I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

[tazrig]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

We walked away from both boats to give it some more thought, though the Cobalt is out. The Four Winns was immaculate, a 9 out of 10 for sure. The Cobalt, (and all of this is subjective) was a 7 out of 10; it had some frayed carpet, a couple of small rips in the vinyl, a previous owner had screwed "something" into the swim deck, a logo/badge was missing from the starboard side and we didn't like the burgundy colour, I think the first owner used it pretty hard, my gut told me to walk away. I suppose we could have spent another $1500 fixing all of that but it just didn't feel right. Unfortunately we looked at the Four Winns first almost as a moot point, thinking that the Cobalt would be in as good shape and that we would buy it for sure. It took the wind out of our sails when we saw the Cobalt, especially after the rep gave it a 9 out of 10. We just walked away from both to get some perspective, we may go back to the Four Winns, my only two concerns with it is the horseshoe back seat taking up to much of the floor space, and whether the 5.0 GXi will have enough jam for a 21' boat but man was it well looked after.

onewhippedpuppy; I think had the Cobalt really been a 9 out of 10 it would have been priced higher, so it wasn't the deal I thought I was getting.

Don't get down, lots of people go through exactly what you're going through every winter. I think you did the right thing. Don't pull the trigger until you are sure. You still have time between now and spring. When you find YOUR boat you'll know it.

 

[thumpar]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Don't get down, lots of people go through exactly what you're going through every winter. I think you did the right thing. Don't pull the trigger until you are sure. You still have time between now and spring. When you find YOUR boat you'll know it.

+1 It took us awhile to find our boat. I had been trying to contact the seller for almost a month before I got a response. We started looking at other boats and looked at a local shop that does repair and also sells used boats. When I told him about the Crownline he told me to just buy it. He didn't even show me another boat. I knew then it was the boat for me.

The seller finally responded to may many emails. I looked at it and it was better than I could have expected. We made a deal and a week later the boat was mine.

At the end of last summer we were at the ramp and I saw a red Mariah I had been eyeing pulling out. I asked the owner about it. He said it was the same one I saw. He then asked me about mine. He said that he had gone to look at it with cash but the seller refused to sell to him and 3 other people because his kids cried when he said it was for sale.

To shorten it up. The right boat will come along. Don't rush it and don't compromise.

 

[KootenayTime]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Don't get down, lots of people go through exactly what you're going through every winter. I think you did the right thing. Don't pull the trigger until you are sure. You still have time between now and spring. When you find YOUR boat you'll know it.

:thumb:

 

[KootenayTime]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

+1 It took us awhile to find our boat. I had been trying to contact the seller for almost a month before I got a response. We started looking at other boats and looked at a local shop that does repair and also sells used boats. When I told him about the Crownline he told me to just buy it. He didn't even show me another boat. I knew then it was the boat for me.

The seller finally responded to may many emails. I looked at it and it was better than I could have expected. We made a deal and a week later the boat was mine.

At the end of last summer we were at the ramp and I saw a red Mariah I had been eyeing pulling out. I asked the owner about it. He said it was the same one I saw. He then asked me about mine. He said that he had gone to look at it with cash but the seller refused to sell to him and 3 other people because his kids cried when he said it was for sale.

To shorten it up. The right boat will come along. Don't rush it and don't compromise.

:thumb:

 

[KootenayTime]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Thanks guys, I guess I could change the name of this thread to the search for my boat LOL. Anyway, we are giving serious thought to the Four Winns, it has everything I need and is super clean, but I'm not going to rush it. Wants are another thing all together, 5.7L Duo prop, etc. etc. etc. etc., but all the "wants" will make it challenging to stay under our $30,000 limit.

Again, thanks for the advice and votes of confidence. I will keep you posted.

 

[CC245]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

The FW should have good power. My boat is a little bigger, has the 5.7L DP and is a beast. The 210 with the 5.0 will be similar.
I like the u-shape seating. We usually have 4-6 adults and 3 dogs and space is not an issue.

Remember the most important factor buying a used boat is condition! If the 210 is a 9 out of 10 it should be a contender.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Not so. I had a SeaRay 2004 that had problems

More likely a marina/stray current issue than with the drive itself.


Anyway... while the 210 Horizon is a decent choice, it is marginal with regards to power with the 5.0L. But, should do the job.

 

[agallant80]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Thanks guys, I guess I could change the name of this thread to the search for my boat LOL. Anyway, we are giving serious thought to the Four Winns, it has everything I need and is super clean, but I'm not going to rush it. Wants are another thing all together, 5.7L Duo prop, etc. etc. etc. etc., but all the "wants" will make it challenging to stay under our $30,000 limit.

Again, thanks for the advice and votes of confidence. I will keep you posted.

Just food for thought but those dual prop drives as nice as they are cost lots and lots of money. The props alone are $900/set on a good day if not more like $1,200 vs the single prop drives you can use the aluminum prop for about $120. The drive its self is about $6,000 for a new dual prop one vs $1,500 for the single prop drive.

I am just saying this because I have had bad luck on lakes with props. Unlike the coast where the bottom tends to be sand lakes tend to be rocks and stumps. If I were going to get another lake boat I would be looking at the single prop drives.

