When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Sabre Yachts 38 Express 2012 and the Sabre Yachts 42 Salon Express 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 — Sabre Yachts 38 Express 2012 at 38,5 ft versus Sabre Yachts 42 Salon Express 2013 at 40,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sabre Yachts 38 Express 2012 tips the scales at 215 lbs — 189 lbs more than the Sabre Yachts 42 Salon Express 2013 at 26 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 Sabre Yachts 42 Salon Express 2013 tops out at 380 hp. Engine specs for the Sabre Yachts 38 Express 2012 aren't listed — confirm with a dealer before selecting an outboard.Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 35 gal and 38 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Sabre Yachts 42 Salon Express 2013 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Sabre Yachts 38 Express 2012 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sabre Yachts 42 Salon Express 2013 could be the deciding factor.