Both the Premier Boats Explorer 201 2009 and the Premier Boats SunSation 220 FS 2010 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 220 FS 2010 at 22,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Premier Boats SunSation 220 FS 2010 tips the scales at 2 300 lbs - 200 lbs less than the Premier Boats Explorer 201 2009 at 2 100 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 90 hp for the Premier Boats SunSation 220 FS 2010. 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 220 FS 2010 caps at 10. 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 23-tube pontoon designs respectively. Tube diameter and gauge affect stability and load capacity - more so than most buyers realize when comparing on paper.