Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
MasterCraft 230 SS 2008 vs MasterCraft PS197 2011 — A Close Look at Two Modified Vees
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the MasterCraft 230 SS 2008 and the MasterCraft PS197 2011 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 — MasterCraft 230 SS 2008 at 22,0 ft versus MasterCraft PS197 2011 at 19,7 ft. At 39 lbs and 28 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The MasterCraft 230 SS 2008 is rated for 16 passengers, while the MasterCraft PS197 2011 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the MasterCraft 230 SS 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the MasterCraft 230 SS 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 16 passengers and at 22,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The MasterCraft PS197 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeMasterCraft
MakeMasterCraft
Model Year2008
Model Year2011
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam102 in
Beamnot available
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Metersnot available
Beam - Inches102
Beam - Inchesnot available
Depth - DetailTransom: 26 in. Amidship: 32 in
Depth - Detail20 in. (0.5 m) transom 22.5 in. (0.57 m) amidship
Depth - Centimeters81.28
Depth - Centimeters58.42
Depth - Inches32
Depth - Inches22.5
Draft [max] - Detail26 in
Draft [max] - Detail22 in. (0.56 m)
Draft [max] - Meters0.66
Draft [max] - Meters0.56
Draft [max] - Inches26
Draft [max] - Inches22
Weight - Detail3,900 lbs
Weight - Detail2,800 lbs. (1,270 kg)
Weight - kg1769.01
Weight - kg1270.06
Weight - lbs.39
Weight - lbs.28
Length - Feet22
Length - Feet19.67
Length - Inches5
Length - Inchesnot available
Length [over all with swim platform]24 ft. 6 in
Length [over all with swim platform]21 ft. 6 in. (6.6 m)
Length overall - Detail22 ft. 5 in
Length overall - Detail19 ft. 8 in. (6 m)
Length overall - Meters6.83
Length overall - Meters5.99
Length overall - Inches269
Length overall - Inches236
Width [transom] - Detailnot available
Width [transom] - Detail91 in. (2.3 m) amidship
Height - Detailnot available
Height - Detail83 in. (2.1 m) mini tower 95 in. (2.4 m) standard tower to lowest point on keel 29 in. (0.7 m) tow bar height to waterline
Height - Metersnot available
Height - Meters2.41
Height - Inchesnot available
Height - Inches95
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull typeModified Vee
Hull typeModified Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Fuel tank capacity - Detail65 gal
Fuel tank capacity - Detail28 gal. (106 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters246.05
Fuel tank capacity - Liters105.99
Fuel tank capacity - Gal65
Fuel tank capacity - Gal28
Drive typeInboard
Drive typeInboard
Engine makenot available
Engine makeIndmar
Engine modelnot available
Engine modelMCX 5.7 l 350 CID V-8, 312 hp (230 kW) L96 6.0 l V-8, 386 hp (284 kW)
Operational Info
Maximum capacity2,275 lbs
Maximum capacity1,087 lbs. (493 kg)
Maximum people16
Maximum people7
Trailer Info
Trailer - Length over all24 ft. 8 in. w/ Swing Away Tongue Folded: 22 ft. 10 in
Trailer - Length over all22 ft. 5 in. (6.8 m) 20 ft. 7 in. (6.27 m) swing away tongue
Trailer - WeightTandem-axle: 1,250 lbs
Trailer - Weight860 lbs. (390 kg) single axle 1,040 lbs. (472 kg) tandem axle
Trailer - WidthTandem-axle: 100 in
Trailer - Width99 in. (2.5 m) single axle 100 in. (2.54 m) tandem axle