Fivefasts - I like 255s and also like the cockpit layout better than the 26x. The 26x doesn't have that big of a cockpit for the size of the boat. Unfortunately, I've never seen a 255 for sale around here and I've only seen two 263s. One sold right after I saw it and the other that is still available has several serious issues. Cuddies aren't very popular around here, so there aren't many for sale and I'm not interested in doing a long distance purchase.

I've always been on the fence on the bowrider vs. cuddy issue. A cabin is more appealing to my wife and kids than it is to me, and I'm guessing in a few years, the kids would rather have an open bow anyway. The 246 I'm looking at has a full factory enclosure that doesn't look like it has ever been used, which would offer some of the benefits of a cabin and keep the open bow.

Phat - the 262 has a filler cushion for the sunpad if you want to use it full width. It's a pretty nice setup. Each side of the sunpad is really a door that opens up to a large storage compartment below that has lots of room for fenders and lines.

We have resolution and the answer is "none of the above."

Even though a bigger bowrider had some advantages over a cuddy, there wasn't much enthusiasm for one at home from anybody but me. An 06 263 with 100 hours and a 375hp/496 Merc popped up on Craigslist with a reasonable asking price a couple of days ago. I drove up to Tahoe today to see it, took it out, and a deal was struck. I've always liked them, but have missed out on two, found another with serious hull issues, and was starting to give up on finding one. I continue to be amazed at how well they ride. It was windy and rough at Tahoe today. Going into the wind and 2-3' waves was bumpy but tolerable. Going with the wind, the ride was downright smooth.

It has a couple of scratches on the hull, but that is probably inevitable with a solid dark color hull. Plus, it will save me the pain of putting the first one on it. It also has tinted glass , which reduced visibility, and will be removed. It is propped for high altitude, so I'll be shopping for a set of props eventually.

On the positive side, it has full canvas, an automotive style heater and closed circuit cooling so winter boating should be very tolerable. The extended swim platform would have been nice, but that can be added later.

Everything should be wrapped up by the weekend, and I'm hoping to have it on my lift by Sunday. Here's a couple of pictures:

Beautiful Beautiful!!

WOW! That is one nice looking boat. Congrats.

Classic! Timeless. Enjoy!

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. I'm really excited - I can't wait to take it out this weekend. The end of the summer seems to be my time to find the right boat. I found our Larson at about the same time three years ago.

Does anybody have any recommendations for a product to get rid of oxidation on the gel coat? It has the fade on the top stripe that Cobalts at Lake Tahoe often get since they sit in the sun on a buoy all summer in a high UV environment. I've used some of my Meguiar's car products on my Larson, and gotten most of the oxidation off the gel coat stripe, but it isn't as shiny as I'd like.

Nice ride...You'll enjoy it !!

Do you have bottom paint on it, or is it just the photo ??

Wish Cobalt would take some lessons on what they did well just a few years ago and apply it to what is coming out of the plant today !!

nice looking boat!

No bottom paint, just gel coat. It looks like this out of the water:



I forgot to take a camera with me, but that is a 263 with an identical paint job. Nobody bottom paints boats at Lake Tahoe because the water is so clean that nothing grows on the boats. My new boat has been in the water all summer, and the only thing on the bottom was a thin layer of scum that could easily be power washed off. It will get dirtier spending 3 hours in the Delta than it did spending 3 months there.

That's true...The water is so pure that nothing would grow on the bottom...

I read that the water in Tahoe is like 99% pure ???

etyppo,

Congratulations! That is a sweet boat. Being the proud owner of a 263 for just shy of 2 months, I can assure you that you and your family will love it.

Congratulations, that is a very nice boat.