New 2019 R3 Owner

[sailor55330]

To be clear , all of the dials on the dash dim but the lcd readouts for depth and othe functions do not dim. They are dangerously bright at night. I talked to the dealer and they said this was they way it works. No dimming on the lcd lights below the dials. It’s a design fault in my opinion. The cover is what it is

[BobRae99]

Thanks for the insight A7. It sounds like covers are just a hit/miss kind of thing. it's weird---every single snap lines up perfectly, but it's like it's been sewn extra wide. When I used it, it fit every corner and contour and the wear pads were in perfect place, but I had the poles extended at least 6 inches above the windshield and it still looked like a big top tent. I don't think it should extend that much above. If I took the poles out, it would nearly touch the cockpit floor--probably 6-8 inches above it. When it rained, water definitely pooled on it in a big way. Maybe when I get the boat back, I'll put the covers on and try to post a video showing the play.

As for the snaps, None of them were every "tight". they clicked in place, but it requires no effort to snap them and the actually can be "wiggled" once they are locked. It always pulls loose in the same front corner, so I wonder if it has to do with airflow over the towing vehicle causing a strange vortex. As for the snaps pulling of the back and completely out of the gelcoat twice...that just p*sses me off. Either way, I've written it off as mine simply doesn't trailer well.

And I guess if I'm venting---why wouldn't Cobalt make the dash lights 100% dimmable? They are so bright at night that I have to cover them with a towel or I can't see anything! LOL

Sounds like those cover were just made wrong. When I had my bow/cockpit cover made the front pole was maybe halfway up the windshield, and the rear pole was even with the windshield and there were tight as a drum. That boat sat in the water, unprotected through some nasty storms and they never polled water.

I'm going to swap my dash lights to red, and I believe mine are dimmable, so yours should be too. I never understood why boat manufactures use white lights for dash/courtesy lights, totally kills the captains night vision.

I wonder if the glass cockpit lights dim enough at night so they don’t distract. I also wonder whether they are bright enough during the day.

[BobRae99]

Options update:

After making the big decision to do the "Arch, Forward, White Folding", I've also added the Rudder Indicator and Transom Tilt Switch. If I decide I want Tow Mode, the dealer can add it later through a software update.

Still thinking about changing from premium sound to platinum sound with transom speakers. Does anyone have this system in a recent R (3, 5 or 7)? I don't really want the tower speakers. If I change my mind later, I'm sure they can be added (is the arch pre-wired?)

Finally, I'm going back and forth on colour. I had initially picked Navy w/Sandstone edge stripe, but after seeing the Navy in person, it is lighter than I thought and I now wonder whether Sandstone will go well with the "Navy" colour. The dealer is suggesting a red boot stripe as an alternate.

I like the darker hull colours, but I think the Ebony hull might be too dark and I don't really care for a red hull (too loud), so I'm sort of left with Navy or Pacific. So, I think it would be Navy, but which bootstripe will look the best? That is the question. I could fall back to the Ebony with Red Edge stripe and white bottom, but I'm worried that is a lot of black on this bog hull (as compared to my 210 which was Ebony/Citrin).

If I could just put the colour and the sound upgrade to bed, I'd have nothing to think about but work.

[akorcovelos]

Navy/Red, doesn't get more classic Cobalt than that.

[tgrace98]

Options update:

After making the big decision to do the "Arch, Forward, White Folding", I've also added the Rudder Indicator and Transom Tilt Switch. If I decide I want Tow Mode, the dealer can add it later through a software update.

Still thinking about changing from premium sound to platinum sound with transom speakers. Does anyone have this system in a recent R (3, 5 or 7)? I don't really want the tower speakers. If I change my mind later, I'm sure they can be added (is the arch pre-wired?)

Finally, I'm going back and forth on colour. I had initially picked Navy w/Sandstone edge stripe, but after seeing the Navy in person, it is lighter than I thought and I now wonder whether Sandstone will go well with the "Navy" colour. The dealer is suggesting a red boot stripe as an alternate.

I like the darker hull colours, but I think the Ebony hull might be too dark and I don't really care for a red hull (too loud), so I'm sort of left with Navy or Pacific. So, I think it would be Navy, but which bootstripe will look the best? That is the question. I could fall back to the Ebony with Red Edge stripe and white bottom, but I'm worried that is a lot of black on this bog hull (as compared to my 210 which was Ebony/Citrin).

If I could just put the colour and the sound upgrade to bed, I'd have nothing to think about but work.

the tower is prewired and drilled for tower speakers. You would just have to add another amp and the speakers. I inspected this myself before purchasing my R7.

[ajcampen]

Check out this r3 lodder just posted. Love it

[BobRae99]

Check out this r3 lodder just posted. Love it

That does look nice. Ebony Hull, White stripe and Sandstone bottom? I'd have to add a coloured bottom at extra cost though.

[BobRae99]

I just spent an hour looking at dealer pictures (I googled "largest Cobalt dealers in the US and found the 10 largest) and went through all of their in-stock pictures. It seems in dark colours, they are stocking either Navy/Red Edge or Ebony/Red Edge. The other common colour is Red/black Edge. Of course, there are many more other variations when the bottom of the hull is in colour, but I wasn't planning on going that route.

Maybe I should do the tour before my options are locked on May 12th, as opposed to when my boat is in production? I can spend some time looking at colours at the factory and get a better idea. I know it sounds crazy, but this boat is around $120,000USD, plus freight, PDI and 12% tax, so I want to make sure I get it "right" (whatever that means.

[akorcovelos]

Based on hanging around here for a bit, you'll be upgrading next summer anyway so go with your gut.

[tgrace98]

Based on hanging around here for a bit, you'll be upgrading next summer anyway so go with your gut.

next summer will be the R5

[jhnmdahl]

Navy hull with sandstone stripe looks about like this (delivery day in 2015):

IMG_1217.JPG

And with a black Touareg for reference:

IMG_1992.jpg

[cmattj]

I like the black bottom hull look... when you boat in a Sewer it hides gunk , and transom soot is almost invisible . Lol

These are your colors inverted.
.

[akorcovelos]

That just reminds me of bottom paint, never been a fan of black bottoms.

[cmattj]

That just reminds me of bottom paint, never been a fan of black bottoms.

Maybe this will bring you in.??

[akorcovelos]

sweet boat, but still not digging the black bottom. Maybe on an all black boat, but otherwise not my thing.