SEPTEMBER 2002 3534 TRAILER BOATS

Let’s say you’ve got an extra $10,000 lying around and youwant to buy something special for you and your family.What are your options? What would you ultimately buy?

The answer may depend on which member of the family youask, and could range from a bathroom remodel or home the-atre system to a year of college tuition or a used car.

Or perhaps the answer is a boat. Hmmm? What kind of boatcan you get for $10K?

That was the question we sought to answer as we tested the2003 Bayliner 175. Bayliner has priced this bowrider package at$9995 — the lowest priced runabout on the market. We hadthe first shot at testing it.

Before we get to the results, however, let’s talk about the rea-sons behind this budget boat, which harken back to Bayliner’sorigins.

Though the Bayliner brand name existed in the 1950s in theform of plywood boats, more familiar hulls began production in1965 shortly after J. Orin Edson acquired the brand and contracted with a fiberglass manufacturer to build two 18-foot

models in Arlington, Washington.Edson at first retailed the boats from his already successful

Seattle dealership, but soon began shipping boats to other deal-ers around the country. By the mid-1970s, the line had expand-ed to include runabouts, cuddies and cruisers to 27 feet. Thecompany had plants in Minnesota and Georgia, as well as theone in Washington. Bayliner had become one of the world’slargest boat companies.

PACKAGE BIRTH

Yet, the key to the company’s enduring sales success — thepackaged boat — had not yet emerged. This came about in1982 with the introduction of the 1950 Capri Bowrider. This boatwas delivered to dealers from the factory with an engine andtrailer, rigged and ready to run. Although it’s a common prac-tice today, this was innovative at the time. Prior to this time,dealers had to do nearly all the rigging and put the boats ontrailers.

The downside of Bayliner’s first packaged boats was lack of� The instrument cluster on the 175 is simpleyet functional, with all gauges easy to read andswitches well marked.

NewEntry

Bayliner’s affordably priced 175 signals a return to thecompany’s roots

By Jim Hendricks

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factory options. On the 1950, there were none, save for two colorchoices. Yet, it was priced low, retailing for $8495 with a Volvo PentaAQ 125 sterndrive and single-axle trailer.

Many in the boating industry decried the packaged-boat conceptfor its cookie-cutter mentality, but the 1950 and the rest of the afford-ably priced Capri series was an immense hit with dealers and boaters— particularly among first-time buyers. While other builders jumpedon the packaged-boat bandwagon, Bayliner was consistently one ofthe most price-competitive, and this is when the company’s entry-level image strongly took root.

As sales boomed in the mid-1980s, Bayliner acquired Chrysler (akaForce) outboards and Escort trailers in order to ensure a steady sup-

ply of engines and trailers. Also at that time, Bayliner was acquiredby Brunswick Corp., which owns Mercury Marine.

Fortunes began to change for Bayliner toward the end of the decade.As the U.S. economy took a downturn, boat buyers became more discriminating and Bayliner’s market share dipped. As a result, thecompany spent much of the 1990s striving to distance itself from theentry-level image via upgraded product quality, longer warranties andmarketing.

Though it made some progress, market perception is tough tochange. Even if successful, as brands morph, buyers tend to get con-fused. Finally, as Bayliner prices crept up, the company began to com-pete with other Brunswick boat brands, including Sea Ray.

RETURN TO ROOTS

All of this leads to the new 175, which represents an intentional return to the company’s roots. Though Bayliner has dropped the“Capri” designation, it is seeking to create a Capri-like, entry-levelboat. However, this is not as easy today as it was in ’82. Rememberthat there are many more competitive brands today, as well as a sig-nificantly larger used-boat market. What’s more, consumers are moreinformed and demanding than ever.

Price competition at the low-end of the market is brutal. So to get theprice as low as possible, Bayliner took its manufacturing to Mexico.The 171/2-footer is built in a new 88,000-square-foot plant in the bor-der town of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas, and this has stirredsome industry controversy (see sidebar).

The 175 is about as bare bones as a boat can get. It has few optionsand the sterndrive engine is a 135 hp MerCruiser 3.0L/Alpha 1. Thereis only a partial inner liner, with marine carpet covering the cockpitfloor and inner walls. In place of carpeting in the bow is a non-skid deck.

Seating is the 175’s long suit. Two can easily perch in the bow, andthere’s seating for six in the cockpit. What’s more, the back-to-backseats fold out to create loungers, which is good, since there is no sun-pad, though there is a integral transom swim platform with a foldingstainless boarding ladder.

