Checkmate surrounded by Baja's

[Rob B]

Finally!!!! I made it to the river today. I took a couple of snap shots of the boat hooked up behind the truck. Then my DA (dumb ass) forgot the camera and realized it once I arrived at the landing. Anyway was cruising up the river and saw two Baja's, pretty boats I must say. All I had was my blackberry to take a few pictures from earlier today.

 

[Rob B]

Pictures of the baja

 

[Rob B]

more pictures of the other Baja

 

[ross]

not bad for a baja!

 

[jlroeder4]

What size was the first one?

It almost looks like a sunsation.

Jason

 

[Rob B]

What size was the first one?

It almost looks like a sunsation.

Jason

I'm guessing 21'. The second one was at least a 30'.

 

[winter]

I'll give 'em that they are good looking boats and usually have nice paint. But i'll bet neither one can do 70mph and that both owners were deficient in the manhood dept.

 

[appollo1]

What size was the first one?

It almost looks like a sunsation.

Jason

Being that it looks to have twins I would say that it is at least a 30'.

 

[Big Red]

I wish you would have left your crackberry home to. That way I would not have seen all the pics of Baja's. Their everywhere thats nothing new.

 

[Rob B]

I wish you would have left your crackberry home to. That way I would not have seen all the pics of Baja's. Their everywhere thats nothing new.

LOL!!! c'mon Big Red take easy on me.!!! I think besides me there's only two or three checkmates down here. Yep you're right there's ton's of Baja's, must get'em cheap huh!!

 

[zstevens]

i'd been happier if you just zoomed in on female passengers ! probaly owners sisters n her friends !

 

[Big Red]

LOL!!! c'mon Big Red take easy on me.!!! I think besides me there's only two or three checkmates down here. Yep you're right there's ton's of Baja's, must get'em cheap huh!!

Same here maybe 4 Mates if you count the last 2 seasons of boating and 2 of them was me and SCT.

 

[NOYZEE]

you guys are hard on the baja's. guess im the only mate owner that likes baja's as well. also like allot of the little changes baja did to the 26 ZT etc. my old man has had 3 bajas and currently still has 2 a 25 outlaw and a 26 outlaw. both boats are as good as the checkmate. in a few ways better.
now i go out, im the only mate around, cant say that with the baja's, but for the $$ nice boats IMO

at the same time, im a chevy guy owning a camaro and a vett, and i think im one of the only vett guys i know that will give props to a mustang. lol

 

[Big Red]

you guys are hard on the baja's. guess im the only mate owner that likes baja's as well. also like allot of the little changes baja did to the 26 ZT etc. my old man has had 3 bajas and currently still has 2 a 25 outlaw and a 26 outlaw. both boats are as good as the checkmate. in a few ways better.
now i go out, im the only mate around, cant say that with the baja's, but for the $$ nice boats IMO

at the same time, im a chevy guy owning a camaro and a vett, and i think im one of the only vett guys i know that will give props to a mustang. lol

I still dont know why you like this as good as a Checkmate

 

[Heavy Handed]

at the same time, im a chevy guy owning a camaro and a vett, and i think im one of the only vett guys i know that will give props to a mustang. lol

As well you should! Both are awesome American made muscle cars. However, every Mustang guy knows deep down inside that the Vette is a step up from a Stang. The same is true for the Checkmate versus Baja discussion. Nice boats but not the same.

 

[NOYZEE]

see, now i disagree with the fact checkmate is better. i like allot of things about my checkmate better, but there is allot of things with baja that are better.
1st off there interior is far better then my mate. my dads 25 outlaw and my buddys is much much nice, thicker stuff, better colors, the fit and finish is far better then mine and any other newer mate i have seen, my floor in my boat looks like hell its a very basic finish to it, i have to run with my cockpit carpet in which i hate. baja floor is all nice, finished and you need no carpet. in the cabin, my bed and cushions are so bad and thin and cheep i bring little mats to put ontop of them so its not like sleeping on a rock. my dads baja and my buddies is nice soft and plush. baja uses the best gauges on the market, large ones stuff that i would pay to swap if i had the room. baja comes with a great wheel, sounds silly, but the white cheep wheel doesnt cut it for me, i upgraded that.

like i said, i love my mate, its diffrent and thats my favorite part about it, but the quality of the hull is pretty much the same as a baja, the motor and running gear are the same, theres no way IMO that you can say one boat is better then the other. both have there goods and bads, and both are nice boats.

i must say the glass on my hull is great, compaired to the baja, its better, however my deck on the bow is not, the finish on it is very touchy and fades out in no time, i have to buff it every 2-3 weeks with 2 coats to keep it looking top notch

again, i love my boat, but i would never say its better then a baja, i think they are very very compairable boats and buying either one is owners prefrance, not quality.

i would have no problem buying a baja

 

[Keytime]

If you wanna really feel the love here, own a big Checkmate with twins I/O's. lol

 

[Big Red]

If you wanna really feel the love here, own a big Checkmate with twins I/O's. lol

We still love ya

 

