Bayliner 185XT and 205XT

Buying a boat used to be a simple process. You walked into a fly-by-night dealership, listened to the spiel from some porky bloke in a bad vinyl jacket, accepted his word as gospel, signed the cheque, hooked her up, towed her home and embarked on a journey of discovery that ... well, didn't always go according to plan.

First-time boat buyers in the old what-is-service days were thrown in the deep end without Floaties. When they called the dealership to tell them the motor cavitated because it was poorly set up, they were hit with lines about years of experience in the industry, blah blah blah.

Nowadays, boat buyers are the ones calling the shots. They are better educated, better researched, more savvy and looking for more than just a product. They want service, backup support, resale value, club culture, rendezvous or regattas, crew wear and more. The modern boat buyer has given rise to the new, we-deliver-service boat dealerships popping up all round the country.

NEW SCHOOL
Enter Avante Marine in Silverwater, which is roughly in Sydney's mid-west and a stone's throw away from a boatramp. Avante is the latest in mega-dealers showcasing a big range of boats. In fact, the new Bayliner dealership is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere.

I donned the dunce cap and walked into the dealership with view to buying a boat. There were 30 new Bayliners from 17-30ft on the 3000sqm of undercover floorspace. Which is to say nothing of the Maxum brand of sportcruiser also made by parent company Brunswick Marine, which produces Mercury and MerCruiser motors.

As a prospective boat buyer I had already checked out the models in the brochures and was now at the dealership to narrow down the shortlist further. I planned to then organise a water test, after which I would make my final decision. Then I would sit down and chose the options or accessories I wanted, organise finance (this is something most good boat dealerships can help arrange) and insurance.

A sign of a new-generation boat dealer, Avante Marine would then embark on a four-hour or thereabouts handover process that includes tuition on everything from reversing the new boat back down the ramp to pre-start checks, handling, rough-water performance, retrieval and day-to-day maintenance.

On top of this, I would walk away with a recommended servicing calendar for my new boat and motor. And due to its reliability I will derive great joy from my new boat forever more. Or at least that's how the script should go till the next boat tickles my fancy.

BAYLINER'S 185 & 205XT
So what boats were on this would-be boat buyer's shortlist? Bayliner's latest made-for-wakeboarding 185 and 205XT bowriders were my pick. Bayliner has woken up to the fact that wakeboarding is the latest craze afloat. These two trailerboats had groovy graphics, factory-fitted alloy tow towers, inboard petrol engines with mumble and all the amenities to keep the family or friends happy on the water.

As a BMT (that's the latest jingo for boat, motor, trailer package) the 185XT with a 4.3lt MPI (multi-point injection) costs $46,590 drive-away with registrations and safety gear (thrown in after haggling). The 205XT with a 5.0lt MPI V8 costs $58,990 as a drive-away BMT no more to pay.

Was the extra $12,400 cash money well spent or an indulgence? This, dear reader, is what I sought to answer. To this end, I conducted a thorough land-based test involving opening all the hatches and trying out the seats for size. Then I summonsed both boats to Sydney Harbour for a shootout. First the dry land stuff. I'll keep it brief.

HULL AND CONSTRUCTION
Bayliner has done away with its so-called APS hull shape that had a small cutout along the sides - more for show than anything else. The hull form on both the 185XT and 205XT is a moderate vee with reversed chines and three strakes per side. One of these strakes runs all the way to the transom and forms a kind of rounded plank on which the hull rides when trimmed out.

The Bayliner hull shape isn't revolutionary, but it does offer a good compromise between a smooth ride and wide beam for interior volume and stability. I was pleasantly surprised to find both boats had a surefooted feeling at rest and perhaps even a bigger boat feeling than their specifications suggests. This augured well for future forays on open water or with a full passenger load aboard.

Construction is something Bayliner backs with a five-year hull warranty. It is my experience that the boats have been fine-tuned and improved in terms of finish in the last two years or so. There are few rough edges in the bilges and storage holds and the mouldings are nice and fair. A five-axis milling machine can take some of the credit for the finish.

What you can't see is the box-beam stringer system hiding under the floor. It's fashioned from fibreglass and bonded to the hull for stiffness. The boats didn't chatter across boat wakes. In fact, they are quieter than some boats built by big local yards that scoff at this high-volume production boatbuilder.

THE INTERIORS
The bow section of the 205XT is big enough not just for two or three tykes but a couple of adults. In fact, there is room to lean back and stretch your feet out on the lounge. I also noted two cleats sitting proud of the deck for easy dispatch of the mooring lines or fenders.

Full marks for the chrome (not plastic) navigation light and the non-skid moulding around the gunwales that lets you step aboard with confidence. And I applaud the recessed grabrails in the bow that let you sit wherever you want without them crushing your vertebrae.

The 205XT and the 185XT have drinkholders up front and, more importantly, thick marine-grade vinyl upholstery. There was lots of stitching like you might find on a good sofa and plenty of high-density foam to stop you from bottoming out.

There were three storage areas beneath the bow seating on both boats. The 205XT has a centre section that was big enough to store an anchor and short length of rope. While the layout was essentially the same on the 185XT, there were some notable differences in the way the bow worked.

The shorter bow and seats weren't long enough to fully extend your legs. Also, there were only two storage holds under the seat bases and therefore no dedicated separate central anchor locker. The 205XT therefore wins out in the bow area.

Compared to some dedicated wakeboarding boats, the Bayliner bowriders had better freeboard and buoyancy up front. It is my view that either boat will handle wind waves, boat wakes, busy harbours, rivers and bays without shipping water. That's reassuring for mums and the kiddies.

