When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Manitou Pontoons 24 Encore 2009 and the Manitou Pontoons 24 X-plode Sport Fish 2009 are pontoon 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 — Manitou Pontoons 24 Encore 2009 at 24,0 ft versus Manitou Pontoons 24 X-plode Sport Fish 2009 at 24,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Manitou Pontoons 24 Encore 2009 tips the scales at 468 lbs — 186 lbs more than the Manitou Pontoons 24 X-plode Sport Fish 2009 at 282 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 — 300 hp for the Manitou Pontoons 24 Encore 2009 and 300 hp for the Manitou Pontoons 24 X-plode Sport Fish 2009. 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 Manitou Pontoons 24 Encore 2009 carries 53 gallons versus 44 gallons in the Manitou Pontoons 24 X-plode Sport Fish 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 Manitou Pontoons 24 X-plode Sport Fish 2009 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Manitou Pontoons 24 Encore 2009 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Manitou Pontoons 24 X-plode Sport Fish 2009 could be the deciding factor.
One place where both boats are genuinely identical is tube construction: both run 3 aluminum tubes at 2" diameter. That shared spec means stability and buoyancy characteristics are closely matched — the ride difference you'll feel between them comes primarily from deck length, weight distribution, and motor choice.
Bottom line: Choose the Manitou Pontoons 24 X-plode Sport Fish 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 24,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Manitou Pontoons 24 Encore 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 12 that costs less to run day-to-day.