Cobalt Corsican Splash/Clone ?

[silverghost]

There is a fairly rare Cobalt Corsican Splash/Clone knock-off for sale in Somers Point NJ.
The yard owner claims that everyone is afraid to touch it with a ten foot pole because it has balsa core actually in it's hull & bottom !

Did Cobalt in fact use balsa core wood in their hull sides & bottoms ?

I thought some have said that Cobalt built a quality boat ?
Not so,~~~ in my oinion, if it indeed used a balsa core in it's hull !

What a re-core nightmare this would be !

My older friend, who actually looked at it, says that much of it's bottom now sounds "dead & hollow" !
He also says the aft bottom sounds waterlogged & heavy !
I did not see this boat first hand myself .

The Cobalt decals are still on this boat !
Cobalt GT 500 ?

Cobalt was sued by Donzi for building these direct rip-off clone/splashes~~~
They were soon forced to stop buiding them !
I doubt many were built ?
This boat now has an inline Chevy 250 Cu.In. six cylinder; with one transom exhaust outlet plugged-up with a big wooden plug !
What a poor set-up for a once V8 powered performance boat !


The Corsican's sporty Euro-style deck is fantastic !

[CHACHI]

Didn't someone on the board start a restoration on one of these Cobalts, Rustnrot maybe.

If my memory is still there, I think he posted photos of him removing the balsa from the hull.

I would say the yard owner is correct.

Ken

[Conquistador_del_mar]

Didn't someone on the board start a restoration on one of these Cobalts, Rustnrot maybe.

If my memory is still there, I think he posted photos of him removing the balsa from the hull.

I would say the yard owner is correct.

Ken

My memories are the same.

[Sweet little 16]

There is a fairly rare Cobalt Corsican Splash/Clone knock-off for sale in Somers Point NJ.
The yard owner claims that everyone is afraid to touch it with a ten foot pole because it has balsa core actually in it's hull & bottom !
Did Cobalt in fact use balsa core wood in their hull sides & bottoms ?
I thought some have said that Cobalt built a quality boat ?
Not so,~~~ in my oinion, if it indeed used a balsa core in it's hull !
What a re-core nightmare this would be !


With your above statement, I would like to know your opinion of Donzi.

They used the same coring methods on some of their models.



Your the guy looking for a Hornet benchseat right? They used balsa coring in the hull sides in most of them, some even had a fully cored hull depending on the power plant. They even used a balsa core that was cut in a manner that the grain was more likely to wick up water .



When you find your hornet benchseat don't worry it will be a quality boat, and a re-coring nightmare.


The curved arches of the Corsican need extra support, at the time was there a cost effective alternative to balsa , That would work on the curves of a corsican??

[Just Say N20]

Here is a link to the thread.

Rustnrot was the person rebuilding the Cobalt GT500.

Yes, the bottom is cored.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56485&highlight=cobalt

[mphatc]

The curved arches of the Corsican need extra support, at the time was there a cost effective alternative to balsa , That would work on the curves of a corsican??


The Donzi Corsican deck is a foam core deck . . .other 18s have a balsa core deck . ..

I've never seen a bad Corsican deck . . . but many of the older flat deck 18s have had or have issues.

The Corsican hull is solid glass . .

Mario L.
69 Corsican C18 C32
68 Magnum 27

[gcarter]

All the Donzis I have worked on have had solid hulls

[Sweet little 16]

the 68 corsican I had seen had balsa coring in the deck and sides not sure on the bottom it was a mess . The early hornets and St Tropez I have seen had balsa coring in the sides/deck as well.


George have you worked on any of those models??


Donzi was learning as they built them too in that era , and used different coring and layup methods . I'm not sure if it was a latest and greatest thing or a money thing, or a we ran out of balsa thing. The layup and construction changed over the years. Rumors had it the early boats after a year or so had the motors fall out. My point a 65-66 classic is very different construction and layup wize from 67 or later classic.

[silverghost]

Did the old Hornets actually have basa core IN their hull sides & bottom ?

WOW~~~
News to me~~~
I did not know about about this balsa coring ! ?

I knew about the balsa cored decks~~~

Geeze~~~
I have enough FUN on my hands with the totally rotten deck core on my benchseat 18 project that had been sitting outside uncovered for 25+ years with all the deck hardware removed.

What a mess this was !

Around my large deck vent holes I actually had green moss growing from the rotten deck core !

