bayliner "quality"

[dalman]

I have read plenty of debate regarding this topic and I do not mean to post and stirr the pot..but is there/was there a tipping point when the Bayliner brand improved their overall quality or was it a process over the years? Many of the posts mention early 90's as years to avoid...but did the brand improve as the decade went along? Specifically the 96 model year as there is a boat a very attractive price I could be interested in.
thanks all...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: bayliner "quality"

it should be ok, get the engine maintainance records,

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: bayliner "quality"

I have read plenty of debate regarding this topic and I do not mean to post and stirr the pot..but is there/was there a tipping point when the Bayliner brand improved their overall quality or was it a process over the years? Many of the posts mention early 90's as years to avoid...but did the brand improve as the decade went along? Specifically the 96 model year as there is a boat a very attractive price I could be interested in.
thanks all...

Dal, even in Cdn dollars...whats an attractive price? ($5-8k? or).

 

[dalman]

Re: bayliner "quality"

....between 5 and 6USD which is pretty much at par now with the cdn.

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: bayliner "quality"

From what I understand Its been within the last 10 years that BAYLINER has improved the quality and the boats designs.

I recently bought my 1st BAYLINER, an 07 model and without hesitation Id buy another one. This boat rides nicer then my 19 foot Wellcraft I had 10 years ago.

A friend I met at the lake had a Bayliner Capri at the time I had my Wellcraft and I tell you that Capri he had was an awefull ride. It was noisy and it rough and actually felt like you were ridign in a cheep boat.

My 07 185 is nothing like it and excedes my wellcraft from 10 years ago.

 

[azlakes]

Re: bayliner "quality"

"I tell you that Capri he had was an awefull ride. It was noisy and it rough and actually felt like you were ridign in a cheep boat."

... what size, year and drive train on this crummy cheap ol capri? How was the lake that day, churned up? I have had no fear of sinking to the bottom of the lake in one giant noisy explosion. Dal -if you want to save 5-10 grand to fund other hobbies, just make sure the history of any used boat checks out. Examine the deck, transom, compression and best yet run it on the lake if possible. Note the steering, easy of start, plaining and pickup. You can make a great score following some guidlines from these forums. I did.

Good luck

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: bayliner "quality"

AZLAKES oh, by no means did I think your boat was crappy....

In fact thats a good point as to what year the CAPRI I rode in was. I honestly dont know other then the fact that my old wellcraft was an 84 and I think My friends Capri was an early 80's as well.

I do remember it had a FORCE motor that was Black not the white one like yours.

Your boat looks newer then his.

 

[Mark42]

Re: bayliner "quality"

I have been working on my 85 Bayliner 1600 Capri Cuddy. Some nice aspects are the center two (the only two) stringers are completely encapsulated in glass and gel coat. A little bumpy (a lot bumpy) but no one is looking at it. Same goes for the transom and aft most 2 feet of floor. Completely sealed in glass and gel.

I have been looking at Bayliner projects on the Shareaproject.com website to see what the 80's boats had under the floor. Most of the projects required rotten floors and stringers to be removed from 17 and 19' Capri bow riders. The photos show that a 1987 17' bow rider had NO fiberglass on the stringers at all! In fact, they looked to be totally bare wood, not even a coat of gel.

So why did Bayliner go to the trouble of making a quality 1600 Capri in 1985, but then completely discard the stringer protection by 1987? I found a 1988 that had the aft half of the stringers coated, the forward half uncoated and rotted. There is even a 1989 where the floor felt "soft" and when the carpet was removed the problem was an unsuported BUTT JOINT in the floor plywood! Can you believe that?

It looks like things started to get crappy in the late 80's. What was going on at that time?

 

[azlakes]

Re: bayliner "quality"

"It looks like things started to get crappy in the late 80's. What was going on at that time?"

In 1986, the Brunswick Corporation, which had started as a billiard table and bowling supply company, added Bayliner to its stable of marine companies.

Maybe this did it? If incentives stopped, that would show up in the craftsmanship for that time frame. If Bayliners were also made in different factories across the US in those years, perhaps some QA controls were better than others. To date you can still call Bayliner headquarters and give them a hull id and they will tell you where that boat was manafactured.


I can also attest to my 86' transom and bilge area being encapsulated in glass and gel as you describe. I don't know about the stringers.

Here is the entire article again for light reading.

http://www.nwyachting.com/articles/bayliner/edson.htm

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: bayliner "quality"

I had an 84 WEBBCRAFT wich is the exact dsaem as a WELLCRAFT and I had a crack in ym hull wich I had to cut out and reglass.

It was right where a stringer was and it was totally BARE WOOD!!!

So Bayliner was NOT the only co. in that time frame that had bare wood exposed in the stringers.

My o7 BAYLINER looks liek all the stringers are covered in a good layer of glass and gelcoat if you look in the ski locker.

things have evolved over time that for sure.

 

[azlakes]

Re: bayliner "quality"

...was at Cabelas yesterday and they are starting to carry the Bayliner 185 for 2008. Its a sweet looking boat. More important is the quality must be good enough to meet Cabelas requirements or standards. Hopefully that's another sign to Bayliners credit.

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: bayliner "quality"

WOW we have another BAYLINER dealer in Phoenix areas DAMN, Now I wounder what Marina Del Sol thinks about that one.

That new 185 is like the 07 model but they changed the colors and graphics....I honestly dont think its as cool looking as the 07 model. Not as flashy.

Althought they have brought back the red stripe model in the 205 for 08 thats cool looking.

 

[hazwild]

Re: bayliner "quality"

I have an 06 175 3.0L merc that rides great..No problems yet.Very good value for the $$.

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: bayliner "quality"

Hazwild
welcome to Iboats
Nice boat its a lot like my 07 185 except for the non curved winsheild and a lil smaller. My dealer tells me the 175 is the fastest selling boat they sell, they stock a few when there gone then the next is the 185.

Great boat, lots of fun