When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Sundance NX17 2013 and the Sundance NX19 2011 are modified vee designs with fiberglass 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 — Sundance NX17 2013 at 17,2 ft versus Sundance NX19 2011 at 18,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sundance NX19 2011 tips the scales at 1 475 lbs — 1 340 lbs less than the Sundance NX17 2013 at 135 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 115 hp, the Sundance NX19 2011 has a 25-hp advantage over the Sundance NX17 2013's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 29 gal and 29 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Sundance NX19 2011 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Sundance NX17 2013 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sundance NX19 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Sundance NX19 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 18,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Sundance NX17 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.