Bayliner 1902 Capri

June 14, 2003

We bought our 1989 Bayliner 1902 Capri (19ft) powerboat used somewhere around 1996 I guess... can't remember now.

It's been a fun boat so far. Bayliner boats are basically entry level boats and are one of the most affordable boats to buy. Of course you get what you pay for. As far as used Bayliners go, buy something newer than about 1992 vintage as there are some quality issues with older vessels.

For instance on our 1989 model, while I had the outboard motor off to replace the engine brackets I had removed some of the trim at the transom and noticed that between the hull and the upper body shell there were literally gaps and only some cheezy silicone sealing it. Structurally and as far as water leaks are concerned this is a serious problem. I actually fiberglassed all of the problem areas and buttoned her back up. No more 2 cups of water in the bilge on an outing! I always wondered where that water came from previous to doing the repair.

Otherwise Bayliners are decent vessels, especially the newer ones. They all use reputable outboards and inboard engines now. You get what you pay for and if you compare a Bayliner Ciera 2855 with an equivalent size Doral or Sea Ray you'll notice the Bayliner uses less expensive door hinges and overall hardware such as plastic thru-hull fittings instead of stainless or brass. Things like that. Functionally it's still a good vessel. We're actually contemplating one day upgrading to a Ciera 2455 or 2655 but not sure if we'll go aluminum custom built instead. Anyhow, that's a long way down the road.

Bayliners are generally lighter due to thinner hulls so they tow much easier that equivalent sized vessels. Which is somewhat of an advantage unless you hit an underwater obstruction but we haven't run into that yet and we've run over a few logs without damaging the hull.

The 1902 Capri design is rated for 6 adults and you can sleep comfortably with 2 adults in the front cuddy cabin. We've done a few overnight trips. Beware though if the weather turns wet.... a small cuddy boat isn't the best in such weather. Hard to keep things dry.

We haven't had too much difficulty with rough water for fishing but if you like to spend a good deal of time in open water consider a vessel of at least 25ft size. Anything under that gets a little dodgy when the weather decides to go foul.

Otherwise besides some engine parts and maintenance our Bayliner has been pretty much trouble-free and fairly low-cost to look after. The biggest expense is probably the amount of fuel that the Force 125hp outboard gobbles up!

Buying a used 9.9hp motor bolted to the swim platform is the best fishing investment we've made. With the small motor we can fish all day for a gallon of gas and it keeps the fish finder running and the battery charged.