Rinker Boats 248 DB - Deck Boat

If one word can be associated with Rinker boats it's "value," which some people misconstrue to mean "cheap." Not so. In the case of the Captiva 248 DB, value means getting a lot of boat for your dollar.

The Captiva 248 DB has a lengthy list of standards that make it ready to use right out of the box. But check the options list; there's one you don't typically find on a deckboat -- the anchor pulpit and windlass ($2,381). Although it may seem counterintuitive to block off part of the bow platform on a boat designed for maximum space and water access, windlass units are increasingly finding their way onto small boats as a way to provide pushbutton convenience.

Space is still the most important attribute of any deckboat, and the Captiva 248 DB provides it in spades. The big sunpad on the engine compartment hatch provides a place to lounge while others dive off the extended swim platform. Both the main and bow cockpits provide deep, spacious seating with plenty of legroom. The stowage below keeps the deck clutter-free. Open the standard electric engine hatch and check out the stowage tub. Then look over the big plastic stowage tub under the port bench. How about the giant plastic insole tub that serves as a ski locker? Don't forget the enormous tubs under the bow cockpit seats. Everything you can think of bringing aboard will find a home.

The Captiva 248 DB has a traditional deckboat hull with a flatter 13-degree deadrise and a wider beam carried forward, compared to the new generation of crossovers that sport deeper-Vs and bowrider-esque tapers. This design provides more stability at rest but leads to a slightly harder ride in a chop. The wider beam forward makes for one of the friendliest bow cockpits to be found on a 24-footer.

We tested Hull Number One, so the Captiva 248 DB had a few kinks that Rinker says will be fixed in the production models. Most notable were the high sound level readings and the placement of the stainless-steel grabrails in the bow cockpit, which stuck out beyond the cushions into the small of our backs.