Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 vs Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 or the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005?

For trailering, the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 has the edge at 1 535 lbs dry weight versus 2 235 lbs for the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 is rated to a maximum of 135 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 tops out at 40 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 is Coast Guard rated for 8 passengers, while the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 is certified for 12. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Do these boats require an oversize trailer permit to tow on US highways?

Both the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 and Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 share an 96 in. (244 cm) beam — meaning both sit right at the 8’6" threshold that most US states use for standard-width loads. In most states you can tow at that width without a special permit, but regulations vary. Always check the rules for your state and any states you'll be passing through before your first long haul.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 or the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005?

The Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 has the bigger tank at 7 gallons, versus 3 gallons on the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005. That 3-gallon difference translates to roughly 10–18 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 and Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 and the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 are built by Monark Marine. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 vs Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005

Monark Marine

Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007

2007

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Monark Marine

Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005

2005

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 vs Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 vs Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 135 hp, the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 has a 95-hp advantage over the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007's 40-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 carries 7 gallons versus 3 gallons in the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 0,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeMonark Marine

ModelFantasy 180 RE Fish

ModelFestival 240 Cruise

Model Year2007

Model Year2005

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam96 in. (244 cm)

Beam - Meters2.44

Beam - Inches96

Weight - Detail1,535 lbs. (696.3 kg)

Weight - Detail2,235 lbs. (1013.8 kg)

Weight - kg696.26

Weight - kg1013.78

Weight - lbs.1535

Weight - lbs.2235

Height [transom]20 in. (51 cm)

Length - Meters5.5

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet18

Length - Feetnot available

Length overall - Detail18 ft. 0 in. (5.5 m)

Length overall - Detail24 ft. 3 in. (7.4 m)

Length overall - Meters5.49

Length overall - Meters7.39

Length overall - Inches216

Length overall - Inches291

Height - Detailnot available

Height - DetailFence Height: 27 in. (69 cm)

Height - Metersnot available

Height - Meters0.69

Height - Inchesnot available

Height - Inches27

Body / Hull

Hull materialAluminum

Hull materialnot available

Hull thickness0.08 in. (0.203 cm)

Hull thicknessnot available

Pontoon and Inflatable Specific

Tube diameter23 in. (58 cm)

Tube gaugenot available

Tube gauge0.080 in. (.203 cm)

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standard25 ELPTO Merc / 19 kW (includes propeller)

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail6.6 gal. Quicksilver portable fuel tank

Fuel tank capacity - Detail30 gal. (113.6 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters26.5

Fuel tank capacity - Liters113.56

Fuel tank capacity - Gal6.6

Fuel tank capacity - Gal3

Fuel typeGas

Fuel typenot available

Drive typeOutboard

Drive typenot available

Engine max40 hp (30 kW)

Engine max135 hp (100 kw)

Operational Info

Maximum capacity1,515 lbs. (687.2 kg)

Maximum capacity2,299 lbs. (1042.8 kg)

Maximum people8 @ 1,095 lbs. (496.7 kg)

Maximum people12

Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 vs Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 — Common Questions

Which is easier to trailer — the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 or the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005?

For trailering, the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 has the edge at 1 535 lbs dry weight versus 2 235 lbs for the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 is rated to a maximum of 135 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 tops out at 40 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 is Coast Guard rated for 8 passengers, while the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 is certified for 12. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Do these boats require an oversize trailer permit to tow on US highways?

Both the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 and Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 share an 96 in. (244 cm) beam — meaning both sit right at the 8’6" threshold that most US states use for standard-width loads. In most states you can tow at that width without a special permit, but regulations vary. Always check the rules for your state and any states you'll be passing through before your first long haul.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 or the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005?

The Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 has the bigger tank at 7 gallons, versus 3 gallons on the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005. That 3-gallon difference translates to roughly 10–18 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 and Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 and the Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 are built by Monark Marine. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Monark Marine Fantasy 180 RE Fish 2007 full specs ← Monark Marine Festival 240 Cruise 2005 full specs