Both the Starcraft Marine 236 RE CR 2008 and the Starcraft Marine Elite 246 RE 2007 are pontoon designs, both built in aluminium, 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 - Starcraft Marine 236 RE CR 2008 at 23,0 ft versus Starcraft Marine Elite 246 RE 2007 at 24,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Starcraft Marine 236 RE CR 2008 tips the scales at 2 732 lbs - 315 lbs more than the Starcraft Marine Elite 246 RE 2007 at 2 417 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.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling - 150 hp for the Starcraft Marine 236 RE CR 2008 and 150 hp for the Starcraft Marine Elite 246 RE 2007. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads - 30 gal and 30 gal - so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Starcraft Marine 236 RE CR 2008 is rated for 16 passengers, while the Starcraft Marine Elite 246 RE 2007 caps at 14. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Starcraft Marine 236 RE CR 2008 could be the deciding factor.