When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Rinker Captiva 186 BR 2012 and the Rinker Express Cruiser 290 EC 2012 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?

The Rinker Express Cruiser 290 EC 2012 tops out at 380 hp. Engine specs for the Rinker Captiva 186 BR 2012 aren't listed — confirm with a dealer before selecting an outboard.Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Rinker Captiva 186 BR 2012 carries 26 gallons versus 1 gallons in the Rinker Express Cruiser 290 EC 2012. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Rinker Express Cruiser 290 EC 2012 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Rinker Captiva 186 BR 2012 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Rinker Express Cruiser 290 EC 2012 could be the deciding factor.