Bayliner Ciera 3055 Sunbridge

You want the biggest boat money can buy, the fastest boat on the water, an opulent cruiser with chandeliers, a full-time hostess and personal jet to escape the drudgery of workaday life? Well, who doesn't? But this kind of indulgence is just a dream to most boaties.

Not one to let the realities of modern living pass them by, Bayliner has developed a new low-maintenance lifestyle cruiser that's accessible to a wider range of people. Not so big it will break the bank, require special driving skills, or need a fistful of dollars to run, the new Ciera 3055 Sunbridge is perhaps best described as amenities rich.

Down below is head and shoulder room, a kitted-out galley, and twin double beds. Outdoors is a comfortable lounge offering water views and bar facilities. Underway the boat is so zippy that you will be pressing the 'down anchor' button before you know it.

Boasting European styling, the 3055 Sunbridge was introduced last year to Bayliner's mid-sized Ciera sportscruiser range to put a new spin on sportscruising. It is the biggest Ciera you can buy, but just as manoeuvrable as a 20-footer.

Whether it's a big, small boat or a small, big boat, I'm not sure. What is certain is that you should spend more than just a token day aboard. The 3055 Sunbridge is more than a dayboat. It's a floating apartment made for modern living on the water.

MORE THAN SKIN DEEP
The most visually appealing thing about the 3055 Sunbridge is its styling. Bumps and curves and a better integrated radar arch take the look from contemporary American to chic European. Considering the way other sportscruiser makers are going, the 3055 couldn't have come soon enough.

Bayliner says that it has 'powerfully fluid lines' but that doesn't mean that practicality takes a back seat. On the contrary, the boat seems to have an abundance of space.

There's a full-width boarding platform (high enough above the water so you won't get your feet wet when stepping aboard); wide side decks backed by handrails on the targa arch and bowrail; and a centre-opening windscreen with steps moulded into the dash providing an easy way in for guests.

Deck hardware has been integrated. The anchoring gear and optional electric winch are hardly discernible, the deck cleats and an aft fender locker are where you need them, while the optional spotlight adds to the boat's appearance. There is also recessed lighting and weatherproof stereo speakers.

The fully-moulded cockpit is large, with comfy seating for four around a removable table which converts to a sunlounge. The skipper's bench seat and passenger's seat on the raised bridgedeck are useful for additional seating should you have a party aboard.

And then there are the amenities. Outdoors, there's a handheld transom shower and a moulded wetbar with sink and pressure water. You'll even have plenty of shade once some canvas is fitted. Though there isn't a cockpit fridge, there are drinkholders everywhere and a 54lt Igloo icebox under a cockpit seat.

DRIVE MASTER
Underway, the skipper's vision and helm set-up rate right up there with the best Euro sportsboats. The big wraparound windscreen gives protection, yet the view forward remains clear, even during the short-lived transition from displacement to planing speeds.

You can drive standing or seated, and with the factory-fitted Advantage Pack comprising tilt steering, wood-grain dash panels, digital depth sounder and VHF radio, the dash module will look doubly dashing.

While the co-pilot seat is also elevated for a clear view when travelling, the captain will find the helm set-up most comfortable. The twin throttles are located exactly where your right arm comes to rest, along with trim-tab buttons and spotlight controls. And a drinkholder, of course.

The testboat also had special colour-coded gauges. The optional portside windscreen wiper will come in handy if you have storm covers fitted. That said, the boat looks much better without the additions. Sleek and sporty, it's obvious that Bayliner has put in a lot of effort to keep the decks clean.

UNCLE SAM'S OPEN PLAN
Down below is where the apartment living really takes over. The open-plan interior creates a sense of space beyond all expectations. Coupled with over 195cm of headroom and modulated furniture in a 3.36m beam, you can easily move from one end of the boat to the other.

The finish meets production boat standards and, once again, is reminiscent of a luxury apartment or hotel suite. Light buff and champagne wall coverings and bedheads combine with white-lacquered joinery, lots of natural light, and an easy-clean moulded fibreglass liner in the head. Bayliner says it has 'expansive, abundant comfort'.

The head is located immediately to port as you descend the companionway steps. It is close at hand for dayboating, but pleasantly separate from the sleeping quarters. Inside are a mirror, towel rack, headroom, vanity cabinet with sink and storage space, a manual pump-out loo with a deck filler for the holding tank, and a handheld hot shower.

The European influence is apparent in the galley, where the fridge is oversized and integrated in glossy cabinetry enhanced by wooden trim, chrome door knobs and black perspex facias. There's sufficient waste-high formica benchtop for assembling lunch, a microwave oven as standard, and a two-burner stove and big square stainless sink on a lower level. Storage space is particularly generous, with additional lockers dotted about the place.

Opposite is an elevated dinette with a semi-circular lounge. The cushions are deeply-padded and delightfully wide so you can slump down and read a book or, perhaps, gaze across to a television mounted above the galley. You can also convert the lounge and dinette into a sofa bed.

But the master cabin in the bow is the most tempting of all. While there is a privacy curtain, I liked the unrestricted access and the way in which the giant offset mattress offers space to stretch out. You'd be hard pressed to find a more comfortable perch than up against the big bedhead, doona over your legs, as the sea breeze drifts through the opening portholes and overhead hatch.

Should you get caught with guests or kids aboard, there is a mid-berth aft. While there is plenty of space above the pillows here, airconditioning is an option worth considering if you plan to run the 3055 Sunbridge in Queensland.

SPORTY PERFORMANCE
While the interior is the feature which will probably sell this boat, performance is also enlightening. Twin 5.0lt 220hp petrol engines are a listed option, but the 5.7lt 250hp MerCruisers are plainly more fun. Matched to Bravo Two legs, the boat seems smooth and quiet, but then throaty and agile.

There's little transition to planing speed and then, when you plant the throttles, you get the kind of responsiveness sportsboaters look for. Cruise speeds are fast. At 3000rpm you're doing 22kt, 3500rpm returns 29.5kt and 4250rpm sees the 5000kg boat zipping along at 36.5kt.

All the while, the power-assisted steering is light but direct, so you know exactly where you are. But most impressive is the way this sportscruiser turns. With a moderate 17° deadrise, it doesn't bank over alarmingly and wash off all its speed. It simply leans into the bend and shoots back out again something like an overgrown roadbike.

Bayliner deserves full marks for its 3055 Sunbridge. The company has concentrated on the high-use areas of a sportscruiser rather than trying to create a caravan down below. If you like the new look and the amount of space, you will definitely need a reality check after taking the wheel.