WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

New Boat

J DUNN

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Got a new boat last week. We ordered it months ago and took delivery at Elsinore a week ago. We are keeping our '95 Hallett 240. This is a Cobalt R7 Surf. We boat a lot at Powell and this will be super family and kid friendly for all the activities we want to do. We live in Orange County, CA and may even try to dip it in the big blue every now and then but not sure yet. If we did we would go to a marina that could lift it in so I don't salt my trailer. Anyway, here it is. Certainly dwarfs the 240.

Length 27'6"
Beam 8'
Draft Huge
Propulsion Volvo Penta 430 (6.2) forward facing drive
Wife picked the colors, I picked the motor.
Loads of seating space, nice deep V for the Powell storm waves, tower for the wakeboarders in the family and surf system for those who prefer that.

We ran it at Elsinore for 2 hours or so and had a great overall experience with Dave Diaz with Tilly's Marine (Norco). The boat ran great and we're looking forward to a great summer and many fun memories to be created.
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JD D05

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Will be great for Powell. When you taking it?
 

707dog

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killer boat and nice colors fit/finish in them cobalts are top notch.
 

FROGMAN524

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Yes congrats on the new boat. Always liked Cobalts I think they’re probably the nicest production boats made.


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H2O

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Intersted to hear how you like the new Volvo engine package...i.e. since Volvo went with the small block 6.2 w/ direct injection & VVT, vs the conventional big block Merc still uses in their 430.
 

SpectraPat

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How are you going to pull both boats to Powell? You know it won’t go fast enough and your going to say “damm, I should have brought the Hallett too”. Haha. Congrats
 

Dkahnjob

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Beautiful boat! Cobalt's are top quality.
Enjoy.
 

FROGMAN524

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Sorry to bring this back from the dead but how has the boat been so far? Any pics on Powell?
 
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Motor Boater

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My buddy has one of these and we’ve used it at Powell twice. Really really nice boat. Great for water sports, fishing and still fast enough to cruise at decent speeds for long runs. Nice deep V that handles the waves really well.
 

DrunkenSailor

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I am a big fan of the Cobalt. My buddy has one and we have been out on it in San Diego Bay and offshore many times. Boat handles great and is decently fast with a 496ho for what it is. They make a good production boat.
 

AZmike

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Congratulations! That thing makes the crew cab look like a half ton now 😂
 

J DUNN

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Sorry to bring this back from the dead but how has the boat been so far? Any pics on Powell?

Here you go sir! Eat your heart out.....


15yo daughter surfing, trying to master the 360
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Big pile of fam bam and friends, daughter in yellow hat, 11yo son with blue glasses on (my 1st mate), 17yo son with hat on back seat (co-captain), I'm in red shirt texting while driving, lol
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Good shot from on top of houseboat
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daughter slow surfing going up and down from laying down to standing on the longboard. She rides a 10' RS at Old Mans so this is her hybrid surfing
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Best cove in the back of Face Canyon, spent a couple weeks there last summer.
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Dangling Rope, used to go for soft serve, now we go for the heck of it. #stupidcovid
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20 yo daughter surfing, rods and screws in back from scoliosis, surfing and light tubing is all she can do back there, girl can't physically do a sit up but spent hours trying to surf and finally nailed it
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Daughters and friend watching surfing
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Towing up the lake, Co-captain staying vigilant in case he needs to rescue or abort, at all costs SAVE THE BOAT, jk
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Me and my youngest
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FIL looking for the putting green
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Daughter and MIL staying cool
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Plenty of room, had 11 people on the boat all week, no hassles
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Dangling Rope, loading up and heading out. Must have been a Sunday fun run, no boards in the racks. We do church on the Houseboat and sight see on Sunday's, it's still the Lord's day and a good day to rest from the non-stop play the rest of the week.
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FROGMAN524

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Here you go sir! Eat your heart out.....


