When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Smoker Craft 171 Bass 2013 and the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 168 2009 are modified vee designs with aluminum 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?

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 75 hp for the Smoker Craft 171 Bass 2013 and 60 hp for the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 168 2009. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Smoker Craft Pro Mag 168 2009 is rated for 5 passengers, while the Smoker Craft 171 Bass 2013 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 168 2009 could be the deciding factor.