Wow - scads of storage in this boat!!!

Critique: It looks like it's tight, room-wise, aft. Seems like the wrap around seat takes up a bunch of room there. Also, it needs a sport strip on the top of the hull. I don't know why Cobalt did away with that for their sport stripe option. A splash of color on top certainly adds to the asthetics. And, there's no seat at the bow? Wazzup with that? I like having a seat there; it's conducive to watching folks being towed on tubes, skies, etc. and it adds another seat for another passenger. Needs the extended swim platform too. Shouldn't be an option; the ESP should be standard.

The step-down from the walk through is nice. The hull shape intrigues me. It looks sharper w/more deadrise than other Cobalts, unless that's just the angle of the shot throwing me. I like that this boat has storage under the bow seats like mine does. When Cobalt went to having blank space under their bow seats I thought that was a bad move. This configuration is more like the Cobalts of old, with the exception of not having a seat in the front of the bow behind the anchor locker.

I though a 276 would be a 26-27' boat. This seems allot smaller.

The styling and the trim reminds me of a Cadillac for some reason.

496: where is the cooler at in this boat?

D - The cooler is built in. After all, this IS a Cobalt we're discussing!!!

I remember a discussion last summer about the placement of it. It seemed the designers and engineers were at odds. I was wondering who won the battle. I guess I didn't look closely enough at that photo. I see where it's positioned now!

I received this information from Cobalt today:

Cobalt 276 Info

Retractable dock lines??????

Middlecoaster's picture sure looks like it has an ESP. Although it's listed as neither standard or an option.

It's integrated.

Look where the prop is:


It's under the swim platform.

From the pics:

1) Looks like the bow liner is engineered with narrow shelves that could accommodate a bow cushion, and maybe even a filler cushion that would extend a ways back towards the helm.

2) Why is the gas piston on the seat back forward of the helm on the aisle side rather than on the gunwale side where it would be out of the way?

3) Is the only cooler under the port side bow seat? What about all of us that sit aft of the helm? The L-seat area has an empty compartment, and could easily have a cooler instead.

4) The dash area is very plain -- no bubbinga! The switch panel and gauges seem sparse. Are the missing gauge functions served by what looks like a Smartcraft screen at the lower left?

5) If the screen at the helm is GPS or other nav, it is in a very inconvenient location.

6) I do not care for the contrasting color on the upholstery. A return to rolls and tucks and colored piping would be better.

7) The optional teak package includes the platform, walkthrough and step. What is the "Teak Deck Trim" and where is it?

8) Looks like the traditional Cobalt bow scuff plate has been replaced by a nondescript rectangular one.

9) 21 degree deadrise verses 22 degree deadrise on the 262 hull. Why?

10) Is the cockpit liner still a full liner? Some of the speaker positions seem to be well recessed, which might indicate not a full cockpit liner.

11) Retractable dock lines? Fender clips with lines?

No doubt more discussion to come.

Cobalt says it will be on their site within two to three weeks.

I've been disapointed with the design of the latest cobalt offerings; I especially dislike the design of the bow seats. No storage under a number of the model's bow seats. What were they thinking???? Fire that designer. Although, on this model it appears that they rectified that. But, still no forward seat in the prow. I agree that the dash looks sparse. Don't care for the one speaker that appeared like it was right in the middle of a seat back. Don't care for the speaker covers either, but that's probably just me.

Glad to see Cobalt changing things around. Some will like the changes, others will get a good feeling about the older design.

I don't care for the 2-tone upholstery either. I like the more retro look of stitching and piping.

I also don't like the bow area. I like the newer bow interiors without storage under the bench. It just makes the bow feel so much bigger.

I do love the more modern look of the sun pad and the integrated swim is pretty cool as well. But does this mean the 276 is actually alot smaller now? With an integrated swim it's probably closer to a 25 ft boat.