When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Meridian Yachts 391 Sedan 2008 and the Meridian Yachts 459 Motoryacht 2009 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?

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Meridian Yachts 459 Motoryacht 2009 measures 47,0 feet overall (2009), giving it roughly 43,0 additional feet of deck space compared to the Meridian Yachts 391 Sedan 2008 at 4,0 feet (2008). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Meridian Yachts 459 Motoryacht 2009 tips the scales at 307 lbs — 282 lbs less than the Meridian Yachts 391 Sedan 2008 at 25 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.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 8 hp for the Meridian Yachts 391 Sedan 2008 and 8 hp for the Meridian Yachts 459 Motoryacht 2009. 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. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 35 gal and 33 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Meridian Yachts 459 Motoryacht 2009 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Meridian Yachts 391 Sedan 2008 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Meridian Yachts 459 Motoryacht 2009 could be the deciding factor.