Cobra 750

[Heraclitus]

I'm thinking of buying a Cobra 750 with bilge keels. My only concern is sailing performance upwind (pointing ability, leeway). I've never sailed one. The only bilge-keeler I've ever sailed was a Westerly Centaur. Can someone tell me what to expect from a Cobra compared to a Centaur? Will her upwind sailing be better, worse or about the same?
Thanks.

 

[Dipper]

There's a boat test here http://www.cobra-seawolf.com/Cobra750.htm but it is on a fin keel boat. I also know that another test was carried out during one of the Cobra and Seawolf rallies but I can't remember for which magazine - I think PBO.

David Feltham has a deserved reputation for producing bilge keelers that point well. I think you will find that a bilge keel 750 will point better than a bilge keel Centaur.

 

[VicS]

Practical Boat owner published a "Boat test" in Oct 1979 and a "Used boat review" in Nov 2004. I dont have a copy of the former but the latter is a 3 page article by David Harding and I would say worth a read.

Both can be obtained from http://marinedirectory.ybw.com/reprints/results1.jsp?tem=pbo

 

[moondancer]

Not as good.

I have followed a Cobra up the Crouch on a couple of occasions and thought that they seemed pretty poor in terms of pointing and leeway.

It does depend what you want to use the boat for really. Any old bilge keeler will disappoint compared to a modern fin keeler - but tha might not matter if other considerations are more important.

 

[Heraclitus]

Thank you Dipper, VicS, Moondancer.