Anyone move from a R3 to R4 or R5 to R6?

[lghtspeedz]

Thanks everyone for all the feedback! It seems like I could make a case for all three, each having unique pluses and minuses. The idea of pulling the trigger on one right now doesn’t feel right (although there is no R5 option yet). Usually when I can’t just choose and go, it means I haven’t uncovered some nagging thing that I’m not comfortable with. It doesn’t help that I felt like the discount off MSRP wasn’t very good based on what I’ve read on here. So for now I’m going to keep learning about the various models, really think through my budget, and hold the dealer to their demo day offer. I definitely need to drive one or more.

Thanks so much for the continued input.

[tfarmer]

I went from a R5 to a R6 Surf. Might be an apples to oranges comparison. R5 VP350 vs R6 Surf VP380. The lines on the R5 are very classic. The new even series are more “sporty”. The thing I would change on the even series is the windshield setup. It has some very sharp edges. As far as the “head” on the R5,6,7,8, it is really a non issue for us and we will never use because we have a lake house. However, no grand kids yet so that may change.

The bow of our R5 sat a little higher in the water and you have to wait for it to get on plane before it would lower and level out. Our R6 is just the opposite. It sits lower and then have to get it on plane to raise the bow. When I had my R5 the worse thing I did was wake surf on a friends Malibu. This was in the middle of the second season we had our R5. Needless to say I was hooked. This was during COVID so resale values were high so I sold the R5 and ordered the R6 Surf. I went the R6 Surf over a dedicated surf boat because we like to do a lot of cruising around. Dedicated surf boats aren’t really designed for this in my opinion.

Pricing right now if still high on boats even though we are in a “recession”. Oh wait they have redefined “recession” so we might not actually be in one. Overall I’m satisfied with our R6 Surf. Discounts on new Cobalts vary by dealer but I’m imagining across the country you could expect 13-18%. Might be able to get a little higher discount at the end of the season on a 2022 model. However I would sweat the difference between a couple of %’s off.

I would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have. We on this community are more than happy to help and most Cobalt users exhibit that “go-giver” personality.

[lghtspeedz]

I went from a R5 to a R6 Surf. Might be an apples to oranges comparison. R5 VP350 vs R6 Surf VP380. The lines on the R5 are very classic. The new even series are more “sporty”. The thing I would change on the even series is the windshield setup. It has some very sharp edges. As far as the “head” on the R5,6,7,8, it is really a non issue for us and we will never use because we have a lake house. However, no grand kids yet so that may change.

The bow of our R5 sat a little higher in the water and you have to wait for it to get on plane before it would lower and level out. Our R6 is just the opposite. It sits lower and then have to get it on plane to raise the bow. When I had my R5 the worse thing I did was wake surf on a friends Malibu. This was in the middle of the second season we had our R5. Needless to say I was hooked. This was during COVID so resale values were high so I sold the R5 and ordered the R6 Surf. I went the R6 Surf over a dedicated surf boat because we like to do a lot of cruising around. Dedicated surf boats aren’t really designed for this in my opinion.

Pricing right now if still high on boats even though we are in a “recession”. Oh wait they have redefined “recession” so we might not actually be in one. Overall I’m satisfied with our R6 Surf. Discounts on new Cobalts vary by dealer but I’m imagining across the country you could expect 13-18%. Might be able to get a little higher discount at the end of the season on a 2022 model. However I would sweat the difference between a couple of %’s off.

I would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have. We on this community are more than happy to help and most Cobalt users exhibit that “go-giver” personality.

I finally got my hands on a R4 and a R6 today during a demo day. I'm not sure why, but for some reason I felt like the R4 rode a little bit softer and smoother than the R6. They told me the transom dead rise and extended running plane surface on the R4 is more similar to that of the R3 and R5 than would be the case with the R6. The R6 had the VP350 and the R4 had the VP 300. Both had towers, which add weight. Just me and the marketing guy in the R6 I was able to top out at 51mph - that's with the tower and rotating sunshade open. It seemed a bit noisier than my Mercruiser 5.0. The R4 really surprised me. There were four adults and two kids in that boat and it felt roomy and even with the VP 300, felt like it had adequate power. I found myself more comfortable in it than I was the R6, but it was the second boat I drove and there were more people, which made it more relaxed. The silent shift is nuts. There is literally no resistance - I'm not used to that.

