Both the Eastern 27 Tournament 2012 and the Eastern Eastern 248 Explorer 2010 are deep-V designs, both built in fibreglass, so 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 27 Tournament 2012 at 26,3 ft versus Eastern Eastern 248 Explorer 2010 at 24,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Eastern 27 Tournament 2012 tips the scales at 4 900 lbs - 1 400 lbs more than the Eastern Eastern 248 Explorer 2010 at 3 500 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 Eastern 27 Tournament 2012 carries a rated maximum of 225 hp. Engine data for the Eastern Eastern 248 Explorer 2010 wasn't available in our records - check the manufacturer's spec sheet before sizing a motor.Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Eastern 27 Tournament 2012 carries 110 gallons versus 90 gallons in the Eastern Eastern 248 Explorer 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 Eastern 27 Tournament 2012 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Eastern Eastern 248 Explorer 2010 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Eastern 27 Tournament 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Eastern 27 Tournament 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 8 passengers and at 26,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Eastern Eastern 248 Explorer 2010 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.