Your boat stands out from the pack, a high-waist cruiser in a fleet of water-hugging skiffs. A group of tarpon has congregated along the edge of the channel that cuts across Pine Island Sound, and you idle over to witness the rod-bending action as anglers jockey for position, some of them throwing dubious glances in your direction. "We probably shouldn't get any closer," says Matt Hansen, a partner at Salty Sam's Marina in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., the local Rinker dealership. With that, Carl Fryatt, owner of the new 260 Express Cruiser, shifts into reverse and smoothly spins away from the feeding frenzy. Though unplanned, the exercise shows that the Rinker handles well - and that you shouldn't mess with folks suffering from an acute case of "tarpon fever."

You leave the action in your wake, veer east where the channel forks a quarter-mile ahead, and dart behind Picnic Island, where every weekend is a free-wheeling beach party. No shops, no restaurants, no docks. No problem. Just pull your boat up to the sandy strand, unload your cooler and folding chairs, and chill.

But it's a Thursday, so instead, you use the protected waters here to put the Rinker through its paces. As with a lot of express-style boats, the 260 wants to lift its nose at takeoff, but working the tabs helps to smooth this out somewhat. Time to plane registers about eight seconds - pretty decent. Rigged with a 300-hp MerCruiser spinning a Bravo III prop set, the boat zips along at a top end of 40 mph. With the drive trimmed down, it cuts tight turns without losing much speed. The throttle and steering are responsive. Overall, the 260 handles more like a compact sports boat than a cruiser.

"We had mostly bowriders in the past, so I enjoy a sporty ride," Fryatt says. "And in case it gets rough out there, this boat can handle it. We chose an express cruiser this time around because my wife and I decided we wanted to do some short-weekend stuff. This boat has everything we need."

Everything and then some. Fryatt shows off what lies beneath the surface of the 260 once you pull back into Salty Sam's Marina, which sits on Matanzas Pass, not far from the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River. This is after you've slipped under the Sanibel Causeway and run across a wind-blown and bumpy San Carlos Bay. Yes, this boat can handle some rough stuff, and to back it up, owners get a limited-lifetime warranty on the hull and deck.

Stepping down the companionway is déjà vu all over again and probably will be for most people who've been in an express cruiser before. While the floor plan itself isn't anything ground-breaking, you wonder how Rinker has made the boat seem so much bigger than its measurements. There's standing headroom throughout the cabin, which has a galley to port, head to starboard, V-berth forward and even a usable mid-cabin.

The galley comes fully equipped with Corian countertops, a microwave,  single-burner stove (alcohol or electric), refrigerator, sink and built-in trash container - amenities you haven't seen on too many entry-level vessels. The head is the size you'd expect to find on a larger boat; it's big enough to have a pull-out faucet shower inside that might actually get used. A standard water heater provides six gallons of soothing-hot spray.

The forward dinette has a wooden high-low table that converts into a double berth. You can watch your favorite movie in bed using the optional entertainment system with flat-screen LCD TV and DVD player ($1,414). Side shelves hold remote controls and other small items that you want to keep close  at hand, and there's storage under the dinette benches. A removable panel at the nose allows access to the chain locker in the event there's a snag or the need for maintenance.

Aft of the galley, you duck into a mid-cabin that's capable of sleeping two. It has a privacy curtain and its own airconditioning vent for improved circulation. This is a convenient multifunction space, one that cruising couples will appreciate for occasional guests or storage.

No matter how you choose to enjoy the 260 - couple's cruiser or family truckster - mission control is the helm station, which has the engine instruments in prime-viewing position, and the rocker switches alongside the wheel. Techy touches include Faria gauges, power-assisted steering, a tilt wood wheel, throttle lever with built-in trim switch, and an LED trim tab indicator. The double-wide helm bench has a flip-up bolster, providing support for drivers who prefer to stand. A recessed chart locker opposite the helm helps keep the navigator on course.

You climb two molded steps up to the walk-through windshield, making sure you have a good footing because there's nothing to grab onto other than the windshield frame. A stainless-steel bow rail rims the non-skid foredeck, and Fryatt's boat has the optional windlass ($2,381) and rail-mounted spotlight ($516), a nifty piece of gear that rotates side to side, and up and down using a joystick at the helm.
 
