Cobaltchat.com

Hello Again,

You folks lined me out a couple months ago on a vintage Cobalt boat with an OMC outboard and told me to RUN! which I did. My quest has continued, I"m taking my time to find the right boat. Again I feel like I may have come across another good deal but I don't dare even go without asking the experts. So here's the information.

JUST DROPPED TO $10K
Divorce scenario on my end - cutting price - must go

This 1998 Cobalt 202CS is a classic open bow tournament ski boat that rarely becomes available for sale due to the limited production and the traditional practice of Cobalt boat owners to keep their boats for many years. There were 96 boats built during the years 1998 and 1999.

This is an accredited AWSA tournament ski boat.

I am the Second owner (as you'll note, the original CF number from California from where I bought it and the current NV numbers for my registration

this boat lived its life on Lake Tahoe, we have only used it there as well being locals.

Boat is housed in Reno, NV and is currently winterized - she lives under cover and under roof

396 hours

340 HP Black Scorpion engine
Direct Drive

has tall Wake Board Pylon

Runs excellent

$18,500 or make offer

viewtopic.php?t=3749

I like this one, looks super clean! I would start low you can always go up.

That's a sweet boat for $10k!

Can't recall your intended use. Keep in mind that the CS is primarily a ski boat. Can't trim it. Tricky to back up. Not as good in choppy waters. Compared to other Cobalts, she is not a cruise boat.

"is currently winterized"

She'll need to be summerized so you can take her on a sea trail.

Kate wrote: Sat Jan 06, 2024 7:26 am Can't recall your intended use. Keep in mind that the CS is primarily a ski boat. Can't trim it. Tricky to back up. Not as good in choppy waters. Compared to other Cobalts, she is not a cruise boat.

"is currently winterized"

She'll need to be summerized so you can take her on a sea trail.

Understood, primarily for is water sports, we’re not extreme folks but tubing, knee boarding, skiing, may try a wake board one day. And my wife’s favorite, sunset cruises.

Whippled263 wrote: Sat Jan 06, 2024 6:34 am That's a sweet boat for $10k!

So long as it checks out seems like a good deal I believe.

Including trailer? Seems like a really good deal.

Well I took a risk on this boat and come spring I’ll let you guys and gals know how it turns out. I went and looked at the boat, overall the exterior was in as expected condition, for a 25 year old boat I will call it good. I think with a little elbow grease I’m certain it can really shine.

The upholstery is in what I’ll call fair condition, it’s not soon faded but probably spend winters outside and there’s some cracking on the back deck.

Here’s where the risk comes in. The boat was winterized with receipts from the local shop, it’s cold as heck outside so we didn’t ruin it or do a sea trial. I know you guys will probably take me over the coals for that one. I did get a good feeling from the guy and he had pictures and video of using it this past summer. I checked the engine oil and transmission oil and both looked good but not brand new. He had the oil changed at the beginning of the 2023 season.

The trailer was broken where the guard for the prop is, so I had him take it and get that welded.

I negotiated the price down to $8,000. To god of a deal to be true? I guess we will find out in a few months when I put it in the lake and give it the beans.

If you're going to have it sitting over the winter pick up one of these and have the oil tested. Would give you some clue to the health of the engine.



Oil analysis kit
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jwill323 wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 4:59 pm If you're going to have it sitting over the winter pick up one of these and have the oil tested. Would give you some clue to the health of the engine.

That link does not work on my phone but I’ve had oil tested before. That’s a good idea. Thank you.

can't get the link to work but search for this. Amazon has these test kits.

Oil Analysis Starter Kit Including Test Kits, tubing and Sample Pump

The information is pretty limited because you don't have a history but at least be able to tell if there is water in the oil and see if it looks like any wear metals are way off the chart.

tkinney wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:12 pm

jwill323 wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2024 4:59 pm If you're going to have it sitting over the winter pick up one of these and have the oil tested. Would give you some clue to the health of the engine.



That link does not work on my phone but I’ve had oil tested before. That’s a good idea. Thank you.

I fixed the link to show what the product jwill323 was show-casing in his original post.

I figured I would update this thread since you all were so helpful to me in the purchasing process.

Things have gone not as well as I had hoped but just about as I expected honestly. Purchasing a 26 year boat in the noche of winter during a snow storm with no sea trial I expected some problems.

First a couple months back we took the boat out just to test things two days in a row. First day everything went great and we were out running around for a few hours. When we got back and loaded the boat I pulled the plug while on the ramp to drain the boat. We got A LOT of water out. I figured okay probably just the seal on the shaft for the prop. It’s my first boat but I did read the manual cover to cover. I adjusted the seal.

We went out the next day and I was a bit paranoid. After an hour I felt like we were taking on water and I couldn’t get the bilge to pump like it had the day before. Loaded the boat, pulled the plug and WAY more water. Water drained for over 2 minutes after just an hour in the water.

My cousin in law is a boat mechanic at a marina, we’re not that close but we’re friendly. I took it to him and said, Test the boat, figure out what’s wrong and fix everything. I had a list of small things it needed including stuff on the trailer.

He tested the boat and said there is a crack in the block, I never saw where but I said just fix it and fix it right. We got a good deal on a low hour short block out of a house boat. Long story short he did everything for me as a side job and I paid him cash to get everything fixed.

I brought it home and fixed most of the minor things that would bug me. Spent the last few nights after work working on the gel coat and I think we’re just about ready for summer.

I have an appointment for a custom cover and a Bimini top next month

It’s been a process but I sort of expected that on an older boat I got for what I would call cheap

Nice progress TK.. Appreciate the update.
...and great pics. Thank you for posting those!
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