Reggie / Powerboat Mag / Baja
 

I just received the latest edition of Powerboat Magazine today and there is a very informative interview with Reggie Fountain regarding the purchase of Baja.

Pick up and issue and check it out. It answers a lot of the questions we have had.

I got it too, seems he will produce all models as of now...

As a dealer I welcome the merger and believe it will only add strength to the BAJA brand. Also we have said for years their are some small adjustments that could be made to get more speed out of the hulls. I cannot think of anyone else I would want dialing in these boats than FOUNTAIN. I am willing to bet some rigging will change, some X-Dim, little more prop, and shed a little weight on some models.:evilb:

WOW 19' to a 48 Cruiser, no one else can offer such a AWSOME Line up.

http://www.powerboatmag.com/content/view/290/1/

WILL MURRAY:evilb::D

My source tells me the only boats that
wont be produced are the H2X, 242 isl, and the 342.

I didnt want to read that but I did anyway.:rolleyes:

Nice picture of Hawkeyes Green Monster in there!

Id love to be there when they are scratching their heads trying to set that first liner!:D Good luck!

I heard they're ditching the liners..

I read it posted on another site, I like how he is still shopping the idea of keeping the plan in Bucyrus "if they make us a better deal" :Whatever:

The liner's appear to be the reason we are here in the 1st place...

Looking forward to stringers again... oops we already have it in ours. :evilb::D

Amen to that brother!:D

Like he said he wants to consolidate and keep overhead to a minumum.

There is not enough tax payer dollars $$$ to keep it in Ohio.

“We’re going to build them with as much or more quality than they have been,” Fountain said. “We see some things we can do to improve the speed … but right now we don’t need to change anything.”


Imagine how long it would/will take to reconfigure every liner boat? Cuddys will have to be totally redesigned, the bilge..........could be awhile before any new boats roll out the door.

Those were my thoughts when I heard that they were
going to get rid of the liners.

Making major changes to a currently produced model
is never any fun.

Nothing like taking an exsisting platform, and having new
problems develop:(

Hopefully, they can work it out.

Anyone have any idea when we will see the new boats? I am really interested in seeing them.

To the best of my knowledge they have not even moved the molds south yet.

Maybe the Miami boat show 2009?

:(

It was stated that they would be swapping from balsa to foam coring. What are the pros/cons of each as a core material?

Pros -

Can be lighter depending on the density
Does not rot or deteriorate

Cons -

Does not have the same strength as balsa especially in compression
Issues with adhesion (to the skins) are sometime a problem depending on the process and resin used
Much more expensive than balsa

I thought it was a well crafted interview, designed to put Baja owners at ease........for now.

Correction: Water rots everything and anything. Once had
a friend who had a famous name performance boat with
some flaw where water was coming in the bottom of the hull.
I said he better get it fixed quick and quit using the boat. He replied that he's not worried, it had a composite core. I didn't waste my breath with him explaining that water deteriorates everything it touches. And it makes an especially bad mess in
any cored hull regardless of core material.

Pesky Varmint

What are the problems with the liner boats? I thought these were the greatest.

Are there any problems with the liner 26 OL's?

I hear that the factory is closing in 2 days and the molds are still there - they haven't been moved to NC yet. If the '09s are supposed to come out in July, as it typical, does that mean there will be no '09 Bajas?

You are correct.

If I had to bet I would say there will not be any 09's. Best case is early 2010's at the Miami Boat Show.

But who knows Reggie could fool us all.

But who knows Reggie could fool us all.[/QUOTE]

I bet we never see another Baja built. From what I was told Reggie has not yet signed on the dotted line and it is not a done deal.

I bet we never see another Baja built. From what I was told Reggie has not yet signed on the dotted line and it is not a done deal.[/QUOTE]

I have also heard that.

It makes you wonder when they have not hired anybody from Baja to show them how the boats go together.......

I bet we never see another Baja built. From what I was told Reggie has not yet signed on the dotted line and it is not a done deal.[/QUOTE]

I have thought this from day one.

