When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Riviera Yachts 45 Open - Shaft Drive 2013 and the Riviera Yachts 47 Enclosed Flybridge SII 2011 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 45 Open - Shaft Drive 2013 at 51,3 ft versus Riviera Yachts 47 Enclosed Flybridge SII 2011 at 49,1 ft. At 394 lbs and 432 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.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 715 hp, the Riviera Yachts 47 Enclosed Flybridge SII 2011 has a 140-hp advantage over the Riviera Yachts 45 Open - Shaft Drive 2013's 575-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Riviera Yachts 47 Enclosed Flybridge SII 2011 carries 977 gallons versus 608 gallons in the Riviera Yachts 45 Open - Shaft Drive 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 Riviera Yachts 45 Open - Shaft Drive 2013 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Riviera Yachts 47 Enclosed Flybridge SII 2011 caps at 14. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Riviera Yachts 45 Open - Shaft Drive 2013 could be the deciding factor.