When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Rinker 226 XL Captiva Bowrider 2009 and the Rinker 246 Captiva Cuddy 2009 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?

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Rinker 226 XL Captiva Bowrider 2009 at 23,0 ft versus Rinker 246 Captiva Cuddy 2009 at 26,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Rinker 246 Captiva Cuddy 2009 tips the scales at 505 lbs — 140 lbs less than the Rinker 226 XL Captiva Bowrider 2009 at 365 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.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Rinker 246 Captiva Cuddy 2009 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Rinker 226 XL Captiva Bowrider 2009 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Rinker 246 Captiva Cuddy 2009 could be the deciding factor.