R3 Rumble Seat vs. My Cell Phone

[rjayne2hcp]

So I was enjoying a beautiful sunset here on Lake Chelan when my phone slid out of my pocket and went straight down the rumble seat shaft. You know, that thin cut in the fiberglass that allows you to move the back rest back and forth? My cell phone fell perfectly through. I can't see it down there and that area seems to be independantly sealed off. I have no idea if retriving it is possible without a major operation. Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might be able to get it back? Thanks.

[AsLan7]

So I was enjoying a beautiful sunset here on Lake Chelan when my phone slid out of my pocket and went straight down the rumble seat shaft. You know, that thin cut in the fiberglass that allows you to move the back rest back and forth? My cell phone fell perfectly through. I can't see it down there and that area seems to be independantly sealed off. I have no idea if retriving it is possible without a major operation. Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might be able to get it back? Thanks.

Hey Rjayne2hcp. Welcome to the CobaltChat forum. So glad you found us!

Sorry to hear about your phone. If you don't have a daughter with small hands, one of these comes in handy. I have a couple of them. Also keep one on our Cobalt.

Pick up at Home Depot or auto store.
... Or $10 on Amazon.

They work great!

How'd you get into Cobalt boat's?

[Krob1114]

New owner here. We just had 2019 on the water for third time. Wife’s cell phone disappeared. Her sister found this site, this post, we went to auto parts store and bought this item, only 20” was not enough. By the way, I’m talking front seat by cooler.

Our dealer talked about cutting fiberglass and repairing it. Not a good option on brand new boat.

Our dock manager, who has saved our weekend numerous times on our first boat, saved the day again.

Open the seat where the battery switch is located. There is a panel in the front. There’s 4 Phillips head screws, which where at first hard to find. Remove them, panel opens, and cellphone was reachable.

Happy hunting.

[Big Block Power]

So same spot I take it that yours fell into. Any pictures of all of this? Can you put some foam or something there so it doesn't happen again? Welcome also

[AsLan7]

New owner here. We just had 2019 on the water for third time. Wife’s cell phone disappeared. Her sister found this site, this post, we went to auto parts store and bought this item, only 20” was not enough. By the way, I’m talking front seat by cooler.

Our dealer talked about cutting fiberglass and repairing it. Not a good option on brand new boat.

Our dock manager, who has saved our weekend numerous times on our first boat, saved the day again.

Open the seat where the battery switch is located. There is a panel in the front. There’s 4 Phillips head screws, which where at first hard to find. Remove them, panel opens, and cellphone was reachable.

Happy hunting.

.
Hey great info K4! Thanks for posting that.

BTW, I also have a 3’ spring claw too. I wonder if that size would have worked.

Any pics of your boat?

...and welcome aboard mate!
.

[BobRae99]

New owner here. We just had 2019 on the water for third time. Wife’s cell phone disappeared. Her sister found this site, this post, we went to auto parts store and bought this item, only 20” was not enough. By the way, I’m talking front seat by cooler.

Our dealer talked about cutting fiberglass and repairing it. Not a good option on brand new boat.

Our dock manager, who has saved our weekend numerous times on our first boat, saved the day again.

Open the seat where the battery switch is located. There is a panel in the front. There’s 4 Phillips head screws, which where at first hard to find. Remove them, panel opens, and cellphone was reachable.

Happy hunting.

Hi Krob,

Just to be clear, you are talking about the co-pilot seat with the flip forward seat cushion that exposes the cooler underneath? That is where my daughter lost her iPhone. I saw that carpeted panel but didn't see the screw heads. I'll have to take a second look.

Thanks BR

[Krob1114]

Yes, that's the seat. I didn't fix it myself. Our dock manager found the screws. He said they were in the corners and I think he had to pull back a little on each corner to get to them.

[BobRae99]

Yes, that's the seat. I didn't fix it myself. Our dock manager found the screws. He said they were in the corners and I think he had to pull back a little on each corner to get to them.

