When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Sea Ray 190 Sport 2013 and the Sea Ray 38 Sundancer 2009 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?

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Sea Ray 38 Sundancer 2009 measures 39,0 feet overall (2009), giving it roughly 19,3 additional feet of deck space compared to the Sea Ray 190 Sport 2013 at 19,7 feet (2013). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sea Ray 38 Sundancer 2009 tips the scales at 246 lbs — 220 lbs less than the Sea Ray 190 Sport 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 power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 425 hp, the Sea Ray 38 Sundancer 2009 has a 205-hp advantage over the Sea Ray 190 Sport 2013's 220-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 26 gal and 25 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Sea Ray 38 Sundancer 2009 is rated for 11 passengers, while the Sea Ray 190 Sport 2013 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sea Ray 38 Sundancer 2009 could be the deciding factor.