When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the SunChaser 818 Cruise 2012 and the SunChaser Oasis Cruise 820 2013 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 818 Cruise 2012 at 18,8 ft versus SunChaser Oasis Cruise 820 2013 at 20,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the SunChaser Oasis Cruise 820 2013 tips the scales at 1 745 lbs — 1 590 lbs less than the SunChaser 818 Cruise 2012 at 155 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 Oasis Cruise 820 2013 has a 40-hp advantage over the SunChaser 818 Cruise 2012'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 Oasis Cruise 820 2013 is rated for 9 passengers, while the SunChaser 818 Cruise 2012 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the SunChaser Oasis Cruise 820 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the SunChaser Oasis Cruise 820 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 20,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The SunChaser 818 Cruise 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.