New Cobalt Owner - R5 on order!

[ryandmartin]

Thanks all for the recommendations and thoughts! Have about a month to change and adjust, so I’ll think about these. Bottom line, can’t wait to get onboard.

[ajcampen]

My only advice is...and not sure standard sound doesn’t have it....is get package with transom speakers. Very pricy to add later and you’ll want it while swimming off back of boat

You can add a tower later. They are great for water sports as you have kids that will grow with the boat

[BobRae99]

My only advice is...and not sure standard sound doesn’t have it....is get package with transom speakers. Very pricy to add later and you’ll want it while swimming off back of boat

You can add a tower later. They are great for water sports as you have kids that will grow with the boat

You need premium sound to get transom speakers. I think any car audio shop could add them later, but if the OP wants a tower, he should add it now. Not all people want shade from the hot sun, but most do and equip their boats with a Bimini at the least. Adding a towerlater would involve the price of the part, heavy freight cost, plus installation and wiring (white nav light).

I don’t know whether the same holds true for the R5, but I compared coverage of the premium Bimini and the folding arch Bimini on the R3 and found the folding arch Bimini extends about 12” further aft and 6” further forward than the premium Bimini. It was one of the considerations in me picking the tower. Plus, it looks cool.

[ryandmartin]

Damn. That’s a pretty good argument for the tower.

We do want sun cover — more accurately, my wife wants shade cover. I really am not a fan of the tower though. For whatever reason, it hasn’t grown on me. But I am kind of worried that I’ll want a tower in a year or two, for speakers, or the higher tow point (as you mentioned, kids getting beyond the young years), or it just ends up growing on me.

I’m 90% sure I won’t do premium sound, since I’m an electrical dork that would definitely do a full system upgrade and add speakers if I needed to (ignoring the fact putting holes in a boat is scary).

But the tower... that and the 380hp are the ones I’m worried I’ll want later (maybe, who knows). I don’t want them now. But the additional sun coverage I didn’t even realize. It looks a lot smaller than the premium bimini in the pictures I’ve seen.

[BobRae99]

Damn. That’s a pretty good argument for the tower.

We do want sun cover — more accurately, my wife wants shade cover. I really am not a fan of the tower though. For whatever reason, it hasn’t grown on me. But I am kind of worried that I’ll want a tower in a year or two, for speakers, or the higher tow point (as you mentioned, kids getting beyond the young years), or it just ends up growing on me.

I’m 90% sure I won’t do premium sound, since I’m an electrical dork that would definitely do a full system upgrade and add speakers if I needed to (ignoring the fact putting holes in a boat is scary).

But the tower... that and the 380hp are the ones I’m worried I’ll want later (maybe, who knows). I don’t want them now. But the additional sun coverage I didn’t even realize. It looks a lot smaller than the premium bimini in the pictures I’ve seen.

Here is the way I look at it:

I wasn't sold on the look of the tower and wonder if it will look outdated (style wise) in 5 years but when I went from boat "A" (Premium Bimini) to boat "B" (tower) and saw the extra coverage, I was sold.

It's pretty easy to get carried away on options. I try and commit to the options that are impossible or very costly to add later. So, if you are budget limited and you feel you need 380 HP, then add that and skip the tower. Some have posted that you can add the tower later. but, in my mind, I'd make a higher payment now (if you are financing) and add the tower. Adding it later means a double cost (premium Bimini now + the tower cost later), plus freight - which will be very expensive.

One thing you should check with the dealer is the coverage of the Bimini on the R5. Given the R5 has an extra 2' LOA, it may be that the Bimini for that boat is longer than the Bimini in the R3 AND, its unlikely that the Bimini on the tower is any larger as the tower itself is the same unit. So, in the case of the R5, you might actually be better off (shade wise) with the premium Bimini.

Finally, if you want more shade for when you are not running, you could choose the Bimini and add the umbrella option. When you are moored in a bay, you can deploy the umbrella for shade on the rear of the boat. In fact, on the R3, the umbrella actually meets up with the rear edge of the Bimini, providing shade from the captain's seat to the rumble seat. You can see the setup (R3) here: https://www.parismarine.com/2018-cobalt ... in-stock=1

As to the stereo, the premium sound is +$2,848 and has everything in place. I think a new R7 owner posted that he checked and confirmed the tower is pre wired from the factory for speakers, so that is an easy add on. With factory installed premium, you don't have to cut any holes or run wires. I doubt you'd save much doing it yourself anyway because there is a standard sound system you'd be throwing away and starting from scratch.

[MnLakeBum]

Welcome! You will love your R5, the handling is amazing and easily the best looking 25 footer on the water although I might be a bit biased!

[higginspa1371]

Looks like East Coast Flight Craft has helped a few of us out. R5 on order also. Did you get an estimated delivery date Ryan?

[ryandmartin]

No set delivery date yet, all I heard was “late June” when I placed the order in March. Latest I heard from the dealer was a June 11 build completion date, and they said we’d talk more about forming up delivery toward the beginning of June.

No idea how long everything takes from there, but I’m hoping it’s just a handful of days to ship to the dealer — so maybe they get it by June 15-17? Then a couple days to prep and we do delivery? I’m hoping to get it delivered by June 20-21.

Do you have any more info in your experience working with them?

[BobRae99]

No set delivery date yet, all I heard was “late June” when I placed the order in March. Latest I heard from the dealer was a June 11 build completion date, and they said we’d talk more about forming up delivery toward the beginning of June.

No idea how long everything takes from there, but I’m hoping it’s just a handful of days to ship to the dealer — so maybe they get it by June 15-17? Then a couple days to prep and we do delivery? I’m hoping to get it delivered by June 20-21.

Do you have any more info in your experience working with them?

I just checked with my dealer on Wednesday to see if they typically get production updates from Cobalt. He said they didn't but he was going to check on my boat status and see if they would forward some pictures of it during the building phase as I won't be able to get to the factory in the next couple of weeks (work commitments).

My delivery date is supposed to be June 24th, but with all the rain and flooding in the midwest, if the workers living around the factory, or the factory itself is affected, the delivery date is anyone's guess. It's a small issue compared to what some are facing in the flood-affected areas though.

I'm hoping to have my boat in the water by July 2nd.