Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 or the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006?

The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 is the longer of the two at 20,0 feet overall. The Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 comes in at 16,0 feet, making it roughly 4,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 is rated to a maximum of 245 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 tops out at 130 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 is Coast Guard rated for 6 passengers, while the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 is certified for 8. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: How do the fuel tanks compare on the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 and Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006?

Both boats carry similar fuel loads — 25 gallons and 23 gallons respectively. Range will depend heavily on motor choice, throttle usage, and whether you're on flat lake water or coastal chop.

Q: Are the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 and Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 and the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 are built by Starcraft Marine. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006

Starcraft Marine

Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996

1996

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Starcraft Marine

Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006

2006

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 245 hp, the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 has a 115-hp advantage over the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006's 130-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 25 gal and 23 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 16,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.

Measurements / Dimensions

Length overall - Detail20.00 ft

Length overall - Detail16 ft. 10 in. (5.1 m)

Length - Feet20

Length - Feet16

Length overall - Meters6.1

Length overall - Meters5.13

Length overall - Inches240

Length overall - Inches202

Beamnot available

Beam90 in. (229 cm)

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Meters2.29

Beam - Inchesnot available

Beam - Inches9

Deadrisenot available

Deadrise15℃

Depth - Detailnot available

Depth - Detail33 in. (84 cm)

Depth - Centimetersnot available

Depth - Centimeters83.82

Depth - Inchesnot available

Depth - Inches33

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - Detail1,520 lbs. (689.4 kg)

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - kg689.46

Weight - lbs.not available

Weight - lbs.152

Width [transom] - Detailnot available

Width [transom] - Detail79 in. (201 cm) Chine Width (at transom): 76 in. (193 cm)

Height [transom]not available

Height [transom]20 in. (51 cm)

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Meters5.1

Length - Inchesnot available

Length - Inches1

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Gal25

Fuel tank capacity - Gal23

Fuel tank capacity - Liters94.64

Fuel tank capacity - Liters87.06

Engine makeMercury

Engine makenot available

Horsepower245 hp

Horsepowernot available

Fuel typeGas

Fuel typenot available

Drive typeinboard

Drive typeOutboard

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail23 gal. (87 l)

Engine maxnot available

Engine max130 hp (97 kw)

Operational Info

Boat typePower

Boat typenot available

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum capacity1,725 lbs. (782.5 kg)

Maximum peoplenot available

Maximum people8

General Boat Info

Makenot available

MakeStarcraft Marine

Modelnot available

ModelC-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski

Model Yearnot available

Model Year2006

Body / Hull

Hull materialnot available

Hull materialFiberglass

Trailer Info

Trailer - Length over allnot available

Trailer - Length over all20 ft. 3 in. (6.8 m)

Trailer - Weightnot available

Trailer - WeightW/115 4s EFI Merc: 2,105 lbs. (954.8 kg)

Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 or the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006?

The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 is the longer of the two at 20,0 feet overall. The Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 comes in at 16,0 feet, making it roughly 4,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 is rated to a maximum of 245 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 tops out at 130 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 is Coast Guard rated for 6 passengers, while the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 is certified for 8. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

How do the fuel tanks compare on the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 and Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006?

Both boats carry similar fuel loads — 25 gallons and 23 gallons respectively. Range will depend heavily on motor choice, throttle usage, and whether you're on flat lake water or coastal chop.

Are the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 and Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 and the Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 are built by Starcraft Marine. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 full specs ← Starcraft Marine C-Star 1700 OB Fish & Ski 2006 full specs