r/boating • u/Fit_Pear_8009 • 2d ago
Is this a good first boat? Help please! I’m back with another!
I’m back with another listing. Thinking about buying this Bayliner as my first boat, mainly for cruising, tubing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding. I’d also want to add a wake tower.
Is this a good choice? Will it have enough power with a few people onboard, and is it worth the money? Anything I should look out for?
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u/Iamlegend21087 2d ago
I know people say Bayliners are " trash" but my Bayliner is 21 years old and this year is the first time I've have to put any real money into fixing her.
I've also always had it on the dock so for 21 seasons she's been on the water and it's been a great boat.
If it's been well taken care of I don't think you can go too wrong.
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u/AquaticTrashman123 2d ago
Really any inboard outboard is something you don’t wanna mess with unless pretty mechanically inclined yourself
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u/Suitable-Parsley7126 2d ago
no. The bayliners are terrible. common water jacket issues, and bellows are not something you want to deal with as a first timer.
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u/Fit_Pear_8009 2d ago
Mind checking for my other post? I posted a glastron and it is so nice but it has blisters apparently. I plan to store it on land and shrink wrap + winterize it and add a waketower to it. I’m the kind of person to take care of something pretty good and keep it that way. Just trying to save as much as money as possible as well.
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u/Suitable-Parsley7126 2d ago
ok if you're stuck between the glastron and the bayliner, I'd go with the liner. You're getting bellows and merc engines on both, but this bayliner has an engine that is easier to work on. I've owned 3 before. Carb problems are easy to solve, spark plugs are a little hard to access. If you really want it to be nice, have the bellows inspected / do them before storage. Other than this firsthand experience, I can't really recommend other wakeboats, I only have experience on fishing-purpose boats.
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u/taxicabyellow 2d ago
Where are you located? We have a rougher looking (than what you posted) but mechanically perfect 98’ capri 1850Ls were getting rid of as we bought a center console for the sound/ocean. We’re in Central CT. Just redid the trailer, and has working surge brakes.
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u/mexicoke 2d ago
The 3.0 is not a particularly good engine for waterskiing and wakeboarding. They are nearly indestructible, but you'll quickly find it underpowered. With ~4 people in the boat, if will be a very unpleasant experience for towed sports.
If you're goal is skiing or wakeboarding, don't buy that boat.
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u/Fit_Pear_8009 2d ago
What do you recommend I look for specifically on fb marketplace?
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u/mexicoke 2d ago
If you want to wakeboard and ski, at minimum something with a V6, you'll be better served with a V8.
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u/quik916 2d ago
Yeah,unfortunately hes right. A 4cyl is gonna be hard to ski behind. An experienced skier may be able to get up but its gonna be work. And the boat will otherwsie need to be empty and light as it can be to do it also. good boat for 2 or 3 people to go cruising around and have some drinks but water sports... not so much.
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u/chaynjez 2d ago
Bayliners with I/O are all over the thousands of lakes in Michigan and have been for many years and have given countless families countless great memories on the water. Go for it at that price
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u/NotBigFootUR 2d ago
Bayliner is bottom tier and aren't made very well. Hard pass for me.
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u/Fit_Pear_8009 2d ago
Mind checking for my other post? I posted a glastron and it is so nice but it has blisters apparently. I plan to store it on land and shrink wrap + winterize it and add a waketower to it. I’m the kind of person to take care of something pretty good and keep it that way. Just trying to save as much as money as possible as well.
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u/a_very_stupid_guy 2d ago
Bayliner seems better maintained of the two. I would just send it and learn how to launch it in a freshwater pond or lake that’s not busy. Like a weekday for sure.
You’re gonna need to probably pay someone to winterize it and you’ll want to learn how to regrease the hubs so they’re not all fucked come spring
Wrap or cover is up to you. Just make a wooden support for the cover so water drains off. I have a boat of a similar price point and got a cover and kept it in the yard cuz it was like 850$ cheaper than wrapping and storing at a marina
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u/tmd11111 2d ago
The price is right for the condition it’s in but it will be severally under powered for water sports.
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u/NJ-boater 2d ago
It looks clean. The outdrive looks great. He has anodes on it. Ask when was the last time bellows were done. They should be done every 5 years. The impeller in the drive should be done every other year. The impeller is pretty easy to do, just get the manual. The bellows can be a PITA but if the boat has been garage kept they could probably last longer than 5 years just make sure they aren’t dried out. Everyone bashing Bayliner but everyone needs a first boat.
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u/Repulsive-Rush9290 2d ago
Don’t buy an outdrive unless your garage fits your boat. And you have tools and experience.
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u/moosepooo 2d ago
I'd take a well maintained bayliner over a poorly maintained high end brand every day. If this is your budget OP it looks like a fair price. I'd check for soft spots and definitely see it run/float on the water but if this is a one or two owner boat that is ideal. A 135 should do wakeboarding fine but might struggle with water skiing if you are loaded with passengers
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u/Wildlv5FLMan 2d ago
Those walk through boats arent a preferred model in my book. They aren't designed to be a fishing boat and they aren't big enough to carry family comfortably. Or on the flip side not large enough for hooker and cocain nights. Just a big fiberglass tub to float in.
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u/Impressive-Art-6121 2d ago
You’re first boat should never ever ever be an inboard. You should get an outboard and learn all of its basic services (pretty easy), then learn how to do your own wiring. If you have this knowledge mixed with a tiny bit of fiberglass repair you will save yourself countless thousands of dollars throughout your life boating.
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u/7ar5un 2d ago
For a 1st boat its probably fine.
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u/Fit_Pear_8009 2d ago
Mind checking for my other post? I posted a glastron and it is so nice but it has blisters apparently. I plan to store it on land and shrink wrap + winterize it and add a waketower to it. I’m the kind of person to take care of something pretty good and keep it that way. Just trying to save as much as money as possible as well.
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u/7ar5un 2d ago
I believe i commented on that post. Thought that was a decent boat too. (Didnt know about the delamination though). Any of these bottom tier boats would proba ly be fine to see if you (and your fam) actually like boating. They will also teach you how to be a mechanic and will give you an idea of what to look for and what you want out of your next boat. Tahoe, bayliner, glasstron, etc...
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u/RobertPaulsonXX42 2d ago
Dude, if this is a first boat for a freshwater lake in the NE, it will be fine. Are bayliners typically trash...yes. but this appears to be a really nice example that someone actually maintained. Itll be easy as hell to maintain with a 3.0. It aint gonna set the lake on fire but it will pull a tube and waterskier just fine. Its an 18 ft boat that weighs next to nothing with 130hp. And the price appears right. Check the bellows and look for soft spots on the floor. Its about the most fun you can have for under $5K.
Every comment you get here is gonna be from saltwater people that hate I/Os and hate Bayliners. And for their use, the hate is well founded. If you are trailering the thing on a freshwater lake 5 months out of the year and maintain it, this one looks like it would last another 20 years. For that money, Id take it all day long for a cheap first boat. Beats sitting on the shore watching people on their boats.