Bayliner 212 Capri

No doubt you have heard the phrase 'being in the wrong place at the wrong time'. It inevitably refers to a mishap or matter of ill fortune.

Well, I was most definitely in the right place at the right time to test this brace of trailerable sportsboats.

A westerly gale of 35kt whipped across Sydney's metropolitan waterways leaving them like a washing machine. Boats had broken their moorings, sails were torn from masts and countless trees had been blown onto the freeways. The wind was strong enough to blow oysters off the rocks.

Yet, there we were in the deep, drowned valley of Berowra Waters. The wind was virtually non-existent in the narrows and at best breezy in the straits. Knowing that made my time aboard this brace of boats all the more enjoyable.

The bumpy stretches of water in the broader expanses of the river proved significant. I had a flashback to another test drive of two Bayliners in similar conditions. While my recollections were of boats that were lively in the chop, these new models proved reassuring, sure-footed and surprisingly seaworthy.

The main focus of this test is the 2003-model Bayliner Capri 212, a fast family flier for social boating as well as skiing and touring. The deep boat isn't just a river runner but a vessel that's capable of crossing a big bay in a blow.

For some extra get-up-and-go, the owners upgraded to a 260hp MerCruiser petrol inboard motor for a top speed nudging 96kmh, according to the speedo.

While most trailerable sportsboat buyers prefer bowriders and runabouts, it's my view that the sports cuddy deserves more consideration.

The camera boat was another 21-footer, but a stylish and much-in-demand bowrider dubbed the 2150. Compared with the cuddy cabin, it was a tad sportier in the turns and, obviously, had more seating. But for now, let's sally forth in the Capri 212 cuddy.

SOCIAL STUDIES
The 212 has a big cockpit, especially considering the size of its cuddy cabin, and racy styling for a boat that can sleep two adults. The owner, who had a bowrider before, wanted some spice in his trailerboat but also somewhere to catch 40 winks after a big week at work.

As you might expect from the world's largest boatbuilder, the boat's mouldings are ergonomically designed, fair and adorned with flash graphics. I also like the new lighter blue hull and upholstery accents on the 2003 models. The carpet has also been upgraded.

The transom is graced with a full-width boarding platform that is deep enough to sit on and dangle your feet at anchor. There is a central ski tow eye, fuel filler in the starboard corner and horn cleats for attaching mooring lines or a stern anchor.

A trick fold-down boarding ladder sits in a rebate on the boarding platform. After dropping into a beach, I pushed the hull out to deeper water and leapt aboard the boat via this convenient ladder.

Engine vents are installed in the transom along with a padded hatch over a storage recess for the canopy (included in the package price). There is access to the battery and steering hydraulics.

Remove the padded bases for the quarter seats, which seemed wider than usual to cater for our increasingly broad physiques, and you can lift back the central moulded engine cover. The motor, a MerCruiser 260hp MPI, is at your fingertips.

Alternatively, you can relocate the quarter-seat bases alongside the top of the engine box to create a sunlounge. The engine box lid has two handy drink holders and grab handles flank the quarter seats.

There is stowage space beneath the quarter seats for a picnic basket or perhaps an esky, room for life jackets in full-length carpet-lined side pockets and a central underfloor locker that drains through to the bilge for swim gear, tow ropes and maybe a wakeboard.

Personally, I like the boat's back-to-back helm seats, which convert to comfy sun lounges and take seating capacity to six. Legroom between the aft-facing seats and quarter seats is intimate, especially if there is a ski bunny aboard ...

The deck hasn't been designed willy-nilly, but has things like hip space, seating room and security when underway.

The cockpit has wall-to-wall carpet, lots of soft vinyl padding, plastic hatches and catches - all low-maintenance synthetic materials. Most of the hatches have breathers to prevent rot and mildew.

Small additions like non-skid finish on the coamings, where you might set a foot when stepping aboard, reflect the thought that's gone into this boat. The non-skid foredeck, which is very easily accessed up three steps in the dash and via the opening windscreen, makes this boat useable front-to-back.

The foredeck, upon which you could sunbake, is traced by a sturdy stainless bowrail. There is - full marks for this one - a dedicated anchor locker with mooring bollard and room for stowing sand pick and a small amount of rope. There's a bowsprit and nav lights, too.

CABIN FEVER
A lockable bi-fold Starboard (a kind of plastic) door ahead of the co-pilot leads into the cabin. It is a big, welcoming opening and I never felt like I was going to scone my noggin when stepping through. The door only needs a catch to hold it open, otherwise I couldn't fault the cuddly cuddy.

A navy blue fabric and beige vinyl is used for the cushions, the ceiling is carpet lined and fitted with three 12V lights and there is a hatch up top. I also noted a small vinyl curtain which clips free for clear access to the dash wiring.

