A Bay runner Baja
- Thread starter azfish
- Start date
Yes, despite Happy's ever-cheerful prognostication, the Bayrunner is a great boat for what it is. It was my 1st true Baja boat and we slammed a lot of fish on the decks. There is a huge difference between the 21 and the 23. You wouldn't think 2 ft. means all that, but when I was getting ready to purchase, I had the good fortune to explore both a 21 and 23 parked side-by-side at the dealership (customer's boats). I had planned on buying a 21. As I discovered, the two are night and day as far as fishing room. The 23 is wider and has a lot more usable space. After being on both, buying the 23 was a no brainer. I had the boat equipped with a new Honda 130 four stroke.
There are pluses and minuses to these boats. Plus - because they are aluminum, they are light and get great fuel economy. Mine often averaged 4.5 mpg, depending on the type of fishing I was doing and how much running at speed. Minus - because they are aluminum, they are light -- which means that if you're running in any chop much over a foot, the boat pounds like hell. They have a tendency to pop over the waves, rather than cut through them like a heavier fiberglass boat. I'd regularly have to go through mine and tighten every single screw on it. The console (also aluminum) stress cracked in several spots from the custom T-top flexing in rough seas. I had to have the console welded back together twice.
Plus - the boat is simple and requires little care or maintenance. I'd polish my hull every year and it looked like chrome. System-wise, there was a bait tank and a bilge pump that were both very easy to maintain when a pump went out or whatever. Minus - not much in the way of creature comforts. Minus - no locking storage. You had to put everything on the boat and take it off the boat every time you used it. In San Carlos, even on a secured dock, someone walked away with my safety bag that had all my lifejackets in it. That really pissed me off; it's the one thing you'd think someone would respect, but obviously not.
Minus - fishing in the summer. That nice shiny aluminum gets scalding hot in the summer sun. Hot enough to nearly burn you. Not too bad in the water, but always a hazard when the boat is on the trailer and you're getting ready to launch, recover, etc. At the border, I had Custom guys go to get in the boat, burn their hands, and just say to hell with it and wave me through.
There are still lots of Bayrunner boats around. They hold up well and actually hold their value fairly well. I had no trouble selling mine; had several folks that wanted it and the 1st folks that looked at it bought it on the spot. They are a good starter boat and, if you only fish or plan on using it when the seas are flat, you'll have a great time on it, as we did on ours. If you have any specific questions, I'd be glad to answer.
The pic below was mine in a slip at San Carlos, proudly flying a marlin flag and dorado flag from fish we had caught that day.
There are pluses and minuses to these boats. Plus - because they are aluminum, they are light and get great fuel economy. Mine often averaged 4.5 mpg, depending on the type of fishing I was doing and how much running at speed. Minus - because they are aluminum, they are light -- which means that if you're running in any chop much over a foot, the boat pounds like hell. They have a tendency to pop over the waves, rather than cut through them like a heavier fiberglass boat. I'd regularly have to go through mine and tighten every single screw on it. The console (also aluminum) stress cracked in several spots from the custom T-top flexing in rough seas. I had to have the console welded back together twice.
Plus - the boat is simple and requires little care or maintenance. I'd polish my hull every year and it looked like chrome. System-wise, there was a bait tank and a bilge pump that were both very easy to maintain when a pump went out or whatever. Minus - not much in the way of creature comforts. Minus - no locking storage. You had to put everything on the boat and take it off the boat every time you used it. In San Carlos, even on a secured dock, someone walked away with my safety bag that had all my lifejackets in it. That really pissed me off; it's the one thing you'd think someone would respect, but obviously not.
Minus - fishing in the summer. That nice shiny aluminum gets scalding hot in the summer sun. Hot enough to nearly burn you. Not too bad in the water, but always a hazard when the boat is on the trailer and you're getting ready to launch, recover, etc. At the border, I had Custom guys go to get in the boat, burn their hands, and just say to hell with it and wave me through.
There are still lots of Bayrunner boats around. They hold up well and actually hold their value fairly well. I had no trouble selling mine; had several folks that wanted it and the 1st folks that looked at it bought it on the spot. They are a good starter boat and, if you only fish or plan on using it when the seas are flat, you'll have a great time on it, as we did on ours. If you have any specific questions, I'd be glad to answer.
