When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Key West 197 SK 2012 and the Key West 293 CC 2011 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 293 CC 2011 has a 385-hp advantage over the Key West 197 SK 2012'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 293 CC 2011 carries 24 gallons versus 19 gallons in the Key West 197 SK 2012. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.