[Jayl13]

Gas down here at the pump in my area is 2.05 a gallon, Ill pull into the monster mobil station on Gateway and 95, can easily maneuver it in there, fill it up and im 3 minutes to the ramp.
No matter what I get, Fuel is going to suck so that is something you just have to deal with regardless.
Also it depends on how throttle happy you get.
My baja can drink some fuel if I get a boner behind the wheel and start pushing over 3800-4200 as well.
The idea for me in the baja was to up the HP of the engines, put on bigger props, so my cruising speed at 3000-3200 was higher, in the 45-55 range and im happy.
Alot of people I see there is 2 throttle positions, Idle and WOT.
not for me. plus with all the manatee zones down here, HA, your idling for miles and miles anyway.
You troll along on one engine at that point.
No need to have all 3 running while you are in a no wake zone, and with Hydraulic steering you dont care which engine your running. Just take turns so the hours on each are relatively similar (dont need one engine with 800 Hrs on it and the others with 300 on them ya know?
Exhaust will be stainless steel headers so I wont have the exhaust replacement issue for a VERY LONG LONG time.
as for rebuilds, it is what it is.
3-4 grand an engine?
Ill pull and reinstall the engines myself, that is not a big deal to me.
Use some salt away each time I flush the engines and they should last me a while.
I learned from my baja what this stuff costs and all the aggervation involved and I realize the risk on any used boat. This time Im without hesitation going to get independent survey's done with leak down tests, compression tests, ect.
But I say again Im still looking for a TWIN boat with a pair of HP500;s in it with headers on it so this is not much of a concern.
Jason

 

[BGIII]

Jay,

I'm curious, how many hours have you put on that Baja? I don't understand why you don't just finish it and run it for awhile. I haven't followed every detail of your saga but the dang boat has to be almost completely redone or replaced by now. Why start all over again? You know when you buy a used boat, it is a maintenance nightmare just waiting to begin. Why put undo pressure on yourself with the new job and all?
None of my business, just curious.

 

[cuda]

I also say run the Baja for a while. It won't hurt the value much, if at all. I know I'd be a whole lot likelier to buy a boat that someone is using every weekend, then you know they have all the bugs out of it.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

 

[Jayl13]

Boat has 320 hrs on it, engines have about 5 or so on them since new.
Your correct, just about everything on the baja has been replaced. Which is why it will be a fantastic deal for someone looking for a twin big block boat with new engines for 22 grand.
Hell I just put 7 new tires on the trailer, new bearings all the way around, seals, bunks are new PT wood with new carpet.
Boat has too much new stuff to list.
I at this point just want out of it and get something that the wife and I can enjoy, she wants an enclosed head, cabin cabin cabin, I want something that I can actually RUN not wrench on every day for the rest of my life and realize im getting no where fast.
Im taking a HUGE HUGE HUGE loss on the baja, Have shoveled tens of thousands of dollars getting the boat setup and running right and back together.
I probably am tipping the scales at 45-48 grand invested in it and im selling it for 22
Trade in for 20.
Point being, Im not going to continue to shovel money into something that is not worth that much in trade, equity anything.
Just im done with it.
Steering cable came in, trim rams being rebuilt, need to buy a oil bottle resorvoir for the one drive cause the second oil bottle broke, Get the rest of the new gauges ordered, finish putting the dash back together, get a rocker switch panel made (dropping off old one to Doller tomorrow afternoon) and just finish it all up and get it ready to be traded in.
I have lost enough money in it and I just want out of it at this point.
There is not many old things left to replace on it so next owner will have to buy props I recommend a pair of Victory tabs or K planes and fill it with gas and go have some fun.
I just want out of it at this point.
J

 

[Jayl13]

Big thing is the baja is not setup for salt water so I dont want to dunk it in salt water.

 

[jmeng]

Big thing is the baja is not setup for salt water so I dont want to dunk it in salt water.

How are you going to demo it then?

 

[cuda]

I've never seen a boat set up for salt water!


But I run 'em anyway. Just flush and clean, it'll be ok. You can bet anyone who buys it will want to run it first anyway. You need to be sure it's right before selling it, and the only way to do that is to run it.

 

[cuda]

Jay, I'm always happy when I see an active thread on here in the mornings, that way I know I have entertainment all day. Seriously, I do like it.

