When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport 2008 and the Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport 2009 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 Ray 290 Sun Sport 2008 at 29,0 ft versus Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport 2009 at 29,5 ft. At 83 lbs and 83 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 640 hp, the Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport 2009 has a 265-hp advantage over the Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport 2008's 375-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 13 gal and 13 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport 2008 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport 2009 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 290 Sun Sport 2008 could be the deciding factor.