If you are a boater, you have experienced or heard about the legendary Cobalt ride.  The deep vee hull shape with the deep vee at the correct spot for the best ride, the Cobalt innovation of an extended running surface, and the chine width and angle for “top shelf” driver control.

If you love a bow rider, you value the quick-to-plane eagerness of the balanced hull, the always easy-to-see the water “just ahead” feature, the boat’s ability to stay on plane at lower speeds. The “stable bite” of the new Cobalts at faster and faster speeds.

If you boat with a family, you like the Cobalt cockpit deep sides and deep seating, even in the kid’s bow rider area, and the easy entry into the cockpit from the water.

You know of the Cobalt industry firsts in using a scuff plate, flip-up seating, special hinges, windshield positive latching, a pop-up or down ski tow, special poles, metal, and bracing for the bimini top.

Here in this Cobalt boat are some additional Cobalt boat standard features; 100% hand laid hull, composite structural stringers and other compnemts, the use of Kevlar in the hull construction, a “barrier coat” in the hull Lay-up,all the colors molded into the boat, not taped on top of its gelcoat.

She will break 50 mph at your request via the throttle with the V-8.

Should Cobalt introduce a “C” series line for 2012?

Will the next Cobalt Boat look something like this?

If the “A’ is step up from a regular line Cobalt boat, should the “C” line be a step below the regular Cobalt line-up?

What should be the specs of the first model in such a boat?

Number One (and there is no number two). It should bring to the boating world a new value that says Cobalt and is a true Cobalt Boat, but at a savings.

How would this be accomplished?

It must weight less. Weight demands engine power to give the Cobalt standard of performance with a V-6 engine.

So,  make it lighter by shortening the boat somewhat. Changing to the beam measurement to less than 8’. Design into the mold the swim platform and any swim platform extentions. Cut back on amount of seating, as Cobalt seats are plush and that adds weight. A new approach to the engine room hatch for further weight savings.

Make it a sporty boat model with a less deep cockpit and hull.

Use a 30 gallon gas tank size.

Skip the separate anchor locker.

Use a Volvo SX drive for smooth, silky shifting like a Mercruiser Bravo I sterndrive or a Volvo duoprop outdrive.

Use a Volvo-Penta marinized Chevrolet V-6 engine for its low cost as it does not need marine exhaust manifolds with Cataliytic Converters inside those marine exhaust manifolds.

Seabuddy’s suggested specs for a V-6 powered Cobalt Boat: LOA of 20’2” using a updated version of the Cobalt boat hull first used from the later 1980s on. This is a great running boat with a V-6.  She has a deep V running bottom of 20 degrees. Its designers, Jim Wynne and Dan Bramhall, knew their stuff around fast, good handling, boat hulls for both the lakes and oceans. Figure on a Beam of 7’ 5” and a weight of 2,500 – 2,700 lbs.

Seabuddy boat test of the new Mercruiser Mercury Marine engine from seabuddy. First on-the-water boat test.

Mercruiser now owns the tooling to make the former Chevrolet 502 engine. They use this engine in their Mercury Racing division for Mercury Marine Mercruiser Racing engines from 525 Hp, 600 Hp, 662 Hp, and 700 Hp.

Now they (Mercury Marine Mercruiser) have discontinued their two versions of the, made by Chevrolet, 496 engine and offer this Mercruiser Mercury Marine 502 engine in family boat, sport boat power outputs of 380 Hp and 430 Hp.

Thus, Mercury Marine has invented a new family boat engine for 2010. Any 496 Mercury Marine Mercruiser powered boat has a now discontinued engine powering it. There is inventory out there at boat dealers, but that is about it. Seabuddy has not heard of a program to offer extra discounts on the discontinued Mercury Marine 496 inventory yet.

Volvo, still uses their on-hand inventory of Chevrolet made 496 engines at 375 Hp and 420 Hp for 2010 and the foreseeable future. They bought all the on-hand inventory from Chevrolet to keep Volvo in stock on engines. Volvo will have to make a change in the future once their on-hand inventory of 496 engines runs out. But that future change in a boat model year down-the-road is not yet public information.

All new family and sport versions of the 502 Mercury Marine Mercruiser engine require two Catalytic Converters, but  any 496 engine is exempt from needing Catalytic Converters for 2010 except for CA boats. The 525 Hp, 600 Hp, 662 Hp, and 700 Hp Mercury Racing engines do not need catalytic converters as they are over the Hp ceiling (500Hp) that federal law requires Catalytic Converters be used under.

How does she run?

