When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Crestliner Ambush 18 2012 and the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010 are modified vee 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 — Crestliner Ambush 18 2012 at 18,0 ft versus Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010 at 17,2 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Crestliner Ambush 18 2012 tips the scales at 1 009 lbs — 904 lbs more than the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010 at 105 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 — 90 hp for the Crestliner Ambush 18 2012 and 75 hp for the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010. 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. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Crestliner Ambush 18 2012 carries 22 gallons versus 3 gallons in the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Crestliner Ambush 18 2012 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 11 lbs per hp for the Crestliner Ambush 18 2012. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.
Bottom line: Choose the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1700 Tiller 2010 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 17,2 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Crestliner Ambush 18 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.