When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Lund 1700 Explorer Tiller 2006 and the Lund 186 Pro Sport GL 2009 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 — Lund 1700 Explorer Tiller 2006 at 17,0 ft versus Lund 186 Pro Sport GL 2009 at 18,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Lund 1700 Explorer Tiller 2006 tips the scales at 1 035 lbs — 860 lbs more than the Lund 186 Pro Sport GL 2009 at 175 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 Lund 1700 Explorer Tiller 2006 carries a rated maximum of 75 hp. Engine data for the Lund 186 Pro Sport GL 2009 wasn't available in our records — check the manufacturer's spec sheet before sizing a motor.Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Lund 1700 Explorer Tiller 2006 carries 27 gallons versus 4 gallons in the Lund 186 Pro Sport GL 2009. 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 Lund 1700 Explorer Tiller 2006 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Lund 186 Pro Sport GL 2009 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Lund 1700 Explorer Tiller 2006 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Lund 1700 Explorer Tiller 2006 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 17,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Lund 186 Pro Sport GL 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.