Better, faster,  acceleration from about 2,700 rpms on up. A huge amount of torque that is the reason for continuously pushing speed numbers forward FAST on up to 4,200 rpm for the 380 Hp Mercury Marine Mercruiser and to just over 4,700 rpms on the 430 Hp version with its different, upgraded  internal parts like the camshaft. She is a Smoothy, too, some how the balance of Mercury Marine Mercruiser engine with the Mercury Marine Mercruiser Bravo III x drive and Mercury Marine Mercruiser prop set marry with the 7,500 lb big Cobalt boat and deliver a new level of smoothness to seabuddy.  Not that much else is different by seabuddy seat-of-the-pants.

Yes, she holds her grip on very solid water bite to the props in more violent turns. A big improvement really, but how often does a family boater whip a 30 foot plus boat around a slalom cross type turns? Boat testers do, as we want to see what is either a strong or weak point in a rig under test conditions. Here, it’s the Mercury Marine Mercruiser prop set and the ideal, precise  way the boat builder has dialed in this package.

And the Mercury Marine Mercruiser is quiet. That feature should be attributed to the new Exhaust system using the two catalytic converters. Get a switch able exhaust and the sound gives off that level of sound that  is music to a performance boat owner’s ear.

Top speed was 50 mph in a quick, short run this day, but there should be another mile an hour or two available if you take the time for a longer run on a higher hour Mercury Marine Mercruiser package (say about 50 hours on the engine hour meter). We were three aboard with and some fuel on this day. Add another 12 mph to the 50 – 52 mph in this boat if you buy a twin Mercury Marine Mercruiser package.

Our boat test was a 296 Cobalt bow rider boat that measures 30 feet 2 inches with a 9 foot 5 inch beam for a generous 8’ 8” interior beam in the cockpit. She was a big, roomy bow rider, quick in the water for the helmsman and a luxury soft ride for the passengers.

Now you can have – Joystick – the talk of the marina bars and all the Boat Shows in a gas powered inboard outboard set-up from Volvo in selected Cobalt Boats. Volvo invented marine joystick and brought it to Diesel boats with their IPS. Joystick is the best thing to come along in boating since Bertram boats popularized the deep vee hull in the early 1960s.

After five minutes of practice, you control your Joystick boat better than a 20 year veteran boater can. Wind, drift, and current conditions are all conquered by the Joystick “brain” in the system aboard your Cobalt. Just push the joystick in the direction that you want your boat to go and it does. The Joystick uses the drives and throttles to take your boat; right, left, forward, backward at a creeping pace or faster. You control the pace and direction your boat goes via the Volvo Joystick, not the steering wheel.

Now Cobalt boats and Volvo bring this technology in 2010 to inboard outboards (or stern drive, or I/O). First boat model up for Cobalt Boats is their 302 Bow Rider.

The Cobalt boats 302 is a 48 mph or better, 31’ 9” LOA luxury, deep vee (22 degree)  bow rider for big salt water Bays, the Ocean, or huge, open lakes of the USA. Each one of Cobalt’s 302 models have so much attention given to them that it is a six week or more build time per bow rider.

Each boat comes with a head and a galley, double wide helm seat and a ballroom-sized dance hall for the main boat cockpit.

Twin engines are standard, Gel Coated graphics are standard, an 800 Watt stereo Amp is standard, 5 full years warrantee coverage of tuliped valves, detonation, heat engine failures plus the stuff the other brands may cover in their written warrantee, 10 Years on the hull and deck, 5 years for the accessory coverage, fiberglass stringers are standard, a composite reinforced floor is standard. Much of what is standard on a Cobalt Boats 302 is not offered and not available on others boats at any price.

This bow rider’s extended swim platform is attached to the transom of the boat with stainless steel mounts and brackets. The swim platform also protects the swimmers from the prop. And then, more stainless is used as a grab rail surround on the boat’s swimming area for the kids in the water. Go inside the boat’s cockpit via a walk-thur without dealing with cushions in the pathway.

How about construction? It is an industry leading standard, with top-shelf materials everywhere. She uses a composite cockpit floor, fiberglass stringers, motor mounts and a composite transom. Can not see this in the showroom? Well, let seabuddy suggest that one carefully inspect the Bimini top for an example of Cobalt strength and choice of materials. Sway bars standard. All stainless hardware is here, too. Special stainless stiffening is used across the front bow and mounts that extends canvas life and reduces rattles and noise at planning speeds. The Bimini top itself is over-size in length and with.

 Top speeds? Figure on about either side of 50 mph with a Volvo V-6 inboard outboard or the Volvo 5.0 V-8 inboard outboard. Go up to the Mid 50s with a 5.7 Duo-Prop (DP) inboard outboard. Yes, Volvo’s Ocean – X is available for this rugged, over-built bow rider for in the salt water bays and oceans.

 Oh, BTW, open the engine box and study the room, it’s opening size, and it’s finish. It is a Cobalt boat after all.

