New to the Baja World!!! Have ????'s
 

Hello out there... I am just about to finalize the sale on a 2004 Baja 25 outlaw... I am coming over from the out board world.. I have had several Allison boats and anybody that knows them knows they are made for speed... This boat motor is stock " 496 HO " and i am wanting to make some modifications for increased speeds but lets start off slow cause this boat hit the wallet hard... My first question is can you get an increase in speeds by modifying the lower unit.. on outboards you need a nose cone to run the high speeds so would having a nose cone put on this help out with speeds.. If so would adding this help or hinder the handling performance... Also im sure it is a cat and mouse game with props out there but any suggestions as to what has performed the best " Top Speed Wise " on this boat would be appreciated... I welcome everyones professional advice and opinion here and note that it will not be taken lightly... Thanks in advance for any input here...

Congrats on the purchase! I'm not much for technical help, currently restoring a Baja myself, show us some pics!!!

:worthless_without_pics:

Nose cone wont really do anything unless you are over 80. Not sure what the stock prop was on a 25 with 496, there maybe a few MPH but not alot. You will need to add alot of power to get large jumps in speed.

I am pretty sure Wayne was running a 24 Bravo 1 w 496 HO

Nightlife thanks for the response.. when you say i will need to add alot of power would the most cost efficient and reliable way would be to add a supercharger or would you say go into the motor and have modifications done to it... Thanks

I have heard that running a shorty out drive really helps, I am sure others will chime in with first hand knowledge.

Thanks drpete3.... I think that does seem to be the prop of choice out there by reading the reviews but what about those high performance 5 blade props out there... Are they just for the real big boats and motors out there with alot of horsepower... thanks

Thanks n20michael.... I will research this...

Whipple and Procharger both make "bolt on" kits for your motor, Or you can send the motor to "Raylar" and have him redo it for a good chunk more power, both options have merit, but, they are both pricey.

IF it was me, and again, this is just my opinion, I would look at a different option. If your 496 is in good shape and runs well you could get good money out of it, I would then buy a good 500 or 525EFI, considerably more power, "Blue" motors are VERY well built and you are dealing with a "stock" motor, so, maintainance, parts, upkeep etc are readily available. I guess its like the old expression "There's more than one way to skin a cat"

There is/was a fella on here named "Smitty" that I believe ran REALLY fast with a single powered Outlaw. Maybe hit him up?

I have seen a couple of big HP powered Allisons run on my local lake, if your looking to make your Baja run that quick its gonna be REAL expensive ]-:

Congrats on the boat, its a real nice piece

I am going to make this staement short and sweet. If you want a fast 25 Outlaw go buy someones that already has what you want and youll save a lot of money and heartache in the long run.

thanks drpete3... i will take that under advisement... so with that being said who do you know out there that has one for sale for under 40k... thanks

if u putta hair dryer on a 496 with cast internals, Big Bada BOOM

I'd either enjoy the boat stock or sell and put the 20k you'd spend on upgrades towards a faster boat. Boring I know but I'm a practical bastard. :D

Just how fast do you think you want to go ?

That will determine alot of things.

Dinking around with props might net you a couple mph.

Screwing around with the lower at this power
level( speed) will be counterproductive.

Ive got a 24 outlaw with a 496 ho and a whipple, dana headers on it xr with imco shorty raised x dimension extention box and dual steering spinning a 5 blade best so far is 87 with a tad bit left . I bought the boat complete. I would not want to have to spend the money to build one up it all adds up in a hurry, beef up one thing then you end up having to beef up another and so on and so on deffintley the snowball effect. IMO If I had a stock boat and wanted more performance I would put headers on it and play with props, then start saving for a blue motor

I would SERIOUSLY consider enjoying the boat "as is" while you save for something faster, if its a V hull you will want something with a stepped hull, or to go fast for (relatively) cheap you can look at a Cat, just make sure you can get insurance. For some strange reason some insurance companies are hesitant to insure 140MPH Cats, lol.

Michael

I would like to thank each and every one for there professional input here... it gives me alot of options and i thank you for your time and consideration...

Can some one elaborate on making these boats go faster then???? Is it safe to say that for every mile an hour you want to go faster then intend on spending around a grand???? is that a safe assessment??? So if i have a 70 mile an hour boat and i want to run 90 then i need to look at spending 20 grand to make that happen.. Thanks for you understanding and patience...

If you want to run 90, I'd look at a different hull.

Maybe close to double that. That may get the engine there, but then you will have issues keeping the drives together with that much power. Then there will also be a safety issue, Full hydraulic steering will be a must too. Baja is not known to be a FAST hull. If you want to go 90 it would be easier and cheaper to start with a fast hull.