COCKPIT CAPERS
The centre opening sections of the wraparound armour-plate windscreens rests on rubber stoppers so they don't bang on deck. The companionways through the windscreens were nice and wide. I guess the boats have been designed around the average girth-challenged American doughnut eater.

The cockpit seating was identical on both the 185XT and 205XT. The classic arrangement comprised back-to-back helm seats that can seat four people between them - they also recline into sunpads - and aft-quarter seats whose padded base can be relocated alongside the upholstered top of the engine box to create a sunpad.

Bayliner offers an alternative for both bowriders in the form of sport seating. This comprises twin pedestal helm seats that, unlike the fixed back-to-back seats, have fore-and-aft adjustment and a swivel function. You get a permanent full-length lounge in place of the aft-quarter seats that convert to a sunpad.

While the driver's seat adjustment is to be coveted, this would-be boat buyer prefers the classic seating arrangement as supplied because you can pack an extra person or two aboard. Either way, all the seats have grab handles and drinkholders close at hand.

And although the helm seat is fixed, Bayliner has a knack of delivering a driving position that needs no adjustment. On both the 185XT and 205XT I found myself sitting quite low and contained in, rather than on, the boats. The middle of the deep windscreen was smack bang at eye level, leading to a terrific view ahead, and the throttle and wheel fell intuitively to hand.

While it might look a little tired, the beige dashboards are low-glare numbers. Ahead of the copilot is a lockable glovebox whose moulded recess and overboard drain suggest it can double as an icebox. Inside, just above where you would store the drinks, is the recessed stereo/CD player with removable facia.

I do worry about having a stereo so close to ice and drinks. Also, the lids on these gloveboxes haven't got struts so operating the stereo or fetching a drink or whatever will have to be a two-handed operation.

The beige dashboards show some fresh styling changes for '03. Chrome-rimmed Faria gauges are mounted in raised royal-blue mouldings much the way gauges were mounted in old racecars. The cool gauges covered battery volts, engine oil pressure, leg trim, speed, engine revs/temp and fuel. Switches activated the blower, bilge pump, lights, horn and the 12V accessory outlet.

STORAGE AND FINISH
The beige carpet on the cockpit and furry liner in the sidepockets appears to be better quality than in Bayliners of old. Storage space exists in the sidepockets that run the full length of the cockpit, in the wells under the bow seats and recessed beneath the back-to-back seats and aft quarter seats.

The quarter seats on the 205XT were bigger, deeper and better for holding adults than those on the 185XT. Both boats also had non-skid gunwales for safe transfers, external cleats for swinging fenders or attaching mooring lines and a swim ladder.

The optional extended integrated swim platform on the 205 added to its look, boosting the boat's apparent size and improving accessibility from the water. Engine access was by lifting the gas strut-assisted engine box lid, which was also fitted with a smart step leading back to the transom.

Skiers can swing off a rope attached to the ski-tow eye mounted centrally on the transom. But needless to say these are boats built for the booming business of wakeboarding. For getting maximum air and hang time the 185XT and 205XT have factory-fitted alloy towers with high pulling points.

The towers were raked for looks and appeared well supported with robust pins (Allan keys) that allow you to lay them flat or remove them altogether for storage. The welds were quite good, though a little daggy on the lower tower supports.

The design of the tower on the 205XT was by far the prettiest of the two boats. Also, wakeboarders and drivers will prefer the low-down grunt of the V8 and the quicker acceleration of this boat over the 185XT.

If you think wakeboarding will be more than a passing fad, my advice is to go with the 205XT. Having said that, the boat has no ballast bags or wake-enhancers and the lip of its wash does crumble. Then again, most people who buy wakeboarding boats are family boaters who want more than a one-trick pony.

PERFORMANCE
Both boats throw their bow skywards when you plant the throttle and for a few seconds your vision will be impaired. But with plenty of throttle the transition to planing speed is short-lived. The 4.3lt 220hp V6 on the 185XT couldn't match the torque of the 5.0lt 260hp V8 despite the bigger hull weighing 443kg more. The 185XT took longer to level out to planing speed and this point alone almost made the 205XT the winner.

Wakeboarding speed on the 205XT at 2500rpm was 40kmh, whereas the 185XT returned 42.5kmh. The bigger boat held the plane down to 2000rpm and 17.6kmh whereas the smaller boat needed more revs and about 30kmh to settle down nice and level.

Cruising was comfortable on both boats, the 205XT sitting merrily on 48kmh at 3000rpm and the 185XT content at 57kmh at the same revs. At 3000rpm on both boats there wasn't much in the way of annoying engine noise and you didn't need to yell over the motor. The boats were louder at full noise and 5000rpm, after which the rev limiter sounded on both boats and you had to shout.

Spinning a 23in three-blade alloy prop on an Alpha One leg, the 4.3lt MPI gave the 185XT a top speed of 92kmh, while the V8 on the 205XT returned 88kmh. This smaller boat was faster due to its superior power-to-weight ratio. However, the heavier 205XT sat better in the water and a touch of in-trim let you cross boat wake comfortably without the need to slow down. As always, I found the Bayliners were a lot of fun to drive and I must admit to some self-expression behind the wheel to help shake the last vestiges of the 90 minutes spent in peak-hour traffic. It must also be said that the sport of wakeboarding is a long time dead now that world's biggest boatbuilder, Bayliner, has got involved.

Now for the $12,400 extra for the 205XT over the 185XT: after a water test this would-be wakeboarder would buy the bigger boat. Money is cheap and history reveals the trailerable Bayliners bring 90 percent of their initial value when sold second-hand, the dealer claims.