I went into this project with my eyes fully open knowing I was in for a FUN total deck re-core.
I also expected to re-core the transom, and aft stringers !

If the Benchseat Hornet has a balsa cored hull I guess If I find & buy one I am in for some more re-coring FUN !

Can anyone else actually confirm the existance of balsa core in the older Hornet's hull sides & bottom ?

I guess Scott Pearson needs to confirm this ?

Was there balsa core in "The Sting" 's hull sides or bottom ?

[Sweet little 16]

Can anyone else actually confirm the existance of balsa core in the older Hornet's hull sides & bottom ?

like I am pulling your chain?????? :rolleyes: find an owner of a daytona turbo benchseat ask them.

[silverghost]

Hey~~~
If you say so~~~
It must be true !

I do NOT doubt you !

Never really considered this before ?

I just checked-out rustnrot's thread here on the now abandoned Cobalt GT 500 restoration~~~

What a rotten hull core mess he had on his hands there ! ~~~
If anyone could save that boat~~~rustnrot could !
He had most of the tough work already done~~~
It's a shame it's owner stopped the project due to lack of funds !

If anyone is interested in The Somers Point Cobalt GT-500 Corsican Splash/Clone it is in a marina yard right on the back bay in Somers Point NJ ~~~
Our Friend says you can't miss it !

The Somers Point waterfront bay & marina area is only a few blocks long.

[mphatc]

Silverghost,

I am mildly interested in this boat, and have another Corsican that either needs a deck, or pieces there of and the foot well, a separate piece of the cockpit . .

I have no interest in the Cobalt as a boat, it would clearly become a donor for a real Donzi, if only as molds or parts. The Corsican hardware is unque to the boat . . .

Are you able to take some detailed pics for me of this boat?

Thank you,
Mario L.

[silverghost]

Mario:

As I mentioned in my first post here~~~
I have not seen this boat first hand; nor any photos of her.
I live 80-90 miles away in Penna.

The older fellow who tipped me on the boat is a friend of my late father !
He knows his fast boats as he once worked for the famous Ventnor boat works as a young fellow & later for "Uncle" Jack Thompson of Thompson Boat Works. also Ronnie Holtz of Holtz Boatworks, and Stanley Haynes of Allglass & Pacemaker. Finally he worked for Lauterbach building unlimited & limited hydroplanes !

Frank has many a great tale of Arno Apel the Ventnor boatworks owner & three point hydroplane co- inventor & and Guy Lombardo's famous "Tempo" unlimited hydroplane race boats that we all built there ! Frank used to help build the famous Ventnor hydroplanes !
He built Guy Lombardo's last "Tempo" unlimited hydro race boat which is now sitting in a closed museum up in Canada !

Frank also worked for ELCO and built PT boats during WW II !
What this man can do with mahogany planking is simply stunning !

Our old friend Frank is up there in years but still likes to "poke-around" fast boats.
Frank does not have a computer, nor does he want one !
He also does not have a digital camera !
He is 86 !

In a month or so I will be in Ocean Ciy NJ and can possibly get you some photos of this Cobalt Splash Corsican, as Somers Point NJ is just across the causeway bridge !
If it is not sold by then ? !!!

I would assume that the Cobalt GT-500 deck would fit an old early Donzi 18 hull ?

I have Frank on a quest to find a Benchseat Hornet, or a Donzi Corsican, or a Donzi 18 X-18 Jet-boat for me !

Frank knows where quite a few old speedboats are hidden away in South Jersey !

[fogducker III]

Wow, can you say, "name dropping".....:popcorn:

[silverghost]

Wow, can you say, "name dropping".....:popcorn:

Yea~~~I know~~~

But Frank is one of the very last of his era alive that actually knew & worked for all these great old boat guys !

I'd bet you could all listen to old Frank and ask him questions for hours on end ! :shark:

I have often done so !
The last mahogany wooden speedboat guy standing so to speak !

Frank has spar varnish running through his veins !

Bet you guys didn't know that old "Uncle" Jack Thompson was once a South Jersey Rum-Runner in his younger days ? !

[silverghost]

I will be in Ocean City NJ /Sommers Point NJ early next week 4/29&30/ 11 if someome wants me to check-out this Cobalt GT-500/ Donzi Corsican splash/clone.
I can snap a few digital photo shots also.

Drop me an email if you want me to get a few shots & check-it-out for you~~~assuming it is still For Sale & Still There ?
It sounds like this boat might be a rotten balsa core nightare ?