When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Yellowfin 36 2012 and the Yellowfin 39 2013 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?
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 1 400 hp for the Yellowfin 36 2012 and 1 400 hp for the Yellowfin 39 2013. 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. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Yellowfin 39 2013 carries 55 gallons versus 51 gallons in the Yellowfin 36 2012. 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 Yellowfin 39 2013 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Yellowfin 36 2012 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Yellowfin 39 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Yellowfin 39 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 39,7 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Yellowfin 36 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 11 that costs less to run day-to-day.