When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Key West 197 SK 2011 and the Key West 268 CC 2009 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 500 hp, the Key West 268 CC 2009 has a 385-hp advantage over the Key West 197 SK 2011's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 19 gal and 18 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.