A Treasured Legacy Aboard the Cobia 296CC

For Stuart native Aiden Natalie, boating and fishing is a way of life—one that he lives proudly on the family boat he inherited from his dad

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Natalie’s Cobia, custom-outfitted to suit his fishing needs. Photo by George LaBonte
Natalie’s Cobia, custom-outfitted to suit his fishing needs. Photo by George LaBonte

Aiden Natalie’s deep love of fishing and boating began at a very early age. As a youngster, the now 23-year-old Stuart native spent a great deal of time fishing locally and island-hopping with his family on their 41-foot Intrepid cabin model. However, it wasn’t until the family traded the boat for a 30-foot Cobia center console that a career path would emerge from his obsession.

While in high school, Natalie took great pride in maintaining the family vessel to the highest standard. From detailing and polishing to systems maintenance, he always kept her running and looking tip-top—enough so that his father entrusted his teenage son to take the boat on solo fishing outings with friends.

Natalie spent many a memorable day on the water with his father, Bill, as the two shared an intense interest in fishing. Sadly, his dad lost his battle with cancer a year ago. He left the family boat to his son, and Natalie continued his pursuit of boating and fishing, taking the knowledge he gained on the water with his father over the years to the next level.

Aiden and Bill Natalie enjoyed many days boating and fishing together. Photo courtesy of Aiden Natalie
Aiden and Bill Natalie enjoyed many days boating and fishing together. Photo courtesy of Aiden Natalie

Whether it’s working the deck with any number of local fishing teams, helping organize local fishing tournaments, working with local boating manufacturers, or simply fishing for fun with friends, Natalie is deeply entrenched in boating on many levels. Currently residing in Palm City, he is part of the team at Deep See Visuals, where he works as a filmmaker, editor, and media strategist devoted to promoting and marketing within the boating and fishing industry.

In his spare time, he can often be found offshore fishing on the faithful vessel that he once enjoyed with his father—the Cobia 296CC center console. The boat (a model that the company has since replaced with the 301CC) has been appropriately outfitted to suit Natalie’s requirements primarily as an offshore fishing platform. Lightweight carbon fiber outriggers are mounted to a smartly styled fiberglass hard top, and a pair of 30-gallon live wells spanning across the transom perfectly serve the heavily live bait–dependent fishery enjoyed locally.

Aiden Natalie at the helm of his Cobia 296CC. Photo by George LaBonte
Aiden Natalie at the helm of his Cobia 296CC. Photo by George LaBonte

For convenience while fishing with electric kite reels or powered bottom-fishing outfits, multiple 12-volt outlets are located around the entire interior beneath the gunwales. A suite of Garmin electronics, including matching multifunction display units, are flush-mounted at the helm. For power, this model features a maximum-rated 600-horsepower, provided
by twin Yamaha F300 engines. The entire cockpit sole is outfitted with gray SeaDek trim for grip-sure footing.

Power File

Length: 29 feet, 5 inches

Beam: 9 feet

Draft: 21 inches

Deadrise: 21 degrees

Fuel: 267 gallons

Max HP: 600

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