Village Marina Dare to Compare

GELCOAT: Cobalts hulls are 100% gelcoat. No tape to fade, tear, and age the boat over the years. Graphics on boats become outdated very quickly and are detrimental to resale value. Cobalt uses stainless steel blower vents that can take a beating and don't fade. Plastic ones become brittle with age and crack with any amount of dock rubbing. Over the years plastic ones turn yellow and show stress cracking from the inenvitable flexing it takes.

Cobalt uses aluminum backing on all of it's dashboards. This prevents flexing and keeps all gauges snug and well positioned. Cobalt also uses stainless switches throughout the boat. Other mfgs use plastic switches that fall off, fade, and feel cheap to the touch. Cobalt uses hand stretch vinyls on it's entire dash. This prevents glare and keeps scratches from showing up. It also keeps the dash cool to the touch. Cobalt uses stainless non directional steering wheels that are hand laid with real wood. This directionless steering wheel design always keeps the steering level in the correct position. Cobalt stores away the fuse panel to make a clean and neat look.

Cobalt uses stainless steel around it's entire swim platform. This prevents dock damage when docking and when refueling. Cobalt platform are even with the water. This ladderless design makes it super easy to get in and out of the boat. If you choose to use the ladder, it is neatly stored under the swim platform. This keeps the swim deck clutter free and keeps it from getting gross with algae.

Cobalt spares no expense when making and designing their upholstery. The quick and least costly way to make a seat is to take a piece of foam and wrap it with vinyl. Cobalt invests 10x more effort in making it's upholstery. Using marine grade stiching material keeps the seams and seats looking brand new even ten years down the road. Cobalt a three layer foam system on their boats. This keeps them nice and firm providing all day comfort.

Cobalt spends an extensive bit of time designing the hull around the engine compartment. This mechanic friendly design reduces maintenance costs and allows mechanics to quickly diagnose and fix any problems that may arise. Other manufacturers consider this an after thought. Where Cobalt engines can be swapped out in 4 hours, some other designs can take a week. Engine mounts are solid steel with a huge amount of support. Other manufacturers use one ram which is prone to stress cracks and a cheap feel.

Cobalt spends the extra time to build their anchors into the hull. The cheaper and quicker way is to just stick it on the topdeck and let it hang over the rubrail. By installing it into the hull, it keeps anchor tucked away preventing young children from knocking their heads on it while walking around the boat. Another benefit is that it doesn't detract from the beautiful lines of a Cobalt. Lastly it keeps the boat clean. When the anchor is raised it will bring up mud and algae from the bottom. If it was installed on the top deck, the debris would bring the mud inside the boat.

In the 1990's Cobalt was the innovator by using pull out cleats. During that time it became apparent this was a faulty design. The leats makes it almost impossible to tie a rope and the fender to. They stopped using this design and went to the Cobalt logo'ed cleat. These large cleats make it very easy to tie a rope, fender, and another boaters rope to.

Cobalt is the industry leader in regards to high quality carpeting. From sandstone, sea grass, and cesera, Cobalt carpet lasts season after season. The vast majority of other manufacturers use berber carpeting. Berber shows traffic patterns, holds and shows dirt, and lays flat after only one season. Sea grass doesn't show wear, hold water, or even show dirt. It's a small price to pay to keep your new Cobalt looking new ten years down the road.