[Big Red]

see, now i disagree with the fact checkmate is better. i like allot of things about my checkmate better, but there is allot of things with baja that are better.
1st off there interior is far better then my mate. my dads 25 outlaw and my buddys is much much nice, thicker stuff, better colors, the fit and finish is far better then mine and any other newer mate i have seen, my floor in my boat looks like hell its a very basic finish to it, i have to run with my cockpit carpet in which i hate. baja floor is all nice, finished and you need no carpet. in the cabin, my bed and cushions are so bad and thin and cheep i bring little mats to put ontop of them so its not like sleeping on a rock. my dads baja and my buddies is nice soft and plush. baja uses the best gauges on the market, large ones stuff that i would pay to swap if i had the room. baja comes with a great wheel, sounds silly, but the white cheep wheel doesnt cut it for me, i upgraded that.

like i said, i love my mate, its diffrent and thats my favorite part about it, but the quality of the hull is pretty much the same as a baja, the motor and running gear are the same, theres no way IMO that you can say one boat is better then the other. both have there goods and bads, and both are nice boats.

i must say the glass on my hull is great, compaired to the baja, its better, however my deck on the bow is not, the finish on it is very touchy and fades out in no time, i have to buff it every 2-3 weeks with 2 coats to keep it looking top notch

again, i love my boat, but i would never say its better then a baja, i think they are very very compairable boats and buying either one is owners prefrance, not quality.

i would have no problem buying a baja

What you need to understand is that Checkmate makes a basic model boat and its up to the dealer to order what options they want on the boat. So if your boat does not have all the bling you wish it had you need to blame the dealer and the person that bought it new. In cars terms being thats the way you like to explain things. You can buy a six banger mustang or you can get a Shelby version. An <PS> I cant stand a Vette

You have shown your love for Baja's a whole lot here and that's fine its your choice but the kitchen can get hot sometimes. My ma-toe in life is their is a A $ $ for every seat. And I think yours would look best in the ZT244 that way you can have your cake and eat it too.

I have heard from many other boat people that Checkmate has some of the best gel-work. So the problem with your non shinning deck is a mystery or had a lot of neglect by the previous owner. My Convincor is a 96 and still shines like new and has only been waxed, never buffed. But on the other hand I took care of it.

Just a few options for a old 96 sorry I did not have the option sheet for your ZT so you could see what you could of had.

As the 1996 Checkmate brochure states,

• Deluxe AM/FM Stereo with cassette and four speakers
• Remote control for deluxe stereo
• two extra speakers
• clock
• cigarette lighter
• halon fire extinguishing system
• wired dual battery selector switch with extra battery holder
• marine battery
• non-skid vinyl flooring in cockpit
• hydraulic boster seats
• one piece fiberglass windscreen with gel finish
• docking lights (pair)
• lowrance 3500 depth finder
• 4" thru transom exhaust with S.S. tips
• 4" thru transom exhaust with S.S. tips and manual select sound
• 4" thru transom exhaust with S.S. tips and electric select sound
• 4" S.S. silencer tips
• corsa quick and quiet exhaust
• thru transom exhaust (below water line)
• bilge fume detector engine compartment lights
• compass
• color keyed instrument bezels
• ski eye
• S.S. flame arrestor
• dual ram s.s. hydraulic trim tabs
• trim tab indicator
• offshore motor mounts
• crt cordless rotary stern drive trim in steering wheel and morse dual lever controls
• hynautic "power planes" with indicators
• k-tabs--hydraulic
• k-tabs indicator
• k-tabs indicator with drive and engine indicator
• one piece fiberglass swim platform with fold down ladder
• cabin windows
• 12" opening deck hatch
• removable formica table
• quick drain oil remover kit
• custom cockpit cover
• cutrom mooring cover
• optional 4th color hull stripe
• mach s.s. propellers
• AND IF THEIRS SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANTED LIKE A JET ENGINE MOUNTED IN THE FRONT OR A PANTHER PINK PAINT JOB CHECKMATE WOULD HAVE DONE IT.

 

[NOYZEE]

first off, my boat has just about every option mate offered on it besides a 425 hp 496. it has every bling option they offer including the cackpit carpet (which is a must with the ****ty unfinished floor) i have the bezzles, i have the upgraded tabs, i have just about everything listed. im not saying one is better then the other, im saying they are both pretty good boats that could both use a little touch up in there own ways. its apperent to me you are one of those guys that if it isnt what you own or like, its no good.

its also apperent that i like the mate batter as if i didnt, for the same $$$ i could have picked up a 25 outlaw but my choise was the mate. i like everything about it and what ever i didnt like i changed and made better, my favorite thing about the boat is showing up and having the only one.

this doesnt meen the boat is perfect.

as for the gel work, my hull shines like no other, it has a finish to it that people just dont understand. however for some reason my boat seems to be missing a top coat or something on the bow. as for neglect, my father bought the boat brand new, he is a crazy man about washing and waxing, on top of that the boat was stored inside a heated garage for the winters, the bow just never had a great shine to it. i buffed it out with some grit, and polished her up, she looks great now, i just need to put 2 coats on it every few weeks as washing the boat and rain etc takes the wax off.

i love my boat, i love the mates, i just disagree that anyone can say one is "better" then the other besides for personal reasons which doesnt make the boat "better" just better in your eyes.

ps, my old man wanted to sell his old baja (05 25 outlaw LOADED) which is a great looking boat and nice all around. i was going to buy it.
i talked him into selling me the mate instead for the same $$$$
the baja has less hours and is worth more $$$ for sure, but i went for the mate.