Take a good look at the Rinker 246 Captiva, because you're getting a glimpse into the future. The newest member of the Captiva clan is a real head turner; with its sleek, integrated swim platform and graceful, sporty lines, you're certain to be seeing a lot of this design in years to come. The Captiva line is all about prioritizing your usable space. If the cabin is the most important feature for you, then you'll probably be happier with Rinker's Fiesta Vee line, which gives you compact cruisers with roomy interior living spaces that defy their length. But if you're looking for a boat that revels in the sun, and still gives you the option to overnight or catch a catnap, then the Captiva series is for you.

Rinker always seems to throw in some clever innovations, and the 26-foot-2-inch Captiva is no exception. On many boats, the walkthrough alcove reduces the size of the sun lounge, or leaves you with an insert cushion that you don't know what to do with when removed. But not here, because the full-width sunpad hinges up to open a walkway to the cockpit. Propped up, the sunpad section also makes an excellent three-position lounge backrest for catching some rays. Plus, it allows sunbathers to have a view other than circling seagulls or the excellent stitching found on the pad beneath them.

The helm station gets the crew seated properly with Milsco Tri-Tech bucket seats, which use flexible seat bottoms for support, giving it a trampoline effect to absorb lighter impacts. In rougher conditions, an intermediate-strength spring absorbs heavier impacts, while yet another spring dampens the most severe bumps of the kind, usually encountered when you let a boat writer behind the wheel during a boat test ("ah ... you might want to finish that drink, sport"). A nice feature is the captain's armrest, which helps to keep the throttle steady when towing a skier. Large, backlit Faria analog gauges sit high on the dash and are spread out for easy reading. The tilt-racing wheel with the flat bottom looks sporty and feels good in your hands. The seats have flip-up bolsters to allow the crew to keep their heads above the wraparound windshield, which effectively does its job of keeping your hat on your head. To access the bow for anchoring, there are wide steps up to the foredeck, which has a moderately tall bow rail for safety and good looks. Unfortunately, there's no windlass option, so some minor manual labor is needed to set and raise the hook.

You can't help it, but when you sit in the helm seat, your hand goes for the key and cranks the MerCruiser MAG 350, putting 300 horses at your mercy. With the optional Corsa Quick and Quiet exhaust system, you can tone down the through-hull performance sound to a neighbor-friendly burble with the flip of  a rocker switch. The 246 Captiva zips on plane with just a little bowrise in about five seconds and accelerates to 30 mph in a little less than nine seconds. By wringing it out and trimming it up, you eke exactly 50 mph on the bay that's rippled by onefooters. If you live in the fast lane, you can get the 246 Captiva with MerCruiser's 375-hp MAG 496, which should net you a top speed in the mid to high 50s.

Handling is superb; you can crank the 246 Captiva into hard turns without sliding, and it tracks precisely where you aim it. The happiest cruise speed seems to be around 36 mph, turning 3800 rpm in an effortless fashion. Although conditions are pretty benign, with a 20-degree deadrise at the stern, the 246 has the right hull to handle choppy water, and with a beefy 5,000-pound hull, it's smooth.       

The 246 Captiva, with its trailerable  8-foot-6-inch beam, is actually a new family of three boats that gives you different configurations to match your lifestyle. In addition to the cuddy cabin version shown here, you can also get a bowrider in two different styles, like the R-2 wakeboard version that gives you a custom tower with twin bazooka-style speakers and wakeboard racks. This model is available with the Perfect Pass system, a tournament ski feature that allows you to dial in the exact speed you want to maintain - a real boon to wakeboarders who usually prefer a barely-on-plane speed of around 20 mph, a tough speed to keep steady during hard cuts. Both of these bowrider versions give you a head/changing compartment on the portside console that has a rounded, corner-opening door for easy access.

All three models have the same U-lounge cockpit configuration, giving you maximum capacity with storage beneath the lift-away seat bottoms. There's even a mini-bar beverage prep station behind the helm area that has cupholders (a total of 14), storage beneath, and a sink with a spigot fed by a 10-gallon freshwater tank. Snap-in carpet comes standard in the youngster-friendly deep cockpit, and there's also a built-in trashcan and a carry-on Igloo cooler alcove located beneath the stern bench seat section for easy access. The cockpit snack table has cutouts for plates to keep your "can o' peas" from sliding off the cliff when someone in a giant cruiser blazes by your anchorage at full plow.

On the integrated swim platform out back, you'll find a large transom locker with a seat pad that's great when getting ready to ski or just hanging out. The locker is big enough to hold items such as a wakeboard, ski vests, fenders or dock lines. There's a standard transom shower, a pair of cupholders, and for those who like to party on the back porch, there's an optional stereo remote for the standard, six-speaker Clarion CD stereo. Six pull-up cleats add a classy touch. The swim ladder sits on an oblique angle and is neatly tucked underneath a hatch. On the opposite side is a matching hatch that conceals a shallow locker for storing items like ski ropes. It can even be used as a temporary beverage cooler for swimmers.

Entry into the cabin reveals an easy-to-negotiate door with a flip-up section, which allows tall folks to ease down without first doing "the hunch." It's a simple but effective layout with a V-Berth converting to a double - thanks to the filler cushion. The portable head requires you to manually move it to the cabin floor from its hiding place under the settee/bed (watch the sloshing). There's even a portable single-burner gas stove to help qualify you for a second home mortgage interest deduction (check with your accountant first). Headroom, when seated, is adequate for a 6-footer, provided that you aren't a clergy member in the Greek Orthodox Church.

The base price of $47,194, with the MerCruiser MAG 350 MPI and twin-prop Bravo III outdrive, isn't a low-ball-get-you-in-the-showroom price and only requires a couple of options, like trim tabs and dual battery switch, to get you out on the water with a turn-key boat. This seemingly puts it somewhere in the middle of the pack, price-wise, but when you look at the standard features, styling, utility, fun-to-drive quotient, and fit and finish, then the value quotient slides right up there. So if you want a sneak peek at what tomorrow's boat will look like, check out the  Rinker 246 Captiva.

  The Verdict

The 246 Captiva Cuddy ranks high on flexibility, stylish good looks and bang-for-the-buck. Handling is smooth and precise, no matter what conditions are present. The nitpick patrol wants a windlass to do the heavy lifting and a sleeping surface in the cabin that's flatter.

Rinker 246 Captiva Cuddy  

LOA 26'2"
Beam 8'6"
Weight 5,050 lbs.
Fuel 75 gal.
Top Speed 50 mph
(w/300-hp MerCruiser 350 MPI MAG and BIII outdrive)
Time To Plane 5.2 seconds
0-30 mph 8.9 seconds
Decibels @ Idle  61/68 dB-A*
Decibels @ 30 mph  82/84 dB-A*
Decibels @ WOT  92/94 dB-A*
Base Price $47,194
(w/300-hp MerCruiser 350 MPI MAG and BIII outdrive)
Price As Tested $51, 431
(w/300-hp MerCruiser 350 MPI MAG and BIII outdrive)

* Decibels with/without Corsa switchable exhaust engaged

Rinker Boat Co.
300 W. Chicago Street
Syracuse, IN 46567
(574) 457-5731
www.rinkerboats.com