I was able to jump aboard the new Cobia 240 CC on Media Day when I was down at the Miami Show earlier this year and spent an hour getting to know this Florida girl up close. In my view, Cobia represents one of the best brands of saltwater fishing boats on the market if you are looking for affordable quality and fishing functionality, plus they are upping their game with each passing season. The new 240 CC is a perfect example of this progression.
One of the first things that jumps out to the casual observer with the 240 CC is that everything you’ll need for a fun day out on the water, either bending rods in the bluewater, or pulling a tube loaded with kids in the back bays, is included as standard equipment. The one-level cockpit makes for easy transit fore and aft, with plenty of hip room when sliding between the generous center console command station and the liner’s vertical inwale on either side. A pair of insulated 40-gallon fishboxes are positioned under the cockpit sole, but make a mental note to go for the optional macerator pump-out to be able to evacuate the icy gurry left over from chilling your catch. A second pair of insulated boxes set under the raised forward bench seats equipped with overboard drains can do double duty as either backup fishboxes or to stow gear. There’s deep stowage space positioned in between the bow benches in the cockpit sole, and a vertical anchor locker in the forepeak that will hold plenty of rode and features a through-stem stainless steel anchor chute.
The next-gen center console arrangement offers a number of progressive features. A forward opening hinged companionway in the front of the console eases the process of getting to and from the head area, which is equipped with a freshwater sink and optional marine toilet. There’s an insulated 24-quart cooler directly under the single cushioned bench seat, and the console’s dash panel can easily handle a pair of 12-inch multi-function displays. The helm is also equipped with a standard marine compass, circuit breaker accessory panel, twin cupholders, locking glove box, plus an area to stow sunglasses, cell phones and sunblock. The standard leaning post includes a handy tackle center, plus the aft cockpit is equipped with a drop down doublewide bench seat for added on-demand crew comfort to starboard. A 28-gallon recirculating livewell is located in the transom cap on the centerline, with a convenient transom gate in the port corner that allows access to the swim platform and boarding ladder. It also makes an excellent spot to drag the oversized catch of the day tail-first into the cockpit. Other standard fishing features on the Cobia 240 CC include a quartet of gunwale-mount rodholders, twin horizontal rod racks under the covering boards, freshwater washdown, plus a roomy cockpit with standard coaming bolsters and thigh-high support to enable angler and crew to battle the big ones to boatside.
Power Options
Cobia is a Yamaha OEM partner and as such offers Yamaha four-stroke outboards as their exclusive power source. One of the neat aspects of the Cobia 240 CC is that the transom is set up for the owner’s option of installing either single or twin outboards. If you want the simplicity of a single powerplant, the Yamaha F300 XXL will do the job. According to recent factory tests, the 240 CC will hit a top speed of 49.3 mph spinning a 17-inch pitch SWS II prop. Optimum fuel efficiency is achieved at 3,500 rpm, where this Florida girl will cruise along at 27.3 mph while drinking 9.1 gallons per hour, for a net of 3.00 mpg—not bad for a beefy, 3,500-pound, deep-vee 24-footer that carries 21.5 degrees of deadrise at the transom. Most folks will probably want to accelerate their experience, and the F300 will certainly accommodate that request, hitting 33.3 mph/12.2 gph at four-grand for a bottom line of 2.73 mpg, which is still impressive. If your focus is more on bluewater fishing and you desire the inherent safety of twin power, you can opt for either dual Yamaha F115 or F150 XL outboards.
From a construction standpoint, all Cobia fishing boats are built to American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standards and feature 100% composite construction; double-clamped hoses; pressure-tested, epoxy-coated aluminum fuel tanks; 316-grade stainless steel hardware; seacock valves on all thru-hull fittings below the waterline; labeled copper-tinned wiring; and more.
