When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Nautique 216 2010 and the Nautique Byerly 210 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?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Nautique 216 2010 at 21,5 ft versus Nautique Byerly 210 2009 at 21,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Nautique 216 2010 tips the scales at 299 lbs — 261 lbs more than the Nautique Byerly 210 2009 at 38 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 409 hp, the Nautique Byerly 210 2009 has a 66-hp advantage over the Nautique 216 2010's 343-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Nautique 216 2010 carries 29 gallons versus 4 gallons in the Nautique Byerly 210 2009. 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 Nautique Byerly 210 2009 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Nautique 216 2010 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Nautique Byerly 210 2009 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Nautique Byerly 210 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 21,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Nautique 216 2010 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.