Re: Bayliner questions

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Frank Krozel - 12 Sep 2004 14:26 GMT

Hi all,
My wife has come to terms with buying a new boat.
(This after the lady was towed in three out of four times she was with me!)
In all fairness, I have been out on my old Signa (1970) with Johnson 100HP
OB many times without incident.
I am looking at a new Bayliner 185. This appeals to me because of newness
(less tows) and warranty. In addition, this type of boat appeals to me as a
sporty, crusing and skiing boat here on the Chain O Lakes area in Illinois.
I am concerned about the construction of the boat (is this really fiberglass
and is it repairable if it has been damaged (boat collision) and also the
standard engine. (Should I opt for the mid-ranged engine HP?)
Are there other alternatives to this in the similar price range?
Off-line comments only to
frank@electronicinstrument.com

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Electronic Instrument Associates Central, Inc.
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Bowgus - 13 Sep 2004 02:09 GMT

I'd say if you plan on having company along, the mid-option 190 hp would be
good. My philosophy on having a little extra power is you don't have to use
it but it's there if/when you need/want it. Here's a link to Brunswick and
from there you can get a lot of info on the the Bayliner 185 and other makes
... http://www.brunswick.com/boats.html

> Hi all,
> My wife has come to terms with buying a new boat.
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> message in error, please return by forwarding the message and
> its attachments to the sender.

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Exiled Canuck - 29 Sep 2004 22:37 GMT

I purchased the 2004 Bayliner 185 earlier this summer with the
optional 4.3 Merc 190 HP engine and I have absolutely no complaints.
Many people I spoke with, mainly competing salesmen, called the
Bayliner brand "junk" and worthless. In MHO however, this was mostly
a bunch of horse droppings. The power plant on all these small
runabouts is the same (ie Merc / Volvo), and construction quality on
the Bayliner is more than adequate.

The hull/furniture/fittings on the Bayliner are all reasonably sound,
but not especially good. Given the thousands of dollars cheaper the
Bayliner was to any other 18 footer with a 190 HP power plant, this
was not a major issue for me.

Again this is only my opinion, and unlike the salesmen & "experienced"
boaters, I am relatively new to rec boating. On the other hand, I
have a Master's degree in Marine Engineering and I spent 11 years in
the Navy as an Engineering Officer. If the Bayliner was really as bad
as some say, you can bet I would have bought something else.

Bottom line, I am very pleased with the Bayliner 185, and with a
reasonable amount of preventive maintenance, I am very confident the
power plant, hull, and fittings will all hold up over time.

I recommend you opt for the 4.3L engine upgrade. In general I always
try to opt for the largest engine option for all my vehicles as the
extra power is one of those things you don't know you need until it's
too late. I would also recommend you consider the optional fiberglass
deck with pop out carpet.

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Paul Schilter - 30 Sep 2004 02:06 GMT

Canuack,
I've always thought of the Bayliner as a great inland lake boat. But
it's not a boat to take out into a lot of rough water, not if you think it's
built like a Fountain and should plow through a 3 foot chop at full speed.
If you don't stress the boat it will probably give years of satisfaction.
Paul

>I purchased the 2004 Bayliner 185 earlier this summer with the
> optional 4.3 Merc 190 HP engine and I have absolutely no complaints.
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> too late. I would also recommend you consider the optional fiberglass
> deck with pop out carpet.

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Exiled Canuck - 30 Sep 2004 20:55 GMT

In MHO 16 - 22 foot bowriders such as the Bayliner 185 are designed
for a fun day on calm water, not to plow through three foot waves.

I've had my 185 out in 1 - 2 foot swells and it was no fun. What's
the point of taking a bowrider out in choppy water? Even if they can
handle it, you're not having fun! I didn't buy a bowrider to go out
in sea state 5, I saw enough of that in the North Atlantic. My goal
is to get the kids up on a wakeboard, tool around inland waterways,
have a picnic and go home. For that the Bayliner 185 has proven to be
a good buy.

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Boat Forum / Cruising / September 2004

Re: Bayliner questions