When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Crest II LE 18 2007 and the Crest Wave 230 Touring L 2012 are pontoon designs with aluminum 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 Crest Wave 230 Touring L 2012 measures 23,5 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 5,5 additional feet of deck space compared to the Crest II LE 18 2007 at 18,0 feet (2007). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Crest Wave 230 Touring L 2012 tips the scales at 2 455 lbs — 2 240 lbs less than the Crest II LE 18 2007 at 215 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.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 75 hp for the Crest II LE 18 2007 and 90 hp for the Crest Wave 230 Touring L 2012. 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Crest Wave 230 Touring L 2012 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Crest II LE 18 2007 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Crest Wave 230 Touring L 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Crest Wave 230 Touring L 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 23,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Crest II LE 18 2007 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.