When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009 and the Raider Pro-Sport 172 2013 are deep vee 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 — Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009 at 18,0 ft versus Raider Pro-Sport 172 2013 at 17,2 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009 tips the scales at 1 575 lbs — 1 456 lbs more than the Raider Pro-Sport 172 2013 at 119 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 Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009 has a 60-hp advantage over the Raider Pro-Sport 172 2013's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009 carries 46 gallons versus 32 gallons in the Raider Pro-Sport 172 2013. 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 Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Raider Pro-Sport 172 2013 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Raider Pro-Sport 172 2013 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 11 lbs per hp for the Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009. 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.
Bottom line: Choose the Raider Pro Fisherman 185 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 7 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Raider Pro-Sport 172 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.