New to OSO, considering a Baja
05-08-2013, 08:29 AM
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New to OSO, considering a Baja
Hello everyone,
This is my first post and the second boat forum I have joined recently (also joined The Hull Truth, which is mostly fishing guys). I'm currently a Stingray owner and looking to upgrade to a large open bow boat. I have heard that the Baja 292 Islander is kind of a dog but the other information I have found online points to its soft ride (24 degree deadrise on true-vee hull) and good handling of choppy water. Are there any owners of the 292 Islander on here and if so what do you like/dislike about the boat? It's either this or a 28-foot Regal bowrider and I'd rather have this because the the high freeboard in case we go off shore or to Lake Erie. Also, anyone with experience with Performance Boat Center near LOTO?
This is my first post and the second boat forum I have joined recently (also joined The Hull Truth, which is mostly fishing guys). I'm currently a Stingray owner and looking to upgrade to a large open bow boat. I have heard that the Baja 292 Islander is kind of a dog but the other information I have found online points to its soft ride (24 degree deadrise on true-vee hull) and good handling of choppy water. Are there any owners of the 292 Islander on here and if so what do you like/dislike about the boat? It's either this or a 28-foot Regal bowrider and I'd rather have this because the the high freeboard in case we go off shore or to Lake Erie. Also, anyone with experience with Performance Boat Center near LOTO?
05-08-2013, 10:54 AM
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Hello,
While not a 292, I've owned a 1998 252 islander for almost 6 years and have found it to be a very nice all around boat for day crusing and family outings. Fit and finish is very nice and holding up very well. We use the boat year round in Tampa bay and it rides good, handles well with plenty of room on board. We even pull a tube with it. Mine is powered by a 7.4 mag so it tops out at 58 mph; clearly not the fastest thing onthe water, but for us it's just fine. If you're looking for a low maint., great bang for the buck, the islander is a pretty nice boat. Hope this helps
While not a 292, I've owned a 1998 252 islander for almost 6 years and have found it to be a very nice all around boat for day crusing and family outings. Fit and finish is very nice and holding up very well. We use the boat year round in Tampa bay and it rides good, handles well with plenty of room on board. We even pull a tube with it. Mine is powered by a 7.4 mag so it tops out at 58 mph; clearly not the fastest thing onthe water, but for us it's just fine. If you're looking for a low maint., great bang for the buck, the islander is a pretty nice boat. Hope this helps
05-08-2013, 11:08 AM
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I just bought a 29 outlaw and I love the ride of the boat. My wife loves the deep cockpit of it. I think that it would be a pig with a single and hard to handle around the dock. It is a big 29, but the single 29's seem popular in loto. What kind of price range are you in? This looks like it would be the hot setup for an islander. Price seems a bit high to me.
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...nder-101814518
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...nder-101814518
05-08-2013, 02:32 PM
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That boat is overpriced, especially without a trailer.
The single 292 Islanders that I've found have the Bravo 3 which seems to mitigate the effects of only having a single. I prefer a single for various reasons.
Price range isn't as important as getting the right boat but I can save about $40k by getting one of these used instead of a new regal/cobalt bowrider in the same size range and I believe I may be getting a boat that fits my needs better (less of a lake boat). If it will do around 50 mph I'll be happy although going from almost 70 mph in my Stingray will be noticable (which I can only do on a sheet of glass anyway). Thanks for the input and help! Hope to hear more!
The single 292 Islanders that I've found have the Bravo 3 which seems to mitigate the effects of only having a single. I prefer a single for various reasons.
Price range isn't as important as getting the right boat but I can save about $40k by getting one of these used instead of a new regal/cobalt bowrider in the same size range and I believe I may be getting a boat that fits my needs better (less of a lake boat). If it will do around 50 mph I'll be happy although going from almost 70 mph in my Stingray will be noticable (which I can only do on a sheet of glass anyway). Thanks for the input and help! Hope to hear more!
05-08-2013, 03:24 PM
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Hello everyone,
This is my first post and the second boat forum I have joined recently (also joined The Hull Truth, which is mostly fishing guys). I'm currently a Stingray owner and looking to upgrade to a large open bow boat. I have heard that the Baja 292 Islander is kind of a dog but the other information I have found online points to its soft ride (24 degree deadrise on true-vee hull) and good handling of choppy water. Are there any owners of the 292 Islander on here and if so what do you like/dislike about the boat? It's either this or a 28-foot Regal bowrider and I'd rather have this because the the high freeboard in case we go off shore or to Lake Erie. Also, anyone with experience with Performance Boat Center near LOTO?
