When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Cobalt Boats 262WSS 2010 and the Cobalt Boats 303 2012 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 262WSS 2010 at 27,6 ft versus Cobalt Boats 303 2012 at 29,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Cobalt Boats 262WSS 2010 tips the scales at 5 425 lbs — 4 314 lbs more than the Cobalt Boats 303 2012 at 1 111 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.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 320 hp, the Cobalt Boats 262WSS 2010 has a 318-hp advantage over the Cobalt Boats 303 2012's 2-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 262WSS 2010 carries 73 gallons versus 15 gallons in the Cobalt Boats 303 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 262WSS 2010 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats 303 2012 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Cobalt Boats 262WSS 2010 could be the deciding factor.