When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Riviera Yachts 43 Open Flybridge with IPS 2012 and the Riviera Yachts 445 SUV 2013 are deep vee designs with fiberglass 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 — Riviera Yachts 43 Open Flybridge with IPS 2012 at 47,4 ft versus Riviera Yachts 445 SUV 2013 at 47,4 ft. At 313 lbs and 303 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 435 hp for the Riviera Yachts 43 Open Flybridge with IPS 2012 and 435 hp for the Riviera Yachts 445 SUV 2013. 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 Riviera Yachts 445 SUV 2013 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Riviera Yachts 43 Open Flybridge with IPS 2012 caps at 13. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Riviera Yachts 445 SUV 2013 could be the deciding factor.