Bayliner is one of the well-known boat manufacturers that has been in the industry for a very long period—being that reputable and aged company in the industry, why are Bayliner boats cheaper? Is it due to the bad rep that had decades back? First, let’s start with why Bayliner boats are cheap.
Bayliner boats are cheap (more affordable) because they primarily focus on entry-level boats for first-time boaters, which have to be more affordable. And secondly, due to their broader availability of boats & parts under its parent brand, which decreases the production and other costs.
Since they focus primarily on the budget boats, they are cheaper. And the availability of many boats and parts brands under its parent brand (Brunswick Corporation) reduces some of the production costs, which further helps in decreasing the prices.
Myth – Bayliner Boats are cheap due to their bad reputation.
The Bayliner’s bad reputation (it had decades back) has nothing to do with their lower prices (more on this later in the post). That being said, we will now see the reasons behind the Bayliner’s lower prices in a detailed way.
Reasons Why Bayliner Boats Are Cheap
These are the main reasons why Bayliner boats are cheap:
- Bayliner boats are entry-level boats, so they have to be affordable for many people.
- Bayliner has broader availability of boats under its parent brand, which further reduces the production and other costs.
Related Post – Are Boats Overpriced? Check this article to know some of the reasons why boats are priced more than reasonable rates.
1. Bayliner Make Entry Level Boats
Bayliner primarily focuses on small & entry-level boats, which are typically best for first-time boaters and not for boat enthusiasts. However, don’t let entry-level scare you away. A lot of the time, it just means it doesn’t have the fancy bells & whistles that the expensive ones have.
So unless bells and whistles are important to you, a Bayliner is a no-brainer. But, entry-level boats mean they have to be affordable for many people, so a starting price of around $15,000 is where it meets the basic needs, making Bayliner boats not cheap “affordable.”
So, they are willingly focusing on the budget (entry) level boats, and to achieve that; they need to reduce the prices because around 15,000 dollars where it meets the budget level for many people. So, that’s one of the main reasons why Bayliner boats are cheap and affordable.
Bayliners are no worse than any other budget brand, but they are the most popular budget brand, so they get the most negative attention. Mechanically they use the exact same engines as every other brand. Remember, the same brand makes many expensive boats, just not entry-level boats.
Take a cheap budget car; you will see a lot of debate on that as well. Similarly, the same thing applies to anything. If you see an entry-level purchase for any product, you will see a lot of debate on that similar to Bayliner since they are entry-level.
2. Broader Availability Of Boats Under Its Parent Brand
Do you know who owns the Bayliner boats? It’s The Brunswick Boat Group, which is the largest maker of pleasure boats in the world. The same Group makes Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris (formerly FloteBote), Lowe, Lund, Princecraft fishing, deck, and pontoon boats (source).
Just not only that, Brunswick Corporation has many other boat parts manufacturing brands and even boat engine manufacturing brands under them. So, combining all these things, they will be mass-producing boats, decreasing the costs further down. Check their website for more details; click here.
Bayliner is the world’s largest manufacturer of recreational boats. Established in 1957 by Orin Edson, Bayliner currently has over 400 dealers in over 60 countries around the world. The company operates as part of the Brunswick Boat Group, a division of the Brunswick Corporation. Check here on Wikipedia for more info.
For example, suppose you have a small boat manufacturing company. In that case, you may have to spend so much on building a single boat than a big boat manufacturer because big companies buy the required materials in bulk orders and get more discounts than small builders.
So, that’s another main reason why Bayliner boats are cheap and affordable.
3. Bayliner Made Poor Quality Boats At One Time
This point is related to buying an old and used Bayliner boat. In the late 90s to around 2000s, Bayliner made some poor-quality boats, used wood for the floor/stringers/transom. Generally, this wood is poorly glassed-in, and holes through the transom are poorly sealed, so water can infiltrate over time and rot the structure of the boat.
They also used some low-grade parts in that era. Due to that, they had a bad reputation from then on, and it generally affects the prices if you are looking to buy a used Bayliner boat made in that time. However, if a boat is well maintained, it will be in good condition regardless.
From around 2010 and up, they are making some great quality boats for that $15,000 budget. So, there is no wrong with the Bayliner boats if you are buying a new model now unless you buy a used Bayliner made in the 90s or 2000s. But, again, if a boat is well maintained, it will be in good condition regardless.
Take a cheap budget car; you will see a lot of debate on that as well. Similarly, the same thing applies to anything. If you see an entry-level purchase for any product, you will see a lot of debate on that similar to Bayliner since they are entry-level.
Finally, Bayliner had a few bad years, and they improved and bounced back with great models. That being said, so has a lot of other manufacturers. Of boats and motors, if the boat suits your needs and you like it, then you should get it. There is no perfect boat for everyone; always, you have to compromise in one way or other.
Related Post – What Materials Are Used In Boat Construction? Check this article to know what all materials are used in boat construction, along with the pros and cons of each material.
So, Are Bayliner Boats Good?
Bayliner boats are good for first-time boaters and not for boat enthusiasts because they are budget boats, focusing primarily on entry-level, so they usually don’t have the fancy bells & whistles that the expensive ones have. But still, they are very great for small families at the budget.
Typically, Bayliner can put your family in a boat for as little as $15,899. However, you can’t expect a top tear boat made out of expensive materials at this price range. But, they make decent boats at this level, and if maintained well enough, a Bayliner can easily last up to a decade or more with regular service.
