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Baja 275: Performance Test

Baja 275: For sport boat versatility, it's tough to beat this boat from Baja Marine.

By Staff

April 6, 2003

The 275 ran a top speed of 62.4 mph at 4,800 rpm. (Photo by Tom Newby)

You don't expect a 27' sport boat to dominate offshore, but you do expect it to hold together in rough water. You don't expect its cabin to have staterooms, but you do expect it to be larger than the average cuddy coffin. You don't expect it to boast seven-figure paint work, but you do expect it to have stylish lines.

Those are reasonable expectations, the kind Baja's 275 closed-deck sport boat meets and exceeds. Designed with significant customer input, according to a Baja representative, the 27'2"-long, 8'4"-wide model is a capable, comfortable performer.

Base price for the attractive and well-built boat with a MerCruiser MX 6.2 MPI engine is $66,489. The model we ran hard in Placida, Fla., came with a MerCruiser 496 Mag engine and other upgrades that raised the as-tested price to $81,365.

Performance

Although the 275 is available with up to an HP500EFI engine, the manufacturer chose a relatively mild, 375-hp motor. Based on engines chosen for the discontinued 272 model, which the 275 replaced, that will be the most popular power choice, according to our Baja rep. The company's goal for our Performance Trials, he explained, was to showcase what the boat would do "equipped the way someone would actually buy it."

And it did quite a bit. The 275 ran a top speed of 62.4 mph at 4,800 rpm. Power was transferred to the water courtesy of a Bravo One drive with a 1.5:1 gear reduction and a Mercury Mirage 14 5/8" x 23" three-blade stainless-steel propeller.

With the Boat Leveler trim tabs down, the 4,400-pound 275 came on plane in 4.5 seconds, more than a second faster than it did with tabs up. Acceleration numbers were acceptable, though far from blazing, with the boat reaching 55 mph in 20 seconds and running from 30 to 50 mph in 9 seconds.

But those numbers were predictable, given the boat's girth, power and 24-degree conventional, "step-free" V-bottom. The straightforward bottom had a small delta pad, flat chines and four-strakes. The outer pair of strakes ran the length of the bottom, and the inner strakes ended 10 feet from the transom.

Conventional as it was, the bottom produced handling characteristics that led our lead test driver to say, "This boat could definitely, definitely handle more power." In slalom turn after slalom turn, the 275 stayed hooked up and carved with a healthy inward lean and minimal roll to the outside on exit. Circle turns at cruising and full speeds were equally solid and confidence-boosting.

One of the more pleasant surprises was how the 275 rode in 3' to 5' confused seas. Those conditions did take the boat to its limit—a simple factor of length versus wave height and spacing—but the 275 handled them without excessively jarring its occupants, banging or rattling.

WORKMANSHIP
The sultry curves in the 275's hull and deck revealed no mold-work flaws, and the gelcoat had a bright shine. In installing a plastic rubrail with a stainless-steel insert, the manufacturer did a sweet job of getting around odd corners without creating gaps. No caulking was used—in fact, caulking was blissfully absent in the entire boat.

Lamination materials included vinylester, biaxial and triaxial fiberglass. For extra brawn and flotation, the boat was cored in select areas with end-grain balsa.

To keep hardware from spoiling those sultry lines, most pieces were installed in deck-mold recesses. Among the more notable items were Accon Pop-Up? cleats, an elliptical deck rail, twin cabin hatches with draining scuppers in the nonskid deck and a well-braced Taylor Made windshield. In the swim platform/transom area, there was a ski tow, a couple of grab handles, a boarding ladder and shower.

An electric screw jack raised the positive-mold fiberglass engine hatch/sunpad. The engine was properly secured on L-angles through-bolted to the stringers and the standard MerCruiser transom assembly. Wiring, which featured support from stainless-steel cushion clamps, was above production-boat standards, as was the rest of the engine compartment rigging.

Interior

What makes the cabin of a 27' sport boat useful is maximum open space. Clutter, such as extraneous appliances that likely won't ever be switched on, much less used, is a mistake. Baja avoided that mistake by keeping things clean and simple belowdeck. The carpeted cabin's layout consisted of a two-cushion V-berth and small facing lounges. Stowage lockers were under the V-berth.

Equally clean, though a bit more plush, was the boat's cockpit, which boasted snap-in welted carpet on the sole, twin bolsters with manual drop-out bottoms, angled footrests and a deep rear bench.

Angled steps molded into the helm station dash to starboard made for easy foredeck access.
At the buyer's request (our test model had been sold), the depthsounder was mounted next to the upper step—it's usually installed in a standard position on the dash with the rest of the gauges. Those instruments were all of the Gaffrig variety and mounted above the tilt-steering wheel. Rocker switches on the dash, as well as on the gunwale above the Kiekhaefer Zero Effort throttle and shifter, controlled the accessories. Indicators were provided for the drive and tabs.

Overall
Sport boats are the "utility players" of the performance-boating world. In the 275, Baja has created and well-designed, well-constructed product that does a lot of things well—and looks great in the process.

Baja 275Hull and Propulsion Information

Deadrise at transom	24 degrees
Centerline	27'2"
Beam	8'4"
Hull weight	4,400 pounds
Engine	MerCruiser 496 Mag
Cylinder type V-8
Cubic-inch displacement/horsepower	496/375
Lower-unit gear ratio	1.5:1
Propeller	Mercury Mirage 15 5/8" x 23"

Pricing

Base retail	$66,489
Price as tested	$81,365

Standard Equipment

MerCruiser MX 6.2 MPI engine, power steering, tilt helm, engine-compartment lighting, through-hub exhaust, cockpit and cabin courtesy lights, full instrumentation with custom Faria gauges, electric lift on sundeck, horn, hour meter, acrylic cabin door, stainless-steel Pop-Up cleats, custom hatches, glove box, Kiekhaefer Performance Controls, molded swim platform, textured surface on deck, swim ladder, windshield, interior carpeting, Port Potti, drop-down bolster seats, Clarion stereo system, ski tow and bow and stern eyes.

Options on Test Boat

Upgrade to MerCruiser 496 Mag HO engine ($3,917), Boss package ($6,000), Corsa Quick and Quiet Plus exhaust ($2,050), freight ($1,292), transom shower ($492), depthfinder ($458), compass ($267), freshwater flush ($250) and additional battery tray ($150).

Test Results

Acceleration