 

[KootenayTime]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Just food for thought but those dual prop drives as nice as they are cost lots and lots of money. The props alone are $900/set on a good day if not more like $1,200 vs the single prop drives you can use the aluminum prop for about $120. The drive its self is about $6,000 for a new dual prop one vs $1,500 for the single prop drive.

I am just saying this because I have had bad luck on lakes with props. Unlike the coast where the bottom tends to be sand lakes tend to be rocks and stumps. If I were going to get another lake boat I would be looking at the single prop drives.

I never thought of it that way, we have a mix of everything in our lake, from sand, to rocks, to sunken paddle wheelers. That's a good thing to add to the equation.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Where abouts in Canada do you boat ?

 

[KootenayTime]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Where abouts in Canada do you boat ?

In the interior of British Columbia, Kootenay Lake and the West Arm of Kootenay Lake to be exact.

 

[moosekoot]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

In the interior of British Columbia, Kootenay Lake and the West Arm of Kootenay Lake to be exact.

I have a 2007 210H FW with 5.0 fuel injected. it will do 52mph. I also have boated a lot on Kootenay Lake in the past. They are a nice boat and it would be fine for there if it is fuel injected. Mine is a great boat and I now use it on the Shuswap.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Yep, top speed is fine. Might get a little better torque out of a 5.7L/350MAG for watersports, that is what I was getting at.

In 2005 you could get a DP or BIII in the H210, only the SX or B1 in 2007 H210's. Top speed was lower for all engine/drive combinations in 2005 over a 2007 model.

 

[KootenayTime]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Yep, top speed is fine. Might get a little better torque out of a 5.7L/350MAG for watersports, that is what I was getting at.

In 2005 you could get a DP or BIII in the H210, only the SX or B1 in 2007 H210's. Top speed was lower for all engine/drive combinations in 2005 over a 2007 model.

I am definately less concerned with top speed and more concerned with being able to have 4 to 6 people in the boat and pull a wakeboarder or tuber at the same time. If it's only a difference of several seconds getting out of the hole that's OK, as long as it WILL get out of the hole with that many people. There is the factor of cost should I ever need to replace a set of props, there is a lot of stuff one could potentially hit with a the leg in this lake. It's been so long since we had a boat, our old Bayliner was a 21' with a carbed 5.7 and and Alpha One and it seemed to do fine, and it was a pretty heavy boat. I'm betting that newer GXi probably has the same HP or more as our old 5.7, hmmm, I will endeavour to find out the weight on that old boat.

 

[robopath]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

I am definately less concerned with top speed and more concerned with being able to have 4 to 6 people in the boat and pull a wakeboarder or tuber at the same time. If it's only a difference of several seconds getting out of the hole that's OK, as long as it WILL get out of the hole with that many people. There is the factor of cost should I ever need to replace a set of props, there is a lot of stuff one could potentially hit with a the leg in this lake. It's been so long since we had a boat, our old Bayliner was a 21' with a carbed 5.7 and and Alpha One and it seemed to do fine, and it was a pretty heavy boat. I'm betting that newer GXi probably has the same HP or more as our old 5.7, hmmm, I will endeavour to find out the weight on that old boat.

You can most likely pull a wakeboarder or tube with 10+ people in that boat. It's really only slalom (or potentially bare footing) skiing that requires the most power.

 

[thumpar]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

My boat is pretty heavy for a 20'. The factory spec weight is 3100 but I have the heavier Bravo and bigger engine that a lot of them. I don't even notice the performance difference when there are 6 or so people. I would probably notice a slight difference with the 12 max people on board but still think it would pull fine.

 

[KootenayTime]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

My boat is pretty heavy for a 20'. The factory spec weight is 3100 but I have the heavier Bravo and bigger engine that a lot of them. I don't even notice the performance difference when there are 6 or so people. I would probably notice a slight difference with the 12 max people on board but still think it would pull fine.

You have the 5.7L EFI, do you know the HP rating on that engine?

 

[thumpar]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

You have the 5.7L EFI, do you know the HP rating on that engine?

I think it is a 260hp but don't have anything to know for sure.

 

[KootenayTime]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

I think it is a 260hp but don't have anything to know for sure.

OK, thanks for the info. The Four Winns weighs in around 3800lbs with the 5.0L GXi. At 270hp I think I would be OK. Unfortunately I have a tendency to over analyze everything, this could be one of those times. I may be to hung up on specs in the meantime letting a near mint boat with crazy low hours slip through my fingers.

 

[tazrig]

Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

OK, thanks for the info. The Four Winns weighs in around 3800lbs with the 5.0L GXi. At 270hp I think I would be OK. Unfortunately I have a tendency to over analyze everything, this could be one of those times. I may be to hung up on specs in the meantime letting a near mint boat with crazy low hours slip through my fingers.

I'm only commenting on the power issue here but... Before I bought my own formula I spent a lot of time on my friends 1972 23' formula. The boat weighed approximately 5,000 pounds dry and had a 220hp OMC I/O. We could fill it with people (7-8) and still water ski with NO PROBLEM! Opened up it would go approximately 40-45mph. 3,800lb with 270hp would be even less of a problem. Get the boat or not. Your call. Just don't worry for a minute that it would be under powered in any way shape or form.