When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Marquis Yachts 500 Sport Bridge 2009 and the Marquis Yachts 720 Fly Bridge 2012 are semi displacement 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?

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Marquis Yachts 720 Fly Bridge 2012 measures 72,1 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 22,6 additional feet of deck space compared to the Marquis Yachts 500 Sport Bridge 2009 at 49,5 feet (2009). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Marquis Yachts 720 Fly Bridge 2012 tips the scales at 1 152 lbs — 689 lbs less than the Marquis Yachts 500 Sport Bridge 2009 at 463 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.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Marquis Yachts 720 Fly Bridge 2012 is rated for 20 passengers, while the Marquis Yachts 500 Sport Bridge 2009 caps at 14. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Marquis Yachts 720 Fly Bridge 2012 could be the deciding factor.