Cobalt Boats 343 2006 vs Cobalt Boats R5 2015 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 343 2006 or the Cobalt Boats R5 2015?

The Cobalt Boats 343 2006 is the longer of the two at 35,0 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats R5 2015 comes in at 26,0 feet, making it roughly 9,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Cobalt Boats 343 2006 is rated to a maximum of 500 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Cobalt Boats R5 2015 tops out at 380 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Cobalt Boats 343 2006 is Coast Guard rated for 10 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats R5 2015 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 343 2006 or the Cobalt Boats R5 2015?

The Cobalt Boats R5 2015 has the bigger tank at 5 gallons, versus 2 gallons on the Cobalt Boats 343 2006. That 3-gallon difference translates to roughly 9–15 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Cobalt Boats 343 2006 and Cobalt Boats R5 2015 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 343 2006 and the Cobalt Boats R5 2015 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 343 2006 vs Cobalt Boats R5 2015

Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats 343 2006

2006

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Cobalt Boats

Cobalt Boats R5 2015

2015

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Cobalt Boats 343 2006 vs Cobalt Boats R5 2015 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Cobalt Boats 343 2006 vs Cobalt Boats R5 2015 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.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 500 hp, the Cobalt Boats 343 2006 has a 120-hp advantage over the Cobalt Boats R5 2015's 380-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 2 gal and 5 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Cobalt Boats 343 2006 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats R5 2015 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 343 2006 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Cobalt Boats 343 2006 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 10 passengers and at 35,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Cobalt Boats R5 2015 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

Model343

Modelnot available

Model Year2006

Model Yearnot available

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam9 ft. 8 in. (2.95 m)

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters2.95

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches116

Beam - Inchesnot available

Bridge clearance - Detail69 in. (1.75 m)

Bridge clearance - Detailnot available

Bridge clearance - Meters1.75

Bridge clearance - Metersnot available

Bridge clearance - Inches69

Bridge clearance - Inchesnot available

Deadrise24.5℃

Deadrisenot available

Draft [drive up] - Detail28 in. (0.71 m) (with twin engines)

Draft [drive up] - Detailnot available

Draft [drive up] meters0.71

Draft [drive up] metersnot available

Draft [drive up] inches28

Draft [drive up] inchesnot available

Draft [max] - Detail37 in. (0.94 m) (with twin engines)

Draft [max] - Detailnot available

Draft [max] - Meters0.94

Draft [max] - Metersnot available

Draft [max] - Inches37

Draft [max] - Inchesnot available

Weight - Detail11,750 lbs. (5,330 kg) (with twin big block engines)

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg5329.71

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.1175

Weight - lbs.not available

Height - DetailOverall: 87-1/2 in. (2.22 m) With arch or tower: 116-1/2 in. (2.96 m) Without windshield: 73-1/2 in. (1.87 m)

Height - Detailnot available

Height - Meters2.97

Height - Metersnot available

Height - Inches116.5

Height - Inchesnot available

Length - Meters10.78

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet35

Length - Feet26

Length - Inches4

Length - Inchesnot available

Length [over all with swim platform]37 ft. 2-1/2 in. (11.34 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]not available

Length overall - Detail35 ft. 4 in. (10.78 m)

Length overall - Detail26.00 ft

Length overall - Meters10.77

Length overall - Meters7.92

Length overall - Inches424

Length overall - Inches312

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardMerCruiser Twin 496 Mag MPI Bravo 1 375 hp (280 kW)

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail200 gal. (757 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters757.08

Fuel tank capacity - Liters189.27

Fuel tank capacity - Gal2

Fuel tank capacity - Gal5

Fuel typeGas or diesel

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeI/O

Drive typeinboard

Engine maxTwin 500 hp

Engine maxnot available

Engine makenot available

Engine makeVolvo Penta

Horsepowernot available

Horsepower380 hp

Operational Info

HeadElectric

Headnot available

Water capacity10 gal. (37.9 l)

Water capacity1

Maximum capacityYacht certified

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum peopleYacht certified

Maximum peoplenot available

Boat typenot available

Boat typePower

Cobalt Boats 343 2006 vs Cobalt Boats R5 2015 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Cobalt Boats 343 2006 or the Cobalt Boats R5 2015?

The Cobalt Boats 343 2006 is the longer of the two at 35,0 feet overall. The Cobalt Boats R5 2015 comes in at 26,0 feet, making it roughly 9,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Cobalt Boats 343 2006 is rated to a maximum of 500 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Cobalt Boats R5 2015 tops out at 380 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Cobalt Boats 343 2006 is Coast Guard rated for 10 passengers, while the Cobalt Boats R5 2015 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 343 2006 or the Cobalt Boats R5 2015?

The Cobalt Boats R5 2015 has the bigger tank at 5 gallons, versus 2 gallons on the Cobalt Boats 343 2006. That 3-gallon difference translates to roughly 9–15 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Cobalt Boats 343 2006 and Cobalt Boats R5 2015 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Cobalt Boats 343 2006 and the Cobalt Boats R5 2015 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.

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