Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Well said. I envy your year round boating season. :drink:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

I wasn't - or at least hope I wasn't - bashing in anyway. Thay are a good boat, depending on what you want to do. I personally want to run a little harder than what I've seen and run a Baja, I'm no expert, but that's why I come to boards like this - to get advice on how I like to run - and the boat that would suit ME best.
I'm glad you enjoy it and have money for your other hobbies.
For me, this is my ONLY hobby - and I still can't afford it.
Please don't take anything as a BASH on Baja - or you're boat - we're all just speed/performance guy's - and I respect it just for the love of the sport.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

BINGO :drink:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Well said.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

As with a few other have said above, I agree with you also on Baja boats. There's just too much pompus, misinformed, and downright nasty opinion flying around about the Bajas and Fountains. I mean, WTF?!!

I've checked out quite a few Baja boats at shows and elsewhere. Nice looking, nicely rigged, vinyl work is very good.

Comments made like "it won't hold up to the way I drive offshore" are just plain bullchit. You can break anything out there if you try hard enough. Personally, I try NOT to break mine.

So, buy a Baja, buy a Fountain, buy an old Formula like mine. Who cares, just enjoy it.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

I Have Been In Pretty Much Every Model Baja Has Made In The Last 15-20 Years From 18 To 44 Feet. They Ride Well And You Get A Lot Of Boat For The Money. Putting Things Into Perspective Though, It Is Comparing An Apple To An Orange. A 36 Foot Baja Does Not Compare To A 37 Outerlimits When It Comes To Performance, But Maybe That Is Because The Baja Is Much Heavier With The Suitcases Full Of The $400,000.0 In Cash That Is Still Left Over For The Baja Owner To Tote Around. I Had 3 Bajas And Loved Them For What I Bought Them To Do. I Owned Fountains And I Owned My Favorite Of All Which Was A Donzi, But I Still Never Comapared It To A Ol Or Cig. Buy What Makes Your Boating Experience A Pleasant One That Is In Your Budget And You Can Not Go Wrong. On The Other Side Of The Coin, Do Not Compare An Inferior Boat To A Custom Boat Just Because That Is All You Have Experienced.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Keith,

Thanks for your reply and you know I agree 100% with what you have said.

As a three time Baja owner I have been very pleased with the product, the look, the performance and the price & support.

It saddens me to know we have people in the OSO family and the small performance boat world that know you and I love our boats but feel the need to call us stupid or fools for owning them. I love to share information on this site when I have real facts to share, but I learned a LONG time ago that you don't serve yourself or anyone else when you bad mouth a brand. There is always someone loyal to it, and someone that has had good results and loves the brand they own.

My 36 Outlaw has been in nine states, has been to Florida 15 times now and has logged 18,000 miles "YES 18,000 MILES" in 400 hours. I have 46,000 miles on the trailer.

We use our boat and it has been in rough ocean conditions a dozen times. When people see our 36 Outlaw for the first time they ask if it is new!

We take care of it and store it indoors, but there are NO stress cracks and the boat performs great and rides even better.

I have never met a boat I did not like. They ALL have advantages and disadvantages. There has never been the perfect boat. If so all other companies would be out of business.

Ever had that PERFECT day on the water with six other boats that were all different brands and lengths, with different power, and at the end of the day EVERYONE had a great time, and it did not matter what they were in. That is boating.

People you need to get over it, buy what suits you best and enjoy boating, rather then come on OSO and act like a fool that had no raising as a child.

Dock

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

dear Baja owners,

At least they don't remind you your 32' boat is only 29'
or
make fun of your beak, gold medallions and hair.

ed

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

LOL :drink:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

True.... :drink: :drink:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

..... nor do Baja owners criticize the abilities or judgement
of other offshore performance boaters on their choice of rides.
Bill

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

wow i must like to be abused, i have owned two baja's, with a fountain in between. if you have a 32 like i did don't forget all the "its sinking" phone calls.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

i just wanted to add that i feel what alot of you are saying is true about baja." they are a great boat for the money". "they are an entry level boat". i do believe this is true. but it is also like doc said. buy what fits your needs. i have a 25ol and love every min. on my boat. i could have bought an older bigger boat of another brand but i wanted to learn about performance boats without getting in over my head. i now want to move up to something else and i would look at another baja. i like the 30ol and i like the 36 ol. these boats fit my needs for the way i boat. its like it was said before buy want fits.for the question of why everything is compared to baja is because when you have a person who wants to get into performance boating they do research. the first thing they find is a cig. then they will start to see baja popping up on all websites or articles because there are so many and everyone has had one.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Maybe the term "entry-level" also means that:

1. I love the hull styling and the cockpit ergonomics,
2. It runs like a clock and provides unlimited enjoyment,
3. I can afford to buy it and still have a life outside of boating.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

i could take that as an explaination.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

(Pssst, Reggie! Is that you?)