A V-berth and padded side pockets that double as backrests provide seating for two adults. With the infill in place, you can lie back and sleep. It is possible to spend the night aboard. The boat has a Passport portable 8lt loo.

Aside from the side pockets there is a small amount of stowage under the centre section of the V-berth. Most of the below-bunk room is given over to air tanks for buoyancy.

I found a CD player inside the cabin and a carbon monoxide detector. Whether used for stowage, as a cubby house for the kids, a place to catch a catnap or a serious berth, the cuddy cabin really works.

The boat's wide beam makes for a roomy cabin, its wide door encourages use and a slight reverse sheer in the deck means the cabin doesn't affect the view from the helm.

BEHIND THE WHEEL
The co-pilot has an excellent back support on the firm seat, a grab rail and good legroom behind the windscreen, which is a wraparound clearview number. There are waterproof speakers alongside the seats.

The skipper is treated to an impressive spread of VDO gauges on an automotive-style plastic dash covering oil, fuel, speed, volts, revs, engine temp and trim.

Reflecting the automotive nature of the dash, these gauges had, for example, an illuminated fuel bowser icon when you're running near empty.

There is also a multi-function LCD gauge, two drinkholders and a 12V outlet for the mobile phone. Two switch panels control things like the blower, lighting, bilge pumps and horn.

With a tilt-adjustable wheel, a throttle that falls to hand and a clear view through the windscreen, which had a nice rounded alloy frame, the boat was definitely driver-friendly. The high windscreen cuts the wind nicely and with the canopy attached you can escape the midday sun.

RIVER RUNNER
So there I was, behind the wheel of the Bayliner 212, idling down the river. The boat seems to wander less at displacement speeds than the old Bayliners. With an application of throttle, it jumps out of the hole.

The so-called APS III hull does seem to hold a nice low planing speed of 2000-2200rpm, which was showing 28kmh on the speedo. Low-speed cruising comes in at 3000rpm and 48kmh, but the 260hp MPI MerCruiser is happier still at 4000rpm and 76.8kmh.

Top speed was a whisker under 96kmh at 5100rpm, and the importer claims the boat will reach this speed when they finish pre-delivery. That's fast by any stretch of the imagination, yet the boat doesn't chine walk and it remains a cinch to keep upright.

The hull is trim sensitive - you can button down the bow for a smooth ride when crossing wind waves and wake or trim it out right on its aft sections.

High freeboard and the protection offered by the windscreen and cabin make the Capri 212 a useful bay and harbour boat. Through the chop, this hull really did feel stiff. Fuel capacity of 208lt gives the 212 long legs to boot.

The boat is packaged with motor, dual-axle galvanised trailer (a BMT package), registrations, safety gear and anchoring hardware. With a 5.0lt 220hp MerCruiser, the BMT sells from $58,990. Another $2200 buys the 260hp MPI and extra poke. On the road, the wide-beam rig weighs about 1890kg without fuel, so think family car towing territory.

If the wind gets up and you're still keen to go trailerboating, well, take a tip and think about a big river somewhere. I was definitely in the right spot at the right time.

BAYLINER 2150 BOWRIDER
We needed a camera boat, so what better than the 2150 bowrider with front-to-back seating and typically sporty handling?

With the same hull specs, the bowrider made for an interesting comparison with the cuddy cabin.

One of the most popular Bayliners, the 215 Capri weighs 70kg lighter than the 212 Capri cuddy. It also carries 57lt less fuel, so it is actually 120kg lighter when you set out from the ramp with full tanks.

I sensed the bowrider was livelier on the water and a tad sharper through the turns than the cuddy.

Fitted with a 5.7lt 250hp MerCruiser, a carburetted motor with more ski-pulling torque than the 260hp MPI, the boat was good for a snappy 92.8kmh at 4800rpm.

Whereas the cuddy cabin was a sporty number with accommodation, the bowrider is a sporty dayboat. Both models are packaged with CD players, electronic dash gauges, trailers, registration and so on.

The 2150 Bowrider with 5.7lt 250hp MerCruiser was available for $54,990.

That's $4000 less than the cuddy cabin.

Is the 212 worth it? Only you can decide, but I will tell you this: It doesn't take long, after walking inside the 212's cabin, lying down, and reading a few paragraphs of a magazine or the Sunday paper before you are delightfully supine.

Maybe it is a sign of this salty scribe getting long in the tooth, but the cuddy is my preference.

However, the importer sells one cuddy to every 10 bowriders. Boats like the 2150 are aimed at young families and sportsboaters looking for fun times afloat. Summer is close, and when it arrives the bowrider comes into its own.

If a long hot summer towing the tikes on skis or wakeboards is your go, if you fancy running to a beach somewhere and setting up a picnic, if cruising in a cool summer breeze is your thing, then go for the 2150 bowrider. Or check out the new 2003 model 20ft bowrider that has just hit the water.