When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Lund 1750 Fisherman 2008 and the Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 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 1750 Fisherman 2008 at 17,0 ft versus Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 at 18,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Lund 1750 Fisherman 2008 tips the scales at 1 345 lbs — 1 221 lbs more than the Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 at 124 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 — 135 hp for the Lund 1750 Fisherman 2008 and 150 hp for the Lund 1800 Explorer 2005. 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 Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 carries 32 gallons versus 27 gallons in the Lund 1750 Fisherman 2008. 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 1800 Explorer 2005 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Lund 1750 Fisherman 2008 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 10 lbs per hp for the Lund 1750 Fisherman 2008. 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 Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Lund 1750 Fisherman 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.