When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Duckworth 196 2010 and the Duckworth 20 2011 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 Duckworth 196 2010 measures 19,5 feet overall (2010), giving it roughly 17,5 additional feet of deck space compared to the Duckworth 20 2011 at 2,0 feet (2011). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Duckworth 196 2010 tips the scales at 1 525 lbs — 1 498 lbs more than the Duckworth 20 2011 at 27 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 — 150 hp for the Duckworth 196 2010 and 150 hp for the Duckworth 20 2011. 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 Duckworth 20 2011 carries 62 gallons versus 42 gallons in the Duckworth 196 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 Duckworth 20 2011 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Duckworth 196 2010 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Duckworth 20 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Duckworth 20 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 2,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Duckworth 196 2010 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.