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2400 BRX vs 230ZT BR

C

Check513

New member
Hello there. I'm currently researching my next boat, and I have always wanted a checkmate, since my uncle had one years ago. I currently have a Baja Islander 188, with some engine work, I've had it to 70 with two people, but haven't played with props. I still want an open bow, but I want to go up in boat size to be more comfortable on Lake Erie. This has led me to the two choices in Checkmate. I am really leaning towards the 2400 BRX. I'm afraid I will get made fun of by my friends if I buy a "speed boat" with an outboard. However, most of my research points to the outboard boats being just as fast or faster.

Can the owners of these two models please chime in? How well do you like your boats, would you rather have had the other, xcetera?

Thank you very much for your help in making my decision.
 
Well first off, it will be hard to hear your friends snide remarks about you O/B powered speed boat with them eating your rooster tail, but I digress....

Since you are wanting to stay with an open bow, your options are a little limited. For Lake Erie, I would suggest a Convincor, but the only one they ever made in an open bow was the 270BR and those are hard to come by, but they are out there. Here is a beautiful example of one, http://annapolis.craigslist.org/bod/5722453019.html

Both boats you have listed I would think will be fine and probably pretty close on speeds depending on what they are powered by. If I had to guess, I would say the zt230br would be a little better cruising in the rough water of Erie due to the amount of weight in the back with a car motor, but I could be wrong. I will say that I really wouldn't want to be in either during a rough day on Erie being that they are both low freeboard boats, but I would think they would still be better than a 18ft. Baja.

Really, I would suggest taking a look at both in person to see which you like better. The 2400brx will give you more interior room since the motor is hanging off the back and I personally think that maintenance is a whole lot easier on an outboard. But, to me there is nothing like that car motor sound!!! Keep us updated on what you end up with, especially if its a Checkmate!!!
 
I agree with everything Corey said except I prefer a snarling 2 stroke with a modified exhaust over a car motor sound. Same hull with same rated HP an outboard will be faster. A perfect example is a Checkmate Enchanter. With a 260hp 350 Chevy it WILL run around 60 or 65 mph. With a 250hp 3 liter Merc V6 it will run well into the 70's. ;)
 
First off: :welcome:

Next:

corey331 said:
...I will say that I really wouldn't want to be in either during a rough day on Erie being that they are both low freeboard boats, but I would think they would still be better than a 18ft. Baja...
Click to expand...

^^^^ This... I boated/fished Lake Erie for close to 5 years in a 22' boat. There were days it was okay. There were days you just didn't go out there. And there were a few days when you got caught out there. I can't imagine it being much different with anything less than 30'.

In a Checkmate I agree with Corey that the Convincor is better suited for Big water. If you've boated Erie much you've experience the 'confused' wave pattern: four from the port, three from the starboard, two abeam, a couple astern. Difficult to set up for, and low freeboard makes for a long trip back to shore when the wind kicks up past 10 mph. I swore I'd never go back out on Erie with anything less than a 40' boat with a 12' beam.

I also like the sounds of the big V8 engines, but atc250r's comments about the outboard are spot on. Especially if you're a boater that likes to 'fiddle' with stuff. Jackplates, setbacks, props, on and on... I believe the O/B has the advantage of weight to power ratio over the I/O. And it's a heck of a lot easier standing up working on one, rather than crouching/squeezing down in a bilge with a flashlight between your teeth... But what the boating gods give, the boating gods take.
 
I've boated on Erie for 20 years on everything from a 16 foot aluminium bass tracker to a 28 for Baha Cruiser, and I agree on anything but the calmest days, high freeboard and 25 foot length are basically required. Living in the Akron area, my trips to Erie would only be on calm days, but I still want the longer length to span swells better.

I will also be on Portage, Seneca, Salt Fork, and Ohio River fairly frequently, so that's why I'd like to keep the length down.

A part of me wants to get the BRX with the 400 OB and tune it to outrun my buddy's Baja Islander (that he swears can't be beaten by any single screw boat), and cool points be dammed.

Are there any older open bow models I should also consider? I likely won't be buying off the show room, and I'm not shy about buying an older boat.
 
2400brx's are pretty young boats, and only a couple with 400's(none for sale) the only cheap one <$30,000 is beat up and sun faded. Much easier to find an older ZT 230br for reasonable dollars. There are some slightly older 2400br's(the boat before the brx with the same hull) out there that are a little more reasonable.
 
From the photos I have seen of Erie when it gets rough I don't think 28' is a big enough boat. My nephew has a 32' Hustler and it was not big enough!! Made it back to port but the photos were scary.
 
LOL. We've got several 90+ mph single outboard 21 and 22 foot boats around here plus a couple of triple digit ones. He'd be sooooo butthurt when a 30 year old Velocity with a single Merc passed him. :)
 
atc250r said:
He'd be sooooo butthurt when a 30 year old Velocity with a single Merc passed him. :)
Click to expand...
Yup. There's a guy with a sweet pickle fork sporting a fully setup 300 Merc on my lake. He only has to nudge the throttle and it absolutely leaps out of the water. Triple digit boat that I'll eventually get a ride on...

