When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Sweetwater SW 186 C 2013 and the Sweetwater SWT 2080 BF 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 — Sweetwater SW 186 C 2013 at 18,0 ft versus Sweetwater SWT 2080 BF 2010 at 20,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Sweetwater SW 186 C 2013 tips the scales at 1 879 lbs — 338 lbs more than the Sweetwater SWT 2080 BF 2010 at 1 541 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 Sweetwater SWT 2080 BF 2010 has a 30-hp advantage over the Sweetwater SW 186 C 2013's 60-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Sweetwater SWT 2080 BF 2010 carries 18 gallons versus 11 gallons in the Sweetwater SW 186 C 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 Sweetwater SWT 2080 BF 2010 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Sweetwater SW 186 C 2013 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Sweetwater SWT 2080 BF 2010 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Sweetwater SWT 2080 BF 2010 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 10 passengers and at 20,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Sweetwater SW 186 C 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.