When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Sunsation 288 SS 2013 and the Sunsation 36 XRT 2011 are deep 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?
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 430 hp, the Sunsation 36 XRT 2011 has a 110-hp advantage over the Sunsation 288 SS 2013's 320-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 2011 carries 145 gallons versus 11 gallons in the Sunsation 288 SS 2013. 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 2011 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Sunsation 288 SS 2013 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 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Sunsation 36 XRT 2011 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 SS 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.