Cobalt R7
The Cobalt R7 is a 25-foot bowrider, built from 2014 and still in production. Across 44 listings we have observed (model years 1991–2020), the median asking price is $22,500, with most boats asking $17,000 to $38,000. The engine we see most often on this model is MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L) and Volvo Penta sterndrive (gas, DPS/Duoprop).
BoatVerdict market snapshot
These are asking prices. No free or public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices, so nobody — us included — can honestly show you what these boats sold for. What we can show you is what 44 sellers are asking, which is the number you are actually negotiating against.
41 priced listings across 19 states is a national sample, so the range is stable.
Method: Asking prices from active listings, de-duplicated so a re-posted boat counts once (148 raw listings collapsed to 44 distinct boats). Quartiles, not averages, so one outlier cannot move the band. Rounded to $500.
Coverage: Model years 1991–2020, 19 states, 24 metro areas. New-boat listings excluded.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations (craigslist + rightboat) · US state vessel registries (6,493 registered Cobalt hulls)
Looking at a Cobalt R7 for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.
The BoatVerdict take
- BoatVerdict listing data
Supply is national: we saw listings in 19 states. You can shop this model without flying somewhere, and you will not be the only boat on the market when you sell.
- BoatVerdict listing data
Between the 1999 ($18,000 median) and the 2006 ($39,500 median) asking prices fall about 11% a year. The steepest part of that curve is behind any boat more than five years old, which is where the value sits.
- BoatVerdict analyst
The premium freshwater bowrider; best-in-class build and the strongest resale in the sterndrive bowrider segment.
- Recall (USCG/CPSC)
3 federal recall campaigns on file touch this builder. Check the specific hull against the recall list below before you put money down; remedies are free but only if the work was actually done.
Each point is tagged with the evidence behind it. Nothing here is a claim we cannot trace back to a counted listing, a federal record, or a named analyst judgement.
Cobalt R7 prices by model year
| Model year | Listings | Typical asking range | Median asking | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 2006 | 4 | $38,000 – $40,000 | $39,500 | |
| 2005 | 4 | $35,000 – $40,000 | $38,000 | |
| 2000 | 3 | $28,000 – $29,500 | $28,500 | |
| 1999 | 7 | $15,000 – $21,500 | $18,000 | |
| 1991 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — |
Asking prices from active listings we observed, not sold prices. No public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices; anyone showing you "sold" data for this market is estimating it. Years with fewer than 3 priced listings show the count only.
Method: Median and quartiles per model year, computed only where at least 3 priced listings exist for that year.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations
Known problems on the Cobalt R7
- Low Heavy boat — confirm the tow vehicle and trailer are rated for it (often overlooked, hurts resale to buyers without a 3/4-ton).
- Medium Volvo Penta sterndrive parts premium; expect higher service cost than a comparable MerCruiser boat.
Severity is BoatVerdict's rating of what the fault costs to put right and how likely it is to end a deal, not a manufacturer classification. Recalls are listed separately below because a recall is a federal record and a known issue is not.
Method: Hand-authored from service patterns, owner reports and federal records for this model, then reviewed against our listing data.
Sources: BoatVerdict analyst profile: Cobalt R7
Recalls affecting Cobalt R7
3 federal recall campaigns on file. Recalls are issued against hull-identification ranges, so a campaign listed here may or may not cover the specific boat you are looking at — check the HIN. Remedies are free from the builder, but only if the work was actually performed, and there is no central database that proves it was.
- ⚠ Recall
980064T5/14/1998ELECTRICAL WIRING
- ⚠ Recall
990025S3/11/1999ELECTRICAL - GROUND
- ⚠ Recall
180010SHULL; CRAZING
Method: Matched to the builder by normalized company name and MIC. A campaign is shown when it touches this builder; the model and year columns say how narrowly it applies.
Sources: US Coast Guard recall database · CPSC recalls
Engines we actually see on the R7
- MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L)
The most common inboard/outboard in US bowriders and cruisers. The engine itself (GM-based) is reliable; the maintenance burden is the drive and exhaust. Bellows, gimbal bearing, U-joints, and — in any saltwater service — exhaust manifolds and risers are the recurring costs.
Service reality: Bellows/gimbal every ~5 years; manifolds/risers every ~6–8 years (or 3–4 in salt) at $2.5–4K. Pull the drive on inspection — deferred drive service is the classic hidden cost.
Full MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L) reliability profile →
- Volvo Penta sterndrive (gas, DPS/Duoprop)
Smooth, strong drives — the Duoprop in particular handles and holds beautifully. The catch is parts cost: Volvo Penta components run materially higher than MerCruiser equivalents, so service and repair budgets are larger.
