Bayliner Can anyone tell me!

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Feb 15, 2017
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Can anyone tell me why Bayliner has such a bad reputation? Please be specific I have a project Bayliner I got for the trailer and need to know if it is worth my time and effort. Specifically, is the fabrication of the hull a problem if it is not damaged. It is a 24' cuddy cabine model built in 1975.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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because they were low end boats thrown together quickly and such a poor job of fiberglassing was done they all rotted. some of the fiberglassing was so bad, the floor would crack at boat shows.

however they were cheap for a reason. to get the average joe into boating.

however the average joe left them outside, usually with the plug in, which expedited the rot

your looking at a 43 year old boat that had a design life of 10-12 years back then. plan on dumping $3k into just restoring the hull. Assume the interior is shot, so plan on $2k for the interior and count on at least $1k for miscellaneous.

back then, the driveline was OMC. just for the reason that it is OMC, I wouldnt even look at the boat.
 

Ned L

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Generally speaking, I think Scott said it about as specifically as possible. Think of it similarly to asking why were Ford Pintos and Chevy Vegas cheap cars. They were built to serve a purpose, and that wasn't for the guys who could afford a Lincoln Town car or a Cady.
They were introductory level boats.
 

savetexomabeaches

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Jul 4, 2013
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Bayliner -- throw away boats --- cheaply made, with cheaply materials and cheaply quality. Thrown together so fast and sold at a cheap price so everyone could own a boat for a couple of years, then toss it and buy a better one.

It would be like buying a life jacket from the Dollar store... Yeah, it may float with no one wearing it and it may only cost a dollar..
 

ondarvr

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Read some of the restoration threads here on older boats, it will be exactly what you'd be doing to this boat, only more money, labor and time will be required because yours, at 24', will be bigger.
 

CrazyFinn

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Dec 12, 2016
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357
...I have a project Bayliner I got for the trailer....

If I understand this correctly, you got the boat and trailer, for just the price of the trailer. If so, I hope you didn't pay too much.

If have purchased two old, rotten project Sea Rays in the past year, both were on a trailer. In each case, I paid less than half for the whole package than what the trailer would have been worth if it was empty. For example, if a used trailer would sell for $2000 empty, with a used rotten boat from the 70's or 80's sitting on it, the whole package would be worth no more than $1000 (or less) in my opinion. The old boat on the trailer is a liability - you would have to pay somebody to take it away if it wasn't on a trailer.

In my case, I went into the deal knowing what I was getting, and I knew roughly what it would cost me to re-build the boats (one is almost complete). Both boats needed the stringers and transom, and a pretty much everything else, re-built. Both boats, however, have very solid hulls for me to build a new boat out of. Both boats also had complete Mercruiser drivetrains.

With a Bayliner, as others have mentioned, the quality of that hull is much more questionable. If you re-do the stringers and transom yourself, and do them properly, they will be better than they ever were from the Bayliner factory. But... if the hull is questionable (something you will have to decide yourself), is it really worth all of the work?
 
Joined
Feb 15, 2017
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Yes, this is the most sensible post I have read so far. It is the hull that is the question and the layup methods. Did they lay the hull up strong enough to be worth a total restoration! I think only a very close inspection done when all the stringers and transom are removed will tell me, Even then an additional lay-up to make it stronger is possible. It does seem that there is a name problem with the boat so no matter what I do the boat will only be worth so much. Except to me and frankly the name of the manufacture does not mean a whole lot to me if I do not plan on reselling the boat. I believe that with the pricing of new boats today, the older boats are worth far more than anyone gives them credit for. Just look at the pricing of a new boat, Seems to me there is a big hole for those entry level boaters to where even a new entry level boat is way too expensive, I know the wages in my area will not tolerate such a new boat payment. Thanks.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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no mater what you do, when you go to sell it, its only worth what old bayliners are worth

you need to look at the project as "is it worth it to you?" if you want to restore it, it is because you want it and you want to keep it.

if you want to make a very small fortune restoring boats, start with a very large one. because restoring boats is a money loosing proposition every time if you look at it from an accounting standpoint.

new boats get new boat financing, often 5+ years with zero interest.
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
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Apr 6, 2005
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This size of boat doesn't have much resale value, so what you'll find if you look around is many in the $4,000 to $6,000 range with a great deal of work already having been done, rebuilt motor and outdrive, rotten wood replaced, newer electronics, pumps, steering, canvas, tires and bearings on the trailer, etc. It may also have a bunch of other stuff thrown in to make the deal even better.

​These people bought an older boat like this one thinking this is exactly what they wanted when it's done, and after several years of sweat and money they have used it on the water for a season and now realize they need or want something different, and there's no market for an older fixed up boat, so they end up pricing it at a big loss just to get rid of it.

​If you're looking for a project it could be great boat, if you're looking for value, the best bang for buck, look for one that someone else already sunk of a bunch of time and money into.

​Neither plan is right or wrong, you just need to decide which route is best for what you want to achieve.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/b...285592732.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/b...285504601.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/b...281860251.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/b...285410839.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/b...285046705.html
 
Last edited:

Blueghost924

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 19, 2013
Messages
250
For that first listing...why does he have a little 9.9 outboard attached to the swim platform? That looks odd.
 
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