Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats R3 2016 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 or the Cobalt Boats R3 2016?

The Cobalt Boats R3 2016 is the longer of the two at 24,0 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 comes in at 23,0 feet, making it roughly 1,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 is Coast Guard rated for 13 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats R3 2016 is certified for 7. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: How do the fuel tanks compare on the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 and Cobalt Boats R3 2016?

Both boats carry similar fuel loads — 5 gallons and 5 gallons respectively. Range will depend heavily on motor choice, throttle usage, and whether you're on flat lake water or coastal chop.

Q: Are the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 and Cobalt Boats R3 2016 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 and the Cobalt Boats R3 2016 are built by Cobalt Boats. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats R3 2016

Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008

2008

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Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats R3 2016

2016

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats R3 2016 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats R3 2016 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats R3 2016 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 23,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Cobalt Boats R3 2016 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeCobalt Boats

Makenot available

Model242 Bowrider

Modelnot available

Model Year2008

Model Yearnot available

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches102

Beam - Inchesnot available

Bridge clearance - Detail5 ft. 3 in. (1.60 m) With arch or tower: 8 ft. 2 in. (2.49 m)

Bridge clearance - Detailnot available

Bridge clearance - Meters2.49

Bridge clearance - Metersnot available

Bridge clearance - Inches98

Bridge clearance - Inchesnot available

Deadrise21℃

Deadrisenot available

Draft [drive up] - Detail21 in. (0.53 m)

Draft [drive up] - Detailnot available

Draft [drive up] meters0.53

Draft [drive up] metersnot available

Draft [drive up] inches21

Draft [drive up] inchesnot available

Draft [max] - Detail37 in. (0.94 m)

Draft [max] - Detail3.08 ft

Draft [max] - Meters0.94

Draft [max] - Inches37

Weight - Detail4,600 lbs. (2,087 kg)

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg2086.52

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.46

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Meters7.29

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet23

Length - Feet24

Length - Inches11

Length - Inchesnot available

Length [over all with swim platform]25 ft. 11 in. (7.64 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]not available

Length overall - Detail23 ft. 11 in. (7.29 m)

Length overall - Detail24.00 ft

Length overall - Meters7.29

Length overall - Meters7.32

Length overall - Inches287

Length overall - Inches288

Draft Minnot available

Draft Min1.75 ft

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull materialnot available

Hull typeModified Vee

Hull typenot available

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardVolvo Single 5.0 GXI SX 270 php (201 PkW)

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail50 gal. (189 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters189.27

Fuel tank capacity - Gal5

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeInboard/Outboard

Drive typeinboard

Operational Info

Water capacityFresh: 10 gal. (38 l)

Water capacity1

Maximum capacity2,250 lbs. (1,021 kg)

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum people13

Maximum peoplenot available

Holding tank capacity - Detail11 gal. (42 l)

Holding tank capacity - Detailnot available

Holding tank capacity - Liters41.64

Holding tank capacity - Litersnot available

Holding tank capacity - Gal11

Holding tank capacity - Galnot available

Headnot available

Head1

Boat typenot available

Boat typePower

Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats R3 2016 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 or the Cobalt Boats R3 2016?

The Cobalt Boats R3 2016 is the longer of the two at 24,0 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 comes in at 23,0 feet, making it roughly 1,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 is Coast Guard rated for 13 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats R3 2016 is certified for 7. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

How do the fuel tanks compare on the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 and Cobalt Boats R3 2016?

Both boats carry similar fuel loads — 5 gallons and 5 gallons respectively. Range will depend heavily on motor choice, throttle usage, and whether you're on flat lake water or coastal chop.

Are the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 and Cobalt Boats R3 2016 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 and the Cobalt Boats R3 2016 are built by Cobalt Boats. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Cobalt Boats 242 Bowrider 2008 full specs ← Cobalt Boats R3 2016 full specs