Service reality: Same wear items as MerCruiser (bellows, gimbal, impeller) but pricier parts. Verify drive-oil condition (milky = water intrusion = seal failure).
Full Volvo Penta sterndrive (gas, DPS/Duoprop) reliability profile →
Method: Engine family matched from the listing's engine fields and title text against BoatVerdict's engine-family profiles. Prevalence is share of our sample, not factory fitment rates.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations · BoatVerdict engine-family profiles
Cobalt R7 specifications
| Length overall | 24.8 ft | Builder spec |
|---|---|---|
| Beam | 8.5 ft | Builder spec |
| Hull type | bowrider | BoatVerdict classification |
| Segment | freshwater family | BoatVerdict classification |
| Production | 2014–present | Builder history |
| Primary use | Freshwater | BoatVerdict classification |
| Model years traded | 1991–2020 | Our listing data |
| Cobalt hulls in US registries | 6,493 | TX + NY open data |
Rows marked "our listing data" are measured from listings, not published by the builder, and will differ from a brochure. Rows without a source we can name are not shown at all.
What to inspect on a used Cobalt R7
- Inspect the sterndrive and bellows; verify Volvo service history. Model-specific item from BoatVerdict's Cobalt R7 profile.
- Check the trailer condition and rating — Cobalts are heavy and often under-trailered. Model-specific item from BoatVerdict's Cobalt R7 profile.
- MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L): Bellows/gimbal every ~5 years; manifolds/risers every ~6–8 years (or 3–4 in salt) at $2.5–4K. Pull the drive on inspection — deferred drive service is the classic hidden cost. Seen on 6 of the 44 R7 listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 100 hours a year is heavy use for a MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L). Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L).
- Volvo Penta sterndrive (gas, DPS/Duoprop): Same wear items as MerCruiser (bellows, gimbal, impeller) but pricier parts. Verify drive-oil condition (milky = water intrusion = seal failure). Seen on 2 of the 44 R7 listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 100 hours a year is heavy use for a Volvo Penta sterndrive (gas, DPS/Duoprop). Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for Volvo Penta sterndrive (gas, DPS/Duoprop).
- Assume saltwater service unless the seller can prove otherwise: pull the engine cowling and look at the powerhead, check trim-cylinder rams for pitting, and open the battery and fuse boxes for green corrosion. 69% of the listings we observed for this model are in coastal states.
- On the older hulls, core moisture is the deal-breaker: sound the transom and the deck with a plastic mallet, and treat any soft or dull-sounding area as a survey-stopper rather than a bargaining chip. We observe listings back to 1991, so boats over 35 years old are actively traded in this model.
- Work the 2 known issues listed above into the sea trial, not the walkaround. Most of them only show up under load. BoatVerdict analyst profile for this model.
This list is specific to this model: analyst items for the hull, plus items driven by the engines and the regions we actually observe on R7 listings. It is not a generic pre-purchase checklist, and it does not replace a surveyor.
What a R7 costs to own
$3,750 – $10k per year
- 25 ft bowrider, the published length for this model
- Saltwater berth, based on where most listings we see are located (WA)
- Includes insurance, storage, routine service, fuel at moderate seasonal use, and a reserve for wear items
- Excludes loan payments, major engine replacement, and refit work
This is a modelled band, not observed spend. Real cost swings hard on where you keep the boat and how much you use it.
Method: The same ownership-cost model BoatVerdict's paid Deal Report uses: boat class and length set the base band, then saltwater berth and size adjust it.
Sources: BoatVerdict ownership-cost model
Where R7s are for sale
- WA 13
- FL 5
- CA 4
- WI 4
- OH 3
- NV 2
- IN 1
- NY 1
- CT 1
- UT 1
Counts of distinct boats we observed per state, from 44 listings in 24 metro areas. We publish the distribution, not the listings themselves.
What else buyers cross-shop
- Cobalt 226
- Cobalt 200
- Sea Ray 280 Sundancer
- Sea Ray 270 Sundancer
- Four Winns 268 Vista
- Bayliner 2855 Ciera
Chosen by measured similarity — same builder first, then comparable length — and limited to models whose own page meets our evidence bar. No paid placements, no filler links.
Cobalt R7 FAQ
How much does a used Cobalt R7 cost?
Which model year of the Cobalt R7 is the best value?
What are the common problems with the Cobalt R7?
Are there recalls on the Cobalt R7?
What engine does the Cobalt R7 come with?
What does it cost to own a Cobalt R7 per year?
Looking at a Cobalt R7 for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.