 

[Jayl13]

Salt water, You either powder coat your intakes inside and out, You install the flush kits in the line that goes from the outdrive to the sea water pump OR install closed cooling.
If the guy from pittsburgh calls me back, Ill jump on a plane, fly up there, drive it and look at it, if I think its okay, Ill order a survey to be done on it there.
If that checks out I grab it, no big deal.
ILL FLY just about anywhere to look at a boat that I think is the one.
Flights are cheap. That is of no concern to me.
Pittsburgh? What, about 3 hrs flight time. Could fly up saturday morning, go look at boat, and be back by dinner time.
Probably cost me 200-250 tops round trip.
Why the hell do you guys think I would not test drive it?
You all crazy or something?
J

 

[Jayl13]

Im not demo;ing the baja, im trading it in.
They just want to hear it run on the trailer, The boat will run in the water, on the trailer whatever you want you got it.
I dont want to splash it though. Let the dealers and stuff do that.
J

 

[cuda]

Salt water, You either powder coat your intakes inside and out, You install the flush kits in the line that goes from the outdrive to the sea water pump OR install closed cooling.
J

I have neither powdercoated intakes, flush kits, or closed cooling. 90% of the boats you see don't have them either. I'm not sure how long they last this way, but mine IS 18 years old. :

 

[Jayl13]

Every boat I have looked at down here has had the fresh water flush setup installed, the cigs had it the sonics have it the fountains have it. You just screw the garden hose into the fitting on the side or back of the boat wherever the manufacturer put it, turn on the hose and fire up the engine, run it for a few minutes (the salt away contraption is inbetween the hose and the fitting on the boat) and you just flush it out.
The fountains with the closed cooling, you just turn on the hose you dont even need to turn on the engine.
Nice thing that closed cooling setup.
J

 

[cuda]

Actually, I lied, I do have the flush attachments.

 

[RCHEVELLE71]

I have neither powdercoated intakes, flush kits, or closed cooling. 90% of the boats you see don't have them either. I'm not sure how long they last this way, but mine is 18 years old. :

Well,

He has aluminum intakes, other than that,and a few $$$ to replace some zincs(which if your not leaving it in the water, dont really even mean all that much), I dont see any reason not to run it in salt, as long as you manually flush it out, and clean it up afterwards, Heck its in FL, anybody buying it is going to "assume" it was in the salt anyway.

I was thinking this the other day too, but I know he wants to be just done with it, But maybe finish it, run it, and Buy Julie that big house instead of the Dream boat??? You dont have to be afraid to buy real estate here, you will not lose $$$, even if you decide to sell in six months, your going to get a good return. You dont have to be ashamed to run the Baja Dude, Heck look at what I am running , and I see a LOT worse out there!!!

I know you probably wont want to go that route, But I'll help you get 'er done if you do, then, you can take my route, and run it with the for sale lettering on the transom, and if somebody buys her, great, if not, at least your on da water.

 

[cuda]

I don't use salt away, but sometimes I do run Dawn through the engine. I don't know if it does anything, but you know it's been fully circulated when the bubbles quit coming out.

 

[RCHEVELLE71]

Every boat I have looked at down here has had the fresh water flush setup installed, the cigs had it the sonics have it the fountains have it. You just screw the garden hose into the fitting on the side or back of the boat wherever the manufacturer put it, turn on the hose and fire up the engine, run it for a few minutes (the salt away contraption is inbetween the hose and the fitting on the boat) and you just flush it out.
The fountains with the closed cooling, you just turn on the hose you dont even need to turn on the engine.
Nice thing that closed cooling setup.
J

LIAR!!!!!

Just Jokin', But Tim's Pantera doesnt

Nothing wrong with flushin' on the muffs, heck, us Alpha folks gotta do it.

 

[cuda]

That's a fact Rick, you won't lose money of Florida real estate. I just sold my cracker box in Pinellas for $70k more than I bought it for 7 years ago. I can't believe the prices of houses now days. You couldn't have made me pay the price I just sold mine for with a gun!

 

[RCHEVELLE71]

Jay,

You could buy these intakes, Brass inserts, and be safe for salt!!!

http://www.speedwake.com/upload/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19270

 

[RCHEVELLE71]

That's a fact Rick, you won't lose money of Florida real estate. I just sold my cracker box in Pinellas for $70k more than I bought it for 7 years ago. I can't believe the prices of houses now days. You couldn't have made me pay the price I just sold mine for with a gun!

Cuda,

I paid $142,000 for my cracker Jack in January 2003, My neighbor just sold the identical house for $191,000 by owner with no commisions to pay, in one day, and had 4 offers on the table!!!!!

 

[jmeng]

The fresh water flush systems are convenient but not required. Sounds like you are dead set on buying a boat this very minute, even if it's not exactly what you want. Why not take your time looking, sooner or later THE boat will come along. Why aren't you even going to try to sell the boat yourself, instead of trading?

If I had a 30' Baja (or an 18' bayliner) sitting in my driveway, I'd be out on the water every weekend. You spent all this time and money getting right, why not at least run it till you find your next boat?