I need to know - Bayliner 996 Ciera Sunbridge 2855 Sports Cruiser

Steve Clayton

Steve Clayton

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 May 2003
Messages
7,478
Location
Benitachell - Spain
www.aloeland.co.uk
C'mon then - I need to know all about this mobo; going to look at it on Sunday. Tell me all ; good things and bad things. What should I be checking for???

It's got Mercruiser duoprop 375 with 300 hours (which means absolutely diddley-squat to me)
 
I quite like these to the point that I nearly bought one. The reason I didn't was that it was fitted with a Samurai diesel which was a suspect point for me.

There are two variants, normal and wide bodied. The normal is big and roomy, the wide body version is very big and very roomy which can sleep 6 in 3 rooms.

These boats do convert to diesel well and the general modus operandi is the GM V8 diesel - if ever you think of going this route. The boat then becomes very economical.

If its a boat in good conditions and the survey comes up to scratch, then you will be buying a lot of boat for your money. Loadsa bang for yer buck!

Good luck and please come back on here with your findings.

BTW - there is another forumite on here that has had (and maybe still has) a 2855 and he will be able to give more detail than me (if he turns up!).

300 hours is not a great deal for a well cared for 7.4L V8...back to survey and evidence of service history. I guess its 10 years old. What has been replaced? Can you get a list? Receipts?

Duo prop. Good work! Gives extra grip and less prop slip. Has the leg been well serviced? Bellows / Gimbal bearing / U/J etc. Just some points.
 
You probably know this already, but that is going to be very, very juicy. Think around 20 gph at WOT and 12 gph at cruise. I am basing this on my small block V8 to which I fitted a fuel flow meter. Used to get around 16gph at WOT and 10 GPH at 25 knots cruise.

Other than that I think its a great boat. Don't listen to the Bashers, many of them have not set foot on a Bayliner or are basing their opinions on the 70's and 80's boats which were, to be honest, a bit budget built. Models from the 90's onwards are a match for most other US brand sports cruisers.
 
Great information; thanks; this one says "fully loaded, 6 berths" so I guess she is the wide bodied version.

Looking forward to seeing her but where as I know about rags and sticks I'm not fully conversant with mobo's and their "nuances"

Steve
 
Yep - that'll be the biggy! Lovely! I do hope you like it. I take it you are thinking of moving from sail to power?

The only negative really is the fuel consumption - but that is only if you are going to go whamming along like a looney /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Get a sea trial...important if you are thinking of making that move, coz you don't want to find out afterwards that you don't like powered craft afterall. Not everybody's cup of tea!

See if you can get some piccies and post them on here. Exterior / interior / engine bay / helm etc.

And remember - evidence, evidence and more evidence, when it comes to how good the boat actually is.

Good luck.

EDIT - I have just viewed your web site (very nice) and I conclude that you are buying this as well as that rather lovely Sun Odyssey?
 
I had the 2655 with the 5.7 engine. It was a good all rounder. Great sea boat. I had problems at first handling it at low speed but soon got the hang of it. Mine only had the single prop, with the duo prop it should respond better. Its probably got a Bravo 3 leg which is very compatible with the GM V8 diesel if you decide to convert. Like Dave said, the only downer was the fuel consumption, apart from that it was a roomy, comfortable and versatile boat.
Hope it goes well for you.

Syd
 
Steve

the WB versions were an obvious change in styling - around that time - and it's not only the extra size that is important! the older model looks realy dated relative to the upgraded one, which has only just been superceeded.

re the engines on this range I believe (but stand to be corrected!) that there is a significant laterel bulkhead that restricts the length of the engines that can be installed - ie the 4.2l merc diesles and 6 cylinder volvo's never became an option on reengining. 2 x V6 or small block V8 or single V8 petrols were the norm.

whilst it will drink juice I wouldn't bother reengining it in the med if the existing equipement works fine.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I had the 2655 with the 5.7 engine. Ihe only downer was the fuel consumption, apart from that it was a roomy, comfortable and versatile boat.
Hope it goes well for you.

Syd

[/ QUOTE ]
I remember yours, all you ever did was go from port-to-port moor up, eat Macdonalds, slurp yourself legless and fall about giggling like an overgrown schoolgirl. Once, or so I believe, you even went home from Stepney by train and only realised you'd gone there by boat when Mummy said "UH! where's the boat Syd?"
 
Be careful when viewing (althgough you may of left already) as terms such as 'posing' and 'fully loaded' sound like there from someone who doesnt know much about boating.

On the boat front, i Recently changed from a Bay to a SeaRay. The Bayliners are a good boat and damn reasonably priced, the build of the hull and structure will be excellent. Just keep an eye on the upholstery & extras that she has on her, they tend to be the bits that take a battering. I replaced things like cleats on my Bayliner as they coroded in saltwater !! whereas the SeaRay appears to have more expensive extra's.

Great boat, if its the right price and the interior is in good condition, then go for it. The engine will drink a bit, but a diesel version will be £12k more and thats alot of fuel.

Cheers & let us know how you got on
 
Had a 2755 with a 7.4 Mercruiser and what a great boat it was, went all over the South coast in it. As others have said it can hurt your wallet! the furthest single leg we did was from Cuxton to Sovereign in Eastbourne which took six hours and sixty US gallons. It would top out at just on forty knots but didn't like turning although it wasn't a duo prop.
 
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