Speeds measured with Stalker ProSports radar gun. Fuel consumption (gallons per hour) measured with Floscan digital fuel-flow meter on gas inboards, sterndrives, and outboards, TechMate electronic scan tool on gas EFI inboards, Caterpillar digital fuel-flow meter on diesel engines, or permanently installed fuel-monitoring equipment. Range is based on 90% of published fuel capacity. Sound levels determined using Radio Shack digital decibel meter on A scale. 68 dBA is the level of normal conversation.

Performance Chart

Test Conditions

Standard and Optional Equipment

Systems
CD Stereo
Power Steering
Trailer
Trim Tabs
Exterior Features
Carpet: Cockpit
Ice Chest
Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
Swim Ladder
Swim Platform
Transom Shower
Canvas
Bimini Top
Camper Back
Full Canvas

= Standard = Optional

Tested by Capt. Vince Daniello

At the next boat show, compare Bayliner’s 225 Bowrider to its competitors and you might find a few things missing. You won’t see padded armrests, plush-lined storage areas, or molded fiberglass drink holders, footrests, or storage cubbyholes. But you won’t be asked to pay for them either. What you will find is a good boat with some thoughtful features that make Bayliner well worth a look if affordability is a major factor in choosing your next boat.

Design and Construction

To build an inexpensive boat, the engineers at Bayliner obviously had to shave costs. As I first looked around the 225 I could plainly see many instances of how this was accomplished. In most cases, I found that the corners cut make the boat simpler to build and therefore less expensive to produce, but do not affect its basic construction. For example, the underside of the helm is open. You can look up from the deck and see the steering gear and wiring, and the exposed fiberglass edges are simply covered with plastic trim. On most boats the underside of the helm console is finished with a molded fiberglass enclosure. This requires initial tooling of a mold, producing the molded part for each boat, then fitting the fiberglass underside to the fiberglass topside of the console, all increasing the cost of the boat. But is the added expense really necessary? To use an automobile analogy, would it really matter if you could lie on the floor of your car and see the inside of your dashboard? Leaving the steering gear exposed to the elements does create the potential for corrosion, but an occasional shot of WD-40 should solve this problem quite cost-effectively.

Features

There are other areas where Bayliner could have cut costs but chose not to. One example is the telescoping, three-step boarding ladder recessed into the swim platform. I’ve seen cheaper ladders on much more expensive boats. But this was the right ladder for the boat, ensuring that small children or even grandma can get back aboard after a quick dip. Recessing the ladder into the platform adds to the cost of the boat, but also keeps it from snagging tow-ropes while skiing or wakeboarding.

Another thoughtful addition is two well-placed 12-volt electrical outlets. One in the locking glove box is perfect for charging a cell phone while keeping it safe and dry; and one by the starboard aft seat could be used for an electric cooler, portable CD player, or what-have-you. The glove box also protects an FM stereo from Mother Nature, and a special storage niche and input jack just below the stereo allows a portable CD or MP3 player to operate through the boat’s sound system. There are also plenty of hand-holds and 14 drink holders strategically placed throughout the boat.

Seating Layout

The seating arrangement has several key features that make the 225 stand out even among much more expensive boats that I’ve recently tested. For example, the port side seat can be set in either a back-to-back arrangement or as a long lounger with backrest. While this isn’t uncommon, Bayliner’s sliding mechanism is simple, easy, operates smoothly, and provides excellent access to the large storage area beneath the seat. On the starboard side, the helm seat swivels 360 degrees so it can face the center of the boat while anchored or at the dock, and includes a better-than-average mechanism to operate the swivel and slide features.

The removable cockpit table is offset to starboard, allowing easy access to the swim platform while the table is installed. There is an additional socket to mount the table in the bow, and quick, convenient storage for both the table and its pedestal in the engine compartment.

Considerations

There were a few corners cut that perhaps shouldn’t have been. Most notably, an upholstered plywood rail forms the bottom of the under-gunnel storage area on the starboard side of the cockpit. While there is nothing inherently wrong with plywood, this particular part is a little flimsy, and happens to be in an area that is easily kicked and prone to banging by coolers or heavy gear. If it is broken, because it extends up along the top of the starboard aft seat, it won’t be easy to replace. Much of the hardware is also not top-quality. For example, the plastic fittings for the bimini top will deteriorate in the sun and may break after a couple of seasons.

Like all of Bayliner’s boats, the 225 Bowrider is intended to offer a lot of bang for the buck. If you require a perfectly crafted, smooth-contoured fiberglass interior, or burlwood dash inserts and extra-plush upholstery, you may as well skip the Bayliner display at the boat show. But if finding an affordable boat means the difference between cruising on the water or sitting on the beach, Bayliner’s 225 Bowrider might be your ticket to waterborne fun.