When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Mariah G23 2009 and the Mariah R19 2012 are modified vee 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 — Mariah G23 2009 at 23,0 ft versus Mariah R19 2012 at 20,1 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Mariah R19 2012 tips the scales at 365 lbs — 320 lbs less than the Mariah G23 2009 at 45 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 320 hp, the Mariah G23 2009 has a 95-hp advantage over the Mariah R19 2012's 225-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Mariah G23 2009 carries 57 gallons versus 22 gallons in the Mariah R19 2012. 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 Mariah G23 2009 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Mariah R19 2012 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Mariah G23 2009 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Mariah G23 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 23,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Mariah R19 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.