Cobalt’s boat builders in Neodesha, Kansas have over the years gained a deserved reputation for their skills as designers and manufacturers of fibreglass hulls. Efficient hull design is the single most important aspect of a boat’s performance. The hand-laid hull of the Cobalt 296, with embedded backing plates and extended running surface – both trademarks of Cobalt engineering – is a triumph of exhaustive testing and prototyping.

The test boat, fitted with a single engine (a 496 Mercruiser Mag), readily achieved and maintained speeds in excess of 50 mph. This is an impressive performance for a 29-footer. One of Cobalt’s greatest skills is to produce designs which can handle horsepower.

Consumer watchdog, JD Power and Associates, who ranked Cobalt the highest in customer satisfaction for eight consecutive years, noted in last year’s Boat Competitive Information Study, “Aside from engine technology, another purchasing decision factor is engine power”.

Most boat owners with small engines are less satisfied. One of the reasons for the success of the top boat builders is that they often sell their boats with more powerful engines. More power is usually best, no matter which propulsion system is used.”

For the 296, MerCruiser and Volvo Penta powertrains begin at 320php and then bump up to 425php and 375php respectively in single-engine configurations, with twin engine options with the same power output also available.

The interior fittings are luxurious and the layout can easily be changed to suit the occasion. Both helm and passenger seats are double wide and have adjustable backrests. Bow and cockpit carpets can be easily removed for cleaning. Filler cushions maximise the seating potential. Carpets cover the aft walk-thru and doors cordon off the bow at this point where a cushion insert gives yet more useful seating space forward. The floors are in teak and the quality of the timber is outstandingly good, representing excellent value for money.

The aluminium windshield frame is capped with a stainless steel top and stainless steel trim runs from the bow scuff plate to the cleats amidships and to the engine vents aft, all of which accentuates the sporting lines. The swim platform is integrated into the hull moulding and is protected by wrap-around stainless steel tubing.

The helm layout is professional, with clear easy-to-read instrumentation, and excellent visibility all round. A stainless foot tread is standard and the medallion gauges have electronically enhanced analogue read-outs, which are more reliable, more accurate and provide more information instantaneously. Where a 29-footer with big engines, would typically have required at least five large and four small gauges, the 296 goes confidently to sea with just four instruments, in an identical configuration. Rudder and trim indicators are standard.

The standard sound system (AM-FM radio and CD player) plays through six speakers, all controllable from the dash-based stereo remote. An iPod/MP3 port is also installed. A remote control on the transom, allows for alternate stem-to-stern management of onboard entertainment.

The head is both spacious and well-appointed with a pump-out porta-potti and a stainless sink.

The standard equipment list for the 296 is comprehensive and there’s a full complement of optional equipment.

Those options run from the practical and the everyday – bimini tops, starboard windshield wipers and colour GPS units to the aesthetic – underwater lights, and a very attractive stainless steel arch. The well-equipped galley unit is located on the starboard side and makes cooking aboard a pleasure rather than a chore.

In summary the Cobalt 296 is a combination of traditional craftsmanship with a handsome ‘Formula One’ design, which takes full advantage of technological advances where they’ll represent an improvement in performance and are not just marketing gimmicks. It’s designed to work hard and offer many years of enjoyable cruising.

For more information contact:
Starship Yachts
Boat Lagoon Marina
Tel: +66 (0)76 273378, +66 (0)84 442 5460
Web: www.starshipyachts.com, www.cranchi-asia.com