When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Stamas 290 Express Outboard 2011 and the Stamas 326 Tarpon Inboard 2012 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 — Stamas 290 Express Outboard 2011 at 31,6 ft versus Stamas 326 Tarpon Inboard 2012 at 32,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Stamas 290 Express Outboard 2011 tips the scales at 655 lbs — 654 lbs more than the Stamas 326 Tarpon Inboard 2012 at 1 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Stamas 326 Tarpon Inboard 2012 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Stamas 290 Express Outboard 2011 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Stamas 326 Tarpon Inboard 2012 could be the deciding factor.