Both the Premier Boats Explorer 201 2009 and the Premier Boats SunSation 180 RE 2009 are pontoon designs, both built in aluminium, so 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 201 2009 at 20,0 ft versus Premier Boats SunSation 180 RE 2009 at 17,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Premier Boats Explorer 201 2009 tips the scales at 2 100 lbs - 450 lbs more than the Premier Boats SunSation 180 RE 2009 at 1 650 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 - 90 hp for the Premier Boats Explorer 201 2009 and 75 hp for the Premier Boats SunSation 180 RE 2009. 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 Explorer 201 2009 is rated for 11 passengers, while the Premier Boats SunSation 180 RE 2009 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Premier Boats Explorer 201 2009 could be the deciding factor.

Both are 23-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.