When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Premier Boats Explorer 171 RE 2011 and the Premier Boats SunSation 160 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 Explorer 171 RE 2011 at 17,3 ft versus Premier Boats SunSation 160 2008 at 15,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Premier Boats SunSation 160 2008 tips the scales at 875 lbs — 860 lbs less than the Premier Boats Explorer 171 RE 2011 at 15 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.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 50 hp for the Premier Boats Explorer 171 RE 2011 and 50 hp for the Premier Boats SunSation 160 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Premier Boats SunSation 160 2008 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Premier Boats Explorer 171 RE 2011 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Premier Boats SunSation 160 2008 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Premier Boats Explorer 171 RE 2011 comes in at 0 lbs per hp versus 18 lbs per hp for the Premier Boats SunSation 160 2008. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.
Both are 2-tube and 2-tube pontoon designs respectively. Tube diameter and gauge affect stability and load capacity — more so than most buyers realize when comparing on paper.
Bottom line: Choose the Premier Boats SunSation 160 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 15,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Premier Boats Explorer 171 RE 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.