When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the MirroCraft 4652 (12 ft. Sportsman) 2012 and the MirroCraft 4656 (16 ft. Deep Fisherman) 2013 are modified vee designs with aluminum 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 MirroCraft 4656 (16 ft. Deep Fisherman) 2013 measures 16,0 feet overall (2013), giving it roughly 4,0 additional feet of deck space compared to the MirroCraft 4652 (12 ft. Sportsman) 2012 at 12,0 feet (2012). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the MirroCraft 4656 (16 ft. Deep Fisherman) 2013 tips the scales at 243 lbs — 232 lbs less than the MirroCraft 4652 (12 ft. Sportsman) 2012 at 11 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 — 10 hp for the MirroCraft 4652 (12 ft. Sportsman) 2012 and 25 hp for the MirroCraft 4656 (16 ft. Deep Fisherman) 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 MirroCraft 4656 (16 ft. Deep Fisherman) 2013 is rated for 6 passengers, while the MirroCraft 4652 (12 ft. Sportsman) 2012 caps at 2. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the MirroCraft 4656 (16 ft. Deep Fisherman) 2013 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The MirroCraft 4652 (12 ft. Sportsman) 2012 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 10 lbs per hp for the MirroCraft 4656 (16 ft. Deep Fisherman) 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.
Bottom line: Choose the MirroCraft 4656 (16 ft. Deep Fisherman) 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 16,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The MirroCraft 4652 (12 ft. Sportsman) 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 2 that costs less to run day-to-day.