When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Southern Skimmer 1770 Skiff 2009 and the Southern Skimmer 20 Coastal CC 2010 are modified vee designs with composite 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 — Southern Skimmer 1770 Skiff 2009 at 17,1 ft versus Southern Skimmer 20 Coastal CC 2010 at 19,7 ft. At 95 lbs and 2 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.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 175 hp, the Southern Skimmer 20 Coastal CC 2010 has a 100-hp advantage over the Southern Skimmer 1770 Skiff 2009's 75-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Southern Skimmer 1770 Skiff 2009 carries 26 gallons versus 5 gallons in the Southern Skimmer 20 Coastal CC 2010. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Southern Skimmer 20 Coastal CC 2010 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Southern Skimmer 1770 Skiff 2009 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Southern Skimmer 20 Coastal CC 2010 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Southern Skimmer 20 Coastal CC 2010 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 19,7 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Southern Skimmer 1770 Skiff 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.