Thanks again for all your help guys and before i make a 40,000 dollar mistake and purchase this boat can anyone advise me of the boats i need to be looking at to reach the 90 plus speeds since the baja is not a fast hull... I live on the mississippi river and like to run up and down it.. My only issue is i want something with the cuddy cabin so i can stay the night in the boat out on the river and i really dont want anything over 30 ft long.. i maybe way off and please speak up but are there single engine boats out there under 30 ft capable of running 90...

Worked or me!

Not likely to find or be able to build a 90 mph v bottom single engine cuddy cabin for 40k. To run that speed even in some of the better hulls, AT, Fountain, Velocity will take 600+ Hp.

Just as a reference, Smitty has a 272 BAJA that has run 98 mph, but needed 1000HP to do so.

Getting into the v bottom 90 mph club is expensive.

Some of the west coast cats have small cabins. Something like a 28 or 30' Eliminator with twins. Gonna be a lot more $ than a 25 Outlaw though.

$ 40k, single engine w/cuddy under 30', 90mph....I don't
think you can get there from here.

Better start modifying one of those parameters.

I believe Howard makes a 90mph single engine V bottom with a cuddy, I think it's 28-30 ft long, no idea what it's worth, but, I doubt it's cheap.

If I was you, I would Seriously look at a Cat, 90mph is pretty easily attainable without huge HP or Money. I know Spectre make some nice Cats, some are I/O's and some use outboards. Not sure about cabin space, but, it's something to look at.

I agree with other posters, getting a straight hulled Baja to run 90MPH is gonna pricey, and probably hard on parts, kinda one of those things that you have to ask yourself: "Is the juice worth the squeeze?"

sound wave
 

Leave the boat stock ride it hard for couple of years then sell it for something faster longer I spent around 21, 000 to get my 25 outlaw to hit 87 mph with 750 horse engine and still havent changed my bravo drive but the drive still runs strong

Got my 24' 97 outlaw in 07 with factory power and to date have invested 20k in motor and drive. (better off if I don't keep track) running a solid 78GPS in winter and 72GPS summer look for a 525 motor in a newer 25 you should be around there for speed and ENJOY the ride. I boat 90% of my time at 55 and enjoy the crap out of the hull and the ride.

25-30ft boats that will get to 90 easy are gonna be sitdown's with almost no cuddy.

25 - 30ft with decent cuddy is gonna need big power to go 90

Neither of these can be had for $40,000

Sounds like you would like the speed of the Outerlimits SV29, but you wont like the price or the cuddy. 27 Fountain may be big enough for you, and it won't take crazy power to get around the 90 speed, but I don't think you would touch one doing that speed fo 40k.

The new OL is a sweet boat, 100MPH with a single 600 Merc is pretty impressive, but 200K is a healthy price tag

I am not sure if it's still for sale? But, Jason Smiths boat ("Bad Idea") is 29ft long, has a cuddy and will DEFINATELY run big MPH, it meets your requirements, and is one kick azz boat, but, you will need to come up with some more money.

Jason: if your boat is sold and/or not for sale anymore I apoligize for speaking out of turn

Michael

Michael thanks for the heads up... I am interested for sure in jason's boat... Can you tell me the year model, what kind of boat he has and where the boat is located... can you get in touch with him somehow and see if his boat is for sale and how much he wants for it... i can come up with some extra money but it depends on how much extra we r talking about.. I will be honest with you.. anything over 70k is out of my league for a boat.. If i can purchase one that will already hit 90 for less than 70k then obviously thats what i want to do.. if not then i was gonna purchase one for 40k and invest another 20-25k in it and try to have it running 90... Once again a big thanks to everyone for posting there comments on here to help me out... Rodney

Jason posts on this board, you should be able to find some of his posts if you browse around in the Baja section. He has a 29 Outlaw with twin modified 454 EFI Mags. Was running in the 90's last I heard. Very sweet boat.

You should look up the guy that has Indy's old 272. I know it's running up in that speed area.

Here is an old thread on it.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/b...baja-boss.html

Several boats on powerboats.com, there is a 25 OL 39k 1000hp will do 90, and a lot of others! Good Luck in your search, also, Jason took his whipples off, don't think he is in the 90s any longer.

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I hope this works... i am new at posting pics... I think this is the boat I'm gonna go with... 2004 Baja 25 ft OL with 209 hours for 30k... If you guys would give me your honest opinion and let me know what you think... Thanks

well i see it didnt work... if someone would please tell me how to post pics or give me their email address and maybe they can post them for me... i really would appreciate it cause i would like to know peoples input on the boat and if its a good deal or not... Thanks Rodney

Go to "YouTube" and do a search for "bad Idea Baja" there are a few videos, I will try and find him for you, even without the whippes it's a very, very fast boat.

Here are a few video's I found, check them out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKe7b7Lf6tQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoNP0F81WPQ


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPWpnzN45w8

Whatever you buy I would deff recommend you spend some money for a survey, it's well worth the money!

What's the power, couldn't pull up the link you provided...

Yeah, and Jason's boat is sick, mine is its little brother, same paint and side mounted whipple!