Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Lowe Boats Legacy 2021 vs Lowe ST170 2010 — Same Brand, Different Boat
The Lowe Boats Legacy 2021 vs Lowe ST170 2010 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Lowe Boats Legacy 2021 at 18,0 ft versus Lowe ST170 2010 at 17,4 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Lowe Boats Legacy 2021 tips the scales at 1 129 lbs — 134 lbs more than the Lowe ST170 2010 at 995 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 Boats Legacy 2021 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. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Lowe Boats Legacy 2021 carries 19 gallons versus 2 gallons in the Lowe ST170 2010. 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 Boats Legacy 2021 is rated for 5 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 Boats Legacy 2021 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Lowe Boats Legacy 2021 comes in at 13 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.
The Lowe Boats Legacy 2021 is trailerable — a genuine lifestyle advantage at this size. The Lowe ST170 2010 isn't listed as trailerable, which may mean a permanent berth or mooring is required.
Bottom line: Choose the Lowe Boats Legacy 2021 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 5 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Lowe ST170 2010 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.
Measurements / Dimensions
Length overall - Detail18.00 ft
Length overall - Detail17 ft. 5 in. (5.31 m)
Length - Feet18
Length - Feet17.42
Length overall - Meters5.49
Length overall - Meters5.31
Length overall - Inches216
Length overall - Inches209
Beam8.50 ft
Beam85 in. (2.15 m)
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Meters2.16
Beam - Inches102
Beam - Inches85
Displacement1129.00 lbs
Displacementnot available
Depth - Detailnot available
Depth - Detail21 in. (0.53 m)
Depth - Centimetersnot available
Depth - Centimeters53.34
Depth - Inchesnot available
Depth - Inches21
Draft [max] - Detailnot available
Draft [max] - Detail12 in. (0.30 m)
Draft [max] - Metersnot available
Draft [max] - Meters0.3
Draft [max] - Inchesnot available
Draft [max] - Inches12
Weight - Detailnot available
Weight - Detail995 lbs. (451 kg)
Weight - kgnot available
Weight - kg451.32
Weight - lbs.not available
Weight - lbs.995
Width [transom] - Detailnot available
Width [transom] - DetailBottom Width: 60 in. (1.52 m)
Height [transom]not available
Height [transom]20 in. (0.5 m)
Engine and Drivetrain
Fuel tank capacity - Gal19
Fuel tank capacity - Gal2
Fuel tank capacity - Liters71.92
Fuel tank capacity - Liters75.71
Engine makeMercury
Engine makenot available
Engine modelFourStroke
Engine modelnot available
Horsepower90 hp
Horsepowernot available
Drive typeoutboard
Drive typenot available
Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Detail20 gal. (75 l)
Engine maxnot available
Engine max75 hp (56 kW)
Operational Info
TrailerableYes
Trailerablenot available
Boat typePower
Boat typenot available
Maximum capacitynot available
Maximum capacity1,100 lbs. (503 kg)
Maximum peoplenot available
Maximum people4 / 650 lbs. (295 kg)
General Boat Info
Makenot available
MakeLowe
Modelnot available
ModelST17
Model Yearnot available
Model Year201
Body / Hull
Hull materialnot available
Hull materialAluminum
Hull thicknessnot available
Hull thickness0.100 in. (2.5 mm)
Hull typenot available
Hull typeModified Vee
Trailer Info
Trailer - Detailnot available
Trailer - DetailPainted bunk tralier with swing tongue
Trailer - Length over allnot available
Trailer - Length over all20 ft. 8 in. with tongue in
Trailer - Widthnot available
Trailer - Width89 in. (2.26 m)