When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 161 2009 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 Mag 161 2009 at 16,0 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 — 1 229 lbs less than the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 161 2009 at 96 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.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 140 hp, the Smoker Craft Ultima 172 2012 has a 50-hp advantage over the Smoker Craft Pro Mag 161 2009's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. 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 Mag 161 2009 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 Mag 161 2009 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.