When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Lowe Frontier 1756 DLX 2013 and the Lowe Sportsman 18 2011 are modified 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 Frontier 1756 DLX 2013 at 17,0 ft versus Lowe Sportsman 18 2011 at 18,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Lowe Sportsman 18 2011 tips the scales at 958 lbs — 894 lbs less than the Lowe Frontier 1756 DLX 2013 at 64 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.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 90 hp, the Lowe Sportsman 18 2011 has a 30-hp advantage over the Lowe Frontier 1756 DLX 2013's 60-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Lowe Sportsman 18 2011 carries 24 gallons versus 6 gallons in the Lowe Frontier 1756 DLX 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 Frontier 1756 DLX 2013 is rated for 5 passengers, while the Lowe Sportsman 18 2011 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Lowe Frontier 1756 DLX 2013 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Lowe Frontier 1756 DLX 2013 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 11 lbs per hp for the Lowe Sportsman 18 2011. 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.
Bottom line: Choose the Lowe Frontier 1756 DLX 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 5 passengers and at 17,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Lowe Sportsman 18 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.