We take frequent trips to Key West where we are out of sight of land for 60 miles or more and waves can become steep, just from the wind. Because of that, I wanted to know what category of wind/waves my Cobalt 343 was designed to withstand. The owners manual listed four craft design categories including:
- OCEAN – Category A
- OFFSHORE – Category B
- INSHORE – Category C
- SHELTERED WATERS – Category D
The problem was that the manual wasn’t specific as to which category was appropriate for my 343. My dealer put me in touch with a contact at the manufacturer who told me that the Cobalt 343 is an OFFSHORE – Category B, “…designed to operate in winds up to Beaufort force 8 and the associated wave heights up to 13′ 1.44″ (4 m)…” I’ve been in my boat up to 8′ waves and while uncomfortable, it did not feel unsafe. Do you know your category?
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