This is my first post and the second boat forum I have joined recently (also joined The Hull Truth, which is mostly fishing guys). I'm currently a Stingray owner and looking to upgrade to a large open bow boat. I have heard that the Baja 292 Islander is kind of a dog but the other information I have found online points to its soft ride (24 degree deadrise on true-vee hull) and good handling of choppy water. Are there any owners of the 292 Islander on here and if so what do you like/dislike about the boat? It's either this or a 28-foot Regal bowrider and I'd rather have this because the the high freeboard in case we go off shore or to Lake Erie. Also, anyone with experience with Performance Boat Center near LOTO?
That boat is overpriced, especially without a trailer.
The single 292 Islanders that I've found have the Bravo 3 which seems to mitigate the effects of only having a single. I prefer a single for various reasons.
Price range isn't as important as getting the right boat but I can save about $40k by getting one of these used instead of a new regal/cobalt bowrider in the same size range and I believe I may be getting a boat that fits my needs better (less of a lake boat). If it will do around 50 mph I'll be happy although going from almost 70 mph in my Stingray will be noticable (which I can only do on a sheet of glass anyway). Thanks for the input and help! Hope to hear more!
The single 292 Islanders that I've found have the Bravo 3 which seems to mitigate the effects of only having a single. I prefer a single for various reasons.
Price range isn't as important as getting the right boat but I can save about $40k by getting one of these used instead of a new regal/cobalt bowrider in the same size range and I believe I may be getting a boat that fits my needs better (less of a lake boat). If it will do around 50 mph I'll be happy although going from almost 70 mph in my Stingray will be noticable (which I can only do on a sheet of glass anyway). Thanks for the input and help! Hope to hear more!
My 292 handles rough water extremely well at LOTO. Leaving the shootout (which is notoriously rough) last year, I did 30mph through the slop and only got a little bit of spray twice. Contrary to popular theory, they aren't really pigs. Running a 22p Bravo through a 1.5 Bravo 1X, I'm at 52mph if I have little fuel/people and 50mph full of fuel & 8 people. The boats handling feels the same loaded or unloaded for the most part.
Mine holeshots awesome with neutral trim and no tabs. I've never been on a boat that gets on plane as easily as mine. Btw, I'm still playing with props because there isn't much info on 292/Bravo 1 setups. There is tons of info on them with Bravo3's and I might be switching to one eventually.
The cuddy cabin is great for my son to tak a nap in and can sleep two adults comfortably. There is a TON of storage space in the boat. It's impossible to ever run out of it. There is enough seating space that you can have 8 people onboard with plenty of room for everyone to stretch out lounging (plus a couple big coolers).
PBC is great to deal with. I deal with Brett and the service manager mainly and they've always exceeded my expectations every time. They are a very professional shop.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask away. They're great boats that are really big for their size. I'm not sure what boat your looking at but I wouldn't take less than $50-55k for mine.
05-08-2013, 06:06 PM
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Wow! Thanks for the response and nice boat! I really like the look of the ones like yours with the large baja logo on the solid side-hull color. The one I am looking at has a Bravo 3. I've got to sell my boat first but I think you just cemented my decision to get one of these big open-bows but I do have one more question: How many people have you had on deck comfortably? Will it seat 10/12 comfortably? Thanks for the help Plowtown, hopefully I'll have one of these before too long!
05-08-2013, 07:59 PM
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Wow! Thanks for the response and nice boat! I really like the look of the ones like yours with the large baja logo on the solid side-hull color. The one I am looking at has a Bravo 3. I've got to sell my boat first but I think you just cemented my decision to get one of these big open-bows but I do have one more question: How many people have you had on deck comfortably? Will it seat 10/12 comfortably? Thanks for the help Plowtown, hopefully I'll have one of these before too long!
I've personally had 8 people on it (the time in the picture) and you would have no problem seating 12 people comfortably.
By the way on a performance note, my family bought a new SeaRay 290 with 496HO/Bravo3 that was the same year as my 292 Islander. The SeaRay 290 would only hit 45mph wide open versus the 52mph my 292 does. The 292 Islander is more "light on its feet" and handles much more like a sportboat than the SeaRay 290 they had. Compared to the boats that the 292 Islander competed with, they are far from being a "pig".
05-10-2013, 10:25 PM
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I just bought a 29 outlaw and I love the ride of the boat. My wife loves the deep cockpit of it. I think that it would be a pig with a single and hard to handle around the dock. It is a big 29, but the single 29's seem popular in loto. What kind of price range are you in? This looks like it would be the hot setup for an islander. Price seems a bit high to me.
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...nder-101814518
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...nder-101814518
Congrats on your new boat!
05-13-2013, 08:50 AM
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So I sold the Stingray yesterday to the first buyer to come see it! It was a great boat and fast as hell but I'm looking forward to a smoother ride in the larger Baja! We're driving out to PBC and taking it out for a test drive this coming weekend and hopefully we'll be bringing it home! Plowtown, about how much does your Islander weigh with the trailer?