Storage can be found under the bow seats, below the back-to-backs,under the seat in the starboard quarter (under the seat in the port quar-ter is the 18-gallon fuel tank) and in the ski locker, which is amid-ships belowdecks. There are no side trays, but you will find five drinkholders throughout the interior. A handy storage tray sits atop the pas-senger console.

SEPTEMBER 2002 37

� Least expensive runabout package on the market

� Seating for six in cockpit, two in the bow

� Count on towed weight of 2500 pounds — easy for most trucks

� No power options — 135 hp is the max

� Will exceed 40 mph at full throttle with a light load

� Handles waves and wakes smoothly

� No stereo system available from factory

New Entry

SHAKING UP THE INDUSTRYBayliner’s 175 has stirred up a bit of controversy, at least at theindustry level, due to the location of its manufacturing facility.This $9995 runabout package — the most affordable today —is built in Reynosa, Mexico, as part of a globalization pro-gram by Bayliner’s parent company, Brunswick Corp.Brunswick also has plants in Brazil and Bulgaria, as well asseven in the U.S.

Soon after Bayliner announced plans and pricing for the175, the chairman of one of its leading competitors de-nounced the boat in a written tirade to his dealers.

Genmar Holdings’ Irwin L. Jacobs blasted Bayliner andBrunswick for building boats in Mexico, contending it wouldcost American jobs. However, many in the industry dismissJacobs’ rhetoric as sour grapes, since Genmar brands suchas Glastron have now been put at a price disadvantage.Glastron’s lowest priced runabout package — its 175 — hasa suggested retail of $10,995. It is built in Minnesota.

WHAT WILL $10K BUY?There are a lot of new durable goods you can buy for $9995 or less (the suggestedretail of Bayliner’s new 175 runabout package) — a Rolex watch, a home theatre sys-tem, a motorcycle or even a new car (Kia has one for $9095).

On the marine side, you can get a personal watercraft (PWC). The new four-strokePWCs have suggested retail prices for just under $10K, not including a trailer. Or youcan buy a new outboard — Suzuki’s 115 four-stroke has a suggested retail of $9375.

You can also buy a used boat. We logged onto iboats.com and clicked to the used-boat section to get an idea of what kinds of used boat/engine/trailer packages you canget for less than $10K. Here’s what we found...

Year Model Equipment/Power Location Asking Price1998 Bayliner Capri 1850SS Trailer, stereo, Bimini, Missouri $8800

135 hp sterndrive 1986 Chaparral 23 WA Trailer, VHF, fishfinder, Florida $9500

225 outboard1997 Crownline 176 BR Trailer, stereo, boat cover, New Jersey $8750

135 hp sterndrive1996 Four Winns Trailer, fish ’n ski package, Texas $8600

112 hp outboard1986 Glastron Carlson CVX Trailer, cover, high-back seats, Colorado $8300

Test Notes

THROTTLE TEST

Of course, with only a 135 hp engine, you will want to keep the num-ber of passengers and amount of gear to a minimum, at least if youexpect maximum performance. We extracted test data from the 175 onCalifornia’s Lake Perris with a full tank of fuel, two adult males, safe-ty gear and test equipment, with air temperatures hovering around 80degrees Fahrenheit and a few inches of wind chop. We were runninga MerCruiser 21-inch-pitch aluminum three-blade prop.

Zero-to-30 mph acceleration times were respectable, averaging 8.4seconds. We also broke 40 mph — hitting a top speed of 41.2 at 4800rpm. At that speed, we were burning 10.6 gallons per hour for 3.9mpg. Our best fuel economy was 5.4 mpg at 23.4 mph and 3000 rpm.

Since most sterndrive boats we test these days are equipped withpower steering, it is an odd sensation now to drive one without this.Featuring a rack-and-pinion helm, the 175 has pure cable-steering, andwhen trimmed out at speeds above 3500 rpm, the feedback from proptorque can be substantial. On our boat, if you released the wheel, itpulled instantly to port. Turning to starboard was difficult. You cancompensate for this by adjusting the zinc tab on the outdrive. In this

� Powered by a 135 hp MerCruiser3.0L/Alpha 1, Bayliner’s 175 achieved a topspeed of more than 41 mph with two adultsand full tank of fuel.

� To createmore interiorroom, Baylinerengineersreduced thewidth of thegunwales andcompressedthe consoles.

� A storage tray in the port console is a convenientcatchall for small items. Legroom under both consolesis ample.

� Bayliner’s new 175 is built in an 88,000-square-foot factory in Reynosa, Mexico, across the borderfrom McAllen, Texas, as part of a globalizationprogram by parent company, Brunswick Corp.

