When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Key West 197 SK 2009 and the Key West 218 SK 2012 are modified 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 power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 150 hp, the Key West 218 SK 2012 has a 35-hp advantage over the Key West 197 SK 2009's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Key West 197 SK 2009 carries 19 gallons versus 3 gallons in the Key West 218 SK 2012. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.