When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the SunChaser 7518 Cruise 2013 and the SunChaser 820 CR 2010 are pontoon 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 — SunChaser 7518 Cruise 2013 at 18,3 ft versus SunChaser 820 CR 2010 at 20,3 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the SunChaser 820 CR 2010 tips the scales at 185 lbs — 168 lbs less than the SunChaser 7518 Cruise 2013 at 17 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 90 hp, the SunChaser 820 CR 2010 has a 40-hp advantage over the SunChaser 7518 Cruise 2013's 50-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The SunChaser 820 CR 2010 is rated for 12 passengers, while the SunChaser 7518 Cruise 2013 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the SunChaser 820 CR 2010 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the SunChaser 820 CR 2010 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 20,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The SunChaser 7518 Cruise 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 9 that costs less to run day-to-day.