When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Cobalt Boats 262 2011 and the Cobalt Boats R5 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?

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Cobalt Boats 262 2011 at 25,6 ft versus Cobalt Boats R5 2013 at 25,7 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Cobalt Boats 262 2011 tips the scales at 5 425 lbs — 4 937 lbs more than the Cobalt Boats R5 2013 at 488 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 — 6 hp for the Cobalt Boats 262 2011 and 8 hp for the Cobalt Boats R5 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 262 2011 carries 73 gallons versus 5 gallons in the Cobalt Boats R5 2013. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

Both boats are rated for 2 passengers — a good fit for a family of four or five plus guests. Comfort at capacity is another matter; the longer hull typically means more seat options and better weight distribution.