When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the ShearWater 23LTZ 2011 and the ShearWater 25TE 2013 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 — ShearWater 23LTZ 2011 at 22,0 ft versus ShearWater 25TE 2013 at 24,5 ft. At 19 lbs and 24 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 350 hp, the ShearWater 25TE 2013 has a 50-hp advantage over the ShearWater 23LTZ 2011's 300-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 81 gal and 81 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The ShearWater 25TE 2013 is rated for 7 passengers, while the ShearWater 23LTZ 2011 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the ShearWater 25TE 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the ShearWater 25TE 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 7 passengers and at 24,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The ShearWater 23LTZ 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.