Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Premier Boats Cast-A-Way 231 DL 2010 vs Premier Boats Escapade 235 2008 — A Close Look at Two Pontoons
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Premier Boats Cast-A-Way 231 DL 2010 and the Premier Boats Escapade 235 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 Cast-A-Way 231 DL 2010 at 23,0 ft versus Premier Boats Escapade 235 2008 at 23,0 ft. At 265 lbs and 228 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 140 hp for the Premier Boats Cast-A-Way 231 DL 2010 and 150 hp for the Premier Boats Escapade 235 2008. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Premier Boats Cast-A-Way 231 DL 2010 carries 28 gallons versus 3 gallons in the Premier Boats Escapade 235 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 Escapade 235 2008 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Premier Boats Cast-A-Way 231 DL 2010 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Premier Boats Escapade 235 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Premier Boats Escapade 235 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 23,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Premier Boats Cast-A-Way 231 DL 2010 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 12 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakePremier Boats
MakePremier Boats
ModelCast-A-Way 231 DL
ModelEscapade 235
Model Year201
Model Year2008
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam8 ft. 6 in
Beam8 ft. 6 in
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Inches102
Beam - Inches102
Weight - Detail2,050 lbs. (2 tubes) 2,500 lbs. (3 tubes) 2,650 lbs. (36 in. PTX)
Weight - Detail1,975 lbs. (2 tubes) 2,280 lbs. (3 tubes)
Weight - kg1202.02
Weight - kg1034.19
Weight - lbs.265
Weight - lbs.228
Length [deck]22 ft. 0 in
Length [deck]23 ft. 0 in
Length - Feet23
Length - Feet23
Length overall - Detail23 ft. 0 in
Length overall - Detail23 ft. 4 in
Length overall - Meters7.01
Length overall - Meters7.11
Length overall - Inches276
Length overall - Inches28
Length - Inchesnot available
Length - Inches4
Body / Hull
Hull materialAluminum
Hull materialAluminum
Hull typePontoon
Hull typePontoon
Hull thicknessnot available
Hull thickness0.090 gauge (with 0.100 nosecones)
Pontoon and Inflatable Specific
Tube diameter25 in
Tube diameter25 in
Number of tubes2 or 3
Number of tubesnot available
Engine and Drivetrain
Fuel tank capacity - Detail28 gal
Fuel tank capacity - Detail30 gal. (2 tube)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters105.99
Fuel tank capacity - Liters113.56
Fuel tank capacity - Gal28
Fuel tank capacity - Gal3
Drive typeOutboard
Drive typeI/O
Engine max140 hp (2 tubes) 200 hp (3 tubes) 225 hp (36 in. PTX)
Engine max150 hp (2 tubes) 225 hp (3 tubes) 250 hp (PTX)
Operational Info
Maximum capacity2,400 lbs. (2 tubes) 2,750 lbs. (3 tubes / 30 in. PTX) 3,150 lbs. (36 in. PTX)
Maximum capacity2,600 lbs. (2 tubes) 3,025 lbs. (3 tubes) 3,900 lbs. (PTX)
Maximum people12 (2 tubes) 14 (3 tubes) 16 (36 in. PTX)
Maximum people13 (2 tubes) 15 (3 tubes) 17 (PTX)