Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 vs Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 or the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012?

The Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 is the longer of the two at 36,0 feet overall. The Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 comes in at 28,0 feet, making it roughly 8,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 is rated to a maximum of 600 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 tops out at 430 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 is Coast Guard rated for 8 passengers, while the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 is certified for 10. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 or the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012?

The Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 has the bigger tank at 145 gallons, versus 95 gallons on the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007. That 50-gallon difference translates to roughly 150–250 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 and Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 and the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 are built by Sunsation. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 vs Sunsation 36 XRT 2012

Sunsation

Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007

2007

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Sunsation

Sunsation 36 XRT 2012

2012

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 vs Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 vs Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 600 hp, the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 has a 170-hp advantage over the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012's 430-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 carries 145 gallons versus 95 gallons in the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007. 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 Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 10 passengers and at 36,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeSunsation

Model288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow

Model36 XRT

Model Year2007

Model Year2012

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam97 in

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters2.46

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches97

Beam - Inchesnot available

Deadrise24℃

Deadrisenot available

Draft [max] - Detail36 in

Draft [max] - Detailnot available

Draft [max] - Meters0.91

Draft [max] - Metersnot available

Draft [max] - Inches36

Draft [max] - Inchesnot available

Weight - Detail4,650 lbs

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg2109.2

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.465

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Feet28

Length - Feet36

Length - Inches8

Length - Inchesnot available

Length overall - Detail28 ft. 8 in

Length overall - Detail36 ft

Length overall - Meters8.74

Length overall - Meters10.97

Length overall - Inches344

Length overall - Inches432

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardMX 6.2 MPI's 320 hp - Bravo One

Engine/s standardMercury 502 HO's - Bravo X drives

Fuel tank capacity - Detail95 gal

Fuel tank capacity - Detail145 gal

Fuel tank capacity - Liters359.61

Fuel tank capacity - Liters548.88

Fuel tank capacity - Gal95

Fuel tank capacity - Gal145

Fuel typeGas or Diesel

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeInboard

Drive typeInboard - Twin

Engine max600 hp

Engine maxnot available

Horsepowernot available

Horsepower430 hp each

Operational Info

Water capacity3 gal

Water capacitynot available

Body / Hull

Hull materialnot available

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typenot available

Hull typeDeep Vee

Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 vs Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 or the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012?

The Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 is the longer of the two at 36,0 feet overall. The Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 comes in at 28,0 feet, making it roughly 8,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 is rated to a maximum of 600 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 tops out at 430 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 is Coast Guard rated for 8 passengers, while the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 is certified for 10. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 or the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012?

The Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 has the bigger tank at 145 gallons, versus 95 gallons on the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007. That 50-gallon difference translates to roughly 150–250 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 and Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 and the Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 are built by Sunsation. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Sunsation 288 Mid-Cabin Open Bow 2007 full specs ← Sunsation 36 XRT 2012 full specs