When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Eastern 35 2008 and the Eastern Eastern 31 2009 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?

The Eastern Eastern 31 2009 tops out at 330 hp. Engine specs for the Eastern 35 2008 aren't listed — confirm with a dealer before selecting an outboard.Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 1 gal and 1 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Eastern 35 2008 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Eastern Eastern 31 2009 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Eastern 35 2008 could be the deciding factor.