Bowrider dreams

[Thrift Shopper]

I've really enjoyed my 2014 R5 on the Potomac River and trailering it to Smith Mountain Lake. It's perfect for quick outings but as I start thinking about longer adventures on the Chesapeake Bay and the Carolina ICW, I'm feeling the limits of a bowrider. There's no cabin to escape a sudden downpour or cool off with AC on those blazing hot days. I've been tempted by cruisers, especially a FSBO 2012 Cobalt 323 I found in another state, it has an arch, bimini, and full enclosure. It checks a lot of boxes, but I'm torn.

I'd be giving up bow seating, which I love, and I'm not sure the aft cabin is comfortable enough for sleeping especially with a dog along. Plus, the big one: cruisers aren't trailerable, which means less flexibility. It's a real tradeoff between open-day fun and extended cruising comfort.

 

[lanecoutell-8]

That 323 does sound comfy for longer trips, but yeah, giving up bow seating especially with a pup in tow is a biggie. tough call. Have you spent any time on a similar cruiser to see how the cabin space really feels?

 

[GalaxyObsession]

I've really enjoyed my 2014 R5 on the Potomac River and trailering it to Smith Mountain Lake. It's perfect for quick outings but as I start thinking about longer adventures on the Chesapeake Bay and the Carolina ICW, I'm feeling the limits of a bowrider. There's no cabin to escape a sudden downpour or cool off with AC on those blazing hot days. I've been tempted by cruisers, especially a FSBO 2012 Cobalt 323 I found in another state, it has an arch, bimini, and full enclosure. It checks a lot of boxes, but I'm torn.

I'd be giving up bow seating, which I love, and I'm not sure the aft cabin is comfortable enough for sleeping especially with a dog along. Plus, the big one: cruisers aren't trailerable, which means less flexibility. It's a real tradeoff between open-day fun and extended cruising comfort.

if you're doing daily trips then you might want to consider improvising so that you can keep the R5. The 323 is a lot more comfortable, but I see it as a great option if you're taking multi-day roders

 

[Apollo 11]

I've really enjoyed my 2014 R5 on the Potomac River and trailering it to Smith Mountain Lake. It's perfect for quick outings but as I start thinking about longer adventures on the Chesapeake Bay and the Carolina ICW, I'm feeling the limits of a bowrider. There's no cabin to escape a sudden downpour or cool off with AC on those blazing hot days. I've been tempted by cruisers, especially a FSBO 2012 Cobalt 323 I found in another state, it has an arch, bimini, and full enclosure. It checks a lot of boxes, but I'm torn.

I'd be giving up bow seating, which I love, and I'm not sure the aft cabin is comfortable enough for sleeping especially with a dog along. Plus, the big one: cruisers aren't trailerable, which means less flexibility. It's a real tradeoff between open-day fun and extended cruising comfort.

If you plan to stay out overnight often, the 323 could be worth the trade, but man, the bow seating on the R5 is hard to beat on a sunny day. You can't give that up, no.