Tonka Boater Intro

Shauna · Aug 2, 2017

Walt P said: ↑

Shauna, I just saw on Craigslist that Hickory Creek Marina (south of the Hwy 12 bridge) is adding 40 10x28 slips. $199.03 per month. (479) 751-7366. Hope that helps.
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Good to know! We've never gone much further south of 12..looked at a house on Lakeshore Dr...and Haynes. That's about as far as we went..how far is it on land from 12?

Shauna · Aug 2, 2017

Walt P said: ↑

Hi, I'm Walt. I grew up on Long Island, and had the North and South shore to boat and swim in. We had boats growing up (rowboats with outboards) and canoes. Many friends had boats, and my parents had us take the Coast Guard boating course. After High School, went to college in Western NY, lived outside Chicago, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, before settling in in Northwest Arkansas. Many years went by without being on the water. Something was always missing. 2 of my close golfing buddies bought Cobalts (R5, R3) and we started going back out on Beaver Lake with them. We really enjoyed it, and they helped us find our current Cobalt (2001 262- Pier Pressure). By find I mean they applied "pressure" to buy a boat. I could have said no.....but didn't. We are in our 3rd season with the 262, and have made a number of changes for the better. (see other posts). We have enjoyed boating so much we purchased a 1992 Carver 3307 ACMY to use as our "lake house" without the demands of having property. Both are moored at Prairie Creek, which has a great collection of like minded boaters. Our kids are grown and married, and love spending time on the lake with us. Somehow, I feel we will always have a Cobalt, as they are so well made. Thanks for letting me join, and hope to see some of you out on Beaver.
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Love your boat..262 is our favorite. I saw you mentioned you bought a Carver...they've recently started using stainless flagpoles on them..just like the ones Cobalt uses ( husband is OEM of the poles.. Cobalt has them made overseas now..but Carver and many Cobalt dealers still get them from us.) They are beautiful yachts!

Walt P · Aug 2, 2017

Its in the Lowell area. About 8 miles south as the crow flies. Take Hwy 264 east from I 49.

Shauna · Aug 2, 2017

Walt P said: ↑

Its in the Lowell area. About 8 miles south as the crow flies. Take Hwy 264 east from I 49.
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Walt P said: ↑

Its in the Lowell area. About 8 miles south as the crow flies. Take Hwy 264 east from I 49.
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Thanks!

Walt P · Aug 2, 2017

Shauna said: ↑

Love your boat..262 is our favorite. I saw you mentioned you bought a Carver...they've recently started using stainless flagpoles on them..just like the ones Cobalt uses ( husband is OEM of the poles.. Cobalt has them made overseas now..but Carver and many Cobalt dealers still get them from us.) They are beautiful yachts!
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Thanks. It is great to wake up on the lake. So peaceful. This one also needed A LOT of tlc. but well worth it!

Keepin' It Classic · Aug 7, 2017

Hello Cobalt Family!

My name is Andrew. I have grown up in and around Cobalt Boats. Although I didn't purchase my own until 2015, Cobalt has been in my blood for as long as I can remember.

My earliest memory of boating was jumping waves in a mid 90's Cobalt 220 with a Merc 502. I must have been 7 or 8.

I spent summer weekends of my early 20's on grand lake. Most of that time I could be found on a 220 or 262.

In my mid to late 20's, I spent most weekends on Winfield lake; typically aboard my friend's 253 w/500EFI.

[Fun fact: until last year, I had never ridden in any powerboat except a Cobalt. I broke the cycle at the Chicago Air and Water show when I was invited along a 90mph run in a Cigarette 38 Top Gun.]

In 2015 I purchased a 1979 Cobalt 19BR. I had been in pursuit of this boat since 2008. I could have purchased something much newer, but this particular boat had already been repowered with a Volvo 7.4 EFI and paired with a DuoProp. All work completed by a good buddy of mine. I was attracted to the "classic" and have an obsession with overpowered machines, so this fit the mold.

The boat had unsolved fuel issues and was in dire need of upholstery. I purchased the boat and began planning a retro-custom "resto-mod".

In three weeks time; I turned 30, got a promotion, found out I was going to be a Daddy, and bought a boat!

