When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the EdgeWater 188CX 2011 and the EdgeWater 190IS 2012 are deep vee designs with composite 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 — EdgeWater 188CX 2011 at 18,7 ft versus EdgeWater 190IS 2012 at 19,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the EdgeWater 188CX 2011 tips the scales at 215 lbs — 213 lbs more than the EdgeWater 190IS 2012 at 2 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 EdgeWater 188CX 2011 and 150 hp for the EdgeWater 190IS 2012. 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 EdgeWater 190IS 2012 carries 45 gallons versus 4 gallons in the EdgeWater 188CX 2011. 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 EdgeWater 190IS 2012 is rated for 8 passengers, while the EdgeWater 188CX 2011 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the EdgeWater 190IS 2012 could be the deciding factor.