Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 or the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017?

The Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 is the longer of the two at 25,0 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 comes in at 24,0 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 252 Bowrider 2008 is Coast Guard rated for 15 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 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 252 Bowrider 2008 or the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017?

The Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 has the bigger tank at 73 gallons, versus 5 gallons on the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017. That 68-gallon difference translates to roughly 204–340 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 and Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 and the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 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 252 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats CS3 2017

Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008

2008

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Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats CS3 2017

2017

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 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 252 Bowrider 2008 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 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 252 Bowrider 2008 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 15 passengers and at 25,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 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

Model252 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. (1.6 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] - Detailnot available

Draft [max] - Meters0.94

Draft [max] - Metersnot available

Draft [max] - Inches37

Draft [max] - Inchesnot available

Weight - Detail5,425 lbs. (2,460 kg)

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg2460.74

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.5425

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Meters7.8

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet25

Length - Feet24

Length - Inches7

Length - Inchesnot available

Length [over all with swim platform]27 ft. 7 in. (8.4 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]not available

Length overall - Detail25 ft. 7 in. (7.8 m)

Length overall - Detail24.00 ft

Length overall - Meters7.8

Length overall - Meters7.32

Length overall - Inches307

Length overall - Inches288

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull materialnot available

Hull typeModified Vee

Hull typenot available

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardVolvo Single 5.7 GI SX 280 php (209 PkW)

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail73 gal. (276 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters276.33

Fuel tank capacity - Liters189.27

Fuel tank capacity - Gal73

Fuel tank capacity - Gal5

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeInboard/Outboard

Drive typenot available

Operational Info

Water capacity10 gal. (38 l)

Water capacitynot available

Maximum capacity2,585 lbs. (1,173 kg)

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum people15

Maximum peoplenot available

Boat typenot available

Boat typePower

Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 vs Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 or the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017?

The Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 is the longer of the two at 25,0 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 comes in at 24,0 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 252 Bowrider 2008 is Coast Guard rated for 15 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 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 252 Bowrider 2008 or the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017?

The Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 has the bigger tank at 73 gallons, versus 5 gallons on the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017. That 68-gallon difference translates to roughly 204–340 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 and Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 252 Bowrider 2008 and the Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 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 252 Bowrider 2008 full specs ← Cobalt Boats CS3 2017 full specs