Hello everyone!
I need some help with information about my new boat, a 1990 Checkmate 281 Maxxum (single 454 carb w/ Bravo 1). These are the things I don't know, which are hard to find information on:

How well does it handle rough waters compared to other, similar 28-footers?

How has the hull been altered throughout the years?
(It looks like Checkmate still runs the same hull, with slight modifications, calling it the Convincor 300...?)

I saw a thread here with a picture of a Convincor 300 from 2002 with a notched transom, which supposedly produced another 5 mph. Does anyone know if that feature is still in production?
Did they mount the drive higher up than earlier (non-notched transoms) to compensate for this?

What can be done to a 1990 Maxxum 281 to improve its performance? (Other than simply hot tuning the engine?)

Does anyone have experience from racing this hull, or driving it in rough conditions?

Thanking you in advance!

We had a 94 with about 500 HP, topped out at about 65mph. It handled Lake Erie very well for a 28' boat, just point and shoot.

Thanks Checkmate zt!
This is the speed I was hoping for, which means next summer is going to be great for me! (My boat has about the same power.)

One of the reasons I wondered about the handling is the latest test of this hull in Powerboat Magazine: They said something like "it handled OK on the lake but they wouldn't go offshore with it, since it wasn't too soft in the ride". I guess it was about the same hull. (The Convincor 300, only difference being the stepped transom.)

My experience from the 251 Convincor (with the modified pad keel) was that it was the greatest rough water boat I'd driven in that size, so I just took for granted the 281 from the same time would be as good, (or better because of its size).

Thanks again for your input!

they made them with twins also. you dont see very many for sale. good looking boats.

Yes, and people change the SBs for BBs (The newer Convincor 300 has this as an option.) It should definitely have a soft ride with twin BBs, considering the extra weight and that narrow hull. (It is less than 6' wide across the hull down where the V begins!)

With two big blocks you better have baby hands to work on ANYTHING.!

Check out www.checkmate-boats.com they are a couple of people their that have one

Thanks, I will!

hey, i have a 91 281 maxxum w/twin merc outboards. ive been in the ocean off the coast of nj, the bay and chesapeake. i have not found water yet that has been to big for the boat. i have never owned a bigger boat though. i have found though you will have to find its sweet spot. i know with mine anything under 35 it starts to flop over waves. i went out on the chesapeake a couple of weeks ago and it was ruff. i ran 45 to 50 the hole way passing boats that were 22 to 25 ft the hole time. 1 tried to hang but he was getting pounded. i love mine

Thanks! This sounds promising! Pardon an amateur question, but what exactly do you mean by "sweep spot" and "flop over waves"? I guess that the sum of this is that I have to make sure to find the speed relative to the wave size where it rides "on top" of things, without taking a dive in between the peaks of the waves, but since English is not my native tongue I sometimes have as hard a time following specific terminology as that 25-footer had following you in the rough stuff...