When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Cobalt Boats 230 2012 and the Cobalt Boats 273 2013 are deep vee designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Cobalt Boats 273 2013 measures 27,5 feet overall (2013), giving it roughly 5,7 additional feet of deck space compared to the Cobalt Boats 230 2012 at 21,8 feet (2012). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Cobalt Boats 230 2012 tips the scales at 415 lbs — 357 lbs more than the Cobalt Boats 273 2013 at 58 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 430 hp for the Cobalt Boats 230 2012 and 430 hp for the Cobalt Boats 273 2013. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Cobalt Boats 273 2013 carries 95 gallons versus 5 gallons in the Cobalt Boats 230 2012. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Cobalt Boats 230 2012 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats 273 2013 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Cobalt Boats 230 2012 could be the deciding factor.