What a joy to be on Biscayne Bay in South Florida in a first on-water test of the new 8.2 Mercruiser engine with its inboard outboard drive. And, in a boat that re-set the standard for open bay and ocean going bow riding comfort with sport boat handling once one is behind the helm, in control.

See this Cobalt boat and Merc inboard outboard for yourself here…

http://www.marinadelray.com/

or, here from 3/25 – 3/28 at the Marina Del Ray Cobalt booth…

 http://www.showmanagement.com/palm_beach_international_boat_show/event/

ask for Patrick, in either case.

More about the Cobalt boat and Mercury Marine engine and inboard outboard test on the next page.

First impression pier side? It’s a deep, luxurious cockpit with a dance floor size cockpit sole. Then my eye takes in the sheer level of Cobalt finish, Cobalt detailing, and Cobalt’s  new, top-shelf, design on how to enjoy boating in an open inboard outboard bow rider. Funny, how the pillows on the seating catches my eye and instantly announces that I am in for a unique experience.

First impression out on the water? This is not a lake boat. Its at home on the ocean and the open sections of a big Bay like Biscayne.

As a passenger, one notes the soft ride, good, the deep vee hull, the high level of luxury and how this boat delivers a top level boating experience.

As the driver, seabuddy noted a different experience. This boat performs! Carve turns, rush to plane, and blow my hair back speed. And then one really sees the helm treatment. It’s a wow for understated top finish luxury in design, details, and choice of materials. It is not glitter city as some other sister bow riders are. Its fine design in this Cobalt.

In this test, the boat touched 50 mph GPS. Other tests suggest that there is a little more still there. Go with twin 8.2s and add another 12 mph to these figures.

Specs…

LOA 30’ 2”

Interior cockpit beam 8’ 8”

Boat beam 9’ 5”

Dry weight 7,350 lbs.

Bridge clearance, just under 8’

Push the throttle down from idle speed in a 7,500 lb. boat in South Florida and feel the surge. She gets going quickly. It’s the camshaft profile, the 502 cubic inch big block size, the Bravo III x, and the Mercury Racing XR prop set, all working together to provide the family boater with the newest engine from Mercury Mercruiser Marine.

Take the tach up to 2,500 – 3,000 rpm and let the boat settle down to a speed at that rpm. Now push that throttle down again and feel the biggest difference between the now out-of-production 496 Mercury big block and the newest Merc big block engine.

The surge that pushes you back in your seat at 3,000 rpm is the biggest seat-of-the-pants experience that most boaters will feel the first time they get to try a 8.2 Mercruiser inboard outboard.

Yes, the 8.2 is quiet, smooth, and even pretty to look at. The Catalytic Converters (one for each cylinder bank in a V-8) in the exhaust make it quieter than a big block without them. Next, its so pretty to look at for a boater than we had to stop to just gaze at it in the engine compartment and how Mercury laid out everything on this boat engine. They make this one from scratch, unlike the now out-of-production GM Mercury Marine 496 engine.

See this Mercury Marine engine for yourself here…

http://www.marinadelray.com/

or, here from 3/25 – 3/28 at the Marina Del Ray Cobalt booth…

 http://www.showmanagement.com/palm_beach_international_boat_show/event/

ask for Patrick, in either case.

More about the boat and engine test on the next page.

Its seabuddy and two of my buddies from Mercury Marine on board to do a test of the Mercury Marine new engine. Some fuel, no water, and minimal gear also was onboard besides the estimated 700 lbs of weight between the three of us. This engine was installed in a Cobalt Boat, the Cobalt 296, a bow rider, that has a boat hull length of 28’ 5” with an LOA of 30’ 2” and that runs around 7,500 lbs in weight dry.

Mercruiser makes this engine all the way, so it looks right in a boat. They had “dressed” the GM supplied 496 engine before. In this one they own the stuff to make the block and make the Mercury Marine engine from that. (Merc bought the 502 block tooling from GM awhile back). This is the same displacement block as the two engines (380 Hp, 430 Hp) from Mercury and the 525 Hp, 600 Hp, and 662 Hp engines that come from Merc Mercury Racing.

Top speed on this day, in a short run, got the GPS to break 50 mph in what seemed a nano second. Cobalt reports 51 (GPS) mph in other tests. They also put twin 8.2s in this boat, and have seen a 12 mph top speed increase then. If you want some engine roar to match the performance – select the switchable exhaust to thur – hull. Then the Mercury Marine Mercruier 8.2 sounds like the power of it feels in-the-seat-of-your-pants.

It is my understanding that Mercury no longer makes its version of the 496 engine. Production has stopped. Any boats with this now discontinued engine, are using up old inventory. But, it may take awhile to clear out that inventory.

Look for other features soon on the 296 Cobalt, Mercury Marine’s SeaCore drive, and the XR props.