4bus

iTrader: (4)

Me thinks you gotta let us know what you are shopping for, price and size. I have had 3, a 24 with a 540 bulldog, a 99 29 with twin 330hps, and a 2003 with 600's in it.

A 24 is tight, horrible use of space IMO. I loved the boat, I was young and all my freinds and all the ladies thought that thing was a bad ass! Unless your budget is tight go for a 25 if you are shopping this size. A foot on paper is like 10 ft between those two boats. However, I would buy a 26 sonic with a full head over a 25 ft baja any day.

The 29 was a great boat, just slow for twins in a 29 ft boat. But it rode good and had decent room.

36- tons of room, lots of options like McCloud bolsters, monster gauges, clarion audio with subs, fridge, pump out, trans shower etc. The boat was very impressive to anyone that did not own a fountain, cig, and any other real offshore boat It kinda reminded me of a chevy corvette, in the sense that the average person might put it in the same class as a ferrari, lambo, or porche. Ferrari does not have a cavalier!

However, all these boat lacked a little quality. The 29 and 36 had major cabin issues. The vynil was falling down all over and was cheap cheap. The hatch on the 24 made it 3 years before serious rot. The back seat of the 36 made it 5 years before total wood rot. The 36 bilge will drain into the cabin after you pull it out of the water, the front bilge can not get all the water out and by the time you get home the carpet will be soaked.....one time with oil and water!! (dont ask lol)

I own a lot of Baja stuff, but for me I have to move on. There is more speed and quality out there for the same money now! However, for the right price not a bad boat.

CAEMI

Sorry to dredge this old thread up but I have a quick question: I'm looking at a 1998 Baja Sidewinder. One owner, well-cared for. Any significant issues to watch out for? My first deep-vee boat and I could use a thumbs up or down on this one. Thank you.

F-2 Speedy

iTrader: (6)

didn't even know they made it, cool looking left hand steer, Id call Dave @ XT and get the real story about how they were constructed, good luck

BajaFresh

I've owned 3 Baja Outlaws (20, 25, & 29) and they were all great boats. The guys that bag on therm are usually high end boat owners that have never even ridden in one let alone owned one. Yes, they are not the quality of a Cig, Outerlimits, Nortech, etc but the cost is way lower. Kind of like the response you'd get if you went to a Ferrari club and asked them what they think of Corvettes!

I'm not too familiar with the Sidewinder but a quick search shows they are a 20 degree deadrise boat so rough water is going to beat you up a bit. Most offshore boats (including the Outlaws) have a 24 degree deadrise which will cut through the water better. A flatter deadrise boat will go faster in smooth water but pound you in rough water. So, it depends on the kind of boating you will be doing. Small inland lakes or big lakes/ocean where the water kicks up. Also, at just under 20' it's not well suited for big water.

As with any boat, you'll want it checked out thoroughly by an expert. I'm assuming the price is not going to be real high on that boat and a survey will run you a few hundred bucks so if you don't want to spend that money at least have the engine checked for compression and check stringers and transom for rot.

Good luck and post some photos.

CAEMI

I'm trying to drop him a note. The Sidewinder seems like a nice little runabout. I'm just returning to boats after a 20 year hiatus...thought I'd pick up something inexpensive and play around a bit.

BajaFresh

Then it would probably be a great little boat for you as long as it checks out.

F-2 Speedy

iTrader: (6)

make sure the transom and stringers are sound, is it a 454 and bravo boat ?? I had a 272 and a 33Outlaw in the past and as BF stated, they are great boats.

CAEMI

Good advice. Didn't realize it was a 20 degree boat but that shouldn't pose a big issue. MOST of the time, it would be in quiet water with occasional big lake use. I'm more concerned with stringer and transom rot, that sort of thing. I know engines well enough to be comfortable. Outdrives...not so much. It's a little 5.0 chevy/merc setup.

BajaFresh

How many hours on the boat and engine?

You might want to post this in the Baja section here as well.

CAEMI

BTW, nice '64. My father had a two-door in '64. It was that odd burgundy color they had back then. My older sister backed it out of the two-car garage one day with the passenger door open...took the door off and the brick center pillar out.