Think we found our next boat - Cobalt 246

deafwish · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:13 pm

Super jealous!
What an amazing bit of kit!

Cobalt are the Rolls Royce of Bowriders, yeah?

GottWhat · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:29 pm

LouC wrote:

Beautiful boat, Cobalt is top shelf quality. If I was getting another I/O bowrider (which I'm not) next time, this would be on my list. I do think being extra careful with with regards to the condition makes sense. It is a 15 year old boat after all.

Thank you. One of the things I learned here is condition is key when shopping for a boat. The blue 246 we were also considering has nearly half the hours (~165) but if you put it next to the green, you would swear the blue had twice the hours of the green.

deafwish wrote:

Super jealous!
What an amazing bit of kit!

Cobalt are the Rolls Royce of Bowriders, yeah?

Generally speaking, Cobalt and Formula are typically regarded as the top tier of bow riders. Thanks

deafwish · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:33 pm

We need to see & hear videos of this thing in action!

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:27 pm

Nice boat for sure.

It's easy to tell the difference between a boat that has been cleaned up, and a boat that has been maintained.

Yes it's a 2000, but a 15 year old boat around the Great Lakes is still new in my books.

My old 2000 Doral, and my new 2003 FW are both in better shape than the majority of boats I see down south.

GottWhat · **Posted:** Fri Mar 20, 2015 8:52 pm

deafwish wrote:

We need to see & hear videos of this thing in action!

For sure, I was searching youtube for something similar too but slim pickings. I will record something that shows the difference with the captains call exhaust on and off.

alex8q4 wrote:

Nice boat for sure.

It's easy to tell the difference between a boat that has been cleaned up, and a boat that has been maintained.

Yes it's a 2000, but a 15 year old boat around the Great Lakes is still new in my books.

My old 2000 Doral, and my new 2003 FW are both in better shape than the majority of boats I see down south.

Absolutely, clean freshwater makes a big difference.

rpengr · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 7:55 am

Looks like a great find! Maybe I'm an old man, but I like the green just fine. Looks like a good trailer also.

I purchased my 2000 24' bowrider 2.5 years ago, also from a freshwater vacation home in Michigan (mostly), and it also had only 340 hours. But mine is not a cobalt, and has a lot less HP. I would guess that boat is worth well above $20k.

Editorial: I don't understand how 15 year old boats can have only 300 hours. I am putting about 100hr/year on mine, and I don't think I am using it enough!

97_245_sd · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:00 am

rpengr wrote:

Editorial: I don't understand how 15 year old boats can have only 300 hours. I am putting about 100hr/year on mine, and I don't think I am using it enough!

Yeah, you people from warm climates can boat all the time. Up here there are about 3 months where you can't boat because the water is solid and 2 or 3 more months where you have to be a very hardy soul to be out on the water. Our current boat was 12 years old and had only 60 hours when we bought it. I've heard that up here the average hours per year is around 25.

GottWhat · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:42 am

Thanks guys

I agree, up here the boating season is much shorter. Our rack storage only operates from May-October. Before and after that, you will more often then not need to wear winter gear. Last season, we bought our boat in June and used it up until October...we put 40-50 hours on it. I imagine we will have a similar season this year.

rpengr · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:45 am

97_245_sd wrote:

rpengr wrote:

Editorial: I don't understand how 15 year old boats can have only 300 hours. I am putting about 100hr/year on mine, and I don't think I am using it enough!

Yeah, you people from warm climates can boat all the time. Up here there are about 3 months where you can't boat because the water is solid and 2 or 3 more months where you have to be a very hardy soul to be out on the water. Our current boat was 12 years old and had only 6 hours when we bought it. I've heard that up here the average hours per year is around 25.

6 hours at 12 years! That's got to be a record.
I can see where one could only get 30 hours per year, but 20 or less just seems like a waste.

My best boating year was 1991/92 when I put a new Yamaha engine on my old 16' ski boat. I put on 230 hours in the first 12 months.

I'm not sure what the hours were when I sold it 12 years later... the engine outlasted the hour meter.

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:31 am

I think up here the average hrs per year for a recreational boater is about 30 or so. So at that after 15 years you'd only be at 450 hrs.
Freshwater vs salt: now I've said this before but it's worth saying again, both fresh and salt cause damage but it's different damage. For boats with wood cored transoms and decks, fresh water will cause rot. The bacteria that cause wood rot can't live in salt water so keep that in mind. With your typical bow rider construction of plywood deck, skim coat of 'glass, carpet and unsealed holes for mounting seats, it's a perfect storm for rot. The carpet gets wet, it holds in the moisture and the holes expose unsealed wood to moisture. That's where the rot always starts. Salt water is obviously going to rust manifolds risers and anything on the trailer that's not galvanized or stainless but don't think that freshwater boats will always be in better condition. Hint: if there is a transom mount transducer remove one of the screws, if water pours out you will have a rotted transom at some point.

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:33 am

I think up here the average hrs per year for a recreational boater is about 30 or so. So at that after 15 years you'd only be at 450 hrs.
Freshwater vs salt: now I've said this before but it's worth saying again, both fresh and salt cause damage but it's different damage. For boats with wood cored transoms and decks, fresh water will cause rot. The bacteria that cause wood rot can't live in salt water so keep that in mind. With your typical bow rider construction of plywood deck, skim coat of 'glass, carpet and unsealed holes for mounting seats, it's a perfect storm for rot. The carpet gets wet, it holds in the moisture and the holes expose unsealed wood to moisture. That's where the rot always starts. Salt water is obviously going to rust manifolds risers and anything on the trailer that's not galvanized or stainless but don't think that freshwater boats will always be in better condition. Hint: if there is a transom mount transducer remove one of the screws, if water pours out you will have a rotted transom at some point.

ric · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:11 pm

Here in Florida it's not uncommon to see wakeboard boats with thousands of hours.

I personally boat at least once a week, and I might be on the water for 6-8 hours, but running time on the engine might be 1hr total.

97_245_sd · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:41 pm

That was a typo. 60 hours which is still incredibly low. That averages 5 hours per year. I was a little concerned about low hours but all we've done besides yearly oil/lube change is a low pressure fuel pump and new out drive seals. Previous owner kept it at the dealership marina and they did all the maintenance and it was and still is in good shape.

And like Ric said, we're on the boat more than that but engine hours are less.

GottWhat · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 3:30 pm

Well, the Four Winns is officially up for sale: Four Winns Horizon 180 LS - Rare Option Fuel Injected V8 - Low Hours

The guys working at Ford, GM, Chrysler (FCA) just got some fat bonus checks in addition to their tax returns...

GottWhat · **Posted:** Sat Mar 21, 2015 4:05 pm

Here is the blue Cobalt 246 on ebay. The auction ends in about 3+ hours if anyone is interested: http://www.ebay.com/itm/221717457139?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

www.iFourWinns.com

Think we found our next boat - Cobalt 246

Who is online