Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

[5280Hawk]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

Im in the same boat as you but this is the boat i am getting.

2009 Bayliner 185 flight edition. its got the 4.3 merc.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

If you are really looking for "the best", it would be hard to beat a Grady White Tournament series. They don't cut any corners on these boats. They make both an 18 and a 20. They only offer outboard power (which is superior to I/Os in my opinion) too.

I'd buy a well kept, used Grady White if I were in the market. You could probably use it a few years and sell it for what you paid for it. Try that with a new Regal/Four Winns/Bayliner etc...

 

[bamafutbal]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

exactly how do define the "best"? my blue water monte carlo cranks up on first try hot or cold, gets great gas milage by my standards with the 5.0 305. will easily pull me up slalom skiing (202lbs), runs great up and down the intercoastal and lakes with 7-8 people in the boat. zero problems since i have owned the boat. people who have ridden in the boat talk about its great ride and a good looking boat. but most of all, I Loved The Boat. unfortunately i need room for 9-10 people so this boat was the "best" when i had 7-8 friends, now i have 9-10 friends and my boat is no longer the best. so now i am trying to sell a former "best" boat in the world so i can another best boat in the world. guess the best is kind of like beauty, its in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Tahoe 55]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

Umm, what about the Tahoe , by Tracker Marine...

I have compared bayliner and a few others and cant find the same extras and nice qualities the Tahoe offers like the storage, captain chairs etc in the price we are looking.

Been considering the Q5 with 4.3 or the Q4 with the 3.0 but MPI version.. Q5 is heavy for trailering every weekend.... Thats the deciding factor... Oh and I am looking at the Sport Fish models on both.

We love our Tahoe Q8i. It has the 5.0 MPI (fuel injected) and has great fuel economy. We can go out 3 times in a row before we ever use a half of tank of fuel. That's a lot better than I thought it would be. It's a well made boat with many quality features. I'd defiantly put it on your list. We couldn't be happier with ours.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

We've owned our SeaRay for eight years and have been very happy with it. The only real issues have been a result of owner (us) neglect/ignorance. I wouldn't go less than a 5.0. In fact...I wish I had a 5.7 pushing a Bravo III.

BTW...Thanks for starting the thread. This tends to bring the rabid pro- and anti- Bayliner dogs out. I can already hear them both sniffing at the door

I hear "Who Let The Dogs Out" growing in the background

 

[dingbat]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

This came for a higher up in bayliner, the reason they are not making outboards, is they are own by Brunswick, which also owns Mercury and Mercruiser, also many of the brand boats mentioned. so the are required to use their power. Mercury does not have a reasonably priced, high enough horse powered outboard, so they are having to go I/O, can you imagine, I/O power being cheaper than powering with outboard. but that was his explanation, when is asked the question why they did not offer them in the outboard.

Kind of makes you wonder how Brunswick can build and outfit an 18' boat with a 4.3 I/O for the same price or less than a 200HP Optimax.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

Kind of makes you wonder how Brunswick can build and outfit an 18' boat with a 4.3 I/O for the same price or less than a 200HP Optimax.

GM made millions of 4.3s for automotive use, and it was based on a 1955 design, so the development cost has been long since recovered. That's just not possible on an outboard engine. It likely has no other possible applications, so the development cost is is spread over a much smaller number of units sold, raising the price considerably.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

Im going to buy my first boat this winter. Ive looked at all the models, and im very confused. will a v6 in this length save that much fuel? or is the 5.0 or 5.7 better? (gonna be used mainly for skiing, and crusing) Are bayliner boats really that bad? ive been looking at crownline and rinker both seem to be pretty good boats, but you can save a ton of money with the bayliner? any other makes and models i shoudl give a look at?

thanks in advance!!!!

Oh, this is going to be along thread!!!
Welcome aboard.
The V6 will do the job and will save you $.
Bayliners are a price point boat. My boating occurs in the Chesapeake Bay which can get rough. I see many Bayliners out there, but I'll stick to my Searay thank you very much. Maintenance will play a bigger role in how your boat lasts. I recommend you take your time, go to any boat shows that may come along this winter, and talk to as many boaters as possible.

 

[oldsquaw76]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

i guess second question would be whats better.....merc or volvo???? both seem to be pretty good to me

 

[mthieme]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

Most think the Volvo is better. Parts are more expensive, but I think you will have fewer repairs.
Mercruiser is much more common.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

I am totally opposite of some of the posters above. I would never even consider doing my typical boating activities with an outboard motor hanging off the back of my boat. The engine will either be an Io under the back hood, or a direct drive under a hood in the middle. The only thing I could think of worse than having a big outboard handing off the back would be my uncles old racing boats with the gigantanormous racing engines exposed in the back of the boat, and with me as a little kid fearful of the engine burning the hell out of me.

That is why boating is so kool, there is a boating format, layout and style for each one of us.

 

[derekpfeiffer]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

Mercruisers are much more common around here is why I bought one. MUCH easier to find a qualified shop not so much so with the Volvos. One big thing to think about with an outboard is that if you're planning on doing much water sports you'll have to pry either use a bridle or a ski pole. I much rather using a hook right on the back of the transom on my I/O. but i live for water sports tho. Also climbing in and out is much easier. You have a large swim deck and sun deck. Often not the case with an outboard.

Before I bought my new boat I asked my mechanic if he were to buy one what he'd buy and he said an I/O hands down. He said obviously he'd rather work on an outboard but you're paying way too much for the new technology (R and D) compared to the I/O's...he said there's the bang for you're buck. Just something else to consider.

Good luck,
Doogie

 

[oldsquaw76]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

thanks derek...... i wouldnt dream of getting an outboard on my future ski boat. they are great for fishing though!!

 

[derekpfeiffer]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

Oh yeah I agree!!! let us know what you decide to get!!!

Happy seaching,
Doogie

 

[mbaran]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

I just picked up a 2003 Maxum 1900SR with a 5.0L Merc/alpha and its great. Holds 7-8 and tows my 265lb person with no problems. seems to be pretty okay on gas too. Got it for 10,500 with only 58 hours on her.

Looks and feels nice and seems to have really good quality.

 

[oldsquaw76]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

I just picked up a 2003 Maxum 1900SR with a 5.0L Merc/alpha and its great. Holds 7-8 and tows my 265lb person with no problems. seems to be pretty okay on gas too. Got it for 10,500 with only 58 hours on her.

Looks and feels nice and seems to have really good quality.

Was 10500 a fari price for you????? ive just started looking and it seems like that is a hell of a price for a 2003 laron

 

[mbaran]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

not sure I understand your question?

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Best 18-20 ft Bowrider? Need help

add Checkmate to the list of desirable brands... they make a great hull for all around use, well built and fast...