Final Word
You’d think, with its labor-intensive handcrafted hull and add-ons such as a thruster, the Hacker would cost three times the Cobalt. Not so. Our test Hacker cost only $40,000 more than the Cobalt I tested ($170,000 compared with $130,831). A lot of money to be sure, but at least the boats are hanging in the same neighborhood. While Cobalt is meticulous in its builds, the cost differential can be attributed to the handcrafting of wood versus using a fiberglass mold. You’re paying for labor.
So what’s the final verdict? It’s hard for any fiberglass boat to beat that classic look and feel of a varnished mahogany boat. But it’s hard for a wooden boat to be the multisport vehicle a modern fiberglass model can be. Wood has come a long way, baby, but it’s still going to require more maintenance than fiberglass. So, do you pine for the glossy look, contained cockpit and scent of varnished new mahogany, or do you gravitate toward an open entertainment cockpit and the reflective and shiny look of gelcoat? If you want classic sports car, wood is good. For an aquatic sport ute, glass is the way to go.
/wiwm the wooded Hacker is a classic