When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Starweld 1700 2011 and the Starweld 2000 2013 are deep 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?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Starweld 1700 2011 at 16,5 ft versus Starweld 2000 2013 at 19,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Starweld 1700 2011 tips the scales at 1 075 lbs — 1 060 lbs more than the Starweld 2000 2013 at 15 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.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 175 hp, the Starweld 2000 2013 has a 60-hp advantage over the Starweld 1700 2011's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Starweld 2000 2013 carries 37 gallons versus 3 gallons in the Starweld 1700 2011. 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 Starweld 2000 2013 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Starweld 1700 2011 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Starweld 2000 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Starweld 2000 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 19,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Starweld 1700 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.