When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Robalo R245 2009 and the Robalo R247 2011 are modified 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 — Robalo R245 2009 at 24,0 ft versus Robalo R247 2011 at 24,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Robalo R245 2009 tips the scales at 5 533 lbs — 5 528 lbs more than the Robalo R247 2011 at 5 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 — 400 hp for the Robalo R245 2009 and 400 hp for the Robalo R247 2011. 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. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 15 gal and 15 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Robalo R247 2011 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Robalo R245 2009 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Robalo R247 2011 could be the deciding factor.