When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Rinker 246 CC 2010 and the Rinker Captiva 276 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 CC 2010 at 26,2 ft versus Rinker Captiva 276 2011 at 28,9 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Rinker 246 CC 2010 tips the scales at 505 lbs — 450 lbs more than the Rinker Captiva 276 2011 at 55 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.

The Rinker Captiva 276 2011 tops out at 430 hp. Engine specs for the Rinker 246 CC 2010 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 2011 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Rinker 246 CC 2010 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 2011 could be the deciding factor.