When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Premier Boats SunSation 240 RE / RL 2012 and the Premier Boats SunSation LTD 250 RE 2009 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 SunSation 240 RE / RL 2012 at 24,4 ft versus Premier Boats SunSation LTD 250 RE 2009 at 24,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Premier Boats SunSation LTD 250 RE 2009 tips the scales at 295 lbs — 273 lbs less than the Premier Boats SunSation 240 RE / RL 2012 at 22 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 150 hp, the Premier Boats SunSation LTD 250 RE 2009 has a 35-hp advantage over the Premier Boats SunSation 240 RE / RL 2012's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 2 gal and 3 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Premier Boats SunSation LTD 250 RE 2009 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Premier Boats SunSation 240 RE / RL 2012 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Premier Boats SunSation LTD 250 RE 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.