When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the South Bay 522RS TT 2013 and the South Bay 925CR TT EXP 2009 are pontoon 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 — South Bay 522RS TT 2013 at 24,0 ft versus South Bay 925CR TT EXP 2009 at 27,0 ft. At 251 lbs and 328 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 300 hp for the South Bay 522RS TT 2013 and 300 hp for the South Bay 925CR TT EXP 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 South Bay 925CR TT EXP 2009 is rated for 16 passengers, while the South Bay 522RS TT 2013 caps at 14. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the South Bay 925CR TT EXP 2009 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the South Bay 925CR TT EXP 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 16 passengers and at 27,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The South Bay 522RS TT 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 14 that costs less to run day-to-day.