Related Post – What Are The Average Boat Maintenances Costs Per Year? Check this article to know the complete breakdown of the maintenance costs (average) you need to spend on your boat each year.
Most importantly, don’t let entry-level scare you away. A lot of the time, it just means it doesn’t have the fancy bells & whistles that the expensive ones have. So unless bells and whistles are important to you, a Bayliner is a no-brainer.
There is also the fact that Bayliner buyers are generally first-time buyers and do not necessarily have enough experience in taking care of them. All these factors combined mean that most old and used Bayliner you see on Craigslist are in poor condition, so they have a reputation as crappy boats.
As said earlier, Bayliner had a few bad years, and they improved and bounced back with great models. So, unless if you are looking at used (old) boats made in the 90s & 2000s rather than looking at 2010 and up models, you will do fine.
What Are The Benefits Of Bayliner Boats?
We will now see the benefits of Bayliner boats. I guess you have already seen most of them in this post above.
Bayliner Boats Are Affordable
I wouldn’t say it as cheap because it sounds like something is off, so I will say it as affordable. Bayliner boats are very reasonably priced compared to other brands due to their main focus on budget boats and the broader availability of boats under the same parent brand, reducing all the production and other costs.
Typically, Bayliner can put your family in a boat for as little as $15,899. No other boat brand is doing that like a Bayliner. By making decent boats at this price category, and if maintained well enough, a Bayliner can easily last up to a decade or more with regular service.
Bayliner Boats Are Good For First-Timers
Bayliner boats are small, and the length starts at around 16 ft., which is good for new learners, and you can learn many new things because it is easy to learn with a small boat than a big boat.
Their affordability at very low prices is also a plus point for new boaters. Even if it is the wrong choice, you won’t be losing much of the money if you sell it immediately. It won’t be a costly mistake compared to other high-priced boats.
Bayliner Boats Are Easy To Maneuver & Trailer.
Bayliner makes small sized-boats and mostly won’t exceed higher lengths (29 ft), making it easy to trailer and maneuver. However, it isn’t easy to trailer a 29 ft boat if you are a beginner. That’s where 16 ft and up boat models come in.
If you are a small family, it will fit well for your needs. Being small in size, it will easy to maneuver and learn for newbies.
Related Post – What Size Boat To Buy For A Family Of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12? Check this article to know what are the perfect lengths for your family based on your boating activities.
Bayliner Boats Are Available Broadly
Many boats are available in this lineup, such as bowrider, deck boats, and center consoles. Available from 16 ft to 29 ft, making it a perfect boat for small families. Their boats can be used for fishing, water skiing, kneeboarding, and other water sports.
Even if you are new to boating, you can choose the boat of your dreams from different categories. There are plenty of them around so that you can get help at local shops, and their online support and following are strong.
A lot of small manufacturing companies don’t have a strong support base like Bayliner’s, which is a big plus point for Bayliner users.
What Are The Drawbacks Of Bayliner Boats?
We will now see the drawbacks of Bayliner boats.
Bayliner Boats Has Less Resale Value
Bayliner boats have less resale value compared to other boats. Their value depreciates significantly because of its wide availability. Buying a Bayliner used will cost much less than buying a new one. The value depreciates quickly as the supply is more than the demand.
They are a common boat and, because of that, do not sell for higher prices. This is one thing that potential buyers will want to keep in mind as they are looking at boats to purchase. So, unless you will use the boat for many years or don’t sell it quickly, it’s fine.
Related Post – Boat Depreciation Rates. Check this article to know some of the popular boat depreciation rates, along with an example for each model.
Bayliner Boats Aren’t Good In Choppy Waters
Bayliner boats have low bows, and if you go in choppy waters, they can take on water easily. In addition to low bows, most of them come in smaller lengths, so they aren’t suited well for choppy waters (for offshore purposes).
We have written an article on why boats take on water, check this article to know all the ways that a boat can take on water and how to prevent them.
A boat of length 25 ft and up is required to go in the oceans, and there are only a few options above 25 ft in the Bayliner lineup. So, they aren’t suited well for offshore or choppy water purposes.
Related Post – Are Deck Boats Good For The Ocean? Check this article to know more about why they are kind of bad for the choppy waters in a detailed way.
The Key Takeaways From The Post
Bayliner boats are cheap (more affordable) because they primarily focus on entry-level boats for first-time boaters, which have to be more affordable. And secondly, due to their broader availability of boats & parts under its parent brand, which decreases the production and other costs.
Since they focus primarily on the budget boats, they are cheaper. And the availability of many boats and parts brands under its parent brand (Brunswick Corporation) reduces some of the production costs, which further helps in decreasing the prices.
The Bayliner’s bad reputation (it had decades back) has nothing to do with their lower prices (more on this later in the post).
Bayliner boats are good for first-time boaters and not for boat enthusiasts because they are budget boats, focusing primarily on entry-level, so they usually don’t have the fancy bells & whistles that the expensive ones have. But still, they are very great for small families at the budget.
Typically, Bayliner can put your family in a boat for as little as $15,899. However, you can’t expect a top tear boat made out of expensive materials at this price range. But, they make decent boats at this level, and if maintained well enough, a Bayliner can easily last up to a decade or more with regular service.