When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Starcraft Marine 246 RE 2008 and the Starcraft Marine Stardeck 256 Starlounger Starport 2013 are pontoon designs with aluminum 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 — Starcraft Marine 246 RE 2008 at 24,0 ft versus Starcraft Marine Stardeck 256 Starlounger Starport 2013 at 25,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Starcraft Marine 246 RE 2008 tips the scales at 2 417 lbs — 2 179 lbs more than the Starcraft Marine Stardeck 256 Starlounger Starport 2013 at 238 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 246 RE 2008 and 150 hp for the Starcraft Marine Stardeck 256 Starlounger Starport 2013. 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 — 3 gal and 3 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

Both boats are rated for 14 passengers — a good fit for a family of four or five plus guests. Comfort at capacity is another matter; the longer hull typically means more seat options and better weight distribution.