how much hp make sense in a 32ībaja?
#73
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It just takes too much dam HP to make it go fast, that's why it may not be the best 80+ mph boat. As far as ahandling goes, unless I missed it, in this entire thread there is no mention of external steering or a hydraulic helm to make the Baja's handle better. If the boat boat drops to one side when at WOT drop the tab on that side, and learn how to drive it. I drove an 85+ mph 27' magnum for 18 years, and it took some getting used to. A 32' Baja with twin 500 hp's is a decent combo. There are a few 32' Baja hot rod's around in the Northeast that allegedly run in the 90's, and those owner's got it sorted out.
#74
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From: Austria
It just takes too much dam HP to make it go fast, that's why it may not be the best 80+ mph boat. As far as ahandling goes, unless I missed it, in this entire thread there is no mention of external steering or a hydraulic helm to make the Baja's handle better. If the boat boat drops to one side when at WOT drop the tab on that side, and learn how to drive it. I drove an 85+ mph 27' magnum for 18 years, and it took some getting used to. A 32' Baja with twin 500 hp's is a decent combo. There are a few 32' Baja hot rod's around in the Northeast that allegedly run in the 90's, and those owner's got it sorted out.
#75
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From: ankeny,ia.
It just takes too much dam HP to make it go fast, that's why it may not be the best 80+ mph boat. As far as ahandling goes, unless I missed it, in this entire thread there is no mention of external steering or a hydraulic helm to make the Baja's handle better. If the boat boat drops to one side when at WOT drop the tab on that side, and learn how to drive it. I drove an 85+ mph 27' magnum for 18 years, and it took some getting used to. A 32' Baja with twin 500 hp's is a decent combo. There are a few 32' Baja hot rod's around in the Northeast that allegedly run in the 90's, and those owner's got it sorted out.
The 320 ES style ( top photo) is a 30' boat with a molded
swim platform.
It's tall profile and pad bottom contibute to it's handling
quirks......they handle goofy with stock power, adding
anything more would just make it worse
The 320 Force, 32 Magnum, 32 Caliber, 32 Outlaw
( sometimes called 32 flat deck)
( bottom photo) are a true 32' boat, no pad.
This model is much more popular, and doesnt have the
handling quirks the ES does.... 500's in these boats are
not a problem...they handle it well.....if they're running
in the 90's, it's probably this model, not the ES.
#76
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There are 2 types of 32' Baja's
The 320 ES style ( top photo) is a 30' boat with a molded
swim platform.
It's tall profile and pad bottom contibute to it's handling
quirks......they handle goofy with stock power, adding
anything more would just make it worse
The 320 Force, 32 Magnum, 32 Caliber, 32 Outlaw
( sometimes called 32 flat deck)
( bottom photo) are a true 32' boat, no pad.
This model is much more popular, and doesnt have the
handling quirks the ES does.... 500's in these boats are
not a problem...they handle it well.....if they're running
in the 90's, it's probably this model, not the ES.
The 320 ES style ( top photo) is a 30' boat with a molded
swim platform.
It's tall profile and pad bottom contibute to it's handling
quirks......they handle goofy with stock power, adding
anything more would just make it worse
The 320 Force, 32 Magnum, 32 Caliber, 32 Outlaw
( sometimes called 32 flat deck)
( bottom photo) are a true 32' boat, no pad.
This model is much more popular, and doesnt have the
handling quirks the ES does.... 500's in these boats are
not a problem...they handle it well.....if they're running
in the 90's, it's probably this model, not the ES.
With respect to the taller boat with the pad; take the play out of the steering system with external steering and a hydraulic helm and it will be a whole lot more user friendly, and drive better at higher speeds. But once you add the $$$ for the 500's, steering, props, it may be worth more for those parts than what the whole boat is worth, but that is not out of the ordinary for performance boaters. I readily admit I do not know sh*t about that ES model Baja, but I believe handling problems can be addressed and remedied to a certain extent, maybe not 100%.
You did clear up the difference in the models, thanks.
PS. About five or six years ago we raced a 27' or 28' Baja with a similar deck design of that ES model. I thought the model was an Islander, I am not entirely sure, and I amot sure if the bottom was straight V with or without pad. I am sure of the following: the owner had time and money invested on building a huge hp blower motor, 1000 hp. It was a real sleeper. We could not get around that boat, we raced it twice. Handling, which I expected to be a concern once that single engine Baja got in the upper 80's/90 mph+ did not materialize, I was impressed. He could drive it pretty good, and it didn't do anything quirky. I wrote that because I believe, based on past experience and observation, that these handling problems can be fixed (steering, bottom-work) it all depends on how much of your own labor and or dollars you can afford.
Last edited by Smarty; 02-23-2009 at 11:45 AM.
#77
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From: Austria
thanks for the lot of informations, which give me a new view on the things about handling the boat. the good things is, that i do not go for racing with it and i can save the money for bigger engines and invest in steering and other stuff. then will see if i will be able to love the rig or not.
thanks again to you all.
chris
thanks again to you all.
chris




