Both the Starcraft Marine Elite 206 RE 2007 and the Starcraft Marine Stardeck 206 Cruise 2013 are pontoon designs, both built in aluminium, 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?

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department - Starcraft Marine Elite 206 RE 2007 at 20,0 ft versus Starcraft Marine Stardeck 206 Cruise 2013 at 20,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Starcraft Marine Elite 206 RE 2007 tips the scales at 2 088 lbs - 238 lbs more than the Starcraft Marine Stardeck 206 Cruise 2013 at 1 850 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.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling - 115 hp for the Starcraft Marine Elite 206 RE 2007 and 115 hp for the Starcraft Marine Stardeck 206 Cruise 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 - 30 gal and 30 gal - so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

Both boats are rated for 10 passengers - a good fit for a family of four or five plus guests. Comfort at capacity is another matter; the longer hull typically means more seat options and better weight distribution.