The pic below was mine in a slip at San Carlos, proudly flying a marlin flag and dorado flag from fish we had caught that day.
HAPPY
User is currently banned
528 Words,
~ ~ ~ Stuart, it took you 528 words to say what I said in 3 ~ ~ ~Yes, despite Happy's ever-cheerful prognostication, the Bayrunner is a great boat for what it is. It was my 1st true Baja boat and we slammed a lot of fish on the decks. There is a huge difference between the 21 and the 23. You wouldn't think 2 ft. means all that, but when I was getting ready to purchase, I had the good fortune to explore both a 21 and 23 parked side-by-side at the dealership (customer's boats). I had planned on buying a 21. As I discovered, the two are night and day as far as fishing room. The 23 is wider and has a lot more usable space. After being on both, buying the 23 was a no brainer. I had the boat equipped with a new Honda 130 four stroke.
There are pluses and minuses to these boats. Plus - because they are aluminum, they are light and get great fuel economy. Mine often averaged 4.5 mpg, depending on the type of fishing I was doing and how much running at speed. Minus - because they are aluminum, they are light -- which means that if you're running in any chop much over a foot, the boat pounds like hell. They have a tendency to pop over the waves, rather than cut through them like a heavier fiberglass boat. I'd regularly have to go through mine and tighten every single screw on it. The console (also aluminum) stress cracked in several spots from the custom T-top flexing in rough seas. I had to have the console welded back together twice.
Plus - the boat is simple and requires little care or maintenance. I'd polish my hull every year and it looked like chrome. System-wise, there was a bait tank and a bilge pump that were both very easy to maintain when a pump went out or whatever. Minus - not much in the way of creature comforts. Minus - no locking storage. You had to put everything on the boat and take it off the boat every time you used it. In San Carlos, even on a secured dock, someone walked away with my safety bag that had all my lifejackets in it. That really pissed me off; it's the one thing you'd think someone would respect, but obviously not.
Minus - fishing in the summer. That nice shiny aluminum gets scalding hot in the summer sun. Hot enough to nearly burn you. Not too bad in the water, but always a hazard when the boat is on the trailer and you're getting ready to launch, recover, etc. At the border, I had Custom guys go to get in the boat, burn their hands, and just say to hell with it and wave me through.
There are still lots of Bayrunner boats around. They hold up well and actually hold their value fairly well. I had no trouble selling mine; had several folks that wanted it and the 1st folks that looked at it bought it on the spot. They are a good starter boat and, if you only fish or plan on using it when the seas are flat, you'll have a great time on it, as we did on ours. If you have any specific questions, I'd be glad to answer.
The pic below was mine in a slip at San Carlos, proudly flying a marlin flag and dorado flag from fish we had caught that day.
I don't believe I said the same thing you did at all, Happy. I pointed out, from experience, some of the pluses and minuses of one of these boats. The same could be said about any boat, even your sacred Tecate Runner. It doesn't mean it's a "piece of shit;" it means that not any one boat is going to be the right one for somebody else. Your best bet before buying ANY boat is to talk to people that have owned the same boat and find out what they liked and didn't like about it.
azfish
Guest
Thanks Stuart
You know off hand how tall and wide it was on the trailer?
The Honda motor how did it fair and how many years can you get out of it before it becomes a paper weight?
HAPPY
User is currently banned
```Well I must say that it is a sporty looking boat, ``` but that is where IMO the plus's end,
```console stress cracked in several spots,```console welded back together twice,```tighten every single screw,```HOLLY CHRIST```you mean I have to be ready to``` GO OVER THE SIDE & SWIM TO SHORE ! ! ! ``` over 1ft chop pounds like hell,```tendency to pop over waves,```sounds like a surf board,```polish hull e/yr.,```no locking storage,```not much in the way of creature comforts,```HOLLY CHRIST ! ! !
