Is 'this' Too Good to Be True ?

[CreekerMom]

I love this. Its nearby too. It's a 2006 Bayliner 325 and seems perfect for my family. Pending a detailed and professional survey, how good a buy is this?

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2006...ncouver/Canada

I'd love to know what you think.

[senormechanico]

Depends on what you want to do with it.
I'll bet it gets about 1 mpg.

[David M]

Unless quality has improved significantly that I am not aware of, Bayliners are poor quality power boats.

I would not be inclined to buy twin gasoline I/O's for a boat that size.

If you are looking for a power boat that planes in that size range then have a look at Searays.

[zeehag]

mom---shop a lil longer, please--you wont be sorry.
and ask more questions here--- you will have a lot more fun searching.
welcome, btw.

[tropicalescape]

Maybe to good to be true for the person that owns it if they could sell it..I have seen older(one I know off is late 80s) Chris Crafts that have the same layout sell for as little as 2500.00 ...not the same boat by know means but they have the same engines and space...good luck on your quest..

[CreekerMom]

I've read about SeaRays, they are stunning and well-layed out as well. People keep saying that the build quality of those is unmatched. On the other hand I've heard pretty bad stuff about Bayliners - I wonder what specifically is the issue with the line? Anyways this isn't the first time I've read a negative post about the brand generally.

In another thread someone suggested chartering and/or leasing instead of buying, since we fairly new to boating. I looked into leasing, there's a company that does that near me, but it seems like kind of a raw deal. The monthly payment for buying into a group ownership plan (including the annual membership fee and down payment) looks about the same as a long-term mid-to-low percentage bank loan to purchase, only you have use of the boat only 32 days per year. However, you are not responsible for maintenance of the vessel. The lease term is only renewable one year at a time, which is nice. But if the boat you are buying is relatively new, then it makes more sense to purchase right?

Maybe it's better to start with a simple, much smaller boat just for day trips and day fishing. Do power boats really require hours of weekly maintenance? The ads all insist it's just hosing her off after a saltwater trip! How many hours can an engine run before it needs to be replaced? This is all so confusing!!!!

[Chief Engineer]

The money for Gas will be better spent on plane fare to a cruise ship.

e.g. You can book a cruise to Bermuda for what it would cost to go to 'Naplis from Baltimore

[hummingway]

You see a lot of older Bayliners around here. I talked to someone who worked on a lot of them and he said that they didn't used a sealant for the deck joints so they leaked and so people would bring them into the boatyard to be sealed. Like David said they weren't well built. I don't know about the new ones though and my info is second hand.

[xymotic]

This is in general a bad place to ask about powerboats.

But yes, in the PNW bayliners outnumber others about 3:1 and it's all about numbers.

They are less expensive than other boats. And... they are less expensive for a reason :-)

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

The money for Gas will be better spent on plane fare to a cruise ship.

Cruising (on cruise ships) is inexpensive and much more comfortable compared to boating, but you're not allowed to be in command.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

You can book a cruise to Bermuda for what it would cost to go to 'Naplis from Baltimore

I'm booked on a 15-day cruise from Denmark to Florida for $599. This doesn't include air fare, but total cost (adding air fare, ground transportation, and tips) is still less than $100 a day for gourmet meals, maid service, live entertainment, library, and so on. This is about half the daily cost (60 days a year), excluding depreciation and food and without cooks, servers, and maids, for owning a boat where I'm master and commander.

[Dulcesuenos]

Originally Posted by David M

Unless quality has improved significantly that I am not aware of, Bayliners are poor quality power boats.

I would not be inclined to buy twin gasoline I/O's for a boat that size.

If you are looking for a power boat that planes in that size range then have a look at Searays.

Uhmm aren't both built and owned by the same company (Brunswick) and have been for quite a while? (15+ year)

And to my knowledge several were made using the same molds,
I agree Searay has nicer amenities and better interior / ulphostery, but as far as build quality,,,,,,,,,

[clockwork orange]

Apart from the hideous styling it may be ok, as a boatbuilder i would suggest you ignore being influenced by brand names,its irrelevant, you get good and bad from the same builder, instead find a fastidious surveyor you can work with, do your own online searches for all known problems of the particular model of boat you are interested in looking at and then have him pay particular attention to these areas, if the boat checks out well and you can make a deal you are comfortable with,buy it. on a side note a friend who is a marine mechanic bought an older 32ft Bayliner, one of the ones that is actually a decent looking boat, for $7500 and has been living on it for several years now and loves it, hes had to rebuild the engines and re core the cabin top which is why it was cheap.
Steve.

[Shrew]

Brunswick is one of the the, if not THE, largest boat manufacturer in the world. They make a large number of brands, including Bayliner, Maxum and Searay (in the express market). all three are, by and large, made the same way. Yews, Bayliner was their entry level market. IMHO, they got a bad rep in the 80's and it has stuck with them ever since. They bought MAxum in the mid 90's in an effort to provide an alternative to Bayliner and marketed somewhere between a Bayliner and a Searay.

I've found that a majority of the issues were actually with the 80's runabouts and a large port of that, again my opinion, was because they were an entry level boat and, as a result, many new boaters poorly stored and maintained them. No the Bayliners don't have quite the fit and finish of a searay, but I wouldn't discount it.

If you like the boat and you like the price, have it professionally surveyed. I find that MOST of the negative opinions of Bayliners come from folks who've never actually owned one. Those who have owned them and still have negative opinions tend to be those who've bought old, used and poorly maintained ones.

Just my .02.

[u4ea32]

Buy the simplest, highest quality boat that actually meets your needs.

Personally, I would never again own a boat that is lined with "mouse fur:" I prefer boats that can be washed down, and I really find the mildew offensive.

Also, planing twin gas boats burn more than a gallon per mile. That consumes a lot of cash if you actually use your boat. If you don't use it why buy it.

I suggest you find a single outboard center console: simple, easy to care for, relatively inexpensive to run and fix, and versatile. This last is important, because how you actually use the boat will emerge. Boats are not like houses, you won't use it like a house, so don't start by buying something that has lots of house junk. Finally, center consoles (for all the foregoing reasons) can be sold again when you want your next boat.