When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Smoker Craft Crappie 171 2009 and the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 168 2011 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 — 60 hp for the Smoker Craft Crappie 171 2009 and 60 hp for the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 168 2011. 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 2011 is rated for 5 passengers, while the Smoker Craft Crappie 171 2009 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 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 168 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 5 passengers and at 16,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Smoker Craft Crappie 171 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.