At its core, the 260 is an entertainer's boat, a symbol of life spent enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends. There's room for your guests to stretch out on a port lounger, facing the driver to facilitate conversation, and a pair of benches in the cockpit surround a removable table with cup holders recessed into the fiberglass top. That's smart design. And speaking of cup holders, they're scattered everywhere in the cockpit - nice stainless-steel ones. The same goes for grab handles.

When it's time to make some noise, there's a stereo with CD player and six months of free Sirius satellite service. Pump up the volume, and pass around some cold ones from the Igloo carry-on cooler. With a 110-volt outlet located at the wet bar, blended concoctions are a no-brainer. Interestingly, the best seats in the house are actually outside the boat: A padded, aft-facing transom bench borders the giant swim platform. Think of it as your own private patio overlooking the waves, the perfect perch from which to gear up for watersports or watch the kids splash around, or just to sit and enjoy the sunset.

Before locking up the boat, you pop the hydraulic engine hatch for a look-see  and discover a big, clean, lighted space. The genset for the optional AC/heat ($3,080) is tucked under the cockpit, but the water heater and holding tank are easy to get to - a good thing since you have to sight-check their levels (a gauge for each at the helm would be a nice addition). There's an optional automatic fire-extinguishing system ($357) mounted on the aft bulkhead.

As you step off the 260 and onto the dock, the next thing to catch your eye is Salty Sam's Marina. Perched on the water's edge of a thriving wildlife aquatic preserve, it offers boat charters and rentals, wet/dry storage, a service shop, and a ship's store. There's also a daily express ferry service to Key West - three and a half hours in vessels that feature heated and air conditioned cabins, full galley, bar, comfortable seating, and satellite television.

But that's not in the cards today. Instead, you'll be tying up and diningat Parrot Key Caribbean Grill, a first-rate waterside bistro located on Salty Sam's property. Anyone who has ever tied up a cruising boat is familiar with the technique of crisscrossing lines at the stern using the transom cleats. It's a sure-fire securing method, but one that can trip people stepping on and  off the swim platform. Not an issue here. Two pull-up cleats on the tail end of the platform move those lines back and out of the way. And forget worrying about which side of the boat your shore-power hookup is on when you pull into a transient slip. The 260 has "It'Shore Choice" dual dockside power outlets, one on the port side and one on the starboard side.

In fact, the list of turnkey goodies on this boat adds serious value to the already affordable price. It's not often that you find an entry-level, trailerable boat that's ready to take you and your family on extended weekend stays right out of the box. But the Rinker 260 Express Cruiser is just that kind of vessel - a bursting-at-the-seams dream machine built by boaters, for boaters.


Rinker 260 Express Cruiser

LOA 28'10" (w/swim platform)
Beam 8'6"
Weight 6,750 lbs.
Fuel 100 gal.
Maximum HP 320
Base Price $64,503
(w/260-hp MerCrusier MPI)
Price As Tested $84,982
(w/300-hp MerCruiser 350 MAG Bravo III)
Hull Warranty Limited Lifetime
NMMA Certified? Yes

Rinker Boats
300 W. Chicago St.
Syracuse, Indiana 46567
(574) 457-5731
www.rinkerboats.com

Test Data
Performance data was gathered with a 300-hp MerCruiser 350 MAG Bravo III, three people on board and 50 gallons of fuel.

Top Speed 40 mph
Time To Plane 8 seconds
0-30 mph 17 seconds
Decibels @ Idle 66 dB-A
Decibels @ 30 mph 84 dB-A
Decibels @ WOT 89 dB-A

Notable Standard Features
Camper canvas enclosure with bimini top, stainless-steel anchor roller with locker and cradle, stainless-steel bow rail and rub rail, swim platform with stainless-steel boarding ladder, hot/cold transom shower, snap-in carpet, refreshment center with sink, stowable cockpit table, digital depth finder, starboard windshield wiper, Faria helm instruments, VHF radio and antenna, carbon monoxide detector, and single-burner stove.

Notable Options
Anchor windlass, radar arch, automatic fire-extinguisher system, remote spotlight, cockpit filler cushions, Lowrance color GPS, 7,000-BTU air conditioner and heater, VacuFlush toilet, macerator, gray water system, six-disc CD changer, and TV/DVD player in salon.