When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Lowe 185 Fish & Ski 2008 and the Lowe FS175 2013 are deep vee 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 — Lowe 185 Fish & Ski 2008 at 18,0 ft versus Lowe FS175 2013 at 17,4 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Lowe FS175 2013 tips the scales at 1 446 lbs — 1 311 lbs less than the Lowe 185 Fish & Ski 2008 at 135 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 150 hp for the Lowe 185 Fish & Ski 2008 and 150 hp for the Lowe FS175 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. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Lowe 185 Fish & Ski 2008 carries 38 gallons versus 26 gallons in the Lowe FS175 2013. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Lowe 185 Fish & Ski 2008 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Lowe FS175 2013 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Lowe 185 Fish & Ski 2008 could be the deciding factor.

At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Lowe 185 Fish & Ski 2008 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 10 lbs per hp for the Lowe FS175 2013. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.