Baja 342 Questions.
 

Looking hard for one at the moment. made an offer on one....


So, i have a few questions.

What year did they shorten the bildge? I know some show LOTS of room to work on the motor, and other seam TIGHT.

For the people with the small bildge, how hard is it to change impellars? haha. Looks like almost impossble to get to, unless the back of the rear seat comes out or something.

How tight is thebath room when you have to use it? ha. i Have seen pictuer of a guy in one for size reffernce.

Anthing i should be looking out for?

2001 is the first year for the small bilge / extended cockpit. If you're looking for a generator on the 2001+ it'll be under the back seat and not in the bilge.

The bathroom is small. I don't use it, but it works fine for the wife and kids.

My previous 2 Bajas were a 302 and a 29 OL both powered by 7.4s. I've never really paid attention to fuel bills before going to the 342 with 502s. I can almost watch the gas gauge drop when I get into the throttles. Between a little more power and pushing a lot more boat through the water it is painful at the pump.

I keep it on the trailer at a marina and we have to launch it ourselves. I can launch it myself, but prefer a helper if my marina is busy. My wife is great with the dually and trailer.

Take a good look at the trailer. I recommend at least electric brakes so you have brakes while backing down a ramp. Last year before I converted my trailer the boat would drag my F350 down the ramp if I wasn't extremely careful.

really that big of a difference in fuel?

I mean 2 454s, and 2 502? I know the heaver boat...but dman.

I will be coming froma single 454. I normall put 50 bucks in and run the weekend where i am at, expecting 100 bucks to make the weekend for me now.

the good new i will not have to run back tot the doc to take a **** int he morning though. haha.

Twin 310 HP 7.4s. Not MAGS.

$100 will not even move the needle in a 185 gal tank. I would triple your estimate assuming you actually plan on driving the boat:)

well i mostly use the boat are a cruse.

I run up river about 10 miles, and acnhor for the day. but have to make a bathroom runt he next morning and then saty that day too.

I would say 90% of the time at 3200 rpms. I like the speed, but its only the rare times i have the need to burn some gas or pass a buddy when running,. I maining that to be able to pass my dad in his 330ss formula, and keep up with my buddys new donzi at 70. but like i said, i go a few weeks at a time never running it WOT. then maybe hit it for a short burst or something.

my parents have twin 496's and can make it to the beach and back on 60 bucks. and a 100-150 will last a weekend.

also how fast will one go with twin 454 NONE mags? haha
60?

I boat the same way. I do cruise a little higher. Usually around 3700 and 50 MPH. Boat just feels "right" there.

The base 7.4s only took my 302 and 29 barely into the 60s. No way they move a 342 to 60.

I certainly agree with 302.
I can put in 300 at the gas station, not on the fuel dock, in my boat and only get 1/4 tank with the same size fuel tank.

My guess would be that the 342 at those rpm's would deliver 1 1/2 mpg.
Congrats on your potential purchase, I really liked the 342's a bunch. I just found them shy on headroom for my tallness and a little bit tight in the salon.
I went with the 38 instead and although I love the larger salon and headroom I hate that it's a real gas pig.

Baja302, I'm curious as to what your mpg wouuld be at low 3000's -vs- low 4000's comparing slow cruise -vs- fast cruise.

See ya,
Kelly

Crossing the 4000 mark seems to make a big difference. Other than short bursts I hang around the 35-3800 area. I don't calculate GHP or MPG. If I did I wouldn't boat at all. I just heat up the plastic and let my wife pay the bills!:eek:

Point being I do notice a big difference in pushing a 302/29OL with 7.4s vs the 342 with 502s. But hey, gas has come down around here lately so it's time to run hard!:coolcowboy:

well i am hoping the extra time i can stay weather it be at the doc or on a hook, should be worth the extra gas.

Most of the time i have to go home to sleep in a nice bed with AC, and have a bathroom (girls like certain things)

but with this it should make sleeping a lot nicer.

How big is the V birth?

my 342 has 496ho's and it gets right at 1 mile per gallon. it has gps at 72 mph.

In my opinion, the ride, ammenities and room are very much worth it. It's a good boat.

Plenty or room for 2 adults and 2 kids on the couches. I do want to put a flat screen in the cabin and get rid of the CRT/VHS combo box.

pics

more

$100 wont do much of anything. Mine laughs at $200 and gives me just over quarter tank. Gas around here is $4.89 on water. It has twin 454 mags.

what it uses, and what moves a gauge is 2 differnt things.

if ALl i am doing is going up river 10 miles, and coming back the next day. it does not need to move the needel haha. thats only 20 miles on 350 mile rang tank of fuel. thats only 6% of a tank to make the trip. I would think this boat with 502's would get better gas milage than my parents 330 SS formula with twin 496's. and bravo 3s.???


