Cobalt Boats 242 2013 vs Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 or the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018?

The Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 is the longer of the two at 26,0 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats 242 2013 comes in at 23,9 feet, making it roughly 2,1 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Cobalt Boats 242 2013 is rated to a maximum of 430 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 tops out at 350 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Cobalt Boats 242 2013 is Coast Guard rated for 13 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 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: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 or the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018?

The Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 has the bigger tank at 69 gallons, versus 5 gallons on the Cobalt Boats 242 2013. That 63-gallon difference translates to roughly 191–319 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 and Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 and the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 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 2013 vs Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018

Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats 242 2013

2013

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Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018

2018

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Cobalt Boats 242 2013 vs Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Cobalt Boats 242 2013 vs Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 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.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 430 hp, the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 has a 80-hp advantage over the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018's 350-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 carries 69 gallons versus 5 gallons in the Cobalt Boats 242 2013. 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 242 2013 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 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 2013 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 23,9 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 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

Modelnot available

Model Year2013

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 - DetailWithout Bimini: 5 ft. 3 in. (1.6 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] - Detail3.25 ft

Draft [max] - Meters0.94

Draft [max] - Meters0.99

Draft [max] - Inches37

Draft [max] - Inches39

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

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg2086.52

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.46

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Feet23.92

Length - Feet26

Length [over all with swim platform]25 ft. 11 in. (7.9 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]not available

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

Length overall - Detail26.00 ft

Length overall - Meters7.29

Length overall - Meters7.92

Length overall - Inches287

Length overall - Inches312

Draft Minnot available

Draft Min3.25 ft

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull materialnot available

Hull typeDeep Vee

Hull typenot available

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardVolvo Single V8-300C DP

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail50 gal. (189 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters189.27

Fuel tank capacity - Liters261

Fuel tank capacity - Gal5

Fuel tank capacity - Gal68.95

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeI/O

Drive typeinboard

Horsepower300 php (224 PkW)

Horsepower350 hp

Engine max430 php (321 PkW)

Engine maxnot available

Engine makenot available

Engine makeVOLVO PENTA

Operational Info

Water capacity10 gal. (38 l)

Water capacity10.04

Maximum people13

Maximum peoplenot available

Boat typenot available

Boat typePower

Cobalt Boats 242 2013 vs Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 or the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018?

The Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 is the longer of the two at 26,0 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats 242 2013 comes in at 23,9 feet, making it roughly 2,1 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Cobalt Boats 242 2013 is rated to a maximum of 430 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 tops out at 350 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Cobalt Boats 242 2013 is Coast Guard rated for 13 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 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.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 or the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018?

The Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 has the bigger tank at 69 gallons, versus 5 gallons on the Cobalt Boats 242 2013. That 63-gallon difference translates to roughly 191–319 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 and Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 242 2013 and the Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 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 2013 full specs ← Cobalt Boats 26 SD 2018 full specs