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Hey there, live in central Florida and looking to get my kids out on the lake for watersports, but also want to be able to do the gulf coast intracoastal boating - don't need crazy offshore capability. Love the Boca Grande area for instance. I'd guess that our uses would be 70-80% lake use for family days and watersports with the remaining use cases salt water on the gulf coast. What would you get for such a scenario? I'd love the Surf capability so the kids can wake surf in the lakes, but maybe that isn't great for salt water? If we plan to do ANY salt water, is it best to get an outboard option? Relatively new to boating, so any insights would be appreciated! Thanks!

With the closed cooling systems running an inboard on the ocean is not as damaging as it used to be. You can also order Ocean-X package for extra protection. Also with a surf model with the forward prop location they will require deeper water and I think that is the biggest benefit of an outboard on the ocean - being able to raise the motor in the shallows.

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Hey PBJm...welcome to the CobaltChat forum. So glad you found us!

If your primary use is 80% lake water sports with an occasional salt water use then a Cobalt is a fantastic option. If it's the other way around then I would definitely consider an outboard or even a Formula. The downward outdrive trimming characteristics of a surf boat is a unique animal which will work better in deeper lakes with deeper shore lines. If you plan to beach then this could be an expensive hazard. An R6 outboard could be another balance if you don't care too much about the surfing.

Again welcome aboard mate!
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AsLan7 wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 8:35 am .
Hey PBJm...welcome to the CobaltChat forum. So glad you found us!

If your primary use is 80% lake water sports with an occasional salt water use then a Cobalt is a fantastic option. If it's the other way around then I would definitely consider an outboard or even a Formula. The downward outdrive trimming characteristics of a surf boat is a unique animal which will work better in deeper lakes with deeper shore lines. If you plan to beach then this could be an expensive hazard. An R6 outboard could be another balance if you don't care too much about the surfing.

Again welcome aboard mate!
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The lakes here aren't exactly deep but plenty of surf boats on these lakes. Being able to beach the boat on a sand bar and what not on the gulf coast is probably something we'd want to do, so maybe the outboard is important. With the outboard, how are freshwater water sports? Maybe its sufficient. My kids aren't trying to turn pro. Just want family fun.

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When I say deep I mean you don’t have to be concerned about trimming your outdrive up for debris, weeds, sand bars etc. When you trim a surf drive up it actually drives the propellers lower. If there are surf boats currently on your lake you should be fine.
We’ve done plenty of water sports using an outboard. Just check the transom tow points when you are searching. Ask the dealer about this. Sometimes a bridle is needed. And remember an arch is for wakeboarding and skiing, not tubing due to the dangerous side loads created when a tube submarines.

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AsLan7 wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 10:07 am .
When I say deep I mean you don’t have to be concerned about trimming your outdrive up for debris, weeds, sand bars etc. When you trim a surf drive up it actually drives the propellers lower. If there are surf boats currently on your lake you should be fine.
We’ve done plenty of water sports using an outboard. Just check the transom tow points when you are searching. Ask the dealer about this. Sometimes a bridle is needed. And remember an arch is for wakeboarding and skiing, not tubing due to the dangerous side loads created when a tube submarines.

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I keep seeing people say this but I am not sure how accurate it is. When putting my trim up, the prop is dropping maybe 3" or so, if anything at all. When I lift my boat out of the water at night if I forget to trim up the prop is in the water, I trim up and the prop comes out of the water. I have never measured but it doesn't really look like it goes much deeper during that process. Now if you run into a log or something a forward drive may get more damaged than if you hit it with a typical IO. But I have hit several items in the water and have never damaged a prop or dive. My brother who has a standard R5 has hit a huge log and lost his ability to trim up. When he puts his boat up his prop is in the water too until he trims up, of course his prop is out of the water faster than mine as the rudder portion of the lower unit is in the water a similar amount of time. Seems like none of the lower unit should ever be beached.

If you plan on running in 2-4 feet of water then get an outdrive where you can lift the entire thing out of the water. Outdrives are a little less convenient for water sports and floating behind a boat, but they don't make these things impossible.