CS23 color choice

[Anesslet]

Hi everyone. Currently have a Larson 20 foot boat and about to order a 2021 CS23. Fairly certain I’m going with the Mercruiser 350 and am really struggling on the exterior color combo. I’ve attached some of my top choices. I was leaning towards navy with the red stripe but wondering if that’s stealing Cris Crafts look? I also love the navy bottom with light blue side but have been told to get a white bottom for wear and tear. Was at the dealer this week and took the photo of the light gray with a black stripe (I’d probably get a navy stripe) and actually really liked that too. Any comments/suggestions/photos would be appreciated. Planning to order the boat from Erickson Marine in Hastings, MN in the next week or so. Thanks everyone!

[Big Block Power]

I wouldn't worry about stealing anything from CC. I had that came color. Blue with red. Loved it. If your boat isn't sitting all the time I'm the water I wouldn't worry about getting a colored bottom. I like them. I like all of your choices except the baby blue top. That's a great Florida color for a SC boat.

[AsLan7]

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Hey Annesslet. Welcome to the CobaltChat forum. So glad you found us!

Any of those color combos are sharp. For me it's a tie between the navy hull with light blue stripe (classically elegant) and the navy hull with red (just so patriotic!). Like the dealer mentioned, the fading that can come from a darker hull will need to be buffed out from time to time. The sun loves to do it's thing to dark colors a little easier than light colors. Will it be stored indoors? Is there anyone else making this decision with you? (other than us of course )

You're going to love this boat coming from a Larson.

Again welcome aboard mate!
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[Anesslet]

Hey thanks for the quick replies. My wife and kids have given some input as well. My boat will be on a lift so not just sitting in the water. Wondering if I did the red stripe if it would be better to do navy on top and white bottom or vice versa? I haven’t seen that new lighter blue color in person yet so that one makes me a little nervous.

[AsLan7]

Hey thanks for the quick replies. My wife and kids have given some input as well. My boat will be on a lift so not just sitting in the water. Wondering if I did the red stripe if it would be better to do navy on top and white bottom or vice versa? I haven’t seen that new lighter blue color in person yet so that one makes me a little nervous.

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Go with what your family likes....especially your wife.

[Big Block Power]

The picture of the blue on the bottom then red boot stripe is nice but I don't think it was very popular. There was a boat that sat in a dealers inventory for a few years like that. It could have been because it also had a 240hp in it. But anyways I like them. If I'm on a lift in going white bottom. The sun will get a hold of it. The ice blue top I've never been a fan of except on a FL boat. The grays have been really sharp though. But then again I'm going with the Dreamsicle!

[dustinm]

Hey thanks for the quick replies. My wife and kids have given some input as well. My boat will be on a lift so not just sitting in the water. Wondering if I did the red stripe if it would be better to do navy on top and white bottom or vice versa? I haven’t seen that new lighter blue color in person yet so that one makes me a little nervous.

Either of these two look really nice. You could also replace the blue on them with black which also looks amazing in real life. Kind of a toss up

The other thing you can do is get a white boat then have vinyl wrap put on - this way you can change it every few years and eventually have every color combo

[russc3]

Maybe this will help! I am partial to the navy and red stripe! Good luck!

[CaptBob]

Seems that everybody's boat is the best color! I'm of course partial to the slate side, navy hull that we have, however that navy side, red strip with the accent on the platform is quite striking.

[Big Block Power]

Seems that everybody's boat is the best color! I'm of course partial to the slate side, navy hull that we have, however that navy side, red strip with the accent on the platform is quite striking.

Yours is sharp. Post a picture!

[CaptBob]

I apparently only have two pictures of the boat that shows the colors as what I perceive them. One is at the dealer when they were prepping it just after delivery, and the other is in our green water lake. Both are already posted here somewhere, however... I need to raise my post count also, so..

unwrapedboat.jpg

greenwaterboat.jpg

[Big Block Power]

That's such a great color combo!

[CaptBob]

That's such a great color combo!

Thank you sir, I take zero credit, it was all the Admiral, My best input is often to simply shut up.

[Big Block Power]

That's such a great color combo!

Thank you sir, I take zero credit, it was all the Admiral, My best input is often to simply shut up.

Are you pretty happy with the 350hp? Why did you choose Merc?

[CaptBob]

<thread drift/hijack alert>
I am happy with the 350hp. We are not heavy duty performance people. We have no kids, we just take a couple or two out for a day of cruising and coving. (That's why you have to have a windlass!) Meet up with our old big boat friends and hijack them from their raft ups. We run up the lake away from the crowds, to where it's not much more than a river then let it run and eat up the miles. (30 something miles to the next dam) It apparently has plenty of power to pull my arm off while knee boarding. ( not really, I'm pretty sure the damage was there, its just that incident finished it off )

Volvo is not the popular choice down here. Merc is overwhelming more popular. This is defiantly Sea Ray country. Sometimes it is better to fit in, other times not. I'm not biased enough to really prefer one over the other, I'm more practical when I know sometime it will need service.

Back to colors.

Since I'm coming down from big boats, I'm used to a dark hull as I had series of three boats that lived in the water all their life and were bottom painted. A solid white hull looks a bit stark to me, again It's just what I'm used to. When swimming around your own boat with a painted (growth protective paint) it's not uncommon to feel the paint (it's a little thick, and a bit mushy) to see if it needs either cleaning, or repainting (about every 5ish years around here). I did find myself reaching out for a touch on the Cobalt only to realize that was an expense I no longer have to enjoy! That's yet another bonus of a trailer boat!