:D

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

You Baja guys are all wrong,they are JUNK,the Anti-Baja guys have finally convinced me I need to just take mine out in the bay and pull the plug, letting her sink to the bottom so as not to be embarrassed when I'm seen driving it around having no fun :rolleyes: ,Smitty

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Smitty .... hows does the boat handle at that speed?
Even on 2' days offshore, it gets to be quite a handfull
when my son is pushing his stock 272/502 over 65mph.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

The boat handles much better than it did stock in the 1-2 chop and waves because of the twin ram full hyd steering and longer than stock trim tabs. It currently handles like total crap because I installed a ext box on it this summer in my quest for more speed but its coming off this winter when I pull the motor to freshen it. The boat is definately sensitive to load,if I run too light (1/4 tk of gas or less plus no passengers) it tends to stern lift and bow steer when i use a 32 pitch prop,Smitty

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Exactly! This isn't rocket science! :D I don't know where people come up with all these definitions of wave height with their "imaginary lines" and "a true 3' wave has a 6' hole". :confused:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

As far as why boats get compared to Bajas I think it's because Bajas are less expensive and easier to find.

I will admit I used to make jabs at Bajas because they were a "cookie cutter" boat. Maybe their quality is a little lower than some of the custom boats. Maybe their rigging isn't the best. But it's a production line boat that can be bought for a decent price(at least they used to be!). For the average guy out there a Baja will probably get the job done and do it well.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

anything that floats is fun for me :drink:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

I don't mean to criticize anyone about their choice of boat. If you own a Baja, it suits your needs, and you're happy with it, that's all that matters.

I own a Fountain. There are certainly many compromises involved in owning a Fountain, and I probably won't buy another one. The beak just cuts out a lot of cabin space. I want more cabin space, for the way I use my boat. So next time around it'll probably be a Cigarette, maybe a Formula. Of course budget will determine vintage, as it did with my last purchase.

But, rigging and vinyl work aside, the basic construction of a Baja is just not as strong as many other brand out there. The older Baja's i've seen around here are all beat to hell, with a lot of stress cracks and outright fiberglass damage. On Lake St. Clair, you don't get big rollers like you do on the ocean, you get a washing machine from hell. If there are 4 footers out there they might be on an 8' wavelength, tops. It's all chop. Boats get beaten up. I see new Baja's out there, but they seem to dissappear after awhile, you don't see nearly as many older Baja's as you do newer ones. They're all at earl the pearls being parted out because the hull is ****ed. Conversely, you see older Fountains all over the place. Very few "big dollar" boats around here, I saw 1 OL and maybe 2 new Cigs all summer. There's a small Spectre down the canal from me. All the other go-fasts are Fountains, Formulas, or less than 5 years old.

Most of you with Baja's probably spent more than me. I'm not trying to be all "holier than thou" or any crap like that. Hell, i'm driving a $35k boat, probably one of the cheaper boats on this site. If you like your boat, enjoy it, and don't worry about what other people say. But if someone asks a question about the difference between a Baja and a Fountain, I'm going to pipe in with the quality issue, because there's a difference and it's real. If i didn't know crap about boats, and i was shopping for my first boat, i'd expect the same honesty. If someone knows enough about boats to know what the good brands are and what the lower quality brands are, I'd want to know.

If your landlubber buddy hit the lotto and was comparing, say, a Bayliner to a Formula, would you bite your tongue and let him buy the Bayliner? I hope not.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Why not?
If he was pleased with his choice, why was he wrong?

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

I still don't think any one has answered the question but alot of info has been exchanged and that is a good thing. as far as quality between all the different brands? Well all I can say is that I have learned through my years is the less you know about layup and rigging or all the componets that are used THE HAPPIER YOU CAN BE WITH WHATEVER YOU HAVE :rolleyes:So don't fret the little stuff and just have fun and be safe :cool:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

I just wish that the Brunswick products
attached to the rear end of my current Brunswick
company boat, were as trouble free as the boat
has been. :D

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Plus their the only "go fast" boats in our syracuse boatshow the past 2years...............someone bring some others besides deckboats and pontoons :eek: , guess I'll just have to go to a real show :evilb: :D

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

brunswick makes a great pool table...

