The Custom Weld 17 - 26 ft. Outboards 2011 is a modified-V design and the Custom Weld 20 ft. Cobra 2012 is a deep-V design, so you're likely deciding between two noticeably different on-water experiences. Hull type shapes everything from ride quality and fuel burn to dock handling and resale trajectory.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 350 hp, the Custom Weld 20 ft. Cobra 2012 has a 331-hp advantage over the Custom Weld 17 - 26 ft. Outboards 2011's 19-hp ceiling - enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Custom Weld 17 - 26 ft. Outboards 2011 carries 90 gallons versus 52 gallons in the Custom Weld 20 ft. Cobra 2012. 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 Custom Weld 17 - 26 ft. Outboards 2011 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Custom Weld 20 ft. Cobra 2012 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Custom Weld 17 - 26 ft. Outboards 2011 could be the deciding factor.