Finally ordered

[Traveller14]

I may be one of the slowest decision makers on this site. I’ve been looking to trade up for 2 years and over the last year or so I have made several posts asking questions and opinions on various Cobalt models and features. I have to say this forum has been a huge help and also entertaining. Despite all the great information on this site, I couldn’t make up my mind on R7 or R5 and Surf or no Surf and on Color. I put the R7 idea to bed over this past summer and last Friday, having made no progress on the other 2 decisions, I asked for a quotation on an R5 Surf and a regular R5 determined to end this. I was still 50/50 until Sunday night when I finally rationalized which way to go. I just placed an order for a R5 non-surf with electric folding tower, 430hp and some basic options. I’ll probably go white with navy stripe and canvas. The white might be boring but it’s classic and hides the inevitable dock rash better (I must be getting old). I have too say the more I look at pictures the more I change my mind on colors so white may not be final!

We live mid June to mid August on Lake Muskoka 90 minutes north of Toronto. I never spend all day on the boat like many of you but I do try to go somewhere on it everyday, or at least hang out on the dock beside it. Thankfully my wife likes boat rides and I have 2 young kids that love tubing and are soon to move up to other water sports. Actually my wife started this whole upgrade thing when she said ‘Stop embarrassing the family. Buy a Cobalt’. She’s a keeper

I do have 1 question left. Underwater lights? They seem high priced. When do you use them? I’m thinking almost never in my situation but maybe I’m missing something. I’m thinking they will look super cool the 2 times I turn them on to show someone over the next ten years. I did order swim platform lights and docking lights. Someone tell me I’m wrong.

[ajcampen]

if you don't night boat, then you won't use them...i have no idea if they are expenive.

In my opinion, unless you fold your arch often to go under things...or get on your lift, i would save the money there and get manual. I have it and it couldnt be easier. Two hand twist screws come out and you pull it down (1 person to operate). It is very light and it stops at any point you stop it.

recessed cobalt emblem I think is a must for the price. Never have to worry about your fenders taking off a letter.

Congrats on the boat...when do you get it?

[Big Block Power]

Congrats. With 2 young kids I would go surf. Lol just kidding glad you figured it out. Under water lights are great. I use them as night lights in my garage. What's night boating. I wish. Loce the power choice. Your wife is a keeper

[Ytmsn]

Congratulations on your mind nearly being made up!

As far as nightlights go I am a big supporter! But not from the factory... You can get aftermarket installed in the boat drain plug hole pretty cheap. Lights up the water like a big dog and turns any night ride into a magical dream cruise. The kids will get a kick out of setting on the rear deck and watching the fish, even if they don't ever get in the water. But if they get in? Completely changes the experience...

Mine will turn any color but I usually have them set on green because it is the brightest. This shot was taken from 30 miles an hour last Saturday evening off the side of the boat.

20181008_162220.jpg

[Norris_Boating]

Congratulations on your mind nearly being made up!

As far as nightlights go I am a big supporter! But not from the factory... You can get aftermarket installed in the boat drain plug hole pretty cheap. Lights up the water like a big dog and turns any night ride into a magical dream cruise. The kids will get a kick out of setting on the rear deck and watching the fish, even if they don't ever get in the water. But if they get in? Completely changes the experience...

Mine will turn any color but I usually have them set on green because it is the brightest. This shot was taken from 30 miles an hour last Saturday evening off the side of the boat.
20181008_162220.jpg

That looks really cool. I wanted to get them but couldn't justify the money for as little as I would use them.
Any info on what you had installed? Is it a DIY?
Traveller
Funny, I was debating between the R5 and R7 surf and went with the R7. Top speed doesn't matter to much to me. So I went with the R7 with the 380 surf and manual tower, agree it is easy to put up and down. Check out a color bottom of the boat to offest the white top, helps not show water lines too.

[Ytmsn]

Norris you can go here and take a look.

https://www.boatpluglight.com/

This is the one I have. (The Y-Knot)

Screenshot_20181008-185537_Chrome.jpg

It sticks down just below the plane of the bottom, but it's never been an issue or problem for me. Tuscany ordered one and didn't like it because of that, but now I see they have one that clears the bottom. Tusc, you might want to take another look, and maybe they'll exchange the one you have for it?

Screenshot_20181008-185526_Chrome.jpg

If I dont have mine on at night now I feel like part of my boat is missing! It gives night boating a whole new dimension.

20181008_185014.jpg

[Traveller14]

AJ - The boat will fit in the boathouse if the water is calm, but i am in an exposed area and often get big waves rolling through the dock which might take away my arch clearance - so i will fold the arch down often. Good tip on the logo - didn't realize one was recessed and one wasn't.
BBP - Just wondering - will I wish I had less hp someday? I have a master plan on the surfing. My dock has 2 slips and room for the Seadoo. My kids can learn skiing and wakeboarding first and try surfing at a surf school later if they insist. In 5 years, if they really like it, I will tell my wife the 2nd boat is for the kids and I'll have an excuse to buy a used wakeboat (or take advantage of the great trade in value on the Cobalt and switch then). I'm just not sold on surfing
Ytsmn - looks cool - its an $1800 option on the website. Something for me to think about.
Norris - Your boat looks sharp for sure. If i went surf I would have done something like that but thought non-surf should be more conservative. I was thinking black sides and blue bottom with white trim line like below if i went surf. My last boat had a white hull and never got dirty on the lift so I'm not too worried about that.

img_P6SI98VcVlfVWCu.jpg

[MnLakeBum]

I ordered the interior led lights and the underwater lights with my 2018 R5 Surf. I don’t use the underwater lights much but we have another boat that we use a lot more when we are out for dinner/drinks after dark. You won’t regret the navy/white combo, it’s a classic.

