Both the Rinker 296 Captiva Cuddy 2009 and the Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2013 are deep-V designs, both built in fibreglass, so 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 296 Captiva Cuddy 2009 at 30,0 ft versus Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2013 at 29,2 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Rinker 296 Captiva Cuddy 2009 tips the scales at 6 310 lbs - 545 lbs more than the Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2013 at 5 765 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 296 Captiva Cuddy 2009 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Rinker Captiva 276 CC 2013 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Rinker 296 Captiva Cuddy 2009 could be the deciding factor.