Cobalt Boats 282 2006 vs Cobalt Boats 303 2009 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 or the Cobalt Boats 303 2009?

The Cobalt Boats 303 2009 is the longer of the two at 29,8 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats 282 2006 comes in at 28,0 feet, making it roughly 1,8 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 or the Cobalt Boats 303 2009?

For trailering, the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 has the edge at 779 lbs dry weight versus 1 111 lbs for the Cobalt Boats 303 2009. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Q: What is the maximum horsepower rating for these boats?

The Cobalt Boats 282 2006 has a documented max rating of 320 hp. Engine specifications for the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 were not available in our database — check the OEM spec sheet or manufacturer's website for confirmation.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Cobalt Boats 282 2006 is Coast Guard rated for 8 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 is certified for 9. 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 is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Cobalt Boats 303 2009 measures 119" wide, compared to 108" for the Cobalt Boats 282 2006. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 or the Cobalt Boats 303 2009?

The Cobalt Boats 303 2009 has the bigger tank at 15 gallons, versus 9 gallons on the Cobalt Boats 282 2006. That 6-gallon difference translates to roughly 18–30 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 and Cobalt Boats 303 2009 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 and the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 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 282 2006 vs Cobalt Boats 303 2009

Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats 282 2006

2006

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Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats 303 2009

2009

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Cobalt Boats 282 2006 vs Cobalt Boats 303 2009 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Cobalt Boats 282 2006 vs Cobalt Boats 303 2009 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.

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Cobalt Boats 282 2006 at 28,0 ft versus Cobalt Boats 303 2009 at 29,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 tips the scales at 1 111 lbs — 332 lbs less than the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 at 779 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 Cobalt Boats 282 2006 carries a rated maximum of 320 hp. Engine data for the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 wasn't available in our records — check the manufacturer's spec sheet before sizing a motor.Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 carries 15 gallons versus 9 gallons in the Cobalt Boats 282 2006. 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 303 2009 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 29,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Cobalt Boats 282 2006 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeCobalt Boats

Model282

Model303

Model Year2006

Model Year2009

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam9 ft. (2.74 m)

Beam9 ft. 11 in. (3.02 m)

Beam - Meters2.74

Beam - Meters3.02

Beam - Inches108

Beam - Inches119

Bridge clearance - Detail67 in. (1.70 m)

Bridge clearance - DetailWithout Bimini: 5 ft. 9 in. (1.75 m) With Arch or Tower: 8 ft. 2 in. (2.49 m)

Bridge clearance - Meters1.7

Bridge clearance - Meters2.49

Bridge clearance - Inches67

Bridge clearance - Inches98

Deadrise22℃

Deadrise22°

Draft [drive up] - Detail23 in. (0.58 m) (with single engine) 25 in. (0.64 m) (with twin engines)

Draft [drive up] - Detail26 in. (0.66 m)

Draft [drive up] meters0.64

Draft [drive up] meters0.66

Draft [drive up] inches25

Draft [drive up] inches26

Draft [max] - Detail31 in. (0.79 m) (with single engine) 33 in. (0.84 m) (with twin engines)

Draft [max] - Detail44 in. (1.12 m)

Draft [max] - Meters0.84

Draft [max] - Meters1.12

Draft [max] - Inches33

Draft [max] - Inches44

Weight - Detail6,670 lbs. (3,025 kg) (with big block engine) 7,790 lbs. (3,533 kg) (with twin small block engines)

Weight - Detail11,110 lbs. (5,039 kg)

Weight - kg3533.48

Weight - kg5039.41

Weight - lbs.779

Weight - lbs.1111

Height - DetailOverall: 89-5/8 in. (2.28 m) With arch or tower: 118-1/2 in. (3.01 m) Without windshield: 76-1/2 in. (1.94 m)

Height - Detailnot available

Height - Meters3.02

Height - Metersnot available

Height - Inches118.5

Height - Inchesnot available

Length - Meters8.74

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet28

Length - Feet29.75

Length - Inches8

Length - Inchesnot available

Length [over all with swim platform]30 ft. 0 in. (9.14 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]31 ft. 6 in. (9.6 m)

Length overall - Detail28 ft. 8 in. (8.74 m)

Length overall - Detail29 ft. 9 in. (9.07 m)

Length overall - Meters8.74

Length overall - Meters9.07

Length overall - Inches344

Length overall - Inches357

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardVolvo Penta 5.7 GXi SX 320 hp (239 kW)

Engine/s standardVolvo Penta Twin 5.7 GI SX 300 php (224 PkW)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail90 gal. (340 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail150 gal. (568 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters340.69

Fuel tank capacity - Liters567.81

Fuel tank capacity - Gal9

Fuel tank capacity - Gal15

Fuel typeGas or diesel

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeI/O

Drive typeI/O - Twin

Engine maxTwin 320 hp (239 kW)

Engine maxnot available

Operational Info

Water capacity18 gal. (68 l)

Water capacityFresh: 30 gal. (114 l)

Maximum capacityYacht certified

Maximum peopleYacht certified

Body / Hull

Hull materialnot available

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typenot available

Hull typeDeep Vee

Cobalt Boats 282 2006 vs Cobalt Boats 303 2009 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 or the Cobalt Boats 303 2009?

The Cobalt Boats 303 2009 is the longer of the two at 29,8 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats 282 2006 comes in at 28,0 feet, making it roughly 1,8 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 or the Cobalt Boats 303 2009?

For trailering, the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 has the edge at 779 lbs dry weight versus 1 111 lbs for the Cobalt Boats 303 2009. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

What is the maximum horsepower rating for these boats?

The Cobalt Boats 282 2006 has a documented max rating of 320 hp. Engine specifications for the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 were not available in our database — check the OEM spec sheet or manufacturer's website for confirmation.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Cobalt Boats 282 2006 is Coast Guard rated for 8 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 is certified for 9. 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 is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Cobalt Boats 303 2009 measures 119" wide, compared to 108" for the Cobalt Boats 282 2006. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 or the Cobalt Boats 303 2009?

The Cobalt Boats 303 2009 has the bigger tank at 15 gallons, versus 9 gallons on the Cobalt Boats 282 2006. That 6-gallon difference translates to roughly 18–30 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 and Cobalt Boats 303 2009 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 282 2006 and the Cobalt Boats 303 2009 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 282 2006 full specs ← Cobalt Boats 303 2009 full specs