```in summer gets HOT as hell,```burn skin off feet & hands, & fanny when,if can sit,```good for FRYING eggs for breakfast,```oh & don't forget the``` BACON ``` & ```HASH BROWNS ~ ~ ~
```sorry the minus's way out weigh the, if any plus's
```hell even the ```NASTY GIRLS``` wouldn't get in the thing, <:-(
HAPPY
User is currently banned
```azfish, ```don't take this the ```WRONG ```way but I don't think you were meant to have a boat, not just yet anyway, you best do ```A LOT OF HOMEWORK ```& stay on the lakes, till you get some know how, ```the ocean is NO place for a greenhorn, ```
``` just looking out for your safety, & those that may be with you, ```
I regularly have to go over and tighten up screws on my ProKat, too, Happy. If your boat ever actually spent any time in the water instead of living on the trailer, you'd probably have to do the same. Stress cracks are a fact of life on any boat (aluminum or fiberglass) that gets used in anything but flat seas. The fact that I had a custom T-top, not the factory standard top, contributed to the console cracks because the T-top was bolted to both the deck and the console. Aluminum is soft, it flexes to a point, but eventually cracks. But, really no big deal having the cracks welded up.
The hull itself was welded -- no screws, no rivets, solid as a rock. I sold the boat and the current owner is still quite pleased with it -- it fits his lifestyle and the type of fishing he does.
News for you, Happy, as I said above: There is no one "perfect" boat. I had a great time with the Bayrunner for several years and have no regrets about having owned it. It was much cheaper to own and operate than my current boat and there's a lot to be said for that in this current economy and as we see gas marching back up towards $4 a gallon again.
The hull itself was welded -- no screws, no rivets, solid as a rock. I sold the boat and the current owner is still quite pleased with it -- it fits his lifestyle and the type of fishing he does.
News for you, Happy, as I said above: There is no one "perfect" boat. I had a great time with the Bayrunner for several years and have no regrets about having owned it. It was much cheaper to own and operate than my current boat and there's a lot to be said for that in this current economy and as we see gas marching back up towards $4 a gallon again.
azfish
Guest
Thanks for the advice Happy. Happy do you get a lot of dry rot on fiber glass boats?
moore_rb
Stay Thirsty My Friends
I'll chime in on Honda outboards:
Awesome, but expensive compared to competitors in the same class.
Whether you get any extra real "worth" or value out of a Honda O/B versus a Yamaha, Suzuki, or Mercury is anybody's guess, but I'll tell you that seeing a Honda outboard hung on the back of a used boat should never be a deal breaker...
But you ALWAYS go through any used boat engine with a fine toothed comb, because even the best engines will suffer at the hands of neglectful owners.
HAPPY
User is currently banned
Stuart, ```What are you talking about, my boat DOESN'T live on the trailer, far from it, ```I've used it plenty, where others wouldn't dare go,
```"Stress cracks" unheard of on my boat, ``` but then thats the diff. between buying quality & well lets just say "non quality" ```& as for "loose screws" NOT many in 10+yrs. I've owned it, ```count on one hand, ```& SURE THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A PERFECT BOAT ```mine has been perfect for me for as long as I've had it, & will continue to be, ``` as is your's for as long as you've had it, ```when I see people buying a diff. boat every 6mos. & 5 in 4yrs. thats not called being ```not "perfect" ```thats called ``` having a NEW boat BUG, ```that's why the party that bought your boat is "HAPPY" with it, he found the "perfect" boat,
```Hey, hey, do be rite t-top must be fastened to deck, & console, ```what are you going to do, fasten it``` w/bunge cords ? ```or you will lose it in the wind, unless you are talking about a walk around, NOW you are talking about a diff. fastening method, ``` being a "custom" t-top has nothing to do with how it's fastened, if that were the case than every boat out there w/a t-top, glass or alum. would be all cracked up,
"Alum. is soft, it flexes to a point" ``` you're rite there, thats why I called it a pic. of shit, ```that type of boat is just NOT suitable for any extensive ocean use, ``` thats why you sold your's, ~~~
```"Stress cracks" unheard of on my boat, ``` but then thats the diff. between buying quality & well lets just say "non quality" ```& as for "loose screws" NOT many in 10+yrs. I've owned it, ```count on one hand, ```& SURE THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A PERFECT BOAT ```mine has been perfect for me for as long as I've had it, & will continue to be, ``` as is your's for as long as you've had it, ```when I see people buying a diff. boat every 6mos. & 5 in 4yrs. thats not called being ```not "perfect" ```thats called ``` having a NEW boat BUG, ```that's why the party that bought your boat is "HAPPY" with it, he found the "perfect" boat,
```Hey, hey, do be rite t-top must be fastened to deck, & console, ```what are you going to do, fasten it``` w/bunge cords ? ```or you will lose it in the wind, unless you are talking about a walk around, NOW you are talking about a diff. fastening method, ``` being a "custom" t-top has nothing to do with how it's fastened, if that were the case than every boat out there w/a t-top, glass or alum. would be all cracked up,
"Alum. is soft, it flexes to a point" ``` you're rite there, thats why I called it a pic. of shit, ```that type of boat is just NOT suitable for any extensive ocean use, ``` thats why you sold your's, ~~~
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HAPPY
User is currently banned
``` If someone told me that glass did indeed dry rot, it would be news to me, & I would have to see it, ``` If a boat is 100% fiber glass than it will not dry rot, ``` as most newer boats are, ```but some boats do have wood encased in glass such as in the transom, stringers, & in time they WILL dry rot, ``` now another thing all newer boats ( now required ) are shot with foam, ( floation ) thru & thru, ```it can get swamped, but will not sink, not so w/an alum. boat,
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azfish
Guest
In the day, they did put foam in none used compartment for added flotation safety on aluminum boats. I have owned 1 fiber glass and 4 aluminum boats and liked them both, I'm looking for a boat that I use when ever I can and when its on land in the elements it will keep its integrity for the long run.
