When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Mercury 340 Air Deck PVC 2012 and the Mercury Air Deck 2013 are inflatable non rigid designs with plastic 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 Mercury 340 Air Deck PVC 2012 measures 10,5 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 3,3 additional feet of deck space compared to the Mercury Air Deck 2013 at 7,3 feet (2013). At 9 lbs and 7 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.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 20 hp for the Mercury 340 Air Deck PVC 2012 and 4 hp for the Mercury Air Deck 2013. 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.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Mercury 340 Air Deck PVC 2012 is rated for 5 passengers, while the Mercury Air Deck 2013 caps at 3. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Mercury 340 Air Deck PVC 2012 could be the deciding factor.

At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Mercury 340 Air Deck PVC 2012 comes in at 0 lbs per hp versus 2 lbs per hp for the Mercury Air Deck 2013. 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.