Looking to buy a bayliner

[Redline54]

This is my first boat and I am looking at a 2001 Bayliner Cierra Express 2252 for 10K which seems pretty reasonable. It has low hours and has been dry stacked most of its life, with primary use in salt water. I will continue to use it in salt water and possibly leave in a slip for part of the year which I realize can be touchy with I/O's. It seems to be in very good condition and the original owner has maintnance records. I have read many posts where people say not to buy a bayliner. I am looking for something to go possibly a couple miles off shore to fish, and something my wife and I can spend the night on. Is this a wise purchase?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

It all depends on it's condition really. Bayliner's have not had a good reputation in reality but you must make certain it is in seaworthy condition.
Welcome to iboats

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

You should find some good Bayliner discussion here.

http://forums.iboats.com/Bayliner_Boats

 

[ruizsantana]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

If you're gonna slip in saltwater, do yourself a favor and either get an outboard you can tilt up out of the water, or inboards.

For offshore fishing a couple of miles out, I'd suggest you get a center console with a deep vee and sturdy construction. If a cabin for overnighting is a must, then you should look at other fishing boats in the 26' and up range which have a small cabin... Personally, I think for offshore fishing a 22' Bayliner would be at the bottom of my list.

If you still decide to pursue this, make sure those engines are freshwater cooled, otherwise see if those manifolds and risers were just replaced. Even if FWC, check those risers! And better get a good survey that takes a really good look at the hull/stringers and the hull to deck joint. Bayliner makes a decent value boat, but they're not built to take an offshore beating.

Wise purchase? Doesn't sound like it, for the use you intend.

 

[Redline54]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

The cabin is a must, and the off-shore fishing will not be very frequent. And unfortunately I don't have 75K for a boat, I am looking for something in the 10-15k range. I would prefer and OB but all I seem to be able to find in NC with cabins are stern drives. Thanks for the input anyhow.

 

[ruizsantana]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

Redline - I once kept a sterndrive boat in saltwater, and it's not very easy... Any time I would keep the boat in the water for more than a few days I was sweating the outdrives... And it's not only corrosion, also marine growth which gets into all the nooks and crannies...

In any case, if you end up with an outdrive boat, make sure it's FWC. And if you can keep it dry stack or in a lift, that would be ideal, and even better if you can flush the raw water side after every use. Most people do this with muffs after pulling the boat, but some blocks have flushing systems built in, and otherwise they can be added.

One thing I'll suggest: Expand your search to other nearby states if you can... And don't be afraid to look at boats with asking prices in the 20k-30k range, in this market you never know what offer will be accepted.

Good luck!

 

[Redline54]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

What is "sweating the outdrives"? You maybe right about broadening the search and going with the outboard. The Bayliner is raw water cooled which if I do flush the outdrive/engine and its in dry storage wouldn't matter, but I would like the option of keeping it in a slip.

Thanks again

 

[ruizsantana]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

Oh I meant that I was losing sleep over them! LOL. I have a friend in a marina down in FL where a boat's outdrive basically disappeared over a matter of 2 days after an electrical fault at the dock.

Take your time, there's so many boats in the market you'll end up with a much better boat than you can imagine. I'd be looking for top of the line construction regardless of age, and a well cared for boat. If you can go to 15k there'll be plenty of options once you find a motivated seller. Have you looked at Pursuits? These are just a few random ones I found doing a quick search, one outboard and two I/O's:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...nits=Feet&access=Public&listing_id=10664&url=


http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...nits=Feet&access=Public&listing_id=67531&url=

And this one supposedly has a new Volvo engine, even if the rest needs some TLC:

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1991/Pursuit-2650-2092298/Morehead-City/NC/United-States

 

[dan t.]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

as for mooring a i/o boat in salt water there is a lot of bad information and junk science out there.I have a 1992 Bayliner 2452 that has spent every summer of its life moored in salt water. The entire drive train is original. T he magic word is ANODES, they must be replaced yearly and of the proper type. I have found it doesnt make much difference between zinc or aluminum,dont mix the metals. As for the size of the boat I think you are a little small for offshore,I have been in a few pickles out there when I wished for a bigger boat. For salt water fresh water cooling is a must,or trailer and flush after every outing
good luck

 

[Redline54]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

What is "sweating the outdrives"? You maybe right about broadening the search and going with the outboard. The Bayliner is raw water cooled which if I do flush the outdrive/engine and its in dry storage wouldn't matter, but I would like the option of keeping it in a slip.

Thanks again

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

"sweating the outdrives" means laying awake at night sweating while worrying about what might be happening to them...... it is not a technical term....lol

 

[Redline54]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

Disregard the duplicate post. Sweating out drives - I am not as clever or witty this far past my bed time! I will certainly look around some more but I realize a 10K bayliner is what it is - and thats an entry level boat that I hopefully won't have to spend much on to get out on the water. I have a jet ski and just want something I can take the dog along on. I will proably use it for a year or two then upgrade. But thanks for all the good info ya'll.

Chris

 

[JoLin]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

Couple points-

Bayliner quality overall is vastly better than it was in the bad old days of the 70's and 80's. Have it surveyed by a pro. You'll be fine.

You can use the boat offshore on a nice day, but don't venture out too far, and be prepared to beat it to shore if weather even STARTS to deteriorate. Any boat can be used in the ocean under the right conditions, BUT you need to remember that your Bayliner isn't designed for it. That limits you. If ocean running is one of your priorities, look at another type of boat.

Fresh water cooling is nice but not essential. I, and everyone I boat with, keep our boats slipped in salt water all season. Don't be afraid of it. There's a lot of paranoia about salt water on this board. Maintain the boat. It'll last you a LONG time.

