When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Eastern 18 2012 and the Eastern 24 Pilothouse 2008 are modified 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?
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 150 hp, the Eastern 24 Pilothouse 2008 has a 100-hp advantage over the Eastern 18 2012's 50-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Eastern 24 Pilothouse 2008 carries 52 gallons versus 28 gallons in the Eastern 18 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 Eastern 24 Pilothouse 2008 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Eastern 18 2012 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Eastern 24 Pilothouse 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Eastern 24 Pilothouse 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 7 passengers and at 23,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Eastern 18 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.