When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Crestliner Backwater 1760 CC 2011 and the Crestliner Super Hawk 1900 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 Backwater 1760 CC 2011 at 17,3 ft versus Crestliner Super Hawk 1900 2010 at 19,6 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Crestliner Backwater 1760 CC 2011 tips the scales at 789 lbs — 626 lbs more than the Crestliner Super Hawk 1900 2010 at 163 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 200 hp, the Crestliner Super Hawk 1900 2010 has a 125-hp advantage over the Crestliner Backwater 1760 CC 2011's 75-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 2 gal and 4 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Crestliner Super Hawk 1900 2010 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Crestliner Backwater 1760 CC 2011 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Crestliner Super Hawk 1900 2010 could be the deciding factor.