When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Mercury 240 Roll-Up PVC 2013 and the Mercury Ocean Runner Series 2010 are inflatable non rigid designs with plastic 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 — Mercury 240 Roll-Up PVC 2013 at 7,8 ft versus Mercury Ocean Runner Series 2010 at 10,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Mercury Ocean Runner Series 2010 tips the scales at 191 lbs — 125 lbs less than the Mercury 240 Roll-Up PVC 2013 at 66 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 — 4 hp for the Mercury 240 Roll-Up PVC 2013 and 15 hp for the Mercury Ocean Runner Series 2010. 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.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Mercury Ocean Runner Series 2010 is rated for 4 passengers, while the Mercury 240 Roll-Up PVC 2013 caps at 3. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Mercury Ocean Runner Series 2010 could be the deciding factor.

At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Mercury Ocean Runner Series 2010 comes in at 13 lbs per hp versus 17 lbs per hp for the Mercury 240 Roll-Up PVC 2013. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.