When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Shallow Sport 18 ft. Classic 2011 and the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2012 are tunnel designs with composite 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?

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 200 hp, the Shallow Sport 20 ft. Classic 2012 has a 50-hp advantage over the Shallow Sport 18 ft. Classic 2011'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 2012 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Shallow Sport 18 ft. Classic 2011 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 2012 could be the deciding factor.