When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Luhrs 28 Open 2009 and the Luhrs 31 Open IPS 2009 are deep 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?

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Luhrs 28 Open 2009 at 31,0 ft versus Luhrs 31 Open IPS 2009 at 34,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Luhrs 31 Open IPS 2009 tips the scales at 135 lbs — 134 lbs less than the Luhrs 28 Open 2009 at 1 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 Luhrs 31 Open IPS 2009 tops out at 260 hp. Engine specs for the Luhrs 28 Open 2009 aren't listed — confirm with a dealer before selecting an outboard.Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 3 gal and 3 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Luhrs 31 Open IPS 2009 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Luhrs 28 Open 2009 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Luhrs 31 Open IPS 2009 could be the deciding factor.