26 outlaw....
 

i was looking at a 2008 outlaw 26used 103 hrs..a little high priced.but a nice boat.have been told how ever that the new baja/fountain 26 is a better boat.more solid due to the stringer set up.ect...
thoughts on both would be welcome.
just to throw this in there as well im also looking at a 09 donzi 27 21 hrs,bucket list boat.did nt turn out to be what they guy was looking for..

We spent some time in a 26 OL, pre fountian era, nice boat, nice ride!

They also come standard with Hydraulic Steering from Fountain.

A 2008 model will be an OH built boat (pre-Fountain).

Have compared side by side our OH built 26 to a NC built 26 Outlaw by Fountain and there are some noticeable differences. The OH built boat is several hundred pounds lighter, has more storage area and doesn't have that cheesy tubular bow rail (just a personal preference). It also doesn't have glued in carpet which tends to collect moisture/mold over time (again, a personal preference). The NC built boat has noticeably better quality rigging and vinyl work and the overall build quality appears to be a notch or two better. It also has a bigger and more functional windscreen (although aesthetically it leaves something to be desired). Fountain builds a better boat than Baja did and that's evident when you look at the 2 side by side, but it costs quite a bit more so it should be of better quality.

I don't see the "standard" external steering as an advantage as you pay more for the NC boats; would be cheaper to add that option to an OH built boat.

The grid/liner versus stringer/bulkhead construction debate has been beat to death but understand there are 2 different construction techniques for the same boat, depending on where it was built. There were a handful of pre-Fountain 26OL's with structural problems (I know of 2), the majority are solid boats. We have 200 hours on ours now, 150 of that running at LOTO....and I don't exactly "baby" it in the rough. If it were going to have problems I suspect I would have seen them by now.

Very good points emilsr I couldnt have said it better myself. I personally like the liner construction and have had no issues either. Adding external steering was easy and the 26 Outlaw is pretty awesome in the rough stuff for its size IMO.

The cabin in the Baja is bigger than the Donzi if thats important to you. Not alot of headroom and the overall size isnt any bigger than the Baja. They include the built in swim platform with the length and the freeboard is lower. That said the speed of the Donzi will be more with the same power.

I have an 09 26 Outlaw and love it. The ride in the rough water is excellent, no rattles at all. I never rode in an OH 26 so I have no basis for comparison but as far as cost I ordered mine from Shogren and paid almost the same amount as I was quoted in 2008 from a Baja dealer.

That's another difference; ours always has a rattle/buzz in the helm from the rats nest of wires. I may make that my winter project. The structure of the boat is tight but the rigging is a mess, particularly electrical.

I think most Baja dealers were trying to get a premium price for the 26's the first couple of years of production (07 and 08). Some sold for considerably less and, in the used market, are down in the high $40k range now.

thanks everyone for your help

My local dealer in NE has a 2009 Fountain 26 in stock I know they would like to move. I can check on a price if you're interested.

if you have a name i would be greatful.i could contact them my self.and give your info as a referal.pm me info..thanks

We love our '07 OH built boat, 72 hours and running strong on the San Francisco Bay! Congrats on the new Donzi, how do you like it?