Bayliner Ciera 3055 Used Boat Review

Bayliner's popular Ciera range has been around without major hull changes since the early 1990s, but most examples in the Australian used boat market are from the late 90s to early 2000s. The examples we checked out at the home of Aussie Bayliners, Berowra Waters Marina in Sydney, dated back to 2000.

Bayliner is part of the Brunswick Boat Group and is the acknowledged leader in recreational boating in the USA. Bayliner has been in business continuously for more than 45 years.

Bayliner's boast is that you get outstanding quality and heaps of space in an easy-to-own, affordable package. The company says that its dedication to the engine and sterndrive package from MerCruiser produces well-balanced boats with minimum bowrise, good handling and fuel efficiency, with a smooth, comfortable ride.

Bayliners are designed for high-volume production, using computer-aided design techniques and expensive tooling. The company says that this technology ensures that Bayliner hulls, decks and components fit correctly. The boats that we checked out certainly seemed to have withstood the test of time and showed no obvious structural problems.

The Ciera 3055 was re-badged and upgraded in 2003 and became simply the 305 Cruiser, a handle that remains current today. Both models have twin engines and sterndrive units.

The hulls have remained substantially unchanged over the years, but a blue flash was added to the hull in 2003, taking away some of the boxy appearance that's characteristic of the Bayliner sportscruiser range. The payback for the 'fat' appearance of these 9.6m LOA and 3.35m beam boats is unprecedented interior space and practicality.

LIVING WITH THE CIERA
Climbing aboard is easy, thanks to a full-width moulded boarding platform and a port-side transom door, complete with a spring-loaded latch. There's a handy grabrail across the transom just above the drop-down transom storage bin door.

There are two routes to the foredeck mooring lines: around the decks, with security in the form of a low bowrail, or through the opening centre section of the windscreen. There are moulded footsteps beside the steering station to make this route easy.

The LX spec level includes a Lewmar windlass that can be operated from the deck or the dashboard, a deep chain locker with deadeye, bowroller, and a spotlight with remote control on the dash.

The LX package also includes a port-side windscreen wiper.

The U-shaped lounge seating in the 305 cockpit area was upgraded from that in the 3055, but even the older style seating stands up reasonably well. The only problem we came across on a boat from the year 2000 was a seized double-joint hinge on the aft cockpit lounge. This made it tricky to lift the engine cover.

The hull is rated for a capacity of 12 people, but when we tested the 305 in 2003 we reckoned that it offered comfortable day cruising for eight. The cockpit lounge can seat five. There's a single navigator's seat to port behind the windscreen and the helm bench is big enough for two. A removable, centre-pedestal table slots into a socket in the centre of the U-shaped lounge area.

There's a recess under the lounge for a food and drinks cooler. On the port side of the cockpit is a recessed hot/cold handheld shower, a moulded sink with a drinking water outlet, three drinkholders and a grabrail. Under the sink is a locker that hides the battery switches and a shorepower lead.

There's more cockpit storage space under the navigator's seat.

 Engine access, via a huge floor hatch in the cockpit, is very good.

The steering station is very American in appearance, with mock walnut dash panels and chrome-rimmed gauges. The wheel and the steerer's seat are adjustable.

A blank panel below the dash has ample space for display electronics.

The companionway bi-fold door with sliding hatch was upgraded for the 305, but the earlier boats have quite good cabin access.

The space below decks is amazing. There is ample head room, a dinette, and two double beds. The aft cabin is under the steering station and has a small cockpit window for light and ventilation. If not required for adults it makes a great play area for kids. There are privacy curtains for both sleeping spots. The aft play area doubles as an access room to the under-head plumbing.

The galley is well-equipped, with a microwave, two-element electric stove, an oven, and a half-height refrigerator.

The easily-cleaned head has a manual toilet, a hand-held hot/cold shower with wall bracket, a sink, mirror, and a 240V outlet.

PERFORMANCE
Our evaluation boat from the year 2000 seemed to have lost none of its sting over the years. Like most 3055s and 305s this boat had been ordered with twin 5.7lt MerCruisers rather than the base five-litre V8s. We're told that the five-litre engines have a significant performance disadvantage.

When we tested the 305 in 2003 we were impressed by the steering response and tight-cornering ability of the hull and sterndrive.

Bayliner's claimed performance figures for the 5.7lt 3055 were a wide open throttle speed of 41.9mph with a fuel consumption of 160lt/h. Cruising at 31mph dropped the unleaded drink to 90lt/h, or a cruising capability of six hours from the boat's 560lt tank.

The twin-diesel option offered had slightly worse fuel consumption than the petrol engines at cruise revs.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG?
The shipwrights and surveyors we spoke to commented on the difficulty of accessing the space between the hull and the inner mouldings, other than for the voids set aside for the head plumbing, the engine room and the bilge pumps. This complaint applies to many volume-produced modern boats.

The boys at Newport Marine in Sydney's Pittwater have a lot of experience with MerCruisers and say that the powertrain needs careful inspection from prospective buyers.

The manifolds and risers typically last three to five years before leaking and any external leakage is usually mimicked by internal leaking that can damage cylinders three and five and four and six. A compression test that shows a drop of only five to 10psi can indicate cylinder damage.

If the sea water circulation pump leaks, the resulting corrosion on nearby pulleys can chop out the multi-tooth belts.

The legs need to be checked for rumbling gimbal bearings and universal joint wear will show up as noise on full lock. The legs are prone to corrosion and the bellows need to be checked for hidden shell build-up. A little oil needs to be drained from each leg to check the condition of the oil.

The shift mechanism should work smoothly without effort or engagement noise.

A test run should include several minutes of WOT operation to check engine operating temperatures.

Most used 3055s and 305s fall in the $130,000 to $190,000 bracket, but there are examples of 12-year-old 3055s for as little as $90,000.