Come to think of it, there's also someone on the lake, with a 300 Merc on a tri-toon that probably has spanked a few un-expecting boaters....
 
His Baja is just like mine, an Islander 188 with a 383 stroker and a hot cam for power, to an alpha 1 with a 23p Mirage prop. An automotive shop built the motor, they claim 500hp. He says it'll do 70 with 4 people and 80 with 2, but I've yet to see it since his tachometer is broken and he hasn't fixed it, he won't get anywhere close to redline without it. It's fast for sure, but I think the prop choice is poor. Takes almost 10 seconds to plane, I just ran it today.

I definitely believe a Checkmate hull is faster than a Baja, hands down.

If the 2400 BR and BRX are the same hull, what changed? Just features or options?

I'll look around for some more mature Checkmate boats with open bows.
 
I’ve had ZT230CD and currently a ZT230BR. My ZT230CD had a 496HO 425hp and turned a 28 Bravo and would do 78 mph . My ZT230BR has a 6.2 320hp with 23 Rev4 and runs at best 61 mph.

I’ve not had a 2400BRX but I did have a 2400CD w/ 300XS and it ran 75 mph with a 27 Tempest.

Both hulls run well in my opinion and basically are bout the same in rough water. A little different feel, though both can take about the same size waves at about the same speed. The 2400 is lighter, but with the extra length, can still crush some water.

Your buddies Islander sounds pretty cool, but with a 23 Mirage and even the higher ratio 1.47 Alpha, he must be running crazy high rpms to get those speeds. Regardless a 230 or 2400 is gonna run by an Islander in any kind of non-flat water.

-Craig
 
Check513 said:
His Baja is just like mine, an Islander 188 with a 383 stroker and a hot cam for power, to an alpha 1 with a 23p Mirage prop. An automotive shop built the motor, they claim 500hp. He says it'll do 70 with 4 people and 80 with 2, but I've yet to see it since his tachometer is broken and he hasn't fixed it, he won't get anywhere close to redline without it. It's fast for sure, but I think the prop choice is poor. Takes almost 10 seconds to plane, I just ran it today.

I definitely believe a Checkmate hull is faster than a Baja, hands down.

If the 2400 BR and BRX are the same hull, what changed? Just features or options?

I'll look around for some more mature Checkmate boats with open bows.
Click to expand...

The 2400BR and 2400BRX have the same hull (bottom) I believe, but different deck, seating, windshield...etc.

-Craig
 
Check513 said:
His Baja is just like mine, an Islander 188 with a 383 stroker and a hot cam for power, to an alpha 1 with a 23p Mirage prop. An automotive shop built the motor, they claim 500hp. He says it'll do 70 with 4 people and 80 with 2, but I've yet to see it since his tachometer is broken and he hasn't fixed it, he won't get anywhere close to redline without it. It's fast for sure, but I think the prop choice is poor. Takes almost 10 seconds to plane, I just ran it today.

I definitely believe a Checkmate hull is faster than a Baja, hands down.

If the 2400 BR and BRX are the same hull, what changed? Just features or options?

I'll look around for some more mature Checkmate boats with open bows.
Click to expand...

No single screw would pass him??? I have a 2000 Stiletto BR with 454 MAG MPI that will walk him! I also know an older CM with 460 Ford and Cobra drive that will walk him.
Sounds like a road trip!
 
If you go the 2400 route, I'd recommend a 300XS over the 400R...I've had several 300XS motors and never had or nor even know anyone with a 400R, but just going on what I've read/heard, the 400r is a big disappointment compared to a 300XS.

-Craig
 
Great, we all can meet in Sandusky. I could checkout that charged up 454 mpi mag with new pipes and external leverage! Then race in the back waters of the bay. Then everyone could all head out into Erie to test out the different types hulls with stop at Kelleys & Put-In-Bay 🚤
 
merc245 said:
Great, we all can meet in Sandusky. I could checkout that charged up 454 mpi mag with new pipes and external leverage! Then race in the back waters of the bay. Then everyone could all head out into Erie to test out the different types hulls with stop at Kelleys & Put-In-Bay 🚤
Click to expand...

Haha that sounds awesome. The more I think about it there more I want to go with the 2400.
 
Craig said:
If you go the 2400 route, I'd recommend a 300XS over the 400R...I've had several 300XS motors and never had or nor even know anyone with a 400R, but just going on what I've read/heard, the 400r is a big disappointment compared to a 300XS.

-Craig
Click to expand...

I see, thanks for the tip. I'd hate to spend $10k+ more on a motor and be disappointed. Can work be done to the 300XS ?
 
What I'd REALLY love to do is find a ZT230BR with a Bravo and either a broken motor or no motor at all, and do an LS motor swap in it, as those motors are my forte and can make crazy power.
 
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