2 years later, I'm 2 phases into a 4 phase restoration. I can be found on instagram; @amckellar85 or @1979CobaltRestoration - and frequently use the hashtag " #1979CobaltRestoration " to track my pictures.

My fiancé enjoys the water (but prefers slow boating) while my son loves the sound of the big block and is showing early signs that he will be a daredevil.

While the boat has been in the shop a fair amount of the last two years, we do hit Melvern Lake (in Kansas) as often as possible; and make the Cobalt Regatta on Table Rock Lake, Missouri a priority. We also take a routine trip to LOTO late September, and plan to have an annual Beaver Lake trip as well.

For now, all restoration is on hold for the next 12 months, and we're gonna run the hell out of her In the meantime.

See ya on the water!

-Drew

Walt P · Aug 7, 2017

Nice Andrew. Hope to see you on Beaver.

Keepin' It Classic · Aug 7, 2017

Walt P said: ↑

Nice Andrew. Hope to see you on Beaver.
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I'll connect with you before making the trip. The girlfriend lived in Fayetteville for 12 years and spent plenty of time on that lake. However, I'll be looking for all the knowledge I can get!

Sarge · Aug 7, 2017

Keepin' It Classic said: ↑

Hello Cobalt Family!

My name is Andrew. I have grown up in and around Cobalt Boats. Although I didn't purchase my own until 2015, Cobalt has been in my blood for as long as I can remember.

My earliest memory of boating was jumping waves in a mid 90's Cobalt 220 with a Merc 502. I must have been 7 or 8.

I spent summer weekends of my early 20's on grand lake. Most of that time I could be found on a 220 or 262.

In my mid to late 20's, I spent most weekends on Winfield lake; typically aboard my friend's 253 w/500EFI.

[Fun fact: until last year, I had never ridden in any powerboat except a Cobalt. I broke the cycle at the Chicago Air and Water show when I was invited along a 90mph run in a Cigarette 38 Top Gun.]

In 2015 I purchased a 1979 Cobalt 19BR. I had been in pursuit of this boat since 2008. I could have purchased something much newer, but this particular boat had already been repowered with a Volvo 7.4 EFI and paired with a DuoProp. All work completed by a good buddy of mine. I was attracted to the "classic" and have an obsession with overpowered machines, so this fit the mold.

The boat had unsolved fuel issues and was in dire need of upholstery. I purchased the boat and began planning a retro-custom "resto-mod".

In three weeks time; I turned 30, got a promotion, found out I was going to be a Daddy, and bought a boat!

2 years later, I'm 2 phases into a 4 phase restoration. I can be found on instagram; @amckellar85 or @1979CobaltRestoration - and frequently use the hashtag " #1979CobaltRestoration " to track my pictures.

My fiancé enjoys the water (but prefers slow boating) while my son loves the sound of the big block and is showing early signs that he will be a daredevil.

While the boat has been in the shop a fair amount of the last two years, we do hit Melvern Lake (in Kansas) as often as possible; and make the Cobalt Regatta on Table Rock Lake, Missouri a priority. We also take a routine trip to LOTO late September, and plan to have an annual Beaver Lake trip as well.

For now, all restoration is on hold for the next 12 months, and we're gonna run the hell out of her In the meantime.

See ya on the water!

-Drew

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Welcome aboard fellow Kansan. Nice boat! My fiancé prefers smooth slow rides as well, but sometimes the big block needs a workout.

Blazeman916 · Aug 13, 2017

Hi All, I am from West Sacramento, CA. I started life here and moved to Denver, Phoenix, Cheney, KS... Dallas, Houston, Galveston, and back to Home in 2009. I have been involved with boating since I was a child and am now the Big FIVE OH! I have owned an 1988 17' Chris Craft Cavalier that was a cherry little boat, but very small and weak. Now I own this 1986 19BR! I scored bigly on this deal and love every inch of her. I custom designed and built my own swim deck out of IPE wood and aluminum angle (Fresh Water Only) to ensure a fun boating experience for everyone. Thanks for including me on this Forum. God Bless You and God Bless America!

