Design and Construction
At 7.5 metres overall with a 2.9-metre beam, the 750 carries a displacement of 5800 lbs and a ballast ratio near 39 percent, figures that place it firmly among what one design summary calls "heavy cruisers" on the displacement-length scale. The hull and deck are solid fibreglass, and most examples left the yard as twin bilge-keel boats, though a fin-keel version was also produced. A telling detail of the era is that Cobra also sold the 750 as a bare hull with a finishing kit for home completion, which means interior fit and structural finishing can vary markedly from one boat to the next. The hulls were moulded by Cobramold and fitted out by Cobra Yachts of Hayling Island, with some boats completed at other yards as well.
Rig and Handling
The 750 is a masthead sloop with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.84, a moderate figure that suits steady cruising rather than all-out pace. Its wetted surface runs about 20 square metres, and the displacement-length ratio of 336 confirms a heavy, volume-driven hull form. Practical guiding dimensions survive for the running rigging: jib and genoa sheets of 7.6 metres at 10 mm diameter, a 19.1-metre mainsheet, and 16.8-metre spinnaker sheets, all 10 mm. The fin-keel draft sits around 4.8 to 5.1 feet depending on load, while the bilge-keel variant draws just 3.5 to 3.8 feet, letting either version nose into shallow marinas. A Volvo Penta diesel with shaft drive returns a calculated maximum of about 4.3 knots, while a Nanni diesel option with the same shaft drive reaches 6.0 knots — the same as the theoretical hull-speed limit for a displacement boat of this length.
Accommodations
Feltham's layout makes the most of the beam: the 750 is a genuinely roomy boat for its length, offering spacious sleeping space for four or five across two cabins. The interior is finished in teak, consistent with British production cruisers of the late seventies. That breadth of accommodation, paired with the heavy-cruiser hull numbers, is what lets period reviews describe the design as an excellent cost-effective cruiser with strong sailing performance for its class.
Known Issues
The only structural caveat is the home-completion route. Because Cobra sold bare hulls and finishing kits for amateur completion, the quality of each boat may vary, and a buyer or owner should treat any kit-built example as an individual case rather than assuming production-yard consistency.
The Verdict
The Cobra 750 is a pragmatic British cruiser that trades outright speed for volume, shallow draft, and a teak-lined interior that punches above its 25 feet. Its heavy-cruiser numbers and twin-keel option make it a sensible trailer-or-marina coastal boat, while the home-kit legacy means condition depends heavily on who finished the hull.
Pros
- Beamy, spacious two-cabin layout for four or five
- Bilge-keel draft as shallow as 3.5 feet for marina access
- Solid fibreglass hull and deck with teak interior
Cons
- Fit and finish quality may vary on home-completed boats
- Capsize screening value of 2.15 excludes it from ocean racing
