When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Palm Beach Pontoons 240RL 2012 and the Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 CL 2013 are pontoon 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?

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Palm Beach Pontoons 240RL 2012 at 24,3 ft versus Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 CL 2013 at 26,3 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Palm Beach Pontoons 240RL 2012 tips the scales at 2 584 lbs — 2 352 lbs more than the Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 CL 2013 at 232 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 175 hp, the Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 CL 2013 has a 25-hp advantage over the Palm Beach Pontoons 240RL 2012's 150-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 CL 2013 is rated for 16 passengers, while the Palm Beach Pontoons 240RL 2012 caps at 14. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Palm Beach Pontoons Echelon 260 CL 2013 could be the deciding factor.

One place where both boats are genuinely identical is tube construction: both run 2 aluminum tubes at 25" diameter. That shared spec means stability and buoyancy characteristics are closely matched — the ride difference you'll feel between them comes primarily from deck length, weight distribution, and motor choice.