New Cobalt 302: All Things To All People, Largely

As one of four boats introduced to the model line for 2007, the 302 speaks directly to Cobalt’s newest redefinition of luxury, to the company’s most recent explorations of style. Since 1970 and the very first Cobalts, evolving notions of Cobalt style, Cobalt luxury have always been grounded in a sure sense of the practical.

We’ve always believed that nothing can be stylish if it’s not first useful. Nothing is truly luxurious if it lacks functional purpose. And so the details of design and construction that delineate the 302 bring along fit and finish concomitant with convenience, utility, and long-term value – value that shows itself finally in the ever-higher resale prices of older Cobalts.

The 302 will demonstrate immediately all the reasons why Cobalt insistence on little things done especially well accumulates across a day on the water to a defining experience. Little touches such as speakers molded into the cockpit at precise angles for ideal acoustics all around. Or an iPod® or MP3 port. Or massive storage bins stashed at perfect points of access and accommodation. Details such as domed switches at the dash, adding simultaneous hints of cosmetics and aeronautic precision. Such as a galley straight off HGTV, with stainless steel spread everywhere, in the sink, of course, in the drink cooler, with a largish refrigerator standing by.

Pause at the 302’s helm. Notice the fine points of the handiwork there, the two-toned vinyls double-needled across the brow (these vinyls now standards across the entire line for 2007). The gauges have been designed for maximized information, inclusive and immediate, and mounted front and center of the dash stands a Garmin global positioning unit, standard of course. The helm seat, with its signature flip feature for multiple-position comfort , is now replicated astern in the 302, where a concealed ladder waits at the helm. Adjacent to the helm the walk-thru doors, molded and fitted seamlessly to traffic flow, mean wide and welcoming access to the bow.

It’s important to remember that, with all the innovation bow to stern in the 302, unbending and time-honored standards of construction make possible Cobalt’s industry-leading 10-year warranty on the deck and hull. The fiberglass stringer system – no plywood in Cobalt stringers, ever! – bonds to the hull with a high-tech fastening medium to produce lightweight strength with no susceptibility whatsoever to the rot that inevitably afflicts wooden stringers. Coupled with an all-composite transom, absorbing the torque of the drive system while isolating noise and vibration, the Cobalt hull guarantees the boat’s long-term integrity, its performance across years of reliable, predictably trouble-free, very enjoyable use.

Yacht-certified, the 302 takes to the water ready to entertain a dozen friends and family members, especially with some thoughtfully chosen optional equipment on board. The background sounds are key to party-times on the 302, and a premium sound system kicks up the bass and sharpens the high notes, most particularly on the umpteen thousand musical choices made possible by XM satellite radio, one of the most popular of Cobalt options since its recent introduction. A remote control at the transom spreads the musical choosing sternward. A 302 owner seeking a bit more emphasis on pure functionality can add an optional transom shower, a cockpit heater, shore power in either 110 or 220 international voltages, a closed cooling system, an overboard discharge for the macerator, an anchor windlass, an electronic shift-and-throttle control with an engine synchronizer adaptable to any of the powerplants available on the 302 and, finally, enough protective coverings to weather a serious nor’easter: bow and cockpit tonneaus, mooring covers, and bimini tops and enclosures – the latter with or without an arch. But what a statement it is, the 302’s sweeping stainless-steel arch, a headturner that with an enclosure multiplies safety and comfort.

And were one to approach the specification of a 302 from a purely aesthetic point of view, the eye-appeal runs from a style line in the profile astern to the understated elegance of teak accents here and there to engine vents borrowed from the glamorous Cobalt 323 to a rivulet carpet option that is as stunning as it is subtle. But, as we say, there’s just no real need to choose between comfort and performance, between good looks and day-to-day utility. The 302 delivers, daily, on all counts.

SPECIFICATIONS

Hull Length Overall: 29' 7" (9.02 m)
Length Overall w/Extd Swim Platform: 33' 7" (10.23 m)
Beam Overall: 9' 11" (3.02 m)
Height Overall: 93 1/2" (2.37 m)
Height Overall w/Arch or Tower: 10' 2" (3.1 m)
Bridge Clearance: 9' 11" (3.02 m)
Bridge Clearance w/Ski Tower: 10' 2" (3.1 m)
Freeboard Forward: 77" (1.96 m)
Freeboard Aft: 41" (1.06 m)
Draft Drive Up, twin engines: 44" (1.12 m)
Draft Drive Down, twin engines: 26" (66 cm)
Deadrise at Transom: 22 Degrees (22 Degrees)
Dry Weight w/twin sm. block engines: 9200 LBS (4173 kg)
Fuel Capacity: 150 gal (568 L)
Water Capacity, Fresh: 18 gal. (68 L)
Water Capacity, Waste: 10 gal. (38 L)
Capacity, by weight: Yacht Certified (Yacht Certified)

Base Suggested Retail Price: $145,342.

Photo: Cobalt Boats

Source: Cobalt Boats