When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1650 DC 2013 and the Crestliner Sportfish 1950 SST 2012 are deep 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?
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Crestliner Sportfish 1950 SST 2012 measures 20,6 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 3,9 additional feet of deck space compared to the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1650 DC 2013 at 16,7 feet (2013). At 106 lbs and 185 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 200 hp, the Crestliner Sportfish 1950 SST 2012 has a 110-hp advantage over the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1650 DC 2013's 90-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 Sportfish 1950 SST 2012 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Crestliner Fish Hawk 1650 DC 2013 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Crestliner Sportfish 1950 SST 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Crestliner Sportfish 1950 SST 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 20,6 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Crestliner Fish Hawk 1650 DC 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.