When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Glacier Bay 2240 Dual Console 2010 and the Glacier Bay 3470 Express Cruiser 2012 are catamaran 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 power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 280 hp, the Glacier Bay 2240 Dual Console 2010 has a 278-hp advantage over the Glacier Bay 3470 Express Cruiser 2012's 2-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 12 gal and 15 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Glacier Bay 3470 Express Cruiser 2012 is rated for 11 passengers, while the Glacier Bay 2240 Dual Console 2010 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Glacier Bay 3470 Express Cruiser 2012 could be the deciding factor.