Couple of questions for the group:
1.) What's your take on why I perceive a better ride in the R4 vs. the R6? I was expecting the opposite.
2.) What is the noise and performance difference between the VP 5.3 and the VP 6.2? If I went with an R6, even though I felt the 350hp was adequate, I'm inclined to step up to the 6.2L motor - I like the idea of taxing the motor less on a very heavy boat. I didn't get to demo it or hear the 6.2L and I can find nothing online comparing the motors running. I'm curious if the bigger displacement motor would be a little less raucous than the 5.3L.

I know that in August I had said the deals weren't great. On an ordered boat, it's a lot better right now. I wonder if orders are slowing like they are everywhere else.

Thanks all!

[stifflkd]

Its hard to know the details of the even R hulls since they pulled deadrise and extended running surface from their marketing literature. I have a dated trailer data from 2021 and lists the R6 at 17 degrees and R8 at 19 degrees. The R4 was not out at the time this was printed. I couldn't tell you how much a degree or two can make in a better ride but greater deadrise and lift in the transom would help in rougher water. Were both boats optioned the same? Maybe the R4 had trimtabs which also eliminates bounce. You also test drove them differently which also effects the ride.
Both VP's are fairly noisy. The 5.3L max is 5800 rpm's while the 6.2L is 6,000 rpms. The 6.2L generates 10% more torques and only adds 25 lbs so you may not run it as hard for the same speed.

[lghtspeedz]

Thanks Stifflkd! The boats were largely configured the same. The R4 had an arch with folding Bimini that was folded the whole time we were on it. Both boats had trim tabs it I believe they were in the retracted position. I guess the extra weight of passengers in the R4 could also have made a difference? I know my boat rides a bit better when it’s weighed down versus really light. I took a decent wake in the R6 and even the marketing guy was shocked by the loud thud/crash when crossed it. I didn’t get the exact same type of wake in the R4, but when I expected a crash it just took it in stride. It’s kind of what I expected from the R6 but maybe didn’t get. I’m curious how other owners perceive the ride in the R6 or R4 I guess.

The VP is just such a different design philosophy from what I’m used to. I get what they do and I think it’s impressive, I just couldn’t believe how noisy it appeared. I think at 4,000rpms it felt like it was a good mix of speed and seemed to quiet down a little. 3,500 rpm felt off. For reference, I’m used to running 30mph around 3,000rpm in my Stingray. So while the ride is typically anything but, the motor is generally a relaxed experience.

It’s a big purchase. If we do it, I feel a lot of pressure to get it right. There’s no reason not to have this next one for years.

[stifflkd]

Whatever VP you decide on you will not be disappointed. Although fairly loud it has a wide torque range. You can be running around 3,500 and it still has some punch to it when you hit the throttle. I have an 350 in a R5. Because of the extra weight of the R6 you might want to go up to the 380.

[jhnmdahl]

A VP 380 will be "relaxed" pushing an R6, and you won't feel under-equipped. There are some posts on here of people adding vibration damping and acoustic damping materials to the inside of their engine bays to quiet things down a bit, but there's still a lot of noise going on in an open cockpit boat going 30+ mph on the water.

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[Big Block Power]

The Volvo power plant in general is much louder than a merc.

[gstubbers]

I have a 2023 R6 Outboard (Verado 350 supercharged inline 6). Our first boat, so I have no comparison in sound differences, but the engine is remarkably quiet. 12 hrs. on the engine so it's broken in now, and I was able to get it up to 53 mph with just me onboard and a full tank of gas (80 gallons). Love the extra storage space since the engine is outside. Swim platform is generous for our 12- and 14-year-old girls. We're happy.

[lghtspeedz]

Thanks for the additional feedback everyone. I think that if I go with a R6, I would step up to the 6.2L 380hp motor. I just like the idea of all that extra torque on that heavy boat. A small part of me loves the idea of the 8.2L - 380 Merc, but I know it's an old school setup and adds more weight. I also know that my dealer prefers almost exclusively the Volvo. I will say that the OB model really does intrigue me for so many reasons. I grew up on my grandfather's outboard powered boat so it is definitely what I know. However, I did get used to the sterndrive setup pretty quick though.