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case, the tab should be angled to starboard. Also, Bayliner offers pow-er steering as an option on the 175. At low speeds, however, proptorque is inconsequential to the steering — the 175 is easy to maneu-ver in tight quarters.

While we did not take the 175 out in rough seas, we ran it through asmany waves and wakes as possible. The hull rode through them sur-prisingly well. The boat also cornered well at speed — at least whenturning to port.

Service access is good. The engine cover can be easily removed, andthe backs of the stern seats can be lifted off, offering three ways toget to the engine, rigging and bilge. While the engine bay is not par-ticularly large, neither is the carbureted 3.0L I-4 powerplant. The 175comes standard with a drain tube that can be snaked through the gar-board drain in the transom to change the engine oil.

USE IT HARD

Bayliner gave us the opportunity to keep the 175 a few weeks, andwe used the boat on a number occasions, towing it, running it, andworking it as hard as we could. This gave us an idea of how well a$10,000 boat holds together. Interestingly, only one item broke — aplastic tab (designed to hold the walk-through windshield open)snapped off.

We like the full complement of gauges, which are set in a simpleplastic panel and are easy to read. Switches for the bilge pump, blow-er, lights and other accessories are well marked.

On the negative side, we did not like the rough nature of the accesscutouts behind the stern seats. These could be milled more smoothly.Also, the upper two corners of the windshield seemed particularlysharp. So we’d like to see Bayliner get these rounded off as soon aspossible.

Finally, whenever we started the MerCruiser, its spark arrestor hitthe engine cover. It was quite startling the first time it occurred, but wegot used to it. Other than this, the 175 is not any noisier than moststerndrive runabouts, generating 87 decibels at cruising speed and 94at wide-open throttle. We also found the 175 is easy to tow. We hadno problems launching or loading using the Escort trailer that comeswith the package. Ours was galvanized — a no-charge upgrade if youwant it.

Finally, Bayliner offers a lifetime limited warranty against defects inthe fiberglass hull of its new 175 bowrider. So, it appears that Baylin-er has achieved its immediate goal. It has created today’s lowest pricedrunabout package — and done so without a major sacrifice in qualityor safety. It is the quintessential entry-level boat, and thus representsa major step in returning Bayliner to its roots.

The question still remains: Can Bayliner step back to its heyday of20 years ago? Only time and consumer reaction will tell.

New Entry

trailer and power steering. Biminitop/boot, bow cover and trailer brakesare factory-approved dealer options

Engine as TestedMake...........MerCruiser 3.0L/Alpha 1Propshaft Horsepower.................135Number of Cylinders .....................I-4Displacement.................3.0L/181 cidWeight...................................635 lbs.WOT RPM Range.............4400-4800Gear Ratio..................................2.0:1Propeller ........141/4” x 21” aluminum

3-blade

Bayliner/U.S. Marine, Dept. TBM,P.O. Box 9029, Everett, WA 98206;800/443-9119; bayliner.com

TEST RESULTS

Engine Speed Fuel Range1

(rpm) (mph) (gph) (mpg) (miles)1000 na na na na1500 na na na na2000 7.1 2.6 2.7 442500 16.1 3.3 4.9 7930002 23.4 4.3 5.4 873500 30.2 5.8 5.2 844000 35.3 6.9 5.1 834500 38.3 9.0 4.2 684800 (WOT) 41.2 10.6 3.9 631Based on 90% fuel capacity2Optimum cruising speed

Accleration0 to 30 mph 8.4 seconds

Sound Measurements (dBa)Idle at Helm (750 rpm) 66Idle at Transom (750 rpm) 75Cruise at Helm (3000 rpm) 87WOT at Helm (4800 rpm) 94

BAYLINER 175

41.2mph

Base Price (w/ trailer) ..............$9995Price as Tested ........................$9995Length ......................................17’ 6”Beam ..........................................7’ 0”Weight ................................1900 lbs.Deadrise at Transom........19 degreesDraft (w/ drive up)........................17”Fuel Capacity .........................18 gals.Standard Power......................135 hp

MerCruiser 3.0L/Alpha 1Maximum Horsepower ................135

Notable Standard EquipmentTwin back-to-back lounger seats, fold-ing stainless stern boarding ladder,bilge pump, remote oil drain tube

Notable Optional EquipmentChoice between painted or galvanized

Top Speed

� Serviceaccess to thepower plant,bilge andrigging isexcellent onceyou removethe enginecover and thebacks of thestern seats.

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