15yo daughter surfing, trying to master the 360
View attachment 987486

Big pile of fam bam and friends, daughter in yellow hat, 11yo son with blue glasses on (my 1st mate), 17yo son with hat on back seat (co-captain), I'm in red shirt texting while driving, lol
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Good shot from on top of houseboat
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daughter slow surfing going up and down from laying down to standing on the longboard. She rides a 10' RS at Old Mans so this is her hybrid surfing
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Best cove in the back of Face Canyon, spent a couple weeks there last summer.
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Dangling Rope, used to go for soft serve, now we go for the heck of it. #stupidcovid
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20 yo daughter surfing, rods and screws in back from scoliosis, surfing and light tubing is all she can do back there, girl can't physically do a sit up but spent hours trying to surf and finally nailed it
View attachment 987492

Daughters and friend watching surfing
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Towing up the lake, Co-captain staying vigilant in case he needs to rescue or abort, at all costs SAVE THE BOAT, jk
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Me and my youngest
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FIL looking for the putting green
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Daughter and MIL staying cool
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Plenty of room, had 11 people on the boat all week, no hassles
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Dangling Rope, loading up and heading out. Must have been a Sunday fun run, no boards in the racks. We do church on the Houseboat and sight see on Sunday's, it's still the Lord's day and a good day to rest from the non-stop play the rest of the week.
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That’s awesome. We do a surf trip every year in October at San onofre and surf old mans, trails and sometimes T street for the kids.


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havasuhusker

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Great pictures! Nothing better than spending time on the lake with family and friends. Thanks for sharing.
 

mbrown2

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Great pics, nice boat....Thing has seating for days!
 

Halvecto

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Dangling Rope, loading up and heading out. Must have been a Sunday fun run, no boards in the racks. We do church on the Houseboat and sight see on Sunday's, it's still the Lord's day and a good day to rest from the non-stop play the rest of the week.
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Bro, scrolling thru and thinking to myself, this guy gets it (selling the 240 notwithstanding :p); what great family memories. Nice spot for an early morning devo and some Getty worship music.

Keep loving on your crew. This world is a fiasco. Building strong family is a blessing to you and others around you. Thanks for sharing sir. SDG

Psalm 95
1 O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD,
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God
And a great King above all gods,
4 In whose hand are the depths of the earth,
The peaks of the mountains are His also.
5 The sea is His, for it was He who made it,
And His hands formed the dry land.
 

WhatExit?

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Fantastic family, values and boat - great pics!

Glad to see the triple axle trailer - makes up for the Chevy towing it 😁 😁 😁
 

Duramax

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Got a new boat last week. We ordered it months ago and took delivery at Elsinore a week ago. We are keeping our '95 Hallett 240. This is a Cobalt R7 Surf. We boat a lot at Powell and this will be super family and kid friendly for all the activities we want to do. We live in Orange County, CA and may even try to dip it in the big blue every now and then but not sure yet. If we did we would go to a marina that could lift it in so I don't salt my trailer. Anyway, here it is. Certainly dwarfs the 240.

Length 27'6"
Beam 8'
Draft Huge
Propulsion Volvo Penta 430 (6.2) forward facing drive
Wife picked the colors, I picked the motor.
Loads of seating space, nice deep V for the Powell storm waves, tower for the wakeboarders in the family and surf system for those who prefer that.

We ran it at Elsinore for 2 hours or so and had a great overall experience with Dave Diaz with Tilly's Marine (Norco). The boat ran great and we're looking forward to a great summer and many fun memories to be created. View attachment 655363 View attachment 655364
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Fantastic! Happy for you and your family as it is going to be a great season for you. How do you like the forward facing drive? Can you feel any difference? It looks like a beast! You must be proud of all of your kiddos, congrats!
 

J DUNN

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Fantastic! Happy for you and your family as it is going to be a great season for you. How do you like the forward facing drive? Can you feel any difference? It looks like a beast! You must be proud of all of your kiddos, congrats!

Keep in mind this thread is a couple years old. All the pics in my last post were from 2020 season.

Forward facing drive is okay. I can feel a difference and it's not really a good thing but is worth the trade off. We can surf safely but still have the benefits of an outdrive, way faster than many other surf boats but everything has a trade off. The negative of that drive is handling at speed. It's not bad, just more prone to spin out. I think it's because the prop is so much closer to the fulcrum or turning point of the hull. When loaded and at speed we make slower turns otherwise it feels like the back is trying to come around the front, lol. Not drastic but I know what I'm looking for so a less experienced boater may not perceive it and that could be detrimental. That really is a pretty small issue compared to all of the upsides. Most of the hours on the boat are from surfing so it serves it's purpose well.
 