moore_rb
Stay Thirsty My Friends
That is pure BS....
MY BOAT is perfect.
... even if the scuppers do back-flow onto the deck whenever I run it in reverse- that's what rubber boots are for.Good point about gas prices, Stuart- I just sprung for a new set of props for my suzuki's and from the looks of things, the cost recovery time frame will be much shorter than I originally forecasted.
AZFISH- a boat is an individual preference thing. My only advice is don't compromise on the "bones" of the rig. When you buy used, you should really be evaluating and pricing the condition and quality of the engine(s), the electronics, and even the trailer first, because that's where the majority of the mechanical value exists, and the condition of those items will tell you a lot about how well cared for and maintained the hull of the boat was.
I've seen many boat buyers (both first time buyers and more experienced) buy based on how the boat looks, and not how it is rigged. A professional survey is always a good idea, or at the very least, have 2 or three other seasoned boat owners look it over as well- you never know what another pair of eyes will see that you might have missed.
Regarding aluminum versus fiberglass- what you need to know has already been covered here- aluminum is lighter, so it tows easier, gets better economy, and doesn't rot. The flipside to being lighter is that it is going to be noisier and beat you up more when running in the chop.
Regarding dry rot and fiberglass- the composite components (glass and resin) themselves don't rot- when an older glass laminated boat rots out is is actually the wood cores INSIDE the fiberglass that is rotting.
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azfish
Guest
Thanks for the input, my same reasoning trailer and motor (well motor first)then the goods on the boat. Aluminum I can take it to the fab shop where I buy duct work and they will weld the boat or trailer for almost free for me I have welders at my home and fix and make things so no big thing with the trailer, and I can have them make almost anything I need out of aluminum. Thats another good factor.That is pure BS....
MY BOAT is perfect.
Good point about gas prices, Stuart- I just sprung for a new set of props for my suzuki's and from the looks of things, the cost recovery time frame will be much shorter than I originally forecasted.
AZFISH- a boat is an individual preference thing. My only advice is don't compromise on the "bones" of the rig. When you buy used, you should really be evaluating and pricing the condition and quality of the engine(s), the electronics, and even the trailer first, because that's where the majority of the mechanical value exists, and the condition of those items will tell you a lot about how well cared for and maintained the hull of the boat was.
I've seen many boat buyers (both first time buyers and more experienced) buy based on how the boat looks, and not how it is rigged. A professional survey is always a good idea, or at the very least, have 2 or three other seasoned boat owners look it over as well- you never know what another pair of eyes will see that you might have missed.
Regarding aluminum versus fiberglass- what you need to know has already been covered here- aluminum is lighter, so it tows easier, gets better economy, and doesn't rot. The flipside to being lighter is that it is going to be noisier and beat you up more when running in the chop.
Regarding dry rot and fiberglass- the composite components (glass and resin) themselves don't rot- when an older glass laminated boat rots out is is actually the wood cores INSIDE the fiberglass that is rotting.
playaperro
El Pirata
You boys from Alabama, Louisiana, Texarkana.