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Cobia 301 CC: 2018 Boat Buyers Guide

It’s a bold move, replacing a proven boat like the Cobia 296, but then, the new Cobia 301 CC is a bold fishing boat.
Cobia 301 CC
LOA: 29’7′ | Beam: 10′ | Fuel Capacity: 230 gal. | Dry Weight: 5,915 lb. plus power | Max Horsepower: 600 | Certifications: NMMA Courtesy of Cobia Boats

There are fishing boats whose high price is a source of owner pride. Fans of Cobia boats, in contrast, are proudest of the value and fish-worthy performance they get for their hard-earned boating dollar.

Cobia, a center console specialist (one bay boat and a pair of dual consoles in the line), is a sibling of Maverick Boat Co.’s Maverick skiffs, Hewes backcountry boats and Pathfinder bay boats. It became part of the four-decade-established Maverick family a dozen years ago, its 50-plus years of building family-friendly boats now enriched by Maverick’s state-of-the-art production ideas and techniques.

Those who know Cobia boats praise their attributes quite evenly: less than one point on a 50-point scale spanned our categories of Fishability, Performance, Design/Construction and Value. The most appreciated individual traits came from each of those categories too. Those responses paint a picture of a cherished line of boats offering safe, efficient fishing with strong manufacturer backing.

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Cobia makes its own wiring harnesses, specific to each boat (and labeled at each end to short-circuit mysteries!). Hoses are double-clamped, and through-hulls are stainless steel. All fasteners are through-bolted, seated in screw-retention materials or both.

All features to appreciate in a rugged, comfortable fishing boat, Cobia fans agree.

COBIA 301 CC

Cobia’s 296 CC was the country’s top-selling 30-footer, the company says; its new 301 CC is stepping into those big shoes with added features.

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The cockpit’s bigger, at 82 square feet, and a new console design places controls and screens in optimal settings. An inward-opening side door makes it easy to boat big fish, enter and exit the boat for diving or snorkeling, and disembark dockside.

Anglers will find the tackle station upgraded with a fresh­water sink and rigging station. A pair of 80-gallon insulated fish boxes feature macerated overboard drain pumps. Two independently watered 28-gallon livewells keep bait lively.

The family’s sure to like the electric head with sink/shower, towel bar, toilet-paper holder and mirror, and the electronically adjusted forward table/sun lounge stored in-floor. There’s seating ahead of the console, and at the bow you can add bow backrests and cushions too.

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Power up with your choice of twin Yamahas, 250 or 300 hp. Other options include T-top or hardtop; flush-mount kite-rod holders; upgraded electronics, including autopilot and radar; and outriggers and a hardened acrylic windshield with integrated frame. Pick your hull color, and color-match the dash to it, if you like.

It’s a bold move, replacing a proven boat like the Cobia 296, but then, the new Cobia 301 CC is a bold fishing boat.

MORE INFO cobiaboats.com

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