When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Cobalt Boats 296 2009 and the Cobalt Boats 323 2011 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 296 2009 at 30,2 ft versus Cobalt Boats 323 2011 at 32,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Cobalt Boats 296 2009 tips the scales at 874 lbs — 751 lbs more than the Cobalt Boats 323 2011 at 123 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 323 2011 tops out at 430 hp. Engine specs for the Cobalt Boats 296 2009 aren't listed — confirm with a dealer before selecting an outboard.Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Cobalt Boats 323 2011 carries 174 gallons versus 123 gallons in the Cobalt Boats 296 2009. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.