Baja Boats. Looking for hull number one.

[Rhaines]

As the title says I'm looking for hull number one. If anyone knows the history of the year any other particulars that I should be looking for please let me know. 954-868-2028.

[hydr0_scrm2]

If anyone knows where you can find it, it would be these guys:
http://xt-innovations.com/

...or Doug Smith (founder and then later the owner of Checkmate). Not sure how to get a hold of him though.

The XT team are all former long term BAJA employees who started their own venture after the Sale. I worked with them for about a year and they did my interior about a month ago. They are a wealth of knowledge. Ask for Dave.

[Cobra 1972]

I have a 1972 11' 1/2 Cobra boat the title was signed by Neil Baker co-founder of Baja. However in 1972 my boat was labeled Cobra but they had to change the names of the boats because legally they could not use Cobra name and changed the company name to Baja.

[WavetoWave]

Ya, Cobra is the first name used. That boat was actually a Checkmate design, they bought the mold off them I believe.

[FUJIMO]

...ryan posted this in 2015...

[Cobra 1972]

Ya, Cobra is the first name used. That boat was actually a Checkmate design, they bought the mold off them I believe.

Yes that is what I heard. They didn't make many and I would love to know how many.they built. Our dealer here bought 3 of them. I think the mold got destroyed in a fire. Not sure on that. I tried locate Neil Baker just to talk but no luck.

[WavetoWave]

Yes that is what I heard. They didn't make many and I would love to know how many.they built. Our dealer here bought 3 of them. I think the mold got destroyed in a fire. Not sure on that. I tried locate Neil Baker just to talk but no luck.

I think Mercury Marine may own the first one. It was restored about 15 to 20 years ago and was in a few boat shows. That's off memory, which is getting worse at my age, but I think that's it.

[WavetoWave]

...ryan posted this in 2015...

Feels like just yesterday

[staylor]

Thirty-some years back I was at the Checkmate factory in Bucyrus, OH discussing the build on a Pulse 210 that I had just purchased and they were getting ready to make. They didn't like my color choices and needed some convincing- Battleship gray exterior with very light silver flake and hot pink striping, with a raspbery and white interior interior if I recall. While I was twisting their arms on the color choices, I mentioned that I also owned a Baja 184SS which I was trading in to my Checkmate dealer. I told them that it was a really good boat but I wanted to move larger and the Pulse 210 seemed a good buy. They then mentioned that Baja started when Checkmate tossed out the plug for their little 13 ft boat and the Baja guys picked it out of the garbage pile and took it back to their shop. Don't know if this was truth or BS, but in any event the C-Mate came out great and the factory called me to say that they thought the end result looked good- just seemed strange when I ordered it.
Doug

[Cobra 1972]

Thirty-some years back I was at the Checkmate factory in Bucyrus, OH discussing the build on a Pulse 210 that I had just purchased and they were getting ready to make. They didn't like my color choices and needed some convincing- Battleship gray exterior with very light silver flake and hot pink striping, with a raspbery and white interior interior if I recall. While I was twisting their arms on the color choices, I mentioned that I also owned a Baja 184SS which I was trading in to my Checkmate dealer. I told them that it was a really good boat but I wanted to move larger and the Pulse 210 seemed a good buy. They then mentioned that Baja started when Checkmate tossed out the plug for their little 13 ft boat and the Baja guys picked it out of the garbage pile and took it back to their shop. Don't know if this was truth or BS, but in any event the C-Mate came out great and the factory called me to say that they thought the end result looked good- just seemed strange when I ordered it.
Doug

That is interesting. My buddy bought a 13ft Checkmate in 1971 or 1972. Great boat. I do believe my 1972 11 1/2 Cobra later named Baja mold came from Checkmate. Maybe that's the mold they got out of the garbage lol. I don't think it was the 13' because Baja made a 14' and it was very different than the 13' Checkmate. I had friends with both. Great story Thanks!!!!

[WavetoWave]

That is interesting. My buddy bought a 13ft Checkmate in 1971 or 1972. Great boat. I do believe my 1972 11 1/2 Cobra later named Baja mold came from Checkmate. Maybe that's the mold they got out of the garbage lol. I don't think it was the 13' because Baja made a 14' and it was very different than the 13' Checkmate. I had friends with both. Great story Thanks!!!!

Do you have pics of that cobra?

[Cobra 1972]

Do you have pics of that cobra?

I hope they attached just learning this site. A bit diificult

[WavetoWave]

Thanks, I seem to remember the first Cobras being 15' or 16' based off the early Checkmate 15. The first one was all white, red stripe. I'm getting old though and my memory is not what it once was. I believe Mercury owned the first and it was restored about 20 years ago.

[Cobra 1972]

Thanks, looks good. I seem to remember the first Cobras being 15' or 16' based off the early Checkmate 15. The first one was all white, red stripe. I'm getting old though and my memory is not what it once was. I believe Mercury owned it and it was restored about 20 years ago.

Your memory seems good to me a friend of mine had a 16' it was blue and a had 125 Evinrude on it.

[FUJIMO]

...the cobra's or the earliest baja's did not look anything like the boat in the photo's you present...