New 2019 R3 Owner

[NautiGirl]

Sorry that should have said what sounds cooler.
I would not give up the tower for the 380. Keep the tower get the 350. Or bite the bullet and do tower and 380. Dreamsicle please too.

At this point, it has nothing to do with money, rather which I prefer.

I actually think that arch looks the best on the R3, but it is another $4,000 and there is no way to lower it so it limits its appeal to people who Garage their boats or have low headroom getting into a boathouse.

My build is a little over $118,000USD, which makes it about $162,000CAD before 13% in taxes, so I think I’m at the limit of what I want to spend on a 12 weekend a summer toy. So it will be a tower or (maybe) a bigger engine, but not both.

So half way through this thread it had "nothing to do with money", but then when you saw the figures it looks like it had a lot to do with the money.

Buy the tower and the 380 Bob. Baller.

[BobRae99]

Sorry that should have said what sounds cooler.
I would not give up the tower for the 380. Keep the tower get the 350. Or bite the bullet and do tower and 380. Dreamsicle please too.

At this point, it has nothing to do with money, rather which I prefer.

I actually think that arch looks the best on the R3, but it is another $4,000 and there is no way to lower it so it limits its appeal to people who Garage their boats or have low headroom getting into a boathouse.

My build is a little over $118,000USD, which makes it about $162,000CAD before 13% in taxes, so I think I’m at the limit of what I want to spend on a 12 weekend a summer toy. So it will be a tower or (maybe) a bigger engine, but not both.

So half way through this thread it had "nothing to do with money", but then when you saw the figures it looks like it had a lot to do with the money.

Buy the tower and the 380 Bob. Baller.

To clarify, my decision on whether to tower or not to tower has nothing to do with money. I’ve already signed a deal with the tower cost included. Doing both the tower and the 380 does have to do with them money. I’d like a windlass too as I anchor often on the lake and I can see as the years go on and I get older, “weighing anchor” might get hard on the back. But again, there is a dollar limit.

[cmattj]

First time you launch and retrieve your windlass, you’ll say you’d have spent more for it!
Do it!

[BobRae99]

It's a lot easier and cheaper to add a tower than it is a bigger engine, just my .02

That’s an interesting thought. I had no idea you could add a Cobalt tower after the fact. I think I just have to make a decision this week and stick with it. Do you know if the tower comes pre wired for speakers if I want to add them at a later date?

[Big Block Power]

It's a lot easier and cheaper to add a tower than it is a bigger engine, just my .02

That’s an interesting thought. I had no idea you could add a Cobalt tower after the fact. I think I just have to make a decision this week and stick with it. Do you know if the tower comes pre wired for speakers if I want to add them at a later date?

Yes it will be pre-wired but be honest your not going to add it later. Do it now or don't do it at all. If your financing any of it what is it going to add to a payment. If your paying cash then you shouldn't worry about a few more bucks when your already that high.

[NautiGirl]

It's a lot easier and cheaper to add a tower than it is a bigger engine, just my .02

That’s an interesting thought. I had no idea you could add a Cobalt tower after the fact. I think I just have to make a decision this week and stick with it. Do you know if the tower comes pre wired for speakers if I want to add them at a later date?

Yes - all boats come /w the reinforcement plates for the tower installed from the factory, but it really doesn't matter. Think of the logistics of adding the tower later:

Call cobalt pray the have a tower in stock that matches what you want
Ship the tower from Kansas to Canada - towers are not small or light. I would imagine shipping alone is more than just adding it at build time.
Have the dealer pull your boat - take it to their shop and pay labor to have the tower bolted to the boat. Pray they did it right.

If you want the tower just buy the tower now. Honestly again for resale alone I would do it. I don't see a ton of new boats w/o a tower. It's what the kids are doing these days.

[akorcovelos]

Why would the boat need to go to Cobalt to have a tower installed? Find a local fiberglass shop and buy the tower from Sampson and have it installed, could easily be done in a week. I put one on my old boat in a day.

[NautiGirl]

Why would the boat need to go to Cobalt to have a tower installed? Find a local fiberglass shop and buy the tower from Sampson and have it installed, could easily be done in a week. I put one on my old boat in a day.

True - calling Sampson may be easier. I just assumed if you wanted to add one in the next year or so ordering from cobalt would work. Regardless spending the money at build time seems easier than shipping a tower from Sampson or Cobalt and then paying to have it installed.

[BobRae99]

Why would the boat need to go to Cobalt to have a tower installed? Find a local fiberglass shop and buy the tower from Sampson and have it installed, could easily be done in a week. I put one on my old boat in a day.

True - calling Sampson may be easier. I just assumed if you wanted to add one in the next year or so ordering from cobalt would work. Regardless spending the money at build time seems easier than shipping a tower from Sampson or Cobalt and then paying to have it installed.

