When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Premier Boats 310 Sky Dek RE 2011 and the Premier Boats Intrigue 310 2008 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 — Premier Boats 310 Sky Dek RE 2011 at 31,3 ft versus Premier Boats Intrigue 310 2008 at 31,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Premier Boats Intrigue 310 2008 tips the scales at 3 275 lbs — 3 226 lbs less than the Premier Boats 310 Sky Dek RE 2011 at 49 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 350 hp, the Premier Boats 310 Sky Dek RE 2011 has a 150-hp advantage over the Premier Boats Intrigue 310 2008's 200-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Premier Boats 310 Sky Dek RE 2011 carries 53 gallons versus 3 gallons in the Premier Boats Intrigue 310 2008. 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 Premier Boats 310 Sky Dek RE 2011 is rated for 25 passengers, while the Premier Boats Intrigue 310 2008 caps at 21. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Premier Boats 310 Sky Dek RE 2011 could be the deciding factor.