Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 vs Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 or the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011?

The Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 is the longer of the two at 18,0 feet overall. The Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 comes in at 2,0 feet, making it roughly 16,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 is rated to a maximum of 200 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 tops out at 150 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 Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 is Coast Guard rated for 5 passengers, while the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 is certified for 6. 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: How do the fuel tanks compare on the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 and Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011?

Both boats carry similar fuel loads — 43 gallons and 43 gallons respectively. Range will depend heavily on motor choice, throttle usage, and whether you're on flat lake water or coastal chop.

Q: Are the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 and Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 and the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 are built by Shallow Sport. 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

Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 vs Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011

Shallow Sport

Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008

2008

View full specs →

Shallow Sport

Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011

2011

View full specs →

Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 vs Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 vs Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 200 hp, the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 has a 50-hp advantage over the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008's 150-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 43 gal and 43 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 2,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeShallow Sport

Model18.5 ft. Classic

Model20 ft. Classic

Model Year2008

Model Year2011

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam7 ft. 6 in

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters2.29

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches9

Beam - Inchesnot available

Draft [max] - Detail6 in

Draft [max] - Detailnot available

Draft [max] - Meters0.15

Draft [max] - Metersnot available

Draft [max] - Inches6

Draft [max] - Inchesnot available

Weight - Detail750 lbs

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg340.19

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.75

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Feet18

Length - Feet2

Length - Inches6

Length - Inchesnot available

Length overall - Detail18 ft. 6 in

Length overall - Detailnot available

Length overall - Meters5.64

Length overall - Metersnot available

Length overall - Inches222

Length overall - Inchesnot available

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull materialComposite

Hull typenot available

Hull typeTunnel

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standard115 hp

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail43 gal

Fuel tank capacity - Liters162.77

Fuel tank capacity - Gal43

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeOutboard

Engine max150 hp

Engine max200 hp

Operational Info

Maximum capacity1,500 lbs

Maximum capacity1,700 lbs

Maximum people5

Maximum people6

Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 vs Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 or the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011?

The Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 is the longer of the two at 18,0 feet overall. The Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 comes in at 2,0 feet, making it roughly 16,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 is rated to a maximum of 200 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 tops out at 150 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 Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 is Coast Guard rated for 5 passengers, while the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 is certified for 6. 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.

How do the fuel tanks compare on the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 and Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011?

Both boats carry similar fuel loads — 43 gallons and 43 gallons respectively. Range will depend heavily on motor choice, throttle usage, and whether you're on flat lake water or coastal chop.

Are the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 and Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 and the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 are built by Shallow Sport. 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.

← Shallow Sport 18.5 ft. Classic 2008 full specs ← Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2011 full specs