Both the Monterey 260SCR 2012 and the Monterey 264FSC 2012 are deep-V designs, both built in fibreglass, 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 - Monterey 260SCR 2012 at 27,5 ft versus Monterey 264FSC 2012 at 26,6 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Monterey 260SCR 2012 tips the scales at 7 200 lbs - 1 800 lbs more than the Monterey 264FSC 2012 at 5 400 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 425 hp, the Monterey 264FSC 2012 has a 105-hp advantage over the Monterey 260SCR 2012's 320-hp ceiling - enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads - 80 gal and 80 gal - so range won't be a tiebreaker here.