When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Eastern 22 Center Console 2012 and the Eastern 248 Tournament 2012 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?

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Eastern 22 Center Console 2012 at 21,8 ft versus Eastern 248 Tournament 2012 at 24,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Eastern 248 Tournament 2012 tips the scales at 3 625 lbs — 1 330 lbs less than the Eastern 22 Center Console 2012 at 2 295 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 power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 150 hp, the Eastern 248 Tournament 2012 has a 35-hp advantage over the Eastern 22 Center Console 2012's 115-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 22 Center Console 2012 carries 64 gallons versus 9 gallons in the Eastern 248 Tournament 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 248 Tournament 2012 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Eastern 22 Center Console 2012 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Eastern 248 Tournament 2012 could be the deciding factor.