Checkmate 270 vs Baja 25 outlaw
 

I'm looking at a 2001 checkmate 270 and a 2003 Baja 25 outlaw both have 496ho's and both the same price. The checkmate has 270 hours and the Baja has 350. I just don't know what one to go with can I get some advice thanks

Both great boats. I had to put offshore tabs on a 2000 259 Checkmate to help control mid range porpoise. After the HP tabs were installed the boat exceeded my expectations in ride quality.

Both great boats. My brother in law had checkmate and I'm on my third outlaw. I have a 2003 25 ft outlaw with the 496 HO. Both boats have different look. Personally I love the look of the outlaw. I live in Atlantic City and take the boat in the ocean all the time with no problem. The only reason I would get rid of my 25 outlaw would be to buy a 29 ft outlaw.

Following, I'm thinking about a 270 Checkmate myself.

I pretty much had the same experience with a 270 BR - except I sold mine before I could get K-planes to resolve the porpoise. I thought the Checkmate a better looking boat and better constructed than the two Baja's I had.. All things being equal I'd go for the lower hour Checkmate unless it's obvious that the Baja has been better cared for. But only buy the Check figuring in the price of switching to some bigger tabs.

I'm in the process of selling an '05 ZT230, stepping into a Fountain. In my estimation, probably one of the better looking boats around...this one always turned heads, even from the big players. As to performance and build quality...I think the change to an older Fountain is a huge step in the right direction. 'Nough said.

Happy boating in whichever you choose.

I really enjoyed my Checkmate, and most of my friends had checkmates at one time or another. They were a great boat, and constructed well. I had a 2000 251 Convincer Classic. I liked the Gelcoat graphics and the look of the boats. They ran really well in rougher water. The porpoising problem can be solved 3 ways............

1. Prop technology has gotten better and many to choose from. B Blades can work with you and get the boat to settle a little better,

2. Bigger Tabs can be added and sometimes an extension box on the drive I have heard takes out the porpoise.

3. Drive it like you stole it and always turn 4200 RPM and higher and the boat never porpoises, just saying, on/off switch type throttling.

Enjoy

The baja will ride better in the rough , it also has a higher free board.

Checkmate.....The winning move!

Found some pictures of my old Checkmate. Purchased the boat with a stock 454MAG. We had a Tyler Crockett energizer kit installed (cam, head mods, exhaust, ecm flash), hydraulic steering and HP tabs added. The boat really had a nice set in rough water for it's size. Keep the drive level, drop the tabs slightly and she would fly steady, great boat!

Agree with this on multiple points. It's a different look, I am partial to the windscreen than the windshield look, though both of these prob serve same purpose.

I LOVED the 25, great looks, timeless offshore look. The checkmate is a nice boat, but it's a different look.
Had the 25ol for 4 years and then stepped up to the 33Outlaw, though was really looking for a Baja 302.
Same look, but bigger and HUGE dance floor/cockpit.

My personal opininion is checkmates are built well but don't look as "sporty" as the Baja, Baj's typically have a more functiona l/ roomy cockpit. As far as build quailty from personal experience, Bajas are cheaply built, IE: 40 ft wire harness stapled back and forth acrossed the transom on 25/ 27 ft version, screws that missed anything solid in floor, seats barely bolted in, screws ran thru gelcoat without predrilling, spongy floors even new. I prob spent 100+ hours re-rigging, re-inforcing and fixing all the corners that were cut when my Baja was assembled. Checkmate, a solid, better built boat, dont likethe looks as much but definately have a more solid feel than most Bajas, FWIW, Smitty

owned both checkmate 1 step up from baja on the quality scale both handled the rough surprisingly decent

I would think it depends on how fast you want to go. I think the Baja will do 64 on a good day and the Check might do 58 on a good day... MIGHT

Chris

I'm not sure the Baja is that much faster with equal power. My best GPS run with a mildly tweaked 454MAG (461 Crankshaft HP) was 72mph. However I did make a pass in the 2009 LOTO Shootout and only ran 65mph on their radar. I lost to a 25 Outlaw in the class who made a pass of 67mph with a 496MAG HO. That driver did have some kind of reflection device on his bow to get a better read on the radar. I went in blind and made a pass just for fun. As far as looks are concerned I think they are both cool looking boats.

There is not a 6mph difference between equal power/equal length in this size range with these two brands more like 2-3 at most. The Baja will be heavier with a little more free board and usually the slower of the two.

I don't have any data to back it up but I would be very surprised if a Baja would be faster than a Checkmate.

Padraig

I have had two baja's and one checkmate. Plus being around and in a bunch more. The checkmate is better built boat. The baja's look good and ride good but if you start tearing into the stuff you can't see, the construction is pretty disappointing. Neither of them are great as far as rigging, but checkmate is better there too.

+1 vote for the Checkmate, spent some time on a friends 270 with 454 mag - it was a low 60 mph boat and will do everything the outlaw will and then some. Only way I'd choose the Baja is if it was noticeably in better shape.

The checkmate he's asking about will run 68 on GPS everyday ;)

I find it hard to believe it will do 68 with a stock 496 HO. I rode in one with a stock 502 and it would not break 60.

Chris

It's a 1.65 geared bravo 1. It runs a little faster than the rest and slings a bit larger prop. Was running a labbed 28.5 hydromotive. Multiple members on here have seen it run or been in it at those speeds. Also, two of its previous owners are on here.

It will run 67/68 every day of the week.

Edit: not sure what was wrong with the one you were in but it definitely should've been faster than that or the guy didn't know what he was doing.

Lol 58. Maybe with a couple spark plugs taken off, Checkmate blows Baja away when it comes to construction. This is my old boat being discussed, 68 is a real number. Want to be like everyone else buy a Baja. You won't find any stress cracks in this Checkmate, wonder what a 01 Baja looks like.

Never said I owned a Baja or wanted one. I just stated what the checkmate I was ridding in was doing. Maybe he had the wrong prop on it. I actually like checkmates.


Chris

I would definitely go with the Checkmate. I have never had a problem with the porpoising on mine.

Checkmate is far better of the two boats.

FWIW My 1997 253 Convincor runs 67 GPS any day with the 502 MPI

I'd say checkmate as well. fit and finish will be better quality. My bone stock 270 with a 496 no HO runs 67 no problem. Handles the Chesapeake Bay with ease.

not sure what was wrong with the Checkmate you were on, propped wrong, missing 2 cylinders? I have a 2007 Checkmate 270 496 mag non HO and will run 67mph on GPS.

Will the labbed prop and bigger taps really help? Buddy has a 250 Checkmate w/600, porpoise is bad!!! Unless you drive full throttle!! I used to own 25 Baja, w496HO, great boat! My opinion had better curb appeal, handled great, Checkmate a little better in overall construction. IMHO

I really thought this would have gotten uglier by now! The one time cross town rival boat companies! I'm a Checkmate fan...probably because my dad was. That .. & when I was younger, every time you heard a loud boat...you just assumed it was a baja outlaw. They were as common on a Pa lake as pontoons are now. I think they put out over 2000 boats a year in their 50 acre Ohio plant. I definitely agree with them being a sportier lookin boat, especially with their windscreens. Mates where more rare & classic looking. As for a baja being faster...definitely disagree!! Old Bajas look just like Checkmates...because they used to buy Checkmates old molds. Now let the fun begin!