I never lose sleep over my I/O, either. If the boat doesn't have good maintenance records, budget to have a major service performed on the drive before it goes into the water. Pressure test it, replace the bellows and any hoses, service the water pump, etc. It's money well spent, and it'll establish a baseline for future maintenance. Mine cost me $600, but I live in a real expensive area. Ditto the exhaust manifolds and risers.

Best of luck!

 

[ruizsantana]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

The concerns about saltwater are mostly warranted, and calling them "paranoia" is rather misleading IMO. It's not impossible to slip an I/O boat in the salt, but it's not ideal. Now, to be clear, my experience with slipping has been in Florida, where marine growth is extreme and the electrical system in many (cheaper) marinas isn't exactly top notch.

Slipping in your backyard greatly reduces the risk, because you're not vulnerable to stray currents from nearby boats or faults in the dock electrical system. These scenarios can ruin an outdrive in a matter of hours. I've seen that happen many times, and it's not pretty. BTW, all outdrives are not created equal. I trust Volvos much better than Mercs, even the paint job seems to hold up better, but in any case just be sure you're not wet slipping Bravo III drives.

Also, I assume that slipping I/O's in salt up north is probably MUCH easier than in FL. In FL during the summer, I swear every other few days in the water I had to spend a couple of hours removing marine growth from the moving parts/joints in the outdrives.

 

[dan t.]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

First of all stray current should only affect you if you are plugged in,that can be defeated with a GALVANIC ISOLATOR or a ISOLATION TRANSFORMER, as for muck on the outdrive the solution is antifouling paint,you have some pretty good stuff available in the States, in Canada we only have Trilux II for outdrive paint, it is ok but could be better.get a survey if it checks out buy the boat and go have fun

 

[rbh]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

Keep your options open, there's more than One boat out there.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

The concerns about saltwater are mostly warranted, and calling them "paranoia" is rather misleading IMO. It's not impossible to slip an I/O boat in the salt, but it's not ideal. Now, to be clear, my experience with slipping has been in Florida, where marine growth is extreme and the electrical system in many (cheaper) marinas isn't exactly top notch.

Slipping in your backyard greatly reduces the risk, because you're not vulnerable to stray currents from nearby boats or faults in the dock electrical system. These scenarios can ruin an outdrive in a matter of hours. I've seen that happen many times, and it's not pretty. BTW, all outdrives are not created equal. I trust Volvos much better than Mercs, even the paint job seems to hold up better, but in any case just be sure you're not wet slipping Bravo III drives.

Also, I assume that slipping I/O's in salt up north is probably MUCH easier than in FL. In FL during the summer, I swear every other few days in the water I had to spend a couple of hours removing marine growth from the moving parts/joints in the outdrives.

Paranoia probably isn't the right term, but "sweating the outdrive", and "don't wet slip a Bravo III" indicate an unwarranted level of anxiety.

I can understand that you wouldn't wet slip an I/O boat in salt water. Okay, that's your personal preference. The fact is that thousands upon thousands of boaters DO wet slip their boats in salt water. Those include boats with outdrives of all makes, models and ages. Their drives don't disintegrate and their boats don't sink. I'll say it again- maintenance is the key to a long and happy life regardless of where you boat.

Have a great day!

 

[Fish-a-Palooza]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

The paranoia in this thread with regards to Bayliner, as well as salt water moorage is .

The biggest problem IMO is that it's been raw water cooled all these years. Unless it's been flushed with fresh water without exception after every trip there may be a rust issue inside the engine.

Bayliner is no worse than any other mass produced boat out there. In fact anyone who has ever owned one knows they are actually a pretty good boat.

Wet moorage in salt water is no big deal. It's called zincs and antifouling paint on a regular schedule just like was already mentioned.

IMO a 22ft boat of any kind isn't a good choice for offshore under any conditions, but that being said, how far offshore? What's way more important than 3 more feet of boat is you're skills in boating. Off shore is way different than lake, river, or inshore, all of which can do you in if you don't pay heed to the weather and I'm not talking about the 11PM weather on your local news.

Storms can move in surprisingly fast and you better have one hell of a boat if you think you can outrun it. 3 miles offshore is one thing, 20 miles is another world. So if you're caught in six footers in a 22 foot boat you have real problems. Even if your theory is that your boat can do 40 mph so it would only take 30 minutes to travel 20 miles, I can assure you won't do more than 10 MPH in 6 foot seas. Now we are talking 4 hours to get in, Maybe. Do I sound preachy? I'm sorry!

 

[Philster]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

If you slip an I/O, you've added maintenance costs.

Water ALWAYS wins, but various actions we take delay the loss.

One action you can take is rack storage: This fends off the water's eventual victory over your materials (the boat and I/O), by reducing exposure time. You get to flush the engine, too.

Another action you can take is preparation: You can decide to slip the boat, but prep the outdrive and whole boat for the exposure -- anodes, paint, etc.

And and additional action you can take is increased maintenance You can replace, repair and inspect...but the essential part here is doing so proactively, before trouble arises. You can never use too much elbow grease either!

So, if you decide to leave 'er in a slip all season/year/whatever, you have to do more, spend more, and be more proactive. Plan on replacing things on a schedule, and spending more, but getting what you want out of a boat.

I rack my boat. I don't want bottom paint, and I don't have the time to make it to my boat several times a week, so I don't need it in a slip. But if I was putting my boat in a slip, I'd prepare the boat for it, and plan in maintenance... and replace things before signs of trouble.

Do whatever you want, but don't convince yourself you don't need to take extra measures if your decision is to keep 'er in a salt water slip.

Life is short. Enjoy it.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Looking to buy a bayliner

What phil said^^^^^^^