Fishing Boats Reviews

Nice lines with a flair, some creature comforts and yes, a very good price, makes the Bayliner 185 the right boat for most people. She has the traditional popular bow rider configuration with a few simple, but interesting features. Unlike her smaller brother, the 175, the 185 has more of the desirable features found on her bigger brother, the 195. Bayliner claims the 185 has more room than others in her class and it sure does feel like it.

Her layout is very straightforward with no real surprises. Up at the bow is the traditional arrangement that wraps around in a continuous seat. Also there are back bolsters along the hull. These bolsters have an interesting two-piece curved style. They’re actually quite nice and add a more finished look to the area. And if you want to face forward into the wind, healthy seat backs have been installed on the forward side of the windshield cowlings. But that’s not all. By removing the seat bottoms, there is a storage below and when you lift the seat backs up even more storage below the windshield on both sides. To complete this area, two-cup holders were molded into the fiberglass deck outboard.

The console on the port side has a molded fiberglass wet sink with drain for ice and drinks, a very useful feature. Unlike the 175, she has a lid hinged forward, to allow for greater access and to close over the sink. Also a removable faced radio with its own door is mounted on the forward wall of the tub above the ice line; out of the way but very accessible. On the starboard side was the helm console. Instead of the flat instrument cluster, that are on the other boats, here is a nice arched dash with a remarkably retro-looking instrument cluster. Each gauge is mounted in its own cylinder that extends out from the console and arranged in an arch that matches the lines of the dash nicely. Even the color is different: a dark blue that somehow works with the light tan upholstery well. And the gauges themselves have black and gold accents on a silver face; the whole area is really nice and kind of wraps around you. The helm itself is stitched and molded to conform to your hands not to mention that it was a tilt wheel also.

Stepping over the hatch brings you to the transom and swim platform. The entire upper section of the vessel from bow to stern is a singular molded piece including the jump seats, bow seats, console and of course swim platform. This makes for simplicity in construction and more strength and regattas throughout. So when you stand on the swim platform you feel no spring or give like with the bolt ones. The platform itself ran full beam and bridged the out drive. With the boarding ladder, Bayliner kept it simple and easy to use by making a unit that just flipped over the side to put down and pivots up to store into a molded grove in the platform deck. And the ladder is a full three step stainless unit that telescopes in and out. Take care when lifting as the sections will drop into each other and can pinch skin!

Here is a boat for the person that just wants a fun runabout with room for family and friends with some features at an attractive Bayliner price, which starts from $13,495.00.

Here are some key features, that might attract you :

Great performance even with standard 3.0 L engine.
Largest interior in its class.
Standard 3-step swim ladder provides easy access from the water.
Plenty of side and bow storage plus ski/wakeboard storage compartment.
Molded-in entry steps provide great access.