 — Contender 25 Tournament 2012 at 25,3 ft versus Contender 25 Tournament 2013 at 25,3 ft. At 625 lbs and 625 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 400 hp for the Contender 25 Tournament 2012 and 400 hp for the Contender 25 Tournament 2013. 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.

Both boats are rated for 7 passengers — a good fit for a family of four or five plus guests. Comfort at capacity is another matter; the longer hull typically means more seat options and better weight distribution.