When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 and the Lund Mr. Pike 17 2007 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 Explorer 2005 at 18,0 ft versus Lund Mr. Pike 17 2007 at 17,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Lund Mr. Pike 17 2007 tips the scales at 1 285 lbs — 1 161 lbs less 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 — 150 hp for the Lund 1800 Explorer 2005 and 140 hp for the Lund Mr. Pike 17 2007. 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. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 32 gal and 32 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

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 Mr. Pike 17 2007 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 9 lbs per hp for the Lund Mr. Pike 17 2007. 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.