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

I am going to the Lauderdale show at the end of the month :drink: I brought Nordic to the syr show a few years ago, I think that was the last year of the good shows, Last year for boathouse marine also. :eek:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Used to look forward to going everyyear, probably not going this year(syr), think I remember some sunnies, and the checkmates. Don't remember the Nordics though,but dont' really have to much memory left :drink:

How can I get dates for fla shows, have relatives in St .pete

could time some visits properly next year.........

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

the Miami show is always around Feb the same time the Syr show is. stay tuned someone will let us know. back in the good loe days Boathouse had Checkmate/Sonic/Fountian/Active Thunder/Motion cats/and a few others.Offshore performance in Bewerton had Profile/Imp. WE white water Marine had Donzi/ Porline/Vindicator/Stingray/Nordic/Rinker. now they are all gone except Dick Head Conjob with Baja :eek:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Hey Sleeper Dave,

Can you get me the number of the bone yard? I need some parts for my 88 280.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

The Baja's I see in the showroom look nice...the old one's are beat to heck.

Says something I think.

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

What constitutes an old one?
One year old, five years, ten years, fifteen years, twenty years old .....

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

Who would be pulling the trigger?

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

GOD I AM SICK OF THIS SH$T LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A FEW FOUNTIANS AND FORMULAS 40FT 88 IN 92 BROKEN STRINGERS THE OWNER TELLS ME IT COMMON WITH THEM, 02 FOUNTIAN BLOWS HOLE IN BOTTOM OF HULL RACING. 01 FRIENDS f2 FORMULA BREAKS STRINGERS AND SO SO AND THEN HE RACED A 02 38 FOR TWO MORE YEARS AND SOLD IT FOR 79,000 BECAUSE OF OTHER PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN BEATEN BY ONE FORMULA IN 16YRS THAT WAS FRED BOWMEN TEAM OUTLAW OR OL TEAM OBSESSION WHEN I HAD STOCK POWER WHICH WAS BACK IN 90 I HAVE RUN AGAINST FOUNTIANS,SUPERBOAT 24/30 WITH 200HPS TWINS AND BIG BLOCKS.CIGS FORMULAS 24/27/29/21/35S BUDDYS SB 24 WITH 525 BEAT HIM ALL DAY, HARDLY EVER TO BE BEAT ON THE CAPE OR BOSTON IN 16YRS WITH A AVERAGE OF 585HP MOST OF THE TIME AND YES I HAVE STRESS CRACKS BUT SO DOES ALL THE ABOVE AND YES I HAVE BEEN BEATEN BY SUTPHENS OUTER LIMITS AND A FEW OTHERS JUST TRYING TO SAY BAJA IS NO GAYLINER COLORS ARE IN THE GEL THEY USE BALA CORING'S NEW BOATS WITH KEVLAR AND OTHER HIGH TECH MATERIALS SO QUIT THE SH@T THEM BEAK BOATS LOOK LIKE THERE SINKING ANYWAY :p :D HEY IS REGGIE GOING TO DUCT TAPE ANOTHER WORLD TITLE IN USV BY PUSHING IT THROUGHT THE START AGAIN :rolleyes: OR IS HE GOING TO LET OL, CIG , SKATER RUN TOO :p LETS ROLL MY NEXT BOAT WILL BE A SUTPHEN,JOKER,SUPERBOAT THOSE ARE NOT COOKIE CUTTER :D

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

RG,

by any chance when you mention the ride in the 22 BAJA, would you be talking about that ride from the casino in Bomars BAJA? :confused:

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

No Darlin. Chad and I took the Red Rocket over once a few years ago. The ride with you guys was "scary fun" but the water that day with Chad was "OMG we could die scary fun" :D

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

I'm gonna guess this does as it is going on 17 years old. But the Baja bashers will have a tough time finding one stress crack on her. Somehow the older she gets the more I like her....no bling, just stock and reliable. :)

Re: why all the Baja questions???
 

I do recall you sitting back there yelling " WEEEEEEEEE" :evilb: