Bayliner vs Sealine

boatone

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I have posted previously about my comprehensive electrical installation - you may be able to find it with a search.
Basically, the problem usually comes down to domestic battery capacity which, on the majority of boats is woefully inadequate.

You can do the maths - work out how much power is used by the various appliances. They usually all indicate a wattage figure which is independent of voltage. Estimate how long each is used during an average day (for instance, a fridge running 24/7 is probably only actually drawing power for about 12 hours). Add all these wattages up and, for a 12 volt system divide by 12 to get the amps used in 24 hours. Lets say this is a total of 40 amp hours. Now multiply this by 3 to get the battery capacity required = 120AH.
Why multiply by 3 ? Because however efficient your alternator or other charging devices are you will rarely recharge above 85% and, ideally, if you want to get a decent lifetime from your batteries, you don't want to discharge below about 50%, so the "sweet" power available is about one third of the capacity. So, in this case you would need 360Ah capacity if you wanted to remain moored or anchored for 3 days without recharging.
I have 3 x 150Ah heavy duty deep cycle batteries and also have the benefit of a 100 watt solar panel on the cabin top which, on a good summer day, can provide almost enough charge to cover the fridge draw. I have also upgraded my alternator to 90A rather than the more normal 50A which means faster recharging when running.
On a Sealine 23 or Bayliner similar it would be difficult to match this but adding a second domestic battery and making sure both are the best capacity you can physically fit into the space available would go some way to improving things.

As for hot water, only a calorifier heated from the engine cooling circuit can provide this and you'll be lucky if it stays hot for more than 24 hours when you're not under way.
 

EugeneR

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To clarify, for each item, you take the wattage, divide by 12 to get amps, and multiply by number of hours running to get amp-hours required. That is what you add up across the period between full charges.

You then compare it to approx. 1/3 of your battery capacity, using boatone's quite reasonable rule of thumb.

So, for approx 60l of hot water you need 2.4kw for maybe 15 mins which gives (2400 / 12) x 0.25hr = 50Ah, for which you might plan a 3 x 50Ah = 150Ah extra battery capacity for each time you warm the water up in the period. It's a lot, hence we generally use gas for heating instead.
 

Portland Billy

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Seems load of faffin abaht to me.
Just use the available power wisely go easy on the hot water.
After a decent run you should be OK for at least a couple of days 'unplugged' and that is generally the limit to a secluded stop.
 

oldgit

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Would have thought the Sealine would have a better set up for extended cruising ie more likely to have gas and perhaps a calorifier


The US sourced Regal I once had the misfortune to own had absolutely zero home comforts and was basically only ever set up as a lake/day boat.
On the plus side it did have a very marine interior, cabin was lined with Brown long hairy Teddy Bear fur. :)

Without a doubt the biggest heap of toot known to man.
Mercruiser legs that ate rams and snapped gears just for fun.
Petrol engines that sometimes got you there, rarely got you back.
A tissue thin cabin roof that flexed as you crawled over it.
Plastic window frames that snapped and leaked like sieves.
A stern was "reinforced" with something that had the structural strength of papier-mâché even before water eventually got inside.
...and finally the aluminium petrol tank corroded through and dumped 60 gallons of petrol into the bilge.
Corse the tank was bonded into the hull and needed a chain saw and grinder to gain access.

Sold the boat to somebody in Essex. :)
Always careful when visiting, just in case the bloke I sold it to recognises me. :)
 

EugeneR

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It depends on where you go, and the size of the boat involved.

Seriously, I would prefer a diesel Bayliner 285 for extended coastal cruising, as opposed to the same size Sealine, simply because it has masses more space. You get sleeping space for 6, including aft cabin with king size bed, proper door and shower, as opposed to a table / bed conversion up front. That's without considering the material difference in price and the fact that, once anchored, the views are the same and the G&T just as good. In fact, we can even get a dog because there's no real wood to scratch, and the kids can bring crayons too!

For rougher seas and/or longer passages, I prefer the heavier but much more expensive Sealine.

Ultimately, it's like choosing between Ford and Volkswagen...

*runs for the door* although perhaps *could be a distraction from anchor threads and CV* :)
 

Momac

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Would have thought the Sealine would have a better set up for extended cruising ie more likely to have gas and perhaps a calorifier
It does have a gas hob, a calorifier and a shower/toilet - no space is wasted on a Sealine S23 .
 

russ

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Having owned both Bayliner and Sealine I can vouch that the Bayliners are an excellent first boat. A lot of boat for your money. We've had some great times during our 5 years of ownership on river and sea.
Fit and finish on our 2005 Bayliner seemed better than their later models.
On the surface our new to us Sealine is a much nicer spec and finish but when you start to scratch below the surface and start taking panels down to gain access you can see the internal quality isn't much different.
 

rib

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Had a sealine 195 went to france loads of times with four kids in nappies,then had a 285 with diesels did same trips ina bit more comfort and space,then had a 328 took kids amd friends this time great fun ....i like sealines .then went round uk in rib with son and friend, now sail its cheaper ????
 
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