When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Mercury PT850 2008 and the Mercury V750 Cruiser PVC 2009 are inflatable rigid designs with inflatable 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 — Mercury PT850 2008 at 27,0 ft versus Mercury V750 Cruiser PVC 2009 at 24,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Mercury PT850 2008 tips the scales at 2 557 lbs — 853 lbs more than the Mercury V750 Cruiser PVC 2009 at 1 704 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 500 hp, the Mercury PT850 2008 has a 200-hp advantage over the Mercury V750 Cruiser PVC 2009's 300-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Mercury PT850 2008 is rated for 26 passengers, while the Mercury V750 Cruiser PVC 2009 caps at 22. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Mercury PT850 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Mercury PT850 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 26 passengers and at 27,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Mercury V750 Cruiser PVC 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 22 that costs less to run day-to-day.