When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Rinker 246 Captiva Bowrider 2009 and the Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2011 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 246 Captiva Bowrider 2009 at 26,0 ft versus Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2011 at 28,9 ft. At 495 lbs and 567 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.

The Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2011 tops out at 430 hp. Engine specs for the Rinker 246 Captiva Bowrider 2009 aren't listed — confirm with a dealer before selecting an outboard.Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 75 gal and 75 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2011 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Rinker 246 Captiva Bowrider 2009 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2011 could be the deciding factor.