No question I’ll either order it with one, or make the decision to order the boat with a Bimini. I’ll work the detail out this week.
Thanks for everyone’s input.

[Tuscany]

We trailer 100% of the time, which was the reason for our decision.
We originally had a tower specced for our order. When thinking it out, we went with the Bimini because of how we boat.
When we come in for the night, we load and then have a 40 mile drive, which is usually makes a very long day. We leave the ramp totally buttoned up and Bimini folded flat. When we get back home, I can back it right in to our garage, drop the trailer, close the door and I’m ready to hit the shower and go to bed.
The other plus for a bimini is the total area coverage, and how fast you can assemble/open and stow the canvas.
Not as attractive an a tower, but a necessary option for us.

[NautiGirl]

We trailer 100% of the time, which was the reason for our decision.
We originally had a tower specced for our order. When thinking it out, we went with the Bimini because of how we boat.
When we come in for the night, we load and then have a 40 mile drive, which is usually makes a very long day. We leave the ramp totally buttoned up and Bimini folded flat. When we get back home, I can back it right in to our garage, drop the trailer, close the door and I’m ready to hit the shower and go to bed.
The other plus for a bimini is the total area coverage, and how fast you can assemble/open and stow the canvas.
Not as attractive an a tower, but a necessary option for us.

Should have made the garage door taller T

I get what you are saying - Cobalt has a ton of options so everyone can build a boat that works for their needs.

[BobRae99]

We trailer 100% of the time, which was the reason for our decision.
We originally had a tower specced for our order. When thinking it out, we went with the Bimini because of how we boat.
When we come in for the night, we load and then have a 40 mile drive, which is usually makes a very long day. We leave the ramp totally buttoned up and Bimini folded flat. When we get back home, I can back it right in to our garage, drop the trailer, close the door and I’m ready to hit the shower and go to bed.
The other plus for a bimini is the total area coverage, and how fast you can assemble/open and stow the canvas.
Not as attractive an a tower, but a necessary option for us.

Thanks Tuscany - total area coverage is something I hadn't considered. I'll look at both options this week at my dealer. He has an R3 equipped both ways (tower & premium bimini)

[NautiGirl]

We trailer 100% of the time, which was the reason for our decision.
We originally had a tower specced for our order. When thinking it out, we went with the Bimini because of how we boat.
When we come in for the night, we load and then have a 40 mile drive, which is usually makes a very long day. We leave the ramp totally buttoned up and Bimini folded flat. When we get back home, I can back it right in to our garage, drop the trailer, close the door and I’m ready to hit the shower and go to bed.
The other plus for a bimini is the total area coverage, and how fast you can assemble/open and stow the canvas.
Not as attractive an a tower, but a necessary option for us.

Thanks Tuscany - total area coverage is something I hadn't considered. I'll look at both options this week at my dealer. He has an R3 equipped both ways (tower & premium bimini)

Can't put big loud speakers on a premium Bimini.

If you do the Bimini I would for sure do speakers on the transom. It's super nice to have rear facing speakers when you are sitting back on the platform or in the water behind the boat.

[BobRae99]

We trailer 100% of the time, which was the reason for our decision.
We originally had a tower specced for our order. When thinking it out, we went with the Bimini because of how we boat.
When we come in for the night, we load and then have a 40 mile drive, which is usually makes a very long day. We leave the ramp totally buttoned up and Bimini folded flat. When we get back home, I can back it right in to our garage, drop the trailer, close the door and I’m ready to hit the shower and go to bed.
The other plus for a bimini is the total area coverage, and how fast you can assemble/open and stow the canvas.
Not as attractive an a tower, but a necessary option for us.

Thanks Tuscany - total area coverage is something I hadn't considered. I'll look at both options this week at my dealer. He has an R3 equipped both ways (tower & premium bimini)

Can't put big loud speakers on a premium Bimini.

If you do the Bimini I would for sure do speakers on the transom. It's super nice to have rear facing speakers when you are sitting back on the platform or in the water behind the boat.

Premium Sound is already on the option list. Hadn’t planned on tower speakers.

[Tuscany]

We trailer 100% of the time, which was the reason for our decision.
We originally had a tower specced for our order. When thinking it out, we went with the Bimini because of how we boat.
When we come in for the night, we load and then have a 40 mile drive, which is usually makes a very long day. We leave the ramp totally buttoned up and Bimini folded flat. When we get back home, I can back it right in to our garage, drop the trailer, close the door and I’m ready to hit the shower and go to bed.
The other plus for a bimini is the total area coverage, and how fast you can assemble/open and stow the canvas.
Not as attractive an a tower, but a necessary option for us.

Should have made the garage door taller T

I get what you are saying - Cobalt has a ton of options so everyone can build a boat that works for their needs.

Haha.. It would have had to be a 14’ high door with 16’ eaves for the tower I liked..and that would have made for an ugly looking garage. 🥴