Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 vs Sailfish 290 CC 2013 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 or the Sailfish 290 CC 2013?

The Sailfish 290 CC 2013 is the longer of the two at 28,5 feet overall. The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 comes in at 21,0 feet, making it roughly 7,5 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 or the Sailfish 290 CC 2013?

For trailering, the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 has the edge at 35 lbs dry weight versus 505 lbs for the Sailfish 290 CC 2013. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Sailfish 290 CC 2013 is rated to a maximum of 600 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 tops out at 250 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 is Coast Guard rated for 6 passengers, while the Sailfish 290 CC 2013 is certified for 9. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Sailfish 290 CC 2013 measures 108" wide, compared to 102" for the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 or the Sailfish 290 CC 2013?

The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 has the bigger tank at 95 gallons, versus 24 gallons on the Sailfish 290 CC 2013. That 71-gallon difference translates to roughly 213–355 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 and Sailfish 290 CC 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 and the Sailfish 290 CC 2013 are built by Sailfish. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 vs Sailfish 290 CC 2013

Sailfish

Sailfish 218 WAC 2009

2009

View full specs →

Sailfish

Sailfish 290 CC 2013

2013

View full specs →

Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 vs Sailfish 290 CC 2013 — Same Brand, Different Boat

Matching a modified vee Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 against a deep vee Sailfish 290 CC 2013 means you're likely deciding between two genuinely different on-water experiences. Hull type shapes everything from ride quality and fuel burn to dock handling and resale trajectory.

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Sailfish 290 CC 2013 measures 28,5 feet overall (2013), giving it roughly 7,5 additional feet of deck space compared to the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 at 21,0 feet (2009). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sailfish 290 CC 2013 tips the scales at 505 lbs — 470 lbs less than the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 at 35 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 600 hp, the Sailfish 290 CC 2013 has a 350-hp advantage over the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009's 250-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 carries 95 gallons versus 24 gallons in the Sailfish 290 CC 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 Sailfish 290 CC 2013 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sailfish 290 CC 2013 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Sailfish 290 CC 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 28,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeSailfish

Model218 WAC

Model290 CC

Model Year2009

Model Year2013

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Beam9 ft. (2.74 m)

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Meters2.74

Beam - Inches102

Beam - Inches108

Bridge clearance - Detail8 ft. 4 in. (2.54 m)

Bridge clearance - Detail8 ft. 10 in. (2.69 m) with T-top

Bridge clearance - Meters2.54

Bridge clearance - Meters2.69

Bridge clearance - Inches1

Bridge clearance - Inches106

Deadrise22-24℃

Deadrise22 - 24° multi angle

Depth - DetailRear: 26 in. (66.04 cm)

Depth - DetailCockpit Rear: 30 in. (76.2 cm) Cockpit Front: 40 in. (101.6 cm)

Depth - Centimeters66.04

Depth - Centimeters101.6

Depth - Inches26

Depth - Inches4

Draft [max] - Detail18 in. (45.72 cm)

Draft [max] - Detail21 in. (53.34 cm)

Draft [max] - Meters0.46

Draft [max] - Meters0.53

Draft [max] - Inches18

Draft [max] - Inches21

Weight - Detail3,500 lbs. (1,587.57 kg)

Weight - DetailHull Only: 5,050 lbs. (2,290.64 kg)

Weight - kg1587.57

Weight - kg2290.64

Weight - lbs.35

Weight - lbs.505

Length - Meters6.48

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet21

Length - Feet28.5

Length - Inches3

Length - Inchesnot available

Length [over all with swim platform]Rigged: 23 ft. 3 in. (7.09 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]not available

Length overall - Detail21 ft. 3 in. (6.48 m)

Length overall - DetailHull Only: 28 ft. 6 in. (8.69 m) Rigged: 30 ft. 6 in. (9.3 m

Length overall - Meters6.48

Length overall - Meters9.3

Length overall - Inches255

Length overall - Inches366

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typeModified Vee

Hull typeDeep Vee

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardYamaha 150TXR 2-stroke Carb

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail95 gal. (360 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail240 gal. (909 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters359.61

Fuel tank capacity - Liters908.5

Fuel tank capacity - Gal95

Fuel tank capacity - Gal24

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeOutboard

Horsepower250 hp (186 kW)

Horsepowernot available

Engine maxYamaha F250TXR 4-stroke

Engine maxWith Twins: 600 hp (447.42 kW)

BatteryCapacity: 2

Batterynot available

Operational Info

Water capacityFresh: 6.5 gal. (25 l)

Water capacity14 gal. (53 l)

Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 vs Sailfish 290 CC 2013 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 or the Sailfish 290 CC 2013?

The Sailfish 290 CC 2013 is the longer of the two at 28,5 feet overall. The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 comes in at 21,0 feet, making it roughly 7,5 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 or the Sailfish 290 CC 2013?

For trailering, the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 has the edge at 35 lbs dry weight versus 505 lbs for the Sailfish 290 CC 2013. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Sailfish 290 CC 2013 is rated to a maximum of 600 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 tops out at 250 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 is Coast Guard rated for 6 passengers, while the Sailfish 290 CC 2013 is certified for 9. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Sailfish 290 CC 2013 measures 108" wide, compared to 102" for the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 or the Sailfish 290 CC 2013?

The Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 has the bigger tank at 95 gallons, versus 24 gallons on the Sailfish 290 CC 2013. That 71-gallon difference translates to roughly 213–355 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 and Sailfish 290 CC 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 and the Sailfish 290 CC 2013 are built by Sailfish. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Sailfish 218 WAC 2009 full specs ← Sailfish 290 CC 2013 full specs