When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the SouthWind 200 SD 2009 and the SouthWind 229 FS 2013 are modified vee designs with fiberglass 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 — SouthWind 200 SD 2009 at 20,5 ft versus SouthWind 229 FS 2013 at 22,8 ft. At 25 lbs and 47 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 — 115 hp for the SouthWind 200 SD 2009 and 115 hp for the SouthWind 229 FS 2013. 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 — 5 gal and 5 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The SouthWind 229 FS 2013 is rated for 12 passengers, while the SouthWind 200 SD 2009 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the SouthWind 229 FS 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the SouthWind 229 FS 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 22,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The SouthWind 200 SD 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 9 that costs less to run day-to-day.