I reached out to my dealer, who reached out to Cobalt. Cobalts says that if the phone fell down the outboard slot of the co-pilot seat, you can reach it by removing the carpeted bulkhead. If it fell through the slot closer to the centerline (right side of the seat when you are seated facing forward) then the only way to get into the area is to cut a 6" hole in the side of the ski locker and then install a 6" round hatch, which they can supply.

I'm going to try assorted gripper tools or a couple of wire hangers to snag the phone and bring it up. Pretty poor design in my opinion. I think losing stuff through these slots is foreseeable. I'd rather leave this spare iPhone trapped in the cavity than start cutting 6" holes in my new boat.

In the future, I'll be warning passengers of the risk.

[akorcovelos]

Odds are this is going to happen again, I’d just cut in the access port. They install them all over the rest of the boat, just a miss on their part to not put one there to begin with.

[Bfun220]

Odds are this is going to happen again, I’d just cut in the access port. They install them all over the rest of the boat, just a miss on their part to not put one there to begin with.

+1.
I'd cut the hole and it's no longer a problem.

[BobRae99]

Odds are this is going to happen again, I’d just cut in the access port. They install them all over the rest of the boat, just a miss on their part to not put one there to begin with.

+1.
I'd cut the hole and it's no longer a problem.

That’s what I’d do if it was 15 years old, but not now. I’ll fish it out and warn passengers. Thanks BR

[JTinMO]

I would have thought no way myself, but after buying and using a 6" hole saw I would most definitely get the round hatch kit from them, and install it in the ski locker. It's out of sight and you will always get stuff down in there. Whether it's a phone, or hair ties, bugs, etc. Kind of piss poor design if you ask me, but if I had the issue I would resolve the situation and get rid of that issue permanently.

[akorcovelos]

My guess would be new models will have this from the factory. Either way, if Cobalt is willing to give you the access port get it now so when you get sick of fishing stuff out of there you have it to install.

[BobRae99]

My guess would be new models will have this from the factory. Either way, if Cobalt is willing to give you the access port get it now so when you get sick of fishing stuff out of there you have it to install.

Thanks for everyone's advice. I think I'll fish the phone out for now and if it happens again, I'll have the dealer install the access port at the end of the summer.

At this point, I'm not exactly sure where they are recommending the hole be drilled and as there are two places where items can disappear, I'm not sure if two holes are required.

I agree this is a poor design. There should either be access to both areas or a guard should be fitted to the slots to avoid stuff falling through them. Cars in the 60s-80s had either a "brush" system or collapsible/expandable plastic parts to follow the transmission gear shift lever to avoid the same problem.

[BobRae99]

So I was enjoying a beautiful sunset here on Lake Chelan when my phone slid out of my pocket and went straight down the rumble seat shaft. You know, that thin cut in the fiberglass that allows you to move the back rest back and forth? My cell phone fell perfectly through. I can't see it down there and that area seems to be independantly sealed off. I have no idea if retriving it is possible without a major operation. Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might be able to get it back? Thanks.

Hey Rjayne2hcp. Welcome to the CobaltChat forum. So glad you found us!

Sorry to hear about your phone. If you don't have a daughter with small hands, one of these comes in handy. I have a couple of them. Also keep one on our Cobalt.

Pick up at Home Depot or auto store.
... Or $10 on Amazon.

They work great!

How'd you get into Cobalt boat's?

I bought a tool like the one you pictured and took it out to the lake. It broke while my son was pushing on the plunger on the drive out (second time it broke and I replaced it). It doesn't matter though because the iPhone is no were to be seen down that slot which must mean it must now be sitting in a flat position under the cooler.

I had a look in the ski locker and the after end as Cobalt has suggested. It looks like they have already drilled a 2" hole for ventilation to that cavity as I felt air blowing out of it. It seems like it wouldn't be such a big deal to enlarge this hole. I'm going to reach out to Cobalt to get a picture of exactly where the hole should be drilled and the cover they are proposing to locate in the new hole. I'm assuming I'll need another 2" ventilation hole drilled if the new 6" hole encompasses the existing.

What an unfortunate design. I've already started warning guests not to bring their phones or other small things near the slots in the co pilot and rumble seats.