When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Crest Pro R LE 22 2008 and the Crest V230SLR 2013 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?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Crest Pro R LE 22 2008 at 22,0 ft versus Crest V230SLR 2013 at 23,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Crest Pro R LE 22 2008 tips the scales at 2 467 lbs — 2 222 lbs more than the Crest V230SLR 2013 at 245 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 — 115 hp for the Crest Pro R LE 22 2008 and 115 hp for the Crest V230SLR 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Crest V230SLR 2013 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Crest Pro R LE 22 2008 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Crest V230SLR 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Crest V230SLR 2013 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 22 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 12 that costs less to run day-to-day.