Re: will my trailblazer pull my boat easy?
Bayliner 1700 Capri Bowrider
By: Eston Ellis | Friday, December 01, 1989 12:00:00 AM
Last updated: Sunday, November 30, 2003 8:32:01 PM
When Bayliner?s distinctive 1700 Capri Bowrider debuted in San Diego at the company?s international dealer meeting, even the least excitable spectators were taken by surprise.
The new bowrider exhibited 32 mph performance, pulled a 210 pound waterskier around a slalom course with relative ease and could be hoisted by one of its cleats, demonstrating its structural integrity. Most surprising of all, Bayliner representatives announced that the boat?s list price is less than $6,000, complete with an Escort galvanized trailer and 50 hp Force outboard engine.
?This boat is aimed at first-time buyers and people who think a boat is something they can?t afford yet,? said Gene Ciccarelli, president of Newport Pacific, a Bayliner dealer in Newport Beach, California. Personal watercraft enthusiasts ? such as Jet Ski owners ? are among the first people who may become interested in the 1700 Capri, he predicted.
?To go out on the water with your friends on power skis, you have to have more than one. For close to the same price ? about $120 a month ? you can buy one 1700 Capri and have fun on the water with three other people. That?s pretty inexpensive entertainment.?
Of course, power ski buyers don?t get all the extra comforts included in the standard 1700 Capri Bowrider package, such as an AM/FM cassette stereo system, cushioned bow seating area, marine carpeting, sport steering wheel, convertible top, beverage holders and convertible sleeper lounge seats.
Outside, the 1700 Capri displays elements of sleek, European-influenced styling. a swept-back windshield and a Ferrari-style rear scallop are key elements of this David Livingston-designed model.
Inside, almost everything needed for day cruising is included, along with features that buyers might expect only larger boats to have. For example, its integral wrap-around, walk-through windshield is constructed of tinted safety glass in an insulated, vibration-resistant stainless steel frame. Both the integral fiberglass swim platform and the bow include molded-in non-skid surfaces.
Bayliner used the ?Model T concept? to keep the 1700 Capri affordable, Ciccarelli explained. ?It is available in one color, with one power package, and there are no options to add on. That keeps the price down without compromising quality.?
The 1700 Capri is both versatile and user-friendly: a trailerable boat that doesn?t require its owner to be a weight-lifter or own a monster-size truck. It weighs just 1,040 pounds ? including the engine ? so that it can be towed by even small four-cylinder vehicles, and can be launched and loaded with ease. Its low profile design; five foot, 10 inch beam; and three-foot bridge clearance allow it to fit in most home garages.
But even though it is relatively light and easy to manage, it is endowed with the same strength and structural integrity as larger vessels.
The 1700 Capri?s hand-laid fiberglass hull is built with unitized construction. All structural components are bonded into a rigid matrix for safety and durability. The stringer system uses yellow Alaskan cedar that is fully encased in fiberglass for maximum strength, along with light weight.
For 1990, Bayliner provides a five-year warranty on its Sequential Lift hull and a lifetime warranty on its Perko cleats. ?Bayliner is making a strong statement about the quality of its products,? Ciccarelli said.
The company recently began a quality assurance program, under which each production worker is held accountable for the job he or she performs. However, the main reason Bayliner can control product quality is that it controls the production of most components used in its boats. Bayliner?s parent company, U.S. Marine, owns 22 manufacturing facilities that make its windshields, engines, trailers, marine vinyl upholstery and wiring harnesses.
?That allows Bayliner to keep the price of each completed boat low, so that savings can be passed on to the consumer,? Ciccarelli said.
Affordable boat prices have helped Bayliner sell more boats than any other builder: more than 300,000. With the introduction of the low-priced 1700 Capri Bowrider, it seems destined to sell even more.
