The first sighting is a perplexing experience. Streaking across the rippled surface of Indiana's Lake Wawasee at better than 60 mph is a yellow-and-white performance boat that nobody seems to recognize. The usual go-fast boat companies are mentioned, but none seem to fit. Finally the boat changes direction and rockets past the dock where the onlookers can read the name on the side ... Rinker? Wait, that can't be right, isn't Rinker the boat company that specializes in great family boats at a reasonable price? The answer is yes, but apparently families are sportier than they used to be, because the 262 Captiva Super Sport is defin-itely not Ward and June Cleaver's runabout.

As the Rinker idles up to the dock, it cer-tainly looks the part of a performance boat. The aggressive yellow, black and gray graphics are emblazoned across the sides of the hull, front deck and sunpad like an angry Jackson Pollock splashed them on. Even more intriguing is the sound. Lots of engines sound loud with through-hull exhausts, however, this one has the unmistakable timbre that bespeaks true performance. After hopping on board, curiosity makes it mandatory to look under the hood. Flipping a rocker switch on the dash activates the twin dam electric engine cover lift, and any question whether this is a sheep dressed in wolf's clothing is answered. A Mer-Cruiser 496 MAG HO sits in the roomy compartment, putting 425 hp at the driver's disposal. It's the real deal.

The first impression of the 262 Captiva is one of roominess, and it's no illusion. The specs reveal that the beam is a generous 8 feet 6.5 inches, which makes it wider than almost any other performance boat, whose beams usually don't measure much more than eight feet. The extra room is noticeable in the cockpit, but it really comes in handy in the cabin. With the cockpit positioned a little farther back than most other go-fast boats, the 262's cabin is as large as you will find on a 26-foot performance boat. To preserve the sleek predatory look, the cabin only has 4 feet 5.5 inches of headroom, which is better than most, but still means entering like you are looking for a contact lens. The cabin features a pair of facing bucket-style lounge seats adjacent to the cockpit bulkhead, which offers a 6-footer enough sitting headroom to keep a hairdo intact. The V-berth comes standard with a filler cushion that fits tight and covers the portable head. With two custom hatches with screens, and direct and indirect lighting, the cabin can be lit for utility or ambiance.

While the cabin is nice, what draws people like a moth to a flame is the helm. With a Momo tilt racing wheel and an array of Gaffrig gauges set into the carbon-fiber dash, the Captiva SS gives drivers the same look that they will find on six-figure go-fast boats. Throw in Mercury Zero-Effort controls with separate shift and throttle levers, and Lenco performance trim tabs, and you have a helm station that is designed for maximum cool and control. The driver and navigator have racing bolsters that hug the crew with well-padded vinyl and feature drop-down seat bottoms. After running the blower, the 496 MAG HO is re-awakened, and with the Corsa Quick and Quiet set on the 'quick' setting, the Rinker rumbles away from the dock.

The late fall wind is previewing winter's bitter bite with a cool 20 mph wind, and the surface of Lake Wawasee is corrugated with a nasty chop, so the seat bottoms are dropped for stand-up action driving. Briskly advancing the throttle, the Captiva moves out smartly with only a moderate amount of bowrise. The 262 accelerates to 30 mph in just 7.5 seconds, which illustrates one of the major differences between the Rinker and most other performance boats. Typically, go-fast boat designs are based on offshore racing hulls and feature deadrises that are a super-sharp 24 degrees at the transom. While rough-water handling is enhanced with this configuration, it makes them painfully slow out of the hole and more tender at rest. Rinker chose a more versatile approach and uses a 21-degree deadrise to create a family-friendly boat that you can actually ski behind. In addition, the wider beam and less drastic deadrise makes the 262 very resistant to side-to-side wallowing. To improve rough-water slicing, the Captiva has a 24-degree deadrise forward of the 12-inch delta pad. Rinker's Zero Gravity Transom means the outdrive is moved ahead 14 inches and makes it perform like it has a shorter running surface for less drag, which translates into more speed and also inhibits porpoising.

Accelerating to 35 mph puts the Captiva over most of the chop and rewards those on board with a reasonably comfortable ride despite conditions. While it may not offer the Cadillac ride of a true racing hull in really rough water, the 262 stays under control and doesn't bang excessively. Turns don't have a severe lean like a lot of performance boats, and holding a chosen line is easy, thanks in part to the rack-and-pinion power steering. With the trim way up for high-speed cruising, some ventilation is noted in hard turns, but trimming down slightly allows the driver to crank it with gusto.

Running in two different directions and averaging the two runs nets a top speed of 66.5 mph. At that speed the 262 feels stable with nary a hint of chine walking. For those who need a little extra speed, take off your hat and open your wallet because the bigger engine option is the MerCruiser HP 500 EFI that cranks out a whopping 470 hp, but also deducts $20,000 from your savings account. For those who want boot-in-the-butt acceleration and speeds in the 70s, however, it's the way to go.

The four-wide stern bench offers comfortable seating with sporty ribbed upholstery and raised head rests. The outboard passengers can lean forward to grab hold of the shotgun rail on the racing bolsters if the driver gets 'jiggy with it.' The inboard passengers, however, have only themselves to grab in a 'situation.' Under the pull-up seat bottoms is a roomy storage compartment that also holds a standard 36-quart Igloo cooler. While ruminating on the ride from the back seat it suddenly occurs to the passenger that something is missing: some tunes. Cranking up the Kenwood system using the waterproof in-dash touchpad, the situation is quickly remedied.

Rinker's 262 Captiva is priced at $62,995 with the optional 496 MAG HO engine, which is a lot less than other boats of this type. This isn't a lowball price that will have owners adding a lot of options either, because other than canvas and engine choices, everything else is standard. Rather than create a pure go-fast boat with their attending quirks, Rinker opted to create what is essentially a hybrid. It takes the attributes that make a performance boat special, like the racing interior, bold graphics and a powerful engine. But then it takes the radical racing hull design and tempers it to create a more family-friendly package that favors handling, roominess and comfort over raw speed, and brings the whole thing home at a reasonable price. Now the 262 Captiva sounds like a Rinker.