[Ytmsn]

I never get tired of seeing this view. That is no doubt the finest frickin lake house on this site. Period

[cmattj]

I never get tired of seeing this view. That is no doubt the finest frickin lake house on this site. Period

Don’t be puttin dibs on my downstairs suite next to the butlers pantry.

Oh led underwater lights.

Factory puts the switch in a factory location and goes on both sides of your drive. Very clean and very nice. But not very bright

The aftermarket ones are brighter, and have lifetime guarantee as shown. And can be tied in to accessory switch and have a remote as well. Plus the off set keeps them above the bottom.

Either way you go, there just plain fun!

[Traveller14]

I ordered the interior led lights and the underwater lights with my 2018 R5 Surf. I don’t use the underwater lights much but we have another boat that we use a lot more when we are out for dinner/drinks after dark. You won’t regret the navy/white combo, it’s a classic.

Embarrassed to say that one of the reasons I wanted white was for dock rash. I never marked up my last blue boat on my dock but had some pretty hairy dockings on windy days (and one night) as we are totally exposed to the widest part of the lake. At some point I did lose letters from the Regal logo on the lift guides because of the waves. The waves usually come in at 30 degrees to the slip and the wind at a slightly different angle. My dock is 24” above the water and waves splash over the top on a windy day. On these days there is no forward neutral forward neutral forward neutral maneuvers. It’s forward all the way then hard reverse and jump out to grab the boat and raise the lift before the boat bounces of the dock. Pictures show the shore on a windy day and the dock on a not windy day. Boathouse to be finished by Christmas ready for the new R5 as soon as the ice is out.

7A51869D-1ED1-44CD-9AA9-F79010A95BE7.jpeg

B994E6C2-F16B-42DE-9344-7CC2B95AD377.jpeg

[Tuscany]

Rash?
I bought fleece wraps for my fenders. Takes away any chance of rash from fenders grinding into the hull. I use three oversized 12 x 35 Taylor fenders. Bigger is better when it comes to protection.
Knock on wood... my hull is spotless. I can have a sideways demolition derby with the dock, and come away clean.
Pick the hull colors you love, and buy big fenders...with wraps.

Quick funny story.. I get the wraps, spend an hour tying them tightly and perfectly on the fenders. The first time out using them, my son grabs a fender and thinks they are a storage wrap or something.. so while we are preparing to move up and launch, I ask my son what the hell is taking him so long to get the fenders clipped... He says it’s taking him a few minutes to take off the covers...
So, that’s why one of them is bare in the pic..
They really make a huge difference in fender rash.

Underwater lights are great if you boat at night. I never do, and did not order...until you do. In retrospect, I would have ordered them because they are cheaper, and without worry from a dealership hack wrecking your gel installing them after the fact..
But while thinking about adding them, we didn’t seem to do any night boating this year again. If you own a lake house, I guarantee that nighttime boating will be part of your lifestyle.

[AsLan7]

Rash?
I bought fleece wraps for my fenders. Takes away any chance of rash from fenders grinding into the hull. I use three oversized 12 x 35 Taylor fenders. Bigger is better when it comes to protection.
Knock on wood... my hull is spotless. I can have a sideways demolition derby with the dock, and come away clean.
Pick the hull colors you love, and buy big fenders...with wraps.

Quick funny story.. I get the wraps, spend an hour tying them tightly and perfectly on the fenders. The first time out using them, my son grabs a fender and thinks they are a storage wrap or something.. so while we are preparing to move up and launch, I ask my son what the hell is taking him so long to get the fenders clipped... He says it’s taking him a few minutes to take off the covers...
So, that’s why one of them is bare in the pic..
They really make a huge difference in fender rash.

Underwater lights are great if you boat at night. I never do, and did not order...until you do. In retrospect, I would have ordered them because they are cheaper, and without worry from a dealership hack wrecking your gel installing them after the fact..
But while thinking about adding them, we didn’t seem to do any night boating this year again. If you own a lake house, I guarantee that nighttime boating will be part of your lifestyle.

.
That's funny stuff about the fender wrap and your son. I could see my kids doing that.

(warning...hijack...) Curious if you have any issues with the wrap on the rare occasion when they get wet (kid drops one, set too low, etc.)

Btw, here is your pic rotated for ya' Tusc...
.

[gdane]

Norris you can go here and take a look.

https://www.boatpluglight.com/

This is the one I have. (The Y-Knot)
Screenshot_20181008-185537_Chrome.jpg



It sticks down just below the plane of the bottom, but it's never been an issue or problem for me. Tuscany ordered one and didn't like it because of that, but now I see they have one that clears the bottom. Tusc, you might want to take another look, and maybe they'll exchange the one you have for it?
Screenshot_20181008-185526_Chrome.jpg



If I dont have mine on at night now I feel like part of my boat is missing! It gives night boating a whole new dimension.
20181008_185014.jpg

YT Is this your dock on Tinkiller? Awesome !!

[Ytmsn]

Norris you can go here and take a look.

https://www.boatpluglight.com/

This is the one I have. (The Y-Knot)
Screenshot_20181008-185537_Chrome.jpg



It sticks down just below the plane of the bottom, but it's never been an issue or problem for me. Tuscany ordered one and didn't like it because of that, but now I see they have one that clears the bottom. Tusc, you might want to take another look, and maybe they'll exchange the one you have for it?
Screenshot_20181008-185526_Chrome.jpg



If I dont have mine on at night now I feel like part of my boat is missing! It gives night boating a whole new dimension.
20181008_185014.jpg

YT Is this your dock on Tinkiller? Awesome !!

No, that's at a different marina we went to to listen to a band. It was a helluva party!