Both the World Cat 290DC Dual Console 2009 and the World Cat 290EC Express Cabin 2011 are catamaran designs, the first built in fibreglass and the second in composite, so 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 - World Cat 290DC Dual Console 2009 at 29,1 ft versus World Cat 290EC Express Cabin 2011 at 29,1 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the World Cat 290EC Express Cabin 2011 tips the scales at 9 700 lbs - 500 lbs less than the World Cat 290DC Dual Console 2009 at 9 200 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.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling - 500 hp for the World Cat 290DC Dual Console 2009 and 500 hp for the World Cat 290EC Express Cabin 2011. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads - 250 gal and 250 gal - so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The World Cat 290DC Dual Console 2009 is rated for 12 passengers, while the World Cat 290EC Express Cabin 2011 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the World Cat 290DC Dual Console 2009 could be the deciding factor.