Used Cobalt 206 vs 210 w 350 Mag/Bravo 3

[Bulty]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and soon to be new to owning a boat. I'm not a stranger to boating, just never owned one myself. I'm looking for a 10-15 yr old boat in my price range that is the right compromise to do it all. I'd like something that has plenty of torque and prop for hole shot for 220+ lb slalom skiers without having to empty the boat first, ability to seat 8+ adults comfortably, big enough to handle Lake Michigan on calm to moderate days, something that doesn't drink the gas like a long heavy big block boat might, and well made to last another 10-15 years with minimal trouble and decent resale. I've arrived at Cobalt 21 ft open bows as a likely best candidate, with a 5.7L fuel injected engine for pull (displacement, not hp) and reliability. I see two great options at the moment, both with the same 350 mag/bravo 3 dual prop setup. As you guessed from the title, one is a 206 and the other a 210. Now the 210 is much newer w higher hours, both in great looking condition, but this question is purely about performance between the two. The 206 measures 21"0" down the centerline and weighs in at 3100 lbs dry weight. The 210 measures 20'4" w/o swim platform, 22'5" w platform, and weighs an astonishing 3850 lbs dry weight. I'm really curious what makes up that additional 750 lbs for near identical sized boats if anyone knows? But more importantly, how much of a performance impact might I expect to see for that extra weight? I'll bet it would help quite a bit w big lake handling, but can I tow up a 6'+ 220-240 lb slalom skier (assume relatively novice) with a few people in the boat with ease with either boat? I'm guessing either one will come up short trying to pull up my 6'8" 330 lb father on a single ski But what kind of top speed and cruising speed fuel consumption hit might I be taking with the heavier model? I realize I'm likely to get subjective opinions here as the exact performance impacts are tough to quantify, but I'd love to hear what everyone has to say.

Thanks in advance, I look forward to reading responses.

Bulty

 

[superbenk]

I don't think either one will be comfortable with 8 people in them especially if we're talking bigger people (200+ lbs).

You said the 210 is newer so it may be made completely with composite which can be heavier than wood. I think Cobalt switched to full composite around 2000 so I would check on that & for that age I'd probably prefer a full composite boat to avoid structural rot.

Do both boats have 350 Mags or is one a Mag & the other not? I think the Magnum adds some HP. Are the both duo-propped?

 

[rearsprings]

I have a 2001 Cobalt 262 with the 8.1L Volvo and dual prop. This has more than enough room for 8 people (yacht rated) and plenty of pull power. My close friend has a 2012 Cobalt 220 with the 5.7 L Volvo and dual prop. He has more than enough power to pull up skiers and wake boarders with 8 people in the boat. His big complaint is that it gets crowded, and the boat sits lower in the water causing at times water to come over the bow and get the front compartments wet. Since you indicated you want to have 8 larger people on the boat to ski, you may want to consider a longer boat, as it will cut the water better, and depending on the model, sit higher in the water. They will have more room for the passengers. If it has the larger engine (7.1, 8.1L ) your trade off is some fuel consumption, but you will be sacrificing that with a loaded boat no matter what length. Hope that helps.

 

[drrpm]

Are you planning on hauling the Offensive line of the Chicago Bears ? Having 8+ large people on either of those boats will put you over the weight limit. You're going to need a bigger boat (not a bad idea for Lake Michigan anyway) and anything big with adequate power to pull up a large skier will be a heavy gas drinker.

 

[mikereno1]

I've got a 2000 cobalt 206 with the 350 mag and bravo III. If there are more than 5-6 in the boat it's tough to get up on a single ski but definitely do able. Cruising speed about 50. This is all up at Tahoe which is 6400ft so you might get better numbers at sea level

 

[Bulty]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate the input! I should clarify, I don't anticipate slalom skiing with 8+ people or that all 8+ are 200+ lbs. But there are more than a few in my family and friends that are that size. I think it's a West Michigan Dutch thing What I mean is I'd like the boat to fit 8+ adults comfortably, I'd also like to slalom with say 4 or so in the boat without having to drop people off on shore get up. Yes, both boats have the 350 mag w Bravo 3 drives (although the 210 is geared 10% lower due to the weight). Cobalt was kind enough to respond to my email and suggested the construction of the hulls had been made the same, so the weight difference is likely from other things like the motorbox, the molded in pieces for the cockpit upholstery and things like that. Still, 750 lbs seems like a lot for those kind of things... They also stated that due to the weight/gear ratio the top speed of the 210 was 55, whereas the 206 was just over 60. I got nerdy with the published Mercruiser fuel consumption vs rpm data and approximated the fuel efficiency vs speed plots for each boat. If that approximation is in the ballpark, it suggests the heavier boat burns 10-30% more fuel between planing and max speed for the 210, generally approaching 30% as speed increases. All things considered, I think I'm leaning toward the 206 for performance and price, but I haven't test driven either one yet (the 206 won't be available for test drive for another week or two). We'll see how it goes!

 

[jhnmdahl]

Bulty,

I looked at the 206 before buying a Cobalt 210 recently, and a lot of things on the 210 feel like there's heavier-duty construction. It's pretty noticeable on the driver's console, in the engine bay, etc. Realistically, you can probably fit a couple people up front, a couple in the captain's chairs, and four skinny people or three normal people on the back bench seat in either boat. Although I have the Volvo 5.7 with their duo prop, you can expect to be able to pop most skiers out of the water fairly well with a few people on board, but I suspect you'd notice it if you had 5-6 on board and still trying to tow a heavy guy. I get between 3.5-4mpg at 3000-3500 rpm, and expect your mileage might be similar.

I would have guessed low 50s for top speed for the 210, and high 50s for the 206, so I'm pretty close to your numbers. I rarely run at top speed though (mpg is cut in half), so that may not be a huge factor for everyday use.

I'd look at both boats before making a decision, and then consider whether a more "modern" boat, maintenance costs, etc., justify the 210 over the 206. Good luck with your search!

John

 

[Bulty]

Update: I test drove the 210, but the 206 w 350 mag/bravo 3 is still unavailable. Apparently they somehow came to own the 206 in Canada, and are running into issues getting it into the States (paperwork and taxes I believe). I attempted to test another 206 they just got in. It had the 350 mag but only an alpha one setup. Unfortunately it had some issues causing it to misfire and didn't really perform. The 210 was impressive though! 57 on the speedometer with two guys in the boat, acceleration was great, although you could tell it was a heavy boat. So I knew the 210 had high hours, almost 1000 on the engine. But I found out today it was a (fast) rental boat, so near guarantee those aren't light hours. It ran great, but they're asking more than I would risk for a boat that may need an engine rebuild sooner than I'd like, so still hunting. Not a complete loss though, I confirmed that a ~21 ft cobalt w at least a 350 and bravo 3 (or Volvo equivalent) is exactly what I'm looking for. Night and day from previous test drives of other brands, it's been a journey So thank you all for your helpful input, I'm going to keep looking. I suspect I may find options opening up after this Labor Day weekend passes...