When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Starcraft Marine 168 Pro Troller 2012 and the Starcraft Marine 178 SC 2008 are modified vee designs with aluminum 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?

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 60 hp for the Starcraft Marine 168 Pro Troller 2012 and 60 hp for the Starcraft Marine 178 SC 2008. 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.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Starcraft Marine 168 Pro Troller 2012 is rated for 5 passengers, while the Starcraft Marine 178 SC 2008 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Starcraft Marine 168 Pro Troller 2012 could be the deciding factor.