Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat - the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 or the Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007?

The Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007 is the longer of the two at 24,0 feet overall. The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 comes in at 20,0 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 tops out at 150 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 is certified for 14. 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007?

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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 from the same manufacturer?

Yes - both the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 and the Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007

Starcraft Marine

Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996

1996

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Starcraft Marine

Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007

2007

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007: Same Brand, Different Boat

The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007 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 95-hp advantage over the Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007's 150-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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 is rated for 14 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 14 passengers and at 24,0 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 - Detail24 ft. 3 in. (7.4 m)

Length - Feet20

Length - Feet24

Length overall - Meters6.1

Length overall - Meters7.39

Length overall - Inches240

Length overall - Inches291

Beamnot available

Beam102 in. (259 cm)

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Inchesnot available

Beam - Inches102

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - Detail2,417 lbs. (1,096.4 kg)

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - kg1096.33

Weight - lbs.not available

Weight - lbs.2417

Height - Detailnot available

Height - DetailFence: 27 in. (69 cm)

Height - Metersnot available

Height - Meters0.69

Height - Inchesnot available

Height - Inches27

Height [transom]not available

Height [transom]20 in. (51 cm)

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Meters7.4

Length - Inchesnot available

Length - Inches3

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

Drive typeinboard

Drive typeOutboard

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail23 gal. (87.1 l)

Engine maxnot available

Engine max150 (113 kW)

Operational Info

Boat typePower

Boat typenot available

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum capacity2,590 lbs. (1,174.8 kg)

Maximum peoplenot available

Maximum people14 or 1,950 lbs. (884.5 kg)

General Boat Info

Makenot available

MakeStarcraft Marine

Modelnot available

ModelStarfish 246 CR

Model Yearnot available

Model Year2007

Body / Hull

Hull materialnot available

Hull materialAluminum

Hull typenot available

Hull typePontoon

Pontoon and Inflatable Specific

Tube diameternot available

Tube diameter25 in. (64 cm)

Tube gaugenot available

Tube gauge0.080 in. (0.203 cm)

Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 vs Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007 - Common Questions

Which is the larger boat - the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 or the Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007?

The Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007 is the longer of the two at 24,0 feet overall. The Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 comes in at 20,0 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 tops out at 150 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 is certified for 14. 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007?

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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 from the same manufacturer?

Yes - both the Starcraft Marine BOW RIDER 1996 and the Starcraft Marine Starfish 246 CR 2007 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 Starfish 246 CR 2007 full specs