I am looking forward to seeing just what Reggie does with the brand if anything. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Oh just give it a little more time, I was at Fountain less than 24 hours ago. Baja will be "stepping up" in performance and build quality. Mr. Fountain will have the Baja's dialed in for performance. After spending the day at Fountain they have multiple components they build in house that Baja did not.

Their is no doubt that the Baja brand and products will be moving up in the world of Performance Boating.

:D

Thanks for the positive info. Any chance you can give up some details???

HHMMM what can I add, BAJA will become more "Exclusive" of a boat. I can also seriously say if anyone is on the fence of wanting a new BAJA, 2008 is a great year to take advantage of pricing that is locked in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can add that some of the models Mr. Fountain is excited about are not the same ones everyone here thinks they will be, somewhat of a surprise to me, one model is going to be crazy fast for its size.

More will come, just can't talk about it on an open forum.

WILL

Now I don't feel so bad for not being ready to pull the trigger on a new boat quite yet. Keep me posted Will on the new 26-28' single engine models (if there will be any) I was on the fence about the new 26 because I thought they were a bit slow since a 27 ZR runs about 72 and a 288(performance) sunsation can run 75 all with single 496 Mags. I hope Baja "steps" up the performance.

Thanks ,

Rob

I'm assuming you mean 496 HO? Speeds still seem high. I've heard the Donzi runs 70 but I'll be shocked if the Sunsation will hit 75 on gps with a stock HO.

Me too.

It's A Done Deal

Reggie Signed The Paper Work Today 5-23-2008

Look For The 35 Outlaw To Be The First Model Produced With Painted On Graphics.

Yup, I meant HO's. Here is one of a few threads on the new Performance line of 288's

http://www.sunsationboats.com/forums...ead.php?t=2263

I am not trying to down the Baja's in fact I like them but the 26 OL stock with a 496 mag HO is not keeping up with the hull technology while comapanies like Sunsation are. I hope Reggie's team can make the 26 run at leat 70. That is just my wish. I will also try to find some info on the 27 ZR. The weird thing about them is the cockpit is really BIG but even with my head and shoulders cut off I can barely sit up in the cabin.

If speed is very important to you then Baja will not be your first choice.

I personally like the styling of Baja head and shoulders above several other brands. Sunsation has done a very good job of growing their company and introducing some nice models. Yes they are fast but for me I cannot get past the styling. They are simply not for me and that is simply my personal taste. For some reason they have to add a gauge in every dash spot and it drives me crazy?

For me Baja was the whole package. Great folks from local dealers to regional and national sales managers to engineers and plant workers that were all a big family and very approachable. They all really made us owners feel like a part of the family. From boat shows to the poker run tour I could not have asked for a better group of folks to be aligned with and it was worth a few MPH to me.

Get over it, we know you don't like it. DH not trying to be a snooty Fountain owner but every post is a long drug out affair.

Theres 3 letters missing on that speedo in the pic..those are
G P and S.

My Gaffrig in my old boat read on the happy side
up to 4 mph.

I have no problem believing the boat will do a real
70, maybe a tick more, but I struggle with a real 75

I'm not here to argue with you. You are right no GPS on that speedo. Lets say it is off by 5 mph it is still a 70 mph boat any day. A 26 OL will never see 70 (with a MAG HO) with a tail wind and a tidal surge pushing it. The point is (in case you missed it) I hope Reggie does a better job at making Baja's fast than the old Baja did. That is all, I am not bashing Baja I am just making a point that the 26 OL was geting left by the pack in the speed catagory. I am sorry if I offended any body but it is the truth.

Yea its not a GPS speed, but probably is around 70, but the 28 also has a shallower V, and by comparison is a lighter boat. I can tell you the Baja will be loosing some weight.

Baja is like a stock corvette, with a few minor adjustments you can be out running others that cost double, and Fountain is very experienced in dialing in boats.

Sox, so hang in there, more to come.