When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Crest Pro R LE 20 2008 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 21,5 additional feet of deck space compared to the Crest Pro R LE 20 2008 at 2,0 feet (2008). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Crest Wave 230 Touring L 2012 tips the scales at 2 455 lbs — 180 lbs less than the Crest Pro R LE 20 2008 at 2 275 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 — 100 hp for the Crest Pro R LE 20 2008 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 Pro R LE 20 2008 caps at 11. 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 Pro R LE 20 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 11 that costs less to run day-to-day.