When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Rinker Captiva 246 BR 2013 and the Rinker Captiva 296 BR 2013 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?
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Rinker Captiva 296 BR 2013 measures 30,8 feet overall (2013), giving it roughly 4,7 additional feet of deck space compared to the Rinker Captiva 246 BR 2013 at 26,2 feet (2013). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Rinker Captiva 296 BR 2013 tips the scales at 773 lbs — 282 lbs less than the Rinker Captiva 246 BR 2013 at 491 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 Captiva 296 BR 2013 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Rinker Captiva 246 BR 2013 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 296 BR 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Rinker Captiva 296 BR 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 30,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Rinker Captiva 246 BR 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.