Need help buying a boat and outboard - Bayliner Capri???

Question

Hi all! I'm new to boat buying and would like to get some advice about buying a boat. I have pretty much decided that I'm looking for something like the Bayliner Capri around 18-20' with an open bow and outboard. I'm pretty much against inboard/outboard at this point, I don't want to deal with any potential repair bills for the I/O components, but if you think it would be better convince me!!

It would be primarily used for lake use, water skiiing, some fishing, etc. with an occasional trip to salt water. I was hoping you all could recommend some boat/motor combinations. I heard that the Force outboards are no longer in business and parts are hard to come by which might be why there are so many on Craigslist. I'm trying to stay in the 5-6k range for price. I've heard some negative things about Bayliners. What specifically is wrong with them? I am looking for LOW maintanence, with a big emphasis on reliability! Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Answer 1

Lousy construction, no re-sale Value, in short, a Bayliner is a REAL c**p BOAT, they are'nt called "The Ford Pinto of the Bay" for nothing. You would be better off in a "Boston Whaler", High Quality, unsinkable (even when cut in half), High re-sale value, so you will gain most (if not all) of your investment back, in many cases people MAKE money on the re-sale.

Answer 2

Bayliners are the worst boats you can buy. Very cheap, break down a lot. Don't run well when they get older. The ones I have driven have no power steering, hard time starting. Personally I would not buy a boat if I had only 5K-6K to spend. But maybe you should look into a older Sea-Ray. They are very well built and will last forever.

Answer 3

bayliners are great boats...

i like mercury or Johnson / evenrude motors..

and i am very fond of out boards because of the room it gives you inside the boat...

i think the io's are a little cheaper in the long run to maintain..

but not so much that it makes allot of difference

Answer 4

well i can tell you that fine a boat seller that is cheap but has a good qullaty on that boat.

Answer 5

Hi  there.....

Good luck with your boat when you get it .. LOL..  kidding.

Ok soo....   As long as you get a well maintained  boat you will be ok.

Inboard  vs Outboard.

I have had both...  The inboard  well is easy to repair  if  there are minor things.    But expensive  if need to be lifted out of the boat...

My wife and I prefer outboards..   My wife.. ( shes the expert in the family) swears by mercury ... and after having  a Johnson, evinrude  and two mercurys   I do too..

What you can do is look on ebay ..  but becareful.. there are lots of junkers on there....  

My advise is pay a little to get a boat mech to check  it out..  it could save you thousands.

Answer 6

you've gotten some very good answers.  if the boat looks good, and you test drive it first, you'll do okay.  Bayliner is an entry level boat.  not too expensive so not as well constructed as a Cobalt or other high end, but reliable just the same.  best of luck.

Answer 7

Inboard's are actually a little easier to repair and a bit cheaper to maintain than an outboard.  But, they take away precious space on the deck.  Outboards are excellent for lake use, water skiing, and fishing.  

If you want to hit the saltwater, be sure the motor and prop are made for such places or you can run into problems (such as corrosion).  This is especially true for electric trolling motors, which is why they have both salt and fresh varieties of motors.  

I think the stigma with Bayliners, is that they use a spray chop gun on their molds to make the hulls.  Chipping,      ing, and even osmosis problems with the fiberglass have been reported (although the sources I have seen this information from are iffy), and I haven't seen any issues with the newer Bayliners from the US Coast Guard about the hulls in their recall listings each quarter since 2005.  Bottom line, many people just despise spray on hulls.  Hand-layed mat hulls are preferred by many.  Overall, I have yet to see any Bayliners in person that are being hauled to the dump.  

I myself handlay mat and gelcoat on my molds when I fiberglass and I don't worry about osmosis problems.

I think the only real issues I have seen from the recall list in regards to the USCG list are fittings coming loose from use and I think they had some issues with seats not being properly bolted in.  Nothing a quick lookover and fix (if it needs it) can take care of.

For a Bayliner, Mercury (Nissan or Tahatsu) or a Yahama outboard should work out fine.  Be very sure to check for the manufacturer's specs in regards to what is the largest engine the boat can safely use.  Using a motor to large is not only dangerous but can be       to you and/or your boat.

Also, be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning and request a pamplet on how CO can travel from an outboard while mooring, running, and idling.  It's just a safety awareness people should know about.  Even boats without a cabin can still have CO going right over the person and slowly poison them.

5 to 6k for an outboard will buy a 115hp Mercury from the 90's to 2000.  Depending on its condition.  Yahama's are a mixed bag in pricing, but I have found them to be really good water skiing boat motors.  There's no science behind it, I just like Yahama's better in this regard.

Hondas are excellent but expensive!  

If you never piloted a boat, it wouldn't hurt to take a boater's course.  Your local DMV should be able to help you in this regard or contact the USCG.

Hope this was helpful.

Answer 8

I have been boating for about 25 years and Bayliner is nothing but junk. I would not even want to be seen in one.