Both the Misty Harbor 1880CF 2008 and the Misty Harbor 2085DF 2012 are pontoon designs, both built in aluminium, so 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 - Misty Harbor 1880CF 2008 at 18,0 ft versus Misty Harbor 2085DF 2012 at 20,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Misty Harbor 2085DF 2012 tips the scales at 1 700 lbs - 620 lbs less than the Misty Harbor 1880CF 2008 at 1 080 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 - 75 hp for the Misty Harbor 1880CF 2008 and 90 hp for the Misty Harbor 2085DF 2012. 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 Misty Harbor 2085DF 2012 is rated for 11 passengers, while the Misty Harbor 1880CF 2008 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Misty Harbor 2085DF 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Both are 2-tube and 2-tube pontoon designs respectively. Tube diameter and gauge affect stability and load capacity - more so than most buyers realize when comparing on paper.
Bottom line: Choose the Misty Harbor 2085DF 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 11 passengers and at 20,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Misty Harbor 1880CF 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 9 that costs less to run day-to-day.