When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Stamas 289 Tarpon Inboard 2012 and the Stamas 317 Aegean Outboard 2012 are deep 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 — Stamas 289 Tarpon Inboard 2012 at 28,8 ft versus Stamas 317 Aegean Outboard 2012 at 31,6 ft. At 669 lbs and 695 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 500 hp, the Stamas 317 Aegean Outboard 2012 has a 260-hp advantage over the Stamas 289 Tarpon Inboard 2012's 240-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Stamas 289 Tarpon Inboard 2012 carries 106 gallons versus 25 gallons in the Stamas 317 Aegean Outboard 2012. 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 Stamas 317 Aegean Outboard 2012 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Stamas 289 Tarpon Inboard 2012 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Stamas 317 Aegean Outboard 2012 could be the deciding factor.