When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Doral 235 Bow Rider 2011 and the Doral 345 Elegante 2011 are deep vee designs with fiberglass 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 Doral 345 Elegante 2011 measures 37,5 feet overall (2011), giving it roughly 13,9 additional feet of deck space compared to the Doral 235 Bow Rider 2011 at 23,6 feet (2011). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Doral 345 Elegante 2011 tips the scales at 1 551 lbs — 1 505 lbs less than the Doral 235 Bow Rider 2011 at 46 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 Doral 235 Bow Rider 2011 carries a rated maximum of 320 hp. Engine data for the Doral 345 Elegante 2011 wasn't available in our records — check the manufacturer's spec sheet before sizing a motor.Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Doral 345 Elegante 2011 carries 115 gallons versus 7 gallons in the Doral 235 Bow Rider 2011. 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 Doral 345 Elegante 2011 is rated for 11 passengers, while the Doral 235 Bow Rider 2011 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Doral 345 Elegante 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Doral 345 Elegante 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 11 passengers and at 37,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Doral 235 Bow Rider 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.