I saw a couple of used boats that are the same make and nearly identical in price and features. One is a 20 foot with a 250 Optimax the other is a 21 foot with a 225 Optimax.

Which would you rather have - longer boat or bigger motor and why? I usually fish team club tournaments.

I believe the majority will say "longer boat" if you are primarily interested in fishing. However, there are few things that will frustrate you more than an underpowered boat. I think a good rule of thumb would be 20'/225hp min or 21'/250hp min. Just my opinion.

If I could get out of my 18.6, I'd take either..
but can't dispute the advise HasBen has..

Longer boat, 250 is nice but bigger is better..IMO

I agree. I got a 300 but only because it was the biggest they made at the time.

Go with the 21', just because they make bigger motors doesn't mean that one is underpowered...unless of course you are racing

I have a 21' bass boat with a 225HP Merc. I do not feel my boat is under powered in any way. It will easily push 78 MPH - plenty fast for me.

Wow! What kind of boat and motor?

Longer boat and the widest one.....

I don't think I would notice enough of a difference in the extra foot of length so put me down for the extra 25 ponies!

Really depends on *WHAT* boats we're talking about... If it were a 20' Bass Cat w/250 vs a 21' lemming wagon (ranger) I'd be all over the cat in a heartbeat.

I'll take a wider boat with less horsepower, Mainly because horsepower don't mean squat when your using the trolling motor in 2ft waves to stay on a spot to fish. That is mainly why a Champion will never set in my driveway agaian.

I fish out of a small 16ft aluminum boat and have all the room i need so i would say that the length of these boats doesnt matter. The motors dont matter either because 225hp or 250hp is plenty, especially when you are only using that big motor a very small percentage of the time you are out on the water.

Look at both boats and see which one you like the best. Does one have better storage than the other? Does one have more accessories than the other? Does one have a bigger trolling motor than the other? That would be the biggest question to me, which as the biggest trolling motor. A boat that big needs a trolling motor that can get it around well.

The quality, layout and accessories on those boats would be the first thing I'd think about.

That said, I'd go with the '20 one. Too many timber fields in the lakes here. It gets really hard maneuvering a large boat through some of those forests and a boat that big will be more than enough to get you back to the ramp in the worst of conditions. If it can't do it - a 21 footer isn't gonna do it either.

+1 for me storage and quality of build is first, usability and economy (250 should be a little cheaper to run on a 20' maybe) and as said before if a basscat or champion versus a tracker or ranger the cat or champ would win out.