Both the Crest III XRS 20 2008 and the Crest Wave 210 Sun Sport 2012 are pontoon designs, both built in aluminium, so 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 - Crest III XRS 20 2008 at 20,0 ft versus Crest Wave 210 Sun Sport 2012 at 21,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Crest III XRS 20 2008 tips the scales at 2 615 lbs - 313 lbs more than the Crest Wave 210 Sun Sport 2012 at 2 302 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 115 hp, the Crest III XRS 20 2008 has a 40-hp advantage over the Crest Wave 210 Sun Sport 2012's 75-hp ceiling - enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Crest III XRS 20 2008 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Crest Wave 210 Sun Sport 2012 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Crest III XRS 20 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Crest III XRS 20 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 13 passengers and at 20,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Crest Wave 210 Sun Sport 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 11 that costs less to run day-to-day.