Bayliner Boats for Sale

From a Seattle parking lot

J. Orin Edson started selling outboards and boating gear from a Seattle parking lot in 1955 under the name Advance Outboard Marine. In 1960 he paid a local boatbuilder $100 for the name "Bayliner." His big idea was selling the boat, motor and trailer as one priced package. A 1982 Bayliner 1600 Capri retailed for $6,295 with an 85 hp outboard and a trailer.

Brunswick bought Bayliner in 1986 for $425 million, less than a month before it bought Sea Ray. Since 1999 every Bayliner has left the factory with a Mercury engine, either a MerCruiser sterndrive or a Mercury outboard.

The boats you will see

• Capri (1980s and 1990s): the classic entry bowrider. Very cheap now, and very variable.
• 175, 185 and 195 Bowriders (2000s to mid-2010s): the boats most people mean when they say "Bayliner." The 175 usually has a 3.0-liter MerCruiser sterndrive.
• Element E16, E18 and E21: outboard deck boats with a wide, stable hull, built to keep the price low.
• VR4, VR5 and VR6: the newer bowriders. The VR5 is 20'4" and is offered with a 200 hp Mercury 4.5L sterndrive or an outboard.
• DX2000: a 19'6" deck boat introduced for 2019. It came standard with a Mercury 115 EFI FourStroke, with 150 and 175 hp options; the DX2050 was the sterndrive version.
• Trophy: fishing boats, from small center consoles to walkarounds.

Bayliner also built cruisers and motor yachts for decades, like the 2855 Ciera and the 3288 and 4788 motor yachts. They show up on the West Coast and the Great Lakes for much less than comparable Sea Rays.

What they sell for

BoatVerdict tracked 96 used 175s from model years 2001 to 2017 and found a median asking price of $7,500, with most between $5,000 and $10,000. By year, 2006 boats were asking around $6,500, 2013s around $11,000 and 2016s around $12,500. On the same site, the Element E16 had a median ask of $16,000, the E18 $18,000 and the VR4 $29,000. Old Capris often go for a few thousand dollars, sometimes less than the trailer is worth.

What to look for

Transom and stringers. On older fiberglass Bayliners, rot in the wooden core of the transom and stringers is the deal-breaker. Tap the transom and floor with a plastic mallet and listen for a dull, soft sound. Push hard on the outdrive or outboard while someone watches the transom for flex. Cracks in the gelcoat radiating from the engine mount are a warning sign.

Sterndrive service. Most used 175s and 185s are MerCruiser sterndrives. The engine is usually fine; the drive is where the money goes. Ask when the bellows, gimbal bearing and U-joints were last done. BoatVerdict puts bellows and gimbal service at about every five years, and exhaust manifolds and risers at $2,500 to $4,000 every six to eight years, sooner in saltwater.

Winterization. In the north, a cracked block from a missed winterization is the classic expensive surprise. Ask for receipts, and check for milky oil or water in the bilge after a run.

Floors and upholstery. Walk the deck for soft spots, and look under the seats for wet foam and mildew.

Recalls. BoatVerdict lists 24 federal recall campaigns touching Bayliner. One is a 2006 steering recall on the 185 Bowrider covering 1,915 boats. Look up the hull ID before you buy.

A cheap Bayliner with a solid transom and a recently serviced drive is one of the best values in used boats. One with a soft floor and no records is a project.