When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Excel Boats 1851SWVCC 2012 and the Excel Boats 1954SWV4 2013 are flat designs with aluminum 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 — Excel Boats 1851SWVCC 2012 at 18,0 ft versus Excel Boats 1954SWV4 2013 at 19,0 ft. At 755 lbs and 765 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 7 hp for the Excel Boats 1851SWVCC 2012 and 7 hp for the Excel Boats 1954SWV4 2013. 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Excel Boats 1954SWV4 2013 is rated for 5 passengers, while the Excel Boats 1851SWVCC 2012 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Excel Boats 1954SWV4 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Excel Boats 1954SWV4 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 5 passengers and at 19,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Excel Boats 1851SWVCC 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.