When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Lund 1800 Alaskan DC 2011 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 1800 Alaskan DC 2011 at 18,8 ft versus Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 at 18,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Lund 1800 Alaskan DC 2011 tips the scales at 1 105 lbs — 981 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.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 150 hp, the Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 has a 60-hp advantage over the Lund 1800 Alaskan DC 2011's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 carries 32 gallons versus 19 gallons in the Lund 1800 Alaskan DC 2011. 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 1800 Alaskan DC 2011 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.
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 1800 Alaskan DC 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.