Both the SouthWind 201 L 2010 and the SouthWind 2290 L 2009 are tri-hull designs, both built in fibreglass, so 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?

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling - 115 hp for the SouthWind 201 L 2010 and 115 hp for the SouthWind 2290 L 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. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads - 35 gal and 35 gal - so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The SouthWind 2290 L 2009 is rated for 11 passengers, while the SouthWind 201 L 2010 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the SouthWind 2290 L 2009 could be the deciding factor.