Keepin' It Classic · Aug 13, 2017

Blazeman916 said: ↑

View attachment 297 Hi All, I am from West Sacramento, CA. I started life here and moved to Denver, Phoenix, Cheney, KS... Dallas, Houston, Galveston, and back to Home in 2009. I have been involved with boating since I was a child and am now the Big FIVE OH! I have owned an 1988 17' Chris Craft Cavalier that was a cherry little boat, but very small and weak. Now I own this 1986 19BR! I scored bigly on this deal and love every inch of her. I custom designed and built my own swim deck out of IPE wood and aluminum angle (Fresh Water Only) to ensure a fun boating experience for everyone. Thanks for including me on this Forum. God Bless You and God Bless America!
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She's a beauty! You should head over to the classics section and give a write up on her if you haven't already!!!

Sarge · Aug 13, 2017

Blazeman916 said: ↑

View attachment 297 Hi All, I am from West Sacramento, CA. I started life here and moved to Denver, Phoenix, Cheney, KS... Dallas, Houston, Galveston, and back to Home in 2009. I have been involved with boating since I was a child and am now the Big FIVE OH! I have owned an 1988 17' Chris Craft Cavalier that was a cherry little boat, but very small and weak. Now I own this 1986 19BR! I scored bigly on this deal and love every inch of her. I custom designed and built my own swim deck out of IPE wood and aluminum angle (Fresh Water Only) to ensure a fun boating experience for everyone. Thanks for including me on this Forum. God Bless You and God Bless America!
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Love the boat! What do you do that takes you to all those wonderful cities and how does Cheney tie in to that loop? I live in Wichita.

Blazeman916 · Aug 13, 2017

Sarge said: ↑

Love the boat! What do you do that takes you to all those wonderful cities and how does Cheney tie in to that loop? I live in Wichita.
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I used to work in the Railroad Industry. Had some friends move to Cheney from Arvada, CO. Rented a house in Cheney for a few months working on a project in Hutchinson. I could see myself retiring to Kansas someday. My wife and I own a thriving Hair Salon here in our hometown. I guess you could say I am working through my early retirement from the Railroad as a Hairstylist! The best part is we get the water all to ourselves on Mondays when the Salon is closed! Lol

Blazeman916 · Aug 15, 2017

Keepin' It Classic said: ↑

She's a beauty! You should head over to the classics section and give a write up on her if you haven't already!!!
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I saw your pics with Joe at Tablerock. He has the same paint scheme as mine. Is he on here? He and you have the full back seat with captains and I have the lounge seats with engine cowl and starboard/portside rear seats. I guess this were different options back then? Anyway, I wanted to find out if he has done any mods to the 5.7l with Alpha 1?

Keepin' It Classic · Aug 15, 2017

Blazeman916 said: ↑

I saw your pics with Joe at Tablerock. He has the same paint scheme as mine. Is he on here? He and you have the full back seat with captains and I have the lounge seats with engine cowl and starboard/portside rear seats. I guess this were different options back then? Anyway, I wanted to find out if he has done any mods to the 5.7l with Alpha 1?
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I don't believe he's on here. I do know that he has not modded anything in the power train. That boat is 95% all original! Two small pieces of vinyl replaced, and a transom. That's it!
Yes, they had 4 different seat configurations. Yours, Joe's, an older version of Joe's, and an L shaped lounge.
If you check out the download library on Cobalt's website, you can scroll through different years and see all 3!

Muggsy · Aug 15, 2017

Blazeman916 said: ↑

I saw your pics with Joe at Tablerock. He has the same paint scheme as mine. Is he on here? He and you have the full back seat with captains and I have the lounge seats with engine cowl and starboard/portside rear seats. I guess this were different options back then? Anyway, I wanted to find out if he has done any mods to the 5.7l with Alpha 1?
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A note of caution modifying the 5.7 and Alpha I drive. I've had this combination in several boats and while there are some substantial horsepower gains available in the small block GM motors, the problem is the Alpha Drive. That drive is really only good up to about 300 HP. That's only 40 above the stock 260 and the cost of those mods for 40 HP is pricey.