For the moment, I've put the whole purchase on hold. I think it's a pretty good deal relative to the insane 2023 pricing but it's still a ton of money. I want to get exactly what I want (meaning avoid compromises with options), and I don't think I've made up my mind on some. I will say, I also don't love a major discretionary purpose during what feels like a big economic downturn. It will be much harder to make back the money I spend. I think ultimately I want to option out a R6 (although I told them to let me know if they get in any used R5's). If I'm going to do something this big and awesome, I want to feel really good about it.

I'm pretty sure I'll be back with more questions before I place an order. Thanks again for all the feedback!

[Varnco303]

I absolutely hate my new R4. Hate it!

Traded in CS23 surf and it was a huge mistake. The new R4 takes on water in the tanks in the dock and while running unless you close the valve. But it also holds water on the left side and lists 6 inches or more. Therefore the right side wave is horrid for my son.

Cobalt claims their are working on a fix to find why the upper left tank is holding water. Part of the issue is no sensor. Meanwhile I hate the ride and the way it sits.

Big mistake.
4 hours in a 249k note and I wish I had my old boat back.

[BobRae99]

When I had my R5 the worse thing I did was wake surf on a friends Malibu. This was in the middle of the second season we had our R5. Needless to say I was hooked. This was during COVID so resale values were high so I sold the R5 and ordered the R6 Surf. I went the R6 Surf over a dedicated surf boat because we like to do a lot of cruising around. Dedicated surf boats aren’t really designed for this in my opinion.

A bit off topic but I'm curious to know what you think of the R6 Surf wave compared to your friend's Malibu?

[lghtspeedz]

I absolutely hate my new R4. Hate it!

Traded in CS23 surf and it was a huge mistake. The new R4 takes on water in the tanks in the dock and while running unless you close the valve. But it also holds water on the left side and lists 6 inches or more. Therefore the right side wave is horrid for my son.

Cobalt claims their are working on a fix to find why the upper left tank is holding water. Part of the issue is no sensor. Meanwhile I hate the ride and the way it sits.

Big mistake.
4 hours in a 249k note and I wish I had my old boat back.

I'm sorry to hear that. I wonder what is different about the Surf design between all the models... I can't believe they'd make it worse. It's kinda Malibu's gig. I thought I had read somewhere that the R4 Surf made one of the best waves too. But I can't imagine the disappoint you feel. I hope they get it fixed fro you soon.

It's funny that this post has come back up. I'm still looking somewhat actively at the moment. I settled on a used R Series for a variety of reasons. But what's funny is I am sort of looking at all of them, a R3, R5 or R7 - although my dealer/marina (with my hard to find dock space) only has a R3 and a R7. We are usually on a big water lake 97% of the time, but typically once per year we take our boat on a big trip to a lake. A couple of weeks ago we stayed on Lake Keowee in South Carolina. Anyway, the point is that our normal lake is well suited to a pretty big boat. I have a capable truck to pull a R7, I'm just struggling with will I want to do that once per year. The R7 is in decent condition and the R3 is excellent condition. The R3 should ride better than my Stingray but maybe doesn't give me more size like I was originally intending. I do realize it's kinda crazy that I could compare both boats and make a case for both of them. Maybe I'm like goldilocks and the middle R5 that they don't have is just right! Haha. Anyway, I'm still lurking on here but haven't pulled the trigger just yet.

[dsthomas]

We went from an R7 surf to an R8 surf... The reason was for the wave. Our R8S puts out a great wave, loaded unloaded, people in the bow people not in the bow. We have really enjoyed it. We could get a decent wave on our R7 IF we had a fat sac or a lot of people on board and no one could sit in the bow and so forth. With our R8 it throws a great wave every time without having to tweak a bunch of stuff which after a bit gets old. I will say as far as pure boating/cruise and looks I like our R7 better in that regard; as it was much lighter/sportier. We like to cruise but also like to surf, so we feel our R8S truly gives us the best of both worlds. It's not as good as our R7 for cruise but it's close, and it's not as good as a dedicated surf boat but it's pretty close. If you're looking for best of both go even series and if your looking for pure cruising coving out with some tubing and the like then I'd go odd series.

[tfarmer]

The wave on my R6 Surf I feel has more push and is taller than my friends Malibu. However he has much more control over the shaping of the wave. His wave is also longer than mine. I can get a longer wave by dialing the speed up to around 11.5.