Both the Scout 170 Costa 2009 and the Scout 175 Sportfish 2010 are modified-V designs, both built in fibreglass, so 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 - Scout 170 Costa 2009 at 16,0 ft versus Scout 175 Sportfish 2010 at 17,4 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Scout 175 Sportfish 2010 tips the scales at 1 260 lbs - 280 lbs less than the Scout 170 Costa 2009 at 980 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 - 115 hp for the Scout 170 Costa 2009 and 115 hp for the Scout 175 Sportfish 2010. 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 - 30 gal and 32 gal - so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Scout 175 Sportfish 2010 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Scout 170 Costa 2009 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Scout 175 Sportfish 2010 could be the deciding factor.

At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Scout 170 Costa 2009 comes in at 9 lbs per hp versus 11 lbs per hp for the Scout 175 Sportfish 2010. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration - meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.