When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Sea King 198B 2012 and the Sea King 210CC 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 — Sea King 198B 2012 at 18,4 ft versus Sea King 210CC 2011 at 20,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sea King 198B 2012 tips the scales at 138 lbs — 116 lbs more than the Sea King 210CC 2011 at 22 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 200 hp, the Sea King 210CC 2011 has a 110-hp advantage over the Sea King 198B 2012's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Sea King 210CC 2011 carries 85 gallons versus 33 gallons in the Sea King 198B 2012. 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 Sea King 210CC 2011 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Sea King 198B 2012 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sea King 210CC 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Sea King 210CC 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 20,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Sea King 198B 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.