Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 vs Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 or the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011?

The Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 is the longer of the two at 43,4 feet overall. The Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 comes in at 39,9 feet, making it roughly 3,5 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 or the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011?

For trailering, the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 has the edge at 28 lbs dry weight versus 269 lbs for the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 is Coast Guard rated for 12 passengers, while the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 is certified for 13. 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: Do these boats require an oversize trailer permit to tow on US highways?

Both the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 and Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 share an 14 ft. 4 in. (4.37 m) beam — meaning both sit right at the 8’6" threshold that most US states use for standard-width loads. In most states you can tow at that width without a special permit, but regulations vary. Always check the rules for your state and any states you'll be passing through before your first long haul.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 or the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011?

The Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 has the bigger tank at 372 gallons, versus 43 gallons on the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011. That 329-gallon difference translates to roughly 987–1645 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 and Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 and the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 are built by Silverton. 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

Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 vs Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011

Silverton

Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012

2012

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Silverton

Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011

2011

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 vs Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 — Which Semi Displacement Fits Your Needs?

When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 and the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 are semi displacement 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 Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 measures 43,4 feet overall (2011), giving it roughly 3,5 additional feet of deck space compared to the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 at 39,9 feet (2012). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 tips the scales at 269 lbs — 241 lbs more than the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 at 28 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.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 43,4 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 12 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeSilverton

Model38 Sport Bridge

Model43 Sport Bridge

Model Year2012

Model Year2011

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam14 ft. 4 in. (4.37 m)

Beam - Meters4.37

Beam - Inches172

Bridge clearance - DetailDWL no light: 14 ft. 11 in. (4.55 m)

Bridge clearance - DetailDWL no light: 14 ft. 5 in. (5.08 m)

Bridge clearance - Meters4.55

Bridge clearance - Meters4.39

Bridge clearance - Inches179

Bridge clearance - Inches173

Deadrise12℃

Draft [max] - Detail40 in. (1.02 m)

Draft [max] - Detail47 in. (1.04 m)

Draft [max] - Meters1.02

Draft [max] - Meters1.19

Draft [max] - Inches4

Draft [max] - Inches47

Weight - Detail26,900 lbs. (12,201 kg)

Weight - Detail28,000 lbs. (12,712 kg)

Weight - kg12201.62

Weight - kg12700.58

Weight - lbs.269

Weight - lbs.28

Length - Feet39.92

Length - Feet43.42

Length overall - Detail39 ft. 11 in. (12.17 m)

Length overall - Detail43 ft. 5 in. (13.23 m)

Length overall - Meters12.17

Length overall - Meters13.23

Length overall - Inches479

Length overall - Inches521

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typeSemi Displacement

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Detail372 gal. (1,408 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail430 gal. (1,628 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters1408.17

Fuel tank capacity - Liters1627.73

Fuel tank capacity - Gal372

Fuel tank capacity - Gal43

Fuel typeGas or Diesel

Fuel typeDiesel

Drive typeInboard

Operational Info

HeadVacuFlush?

Headroom6 ft. 6 in. (1.98 m)

Sleeping capacity6

Water capacity110 gal. (416 l)

Water capacity118 gal. (447 l)

Holding tank capacity - Detail40 gal. (151 l)

Holding tank capacity - Liters151.42

Holding tank capacity - Gal4

Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 vs Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 or the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011?

The Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 is the longer of the two at 43,4 feet overall. The Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 comes in at 39,9 feet, making it roughly 3,5 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 or the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011?

For trailering, the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 has the edge at 28 lbs dry weight versus 269 lbs for the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 is Coast Guard rated for 12 passengers, while the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 is certified for 13. 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.

Do these boats require an oversize trailer permit to tow on US highways?

Both the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 and Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 share an 14 ft. 4 in. (4.37 m) beam — meaning both sit right at the 8’6" threshold that most US states use for standard-width loads. In most states you can tow at that width without a special permit, but regulations vary. Always check the rules for your state and any states you'll be passing through before your first long haul.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 or the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011?

The Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 has the bigger tank at 372 gallons, versus 43 gallons on the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011. That 329-gallon difference translates to roughly 987–1645 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 and Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 and the Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 are built by Silverton. 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.

← Silverton 38 Sport Bridge 2012 full specs ← Silverton 43 Sport Bridge 2011 full specs