1982 19ft bayliner

[Raab]

The Bayliner and Peterborough are two VERY different boats. What are your goals and intended use?

The 16' with the 85HP 'speed boat' wont do more than low 30s mph. If that is fast enough for you, great. 2 would be comfortable, 3 on board will make it feel very small.

You'll need a full sized truck to the pull the Bayliner. Almost anything will tow the 16'.

At this price point/age, I would budget to have a reserve fund equal to the purchase price. For updating electrics, basic repairs/replacements/fluid changes and a RELIABLE kicker.

I got a fullsized truck so not really worried about towing bigger boats. And i can fit probably a 22ft boat in my yard. The 16ft boat really seems more appealing at this moment.

 

[nicnat]

the older bayliners also had issues with the stringers coming apart from the hull, be very careful with any 23' or 21' bayliner 80's to sometime in the 90's , can't remember when they changed the production and made it a better boat. I saw one sag and look like a banana when they pulled it out of the water on a lift with straps. that one was a 23' 1986 that was just over a year old. it is cheap though and if the hull checks out probably ok but wouldn't plan on keeping it for a long time, definitely not a boat you would want to spend the money on to pod.

 

[Wild Bill]

I got a fullsized truck so not really worried about towing bigger boats. And i can fit probably a 22ft boat in my yard. The 16ft boat really seems more appealing at this moment.

Not a bad budget starter size, ran. 16 1/4 with a 115 il Merc ob for years. Skied, fished, barefoot, tubed, parasaIl (sketchy) would do 43 once you got it past chine walk.
On the chuck. We did dives groups of three off 14' tinny with 35hp tiller steers. Fished, cruised,
Outboard Engine goes bad you can fix or get another cheap or new with warranty and bolt it on. If wood needs to be fixed there's less Of it to be fixed.
One less trailer axle to take care of, etc. Even old two stroke pretty easy on fuel..

 

[Raab]

Not a bad budget starter size, ran. 16 1/4 with a 115 il Merc ob for years. Skied, fished, barefoot, tubed, parasaIl (sketchy) would do 43 once you got it past chine walk.
On the chuck. We did dives groups of three off 14' tinny with 35hp tiller steers. Fished, cruised,
Outboard Engine goes bad you can fix or get another cheap or new with warranty and bolt it on. If wood needs to be fixed there's less Of it to be fixed.
One less trailer axle to take care of, etc. Even old two stroke pretty easy on fuel..

I would have to agree with you. I think outboard will be my choice

 

[brutus]

I think i better just save more and up my budget.

Prob, better if you do, try to find one with an outboard, stay away from IO, easyer to replace if need be, easyer to work on.i have had many IO and i swear i will never have another one, like i said in my earlier post i looked at a lot of boats in the last 4 years,a **** load of them where rotten, did not want another project, ended up buying across the border(boat is from florida) bought it in St marys washington with a pod and outboard , conversion from IO that was done recently, got permission from owner to drill probe holes in transom and stringer before i purchase, plus got it surveyed (struct and mech)

 

[Rockfish]

I think i better just save more and up my budget.

Bingo.

You need a lot more money or you may be looking at another bad experience that may put you off boats forever. I not sure I would bother with that Bayliner if they gave it away for free. Even if the hull is rock solid it will still be a money pit. Stay away from IO’s especially old ones.

For a first BC salt water boat for protected or semi protected inside waters and my budget was limited I would be looking for a good 17 footer with outboards. Something like a Double Eagle or a Malibu with a soft or hard top. For their size they are extremely seaworthy and roomy with a decent size fishing deck and are easy to launch and retrieve at any ramp. More impotently your ongoing operating, maintenance and repair cost will be very reasonable and comparatively less trouble. You are going to want a good main motor with say less than 600 hours (the more less the better) on it and a good 9.9 HT kicker crossed tied to the main. Electric start and lift on the kicker is not critical for a strong, healthy younger guy but they are sure nice to have. Putting the kicker up and down manually in bumpy seas gets tired fast. You will want two Scotty riggers and a pot puller, a good VHF system and at least a 5 inch Chartplotter/sounder but 7 or 8 inch would be better.

What is good about a boat of this nature is more about what you will not have. Systems like trim tabs, marine head and through hulls, radar etc. are all expensive systems to replace and repair. The only through hull on one of these boats will be the transom drain plug - NEVER forget to put it in before you launch. Finally you should not need brakes on the trailer and can get away with a single axle. Marine trailer brakes systems are a major pain, and require a lot of maintenance and frequent and expensive replacement. Make sure the trailer has bearing buddies on the hubs to keep the bearings greased and prevent temp. change from sucking salt water into them.

Take your time, save your money and get a boat that is safe and cheap to operate and not one where you will be purchasing someones problems. There is that old saying about the two happiest days being a boat owner, “the day you buy it and the day you sell it”.

 

[casper5280]

I agree with everything that Rockfish says. Look for a Double Eagle, Hourston, or Malibu. They hold there value and even if you have to do some work on them people are always looking for them. I had a 17.5 Double Eagle greatest boat I ever owned. If you have a young family you will love it. Great got the lake towing tubes and skiing. Great on the salt fishing with the boys. Easy to tow. Just be patient and one will pop up just be ready to jump on it when it does.

 

[Rockfish]

Something I forgot to mention. With a smaller boat it is real nice to find one that has been babied and always stored indoors like you would a classic collector car.

I have a friend with a Malibu rigged as a fishing machine that has very few hours on it, looks brand new, been maintained to OCD levels and has always been stored in a heated garage. Further the trailer has the swing back hitch/tongue to reduce overall storage length and let it all fit in almost any garage. For health reasons that boat does not get fished much at all now and one day it will come on the market and whoever gets it will be thrilled.

As for a head - a tolet seat that clips to a 5 gal bucket with a liner (TroTac has them) for the women and for guys you pee in the pee bucket and wash it out over the side.

 

[ericl]

I can now see your budget & expectations are very out of sync.

 

[mr eagle]

Do some research on the Merc 470 its a bit of a Frankenstein and prone to recurrent, expensive issues. Merc aluminum block, crank out of a tractor, and Ford big block cylinder head.

 

[Wild Bill]

Do some research on the Merc 470 its a bit of a Frankenstein and prone to recurrent, expensive issues. Merc aluminum block, crank out of a tractor, and Ford big block cylinder head.

Agree and anything you might want to find out about components from the age we can afford is well documented so giving you lots of available information as to at least make a somewhat informed descision as to what your buying.
Just google and you tube it,.