That sure is a pretty boat, i have teh 252 twin to it same colors, and same graffix and same year.

Until I figured it out, getting impellers in was a pain in the butt! I put 2 strips of 1x1x10in "L" painted aluminum down the back of both sides of the bench seat then only use 2 bolts in the bottom. This way, you can pull the back bench out in 5 minutes. This gives easy access to the seawater pumps. Otherwise its a 2 hour job on each engine. 50-55 is a really nice cruise speed in the 342. This is a very similar hull to the 33 Outlaw so it has good handling characteristics. Cruise speed and efficiency has a little do do with the boat at 8300 lbs it has a lot to do with the engine package. Mag Ho's are pretty efficient at 3200 rpm and is good for about 47-48 mph and you'll probably see the best gas consumption there.

Keith Atlanta,
Any chance you can send me pictures of what you did for the back seat removal? Anything to make that job easier the next time would be greatly applied!!!

Thanks Frank.

back seat removal would be awesome to see. other wise this is going otbe a PIAN

I spoke with keith on the phone last year about back seat removal it wasnt bad! now geting to impellers is easy! the gas mileage is horrible tho and is the main reason im selling mine! i went from 40 bucks all weekend in a 25ol to 250 per weekend in the 342 that dont count the extra bucks pulling it to the lake!

engines
 

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HOW the **** did you go from 40-250? thats more than 5 times.....

i mean, at most i see its being duble. if 50 bucks works for you now, 100 should make 2 motors working less hard do the same.

I'm used to boats with twins and I can't believe how much worse the gas is in the 342 with genset and twin MAGS. It really is that bad when you add up the weight and power it takes to move it. I'm crappin' you negitive.....:thankyouthankyou: I can watch the gauge go down.

your crappin my negative?

Also you guys with 342s do you use tabs all the time to get on plane? or does it jump up pretty easy? (my 252 never nees tabs)

whats you cruse settings? tabs/ drives? or WOT settings?

He's not shi@@ing you.......LOL

I have boxes and a high drive height (4.5) with 380 tabs and rarely use the tabs getting on plane. Maybe a little if at all.

At 50mph I set flat tabs and a couple ticks of trim.

Its just a big boat.

No, flat = straight with the bottom or up a little. I set mine flat/parallel and drew a line on the indicator. Mine doesnt blow drives out till its almost in trailer mode. You will lose speed before you blow them out. The number is arbitrary but probably 5.5 to 7.5 somewhere int he 6's when you are wide open. 2-3 at cruise.

so nothing on tabs (all the way up is flat) and just bumping the drive up a few clicks? at what point does it start to blow out the props? 7ish? or higher??

man now you guys have me scared. haha no matter it cant be worse then my parents full oaded 330 SS with the same motors and bravo 3s....

Raising Arizona:)

It jumps right on plane. No tabs needed.

mine gets on plans fast and no tabs! and im not kidding about the gas! but i only know one speed and thats full! lol

I jump right on plane, no tabs. I bring the RPM's up to 2500-2800 and let it rollover and you are good to go.

Ok so i almost never have to use my tabs, and sounds like I still will not have to. But they all came with the big K plane tabs. but noone ever has to use them.

How about trim? cruse speed and WOT? where you guys like it?

prop blow out?

I just tap the trim 1 or 2 times at 3000 rpm its arbitrary but maybe about a 2.5 or 3 on my trim indicator. Tabs flat with running surface or 1 inch above. Thats good for 52-55 depending on where she settles down, fuel, conditions, people.

intresting. not much trim at all really.

Yes, BUT! I also have BBlades props with a lot of cup. That also helps significantly.

How does the Cup make up for trim? I would think if anyhtin the cup just allowed it to hook up better with mroe trim.?

I defer to BBlades for the technical explanation. But, there is a lot more bow lift.

aaww ok, the cup give the boat more lift with out you having to trim it as much.

so what happends if you trim it like you use to before the cup? they blow out?

You shouldn't trim until you're on plane anyway. In my experience larger Bajas from the turn of the century era tend not to like a ton of trim. They will start to porpoise. Somewhere around 03-05 Baja played with the drive heights with several models. So there are lots of factors; year, weight, drive height, 4 blade, 3 blade, how many blondes, brunettes, etc, etc.

I run my tabs level 99.99% of the time. I'll drop them a bit if it's really sloppy out. I'll sink them if I'm trying to stay on plane at 10 MPH. Just apply them slowly to see how the boat reacts.

10 minutes of seat time and you'll know how your new boat likes to be driven:)