When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Lowe Frontier 1860 CC 2013 and the Lowe ST170 2010 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 1860 CC 2013 at 18,0 ft versus Lowe ST170 2010 at 17,4 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Lowe ST170 2010 tips the scales at 995 lbs — 900 lbs less than the Lowe Frontier 1860 CC 2013 at 95 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 — 90 hp for the Lowe Frontier 1860 CC 2013 and 75 hp for the Lowe ST170 2010. 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.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Lowe Frontier 1860 CC 2013 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Lowe ST170 2010 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 1860 CC 2013 could be the deciding factor.

At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Lowe Frontier 1860 CC 2013 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 13 lbs per hp for the Lowe ST170 2010. 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.