When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 172 2013 and the Smoker Craft Ultima 172 2012 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?

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Smoker Craft Pro Angler 172 2013 at 16,7 ft versus Smoker Craft Ultima 172 2012 at 17,2 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Smoker Craft Ultima 172 2012 tips the scales at 1 325 lbs — 1 207 lbs less than the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 172 2013 at 118 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.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 140 hp for the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 172 2013 and 140 hp for the Smoker Craft Ultima 172 2012. 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. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 24 gal and 24 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Smoker Craft Ultima 172 2012 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Smoker Craft Pro Angler 172 2013 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Smoker Craft Ultima 172 2012 could be the deciding factor.

At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Smoker Craft Pro Angler 172 2013 comes in at 1 lbs per hp versus 10 lbs per hp for the Smoker Craft Ultima 172 2012. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.