FROGMAN524

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Keep in mind this thread is a couple years old. All the pics in my last post were from 2020 season.

Forward facing drive is okay. I can feel a difference and it's not really a good thing but is worth the trade off. We can surf safely but still have the benefits of an outdrive, way faster than many other surf boats but everything has a trade off. The negative of that drive is handling at speed. It's not bad, just more prone to spin out. I think it's because the prop is so much closer to the fulcrum or turning point of the hull. When loaded and at speed we make slower turns otherwise it feels like the back is trying to come around the front, lol. Not drastic but I know what I'm looking for so a less experienced boater may not perceive it and that could be detrimental. That really is a pretty small issue compared to all of the upsides. Most of the hours on the boat are from surfing so it serves it's purpose well.

Do you have the 430HP motor? What’s too speed on that R7?


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Htwolow

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Oh man color me jealous. Congrats on the new purchase. Looks like a lot of fun.
 

J DUNN

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Do you have the 430HP motor? What’s too speed on that R7?


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Yes. Wife picked the color, I picked the motor. Still though, I wish it was the 496HO they used to put in them. Still runs good enough though, 47-50mph depending on load and that is at Powell.

This off season I brought it home and removed the panels in the bathroom compartment and made it a LOT bigger. Used a new much larger piece of HDPE for the floor and had the side panels extended to use more of the available space. Now I can store multiple surfboards in there including my 5 footer. Or while on lake a kid could easily go nap in there now. I didn't full on 2FF it! Just trying to make changes that help space but won't be perceived unless you know what you're looking for.
 

Halvecto

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Keep in mind this thread is a couple years old. All the pics in my last post were from 2020 season.

Forward facing drive is okay. I can feel a difference and it's not really a good thing but is worth the trade off. We can surf safely but still have the benefits of an outdrive, way faster than many other surf boats but everything has a trade off. The negative of that drive is handling at speed. It's not bad, just more prone to spin out. I think it's because the prop is so much closer to the fulcrum or turning point of the hull. When loaded and at speed we make slower turns otherwise it feels like the back is trying to come around the front, lol. Not drastic but I know what I'm looking for so a less experienced boater may not perceive it and that could be detrimental. That really is a pretty small issue compared to all of the upsides. Most of the hours on the boat are from surfing so it serves it's purpose well.

Does that drive have any trim adjust? If you put a touch of plates down, would that help the handling or are those just too big and designed for creating the wedge/wake? Does the hull get up on plane much at speed or does it basically push/plow like the Malibu/Nautique, etc.? 47-50 is a pretty good number for that size hull and style.
 
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J DUNN

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Does that drive have any trim adjust? If you put a touch of plates down, would that help the handling or are those just too big and designed for creating the wedge/wake? Does the hull get up on plane much at speed or does it basically push/plow like the Malibu/Nautique, etc.? 47-50 is a pretty good number for that size hull and style.

Yes it has trim just not as drastic of an affect compared to standard outdrive. Plates can only be used under 15mph so you're not on plane at that point. The plates are HUGE btw. Does hull get on plane at speed? Uh, yeah, have you seen a displacement hull go 50mph? Yes it gets on plane. Also has a "Performance Mode" which uses tabs on take off to get you on plane quicker when ballast tanks are full then tabs and drive adjust to normal once you're at a certain speed. I agree on the speed. Great numbers for a very versatile boat. Not the BEST wake for surf but it's good.

My 0-10 ratings:
Rider comfort and space 10+
Style and looks (for this boat type) 10
Speed for this hull type 8 but compared to other surf boats it's a 10
Wake for surf 8.5
Wake for ski 6
 

Halvecto

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Ha, I just looked again:

Length 27'6"
Beam 8'

That's huge. You could have been a consultant to the ship stuck in the Suez canal. Makes the performance comments more impressive.
 
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