I owned my CM 23 with a partner in Long Beach in the 90's Originally a stock 260HP and Alpha drive. My partner always wanted to modify the engine for more speed (Top speed was about 46-47 mph) and I was always talking him out of it. Shortly after I exited the partnership, about 1998, he had the motor built and went out of Long Beach on a trip to Catalina, jumped a wake and blew the drive into several pieces. He continued building the motors and it now has the current 383 Stroker motor that has an unknown amount of HP but estimated to be in the 350 range. The only way the Alpha will accept this is with very judicious application of power and not allowing the prop to spin free such as when jumping a wake. About 5 years ago, the previous owner had to replace another drive and installed a drive from Sterndrive Engineering, Inc. (SEI) If you do not know about them they make a pretty reliable drive replacement of Merc, Cobra and Volvo. I was documenting my restoration on another Forum when a rep from SEI commented that they feel their drive will easily handle the estimated 350 HP that my motor has. If I had the money I would have switched to a Bravo I drive which would easily handle the HP and also has better shifting.

I see all the time on forums people asking for ways to make their boat go faster. The rule of thumb is you will spend about $1000 (a Boat Buck) for each 1 MPH gained. My advice is always, "If you want a boat to go faster, buy a boat that goes faster", it's cheaper in the long run.

Blazeman916 · Aug 15, 2017

Keepin' It Classic said: ↑

I don't believe he's on here. I do know that he has not modded anything in the power train. That boat is 95% all original! Two small pieces of vinyl replaced, and a transom. That's it!
Yes, they had 4 different seat configurations. Yours, Joe's, an older version of Joe's, and an L shaped lounge.
If you check out the download library on Cobalt's website, you can scroll through different years and see all 3!
Click to expand...

Awesome! Thanks .

Tim S · Feb 10, 2018

Shauna said: ↑

Hi, I have taught high school English for 23 years, and this year I will be high school counselor. We love spending our time on the water in the summer. My husband is the director of training for the plumbers and pipefitters apprenticeship here in Kansas. We have four kids with one kid left in high school. We don't get on the water as much as we'd like thanks to summer softball but I believe this was the last summer for that so I think we will see more water time! This is our third and favorite Cobalt. *As a side note we actually started a business in 1998 when we approached Cobalt with the idea of flagpoles. They like the idea and we manufactured those poles until about 2006. In about 2006 and 07 is when they started using the push button lock poles that were kind of like tent pole mechanisms. Apparently those didn't work very well and Cobalt had us start making them again until 2012 when they kept our design and started having them made overseas. Lucky for us there are a number of dealers that prefer the heavier American made poles. Now we sell to those dealers and will sell to individuals as well. We have a Facebook page TIG Tech Marine and a website www.tigtechmarine.com. This is not a sales pitch LOL I'm really here for the Cobalt camaraderie but I thought I'd throw that out there in case anyone is in need of a flagpole and would like to bypass Cobalt's s retail price. I'm looking forward to all the pictures and reading about everyone's boating fun!
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My wife and I are not new to boating but just purchased out first Cobalt. We are new to this site and she keeps telling me we need a flag on our boat. Thanks for posting this. It really looks great. I noticed there is no dealer in my area and I do not see anything posted about installation. Does this require dealer installation? Something bothers me about drilling a hole in a boat. Let me know if this's is available in the Tennessee area. Thanks again for posting.

Shauna · Feb 10, 2018

Hi Tim,
Yes, I agree...we wouldn't drill into ours either and we make the poles lol! I"m not sure where you are in Tennessee. Marine Sales of Pickwick sometimes orders from us and there are a couple of dealers in Kentucky that order from if they might be closer. I know that we have sold many poles to individuals and many have said that it wasn't really that hard if you just take your time. Let me know if I can help you more. It is usually more expensive to buy directly from the dealer. We aren't the OEM for Cobalt anymore. They copied the pole and started having it made overseas with foreign made material. That's the reason we started selling directly to dealers and offering them to individuals. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/po...id=366394190083127&substory_index=0&width=500" width="500" height="344" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true"></iframe>

Walt P · Feb 10, 2018

Tim, I added the flag pole to my 262 myself. You just have to ensure that where you are drilling has no obstructions underneath. I stared with a pilot hole and then went to a bigger hole saw. Just remember to drill the screw holes just smaller than the screw. Too small and the screw will break off on you or the surface of the Gelcoat may split. Take your time and it will be ok.

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