So I'm new to boating. I'm in my young 20's, single, and live in the Houston area. The most likely places I will take my boat are Lake Conroe, Livingston, and occasionally Lake Travis and maybe the Gulf of Mexico/cruise down to S. Padre Island. I'm a car guy so I tend to rely on forums as the easiest and most thorough source of information that is not common knowledge/published. These forums were one of the first things I found when I started researching my future boat purchase.

I am not interested in top speed, though I'd like something that can do 60+ mph and I'd like it to be somewhat gas economical. I've fallen in love with the shape and concept of the Baja Outlaw boats. In searching and looking at specifications I've only found a few references to water skiing and watersports such as tubing, wakeboarding, etc. Several of the models I like don't even come with a ski tow, so my assumption is that they are not intended to be used for such purposes. That stands to reason that similar boats that are such equipped may not really be suited for these activities on a regular basis either. Is this true? And if so, could someone please give me a general understanding as to why not? I think I've read that the "time to plane" and propeller specifications may be limiting factors. Is it that these boats have too much acceleration that they'd injure a potential skiier or that they are designed more for top speed and so like a car with low gears (2.7:1 as opposed to 4.1:1) don't accelerate as well so as to produce a higher speed at lower rpm?

I know many of you might suggest that I go buy a family style ski boat, which I may be convinced to do, but I really like the idea of the cuddy cabin, room for 5-6, and the sleek look of the Baja's. If they are at all useful for watersports, I'd like to know why there aren't many references to their use as such. Not to mention, I want a boat in the 23-27' range which is hard to find in an ski boat and a $10-25k budget.

What models should I be looking for? I think the 232 and 272 were the most similar to the outlaw but still have the ski tow setup. I have seen info on the hammer, 20' outlaw, and a few others, but you lose the usable cabin and your seating space becomes limited. I'm also considering the Islander series, but I just don't care for the bowrider layout and profile near as well.

Thanks for helping me figure these things out and hope to see y'all out there!

You also may want to look for older 250's, 260's, & 270's. They are the performance style boat. The outlaws are just not set up for pulling, although I don't see why a 25OL could not have a two ring installed. The intergrated swimplatform works better for pulling people though. So I think you would really like the models I sugested.

I personally had a 260. For pulling a tube that was a great boat. Going 30 MPH it made a huge trough for the tube to lay in. Being it was a 21 degree deadrise it is a bit faster than a similar size boat with a 24, but it rides rougher. But for a lake boat you cant beat the room and comfort it had.

Often, the insurance policy on a performance boat will forbid pulling any type of watersports. Best to look into that first.

I use my 25' Outlaw for pulling ski's and tube's regularly. Both double and single ski's. Put the tabs down and it planes quickly and at a lower speed which can be handy with small children that don't want to go fast.

I would think most of the single engine Bajas would work for watersports as long as your realize that they won't give you the same wake as a ski boat. I think I've even seen some of the smaller models with a tower. Although that would run the look of a Baja to me.

Set up properly, a Baja can make a passable (but not great) tow boat. The way we had our 202 Islander set up (big tabs, low pitched 4-blade prop) it actually wasn't too bad for slalom skiing other than the "big" wake (compared to a purpose built tow boat).

It's a little harder with the bigger single engine Bajas though. I've skied once behind our 26 Outlaw...and that wasn't pleasant. For one thing, the slower planing time makes it hard to get my old, fat azz up on the ski. One of those big skis might help here but my skinny Connelly was a bear to get up on top of the water. Propping down (lower pitch for better accelleration) would help also. For another, inside the wake is very turbulent; a longer rope would help here but at 55 feet it's like riding on a washboard road.

Have heard pros and cons about the shape of the wake for boarding but since I'm not a boarder I can't offer an opinion there.

Boats are always a compromise. For skiing, nothing can beat a tournament ski boat but they're not much good for anything else. For cruising at higher speeds, nothing can beat a performance boat but they're not good tow boats. Like Nightlife said, the Outlaws just aren't set up for towing. You can play with props some, drop the tabs and do it anyway, but understand that it's being made to do something it wasn't intended to do.

There have been many threads about this on the Baja owners site; here's a couple you may want to look at:

http://www.teambajamarine.com/forum/...ghlight=skiing

http://www.teambajamarine.com/forum/...ghlight=skiing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-JK5Dz9IXM

Behind my stock 272 w/375hp 496
Time to plane would have been even quicker had the tabs been down more.
As it was, it feels like it's pulling my arms out of their sockets.

Never mind the comentary from my 7yo daughter.

Good luck finding a decent 25ft performance boat/trailer for
10k.


mb.

Pull a tube and ski behind my 252 all the time on LOTO. And can run in the mid 60's to boot.

You are on the edge, basically any boat with a usable cabin is going to be slow to plan compared to a traditional tow boat.

That being said, an Baja H2X would fit all your requirements. I also want to note anything bigger you will need a SUV/truck to pull. Their are some deals out there right now, saw a 1993 27 Fountain fore 20K, their is a 1997 27 Baja for sale here for 26K. I will post links to these later.

WILL

I have pulled all the above behind my 245. I would not suggest anything outside of tubing as everything else is wake dependant. My dad slalom'd and he hated it because of the monster wake. My brother tried wake boarding and it is almost impossible to hold the 18 - 21 speed.

Mine with a 496 stock MAG hits 63.5 GPS.

However, my father has a 180 Islander that works great for everything above. My uncle also has a 190 Sport that works pretty good as well (planing issues there).

Good luck in your search.

We would both water ski and tube behind our 212 Islander with 454 and also behind our 272 with 502 Mag.

The wake on the 272 is huge at low speeds with the tabs down and you have to be careful sking over it.

I say any 27 and below single engine Baja will work just fine.