Bowrider Recommendations

j2017

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
30
I'm looking to purchase a used bowrider, probably 19-20' in length. I really like the '97 and later Four Winns Horizons due to the fiberglass inner liner and general layout. Rinker Captivas also seem like nice boats. Any opinions on good makes / models? Which ones have a fiberglass liner? Thanks.
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,524
For that vintage, brand is far less important than the boat's condition. You just have to look and find a well-cared-for boat.
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
My buddy just picked up an early 2000s Bryant and I'm really impressed with the build quality on it.
 

Maclin

Admiral
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May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
Just did that myself, picked up a 2002 Bryant Bowrider 19 footer. No wood anywhere, fit and finish is top tier. Hard to find, up until 2015 or so they only made about 400 boats a year total across all models. Just read about a 2000 Bryant 22 footer with 7.4 MPI, literally a barn find, so they are around I guess.

There is an option for snap in carpet on most boats, if that is what you are looking at in a fiberglass liner.

But regarding any brand, I recommend to have a search budget for traveling and just get out and look. Things happen when you are moving. A neighbor and I had similar experiences this year, neither of the boats we bought had been advertised yet and would not have found them "at home" so to speak..
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
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Aug 2, 2008
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Fiberglass floors and hence snap out carpet trickeled onto the market in the late 90's all the way into the early 2000's at least for our run of the mill lake bow riders. Some builders made it a standard then you had to just order the snap out carpet option and other made the fiberglass floor instead of old school glued down carpet an option then eventually everyone went to glass floor as a standard. Further then some only offered it on certain boat lines even if one line was the same size as another ie the 'cheap 18 footer' versus their 'next line up's 18 footer'. Early 00's 18 foot crownlines are offenders in my opinion as they took way too long to do fiberglass floor as a standard. So given that situation, it does to some extent become about brand depending on the year of boat. I can only assume that you will only select a boat that meets whatever your condition criteria are.
 

bunger

Cadet
Joined
Jun 22, 2017
Messages
20
Just did that myself, picked up a 2002 Bryant Bowrider 19 footer. No wood anywhere, fit and finish is top tier. Hard to find, up until 2015 or so they only made about 400 boats a year total across all models. Just read about a 2000 Bryant 22 footer with 7.4 MPI, literally a barn find, so they are around I guess.

There is an option for snap in carpet on most boats, if that is what you are looking at in a fiberglass liner.

But regarding any brand, I recommend to have a search budget for traveling and just get out and look. Things happen when you are moving. A neighbor and I had similar experiences this year, neither of the boats we bought had been advertised yet and would not have found them "at home" so to speak..

How did you find it? Should we just drive around the community?
 

Maclin

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May 27, 2007
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6,761
I would say not specifically just drive around looking for boats. But if you do see one for sale, then stop and chat and look. Look up ads, make plans to go see them after emailing or texting or calling. Then go look.

My neighbor's condensed story...:
Late February 2017, They had a list of boats to look at and also a couple of dealers to drive by on a Saturday. They went by an individual's house after browsing at a dealer to look at one. They were not home but they looked at it as best they could. A guy was driving by and asked if that was their boat, they said no they were looking. He said he had one to sell right around the corner or so. They followed him to a very nicely kept 2001 Crownline deckboat 24', and looked it over, was a super nice boat. He was asking $17, they had a hard budget cap at $10k. He went down to $15k right there but they had a hard $10k limit. They exchanged numbers. They looked some more, then after they got home he called and said $12k. They had to decline. The next day he called and said can they do the $10k that day, they said yes. Turns out he had to move due to his job in about a couple of weeks. Once he added up all the logistics of having not sold it in time, yada yada he had decided to take their offer. This was in late February, it booked out at over the $17k even. They would never have been in this deal without having been out there looking.

My story, not quite as lucrative but still got it at about 25% below market, again late February 2017...:
On the same day I looked at a 2007 Glastron MX17, A 2011 Bayliner 21 foot Discovery bowrider, a 2006 Sea Ray Sport 185 and a 2002 Bryant 188 (although the Bryant was not on my list). All were about as nice as they could be, some Mercs, some VP's. The Sea Ray was last. Before we started on the Sea Ray the salesman said he had another to look at if I had the time and didn't mind, I said sure. The Sea Ray ended up being very nice, I would have bought that one. Then we went over to the Bryant. The Bryant stood out like College grad amongst middle schoolers. I would not have "met" the Bryant had I not been out looking. The wholesaler I was working with had been contacted by a Cobalt dealer about this Bryant they wanted to wholesale out. The wholesaler checked it out and took it just that day. It still had beads of water on it from the test drive. I jumped on it, never had a chance to hit the open market. My purchase was contingent upon a test drive of may own, and had them keep the Sea Ray as contingent. The Bryant deal worked out, took about a week and a half to clear the test drive and then titling.

I had been out looking at 4 or 5 others before this.
 

j2017

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
30
Just did that myself, picked up a 2002 Bryant Bowrider 19 footer. No wood anywhere, fit and finish is top tier. Hard to find, up until 2015 or so they only made about 400 boats a year total across all models. Just read about a 2000 Bryant 22 footer with 7.4 MPI, literally a barn find, so they are around I guess.

There is an option for snap in carpet on most boats, if that is what you are looking at in a fiberglass liner.

But regarding any brand, I recommend to have a search budget for traveling and just get out and look. Things happen when you are moving. A neighbor and I had similar experiences this year, neither of the boats we bought had been advertised yet and would not have found them "at home" so to speak..


Does your Bryant have snap-in carpet? There are a couple '99 models available within a couple hundred miles of me that I've found, but they look to have glued-in carpet. I still think I like the Four Winns Horizon 190 and 200 better than the '99 Bryants I've found - apparently I'm not in the minority as they all seem to sell within about 24 hours of being posted.
 

Maclin

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May 27, 2007
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No, mine does not. I am on a Bryant chat site, and know have seen some later models on there with the snapin. Snapin carpet could have been a tie breaker, but was not a deal killer for me.

This is the season, back in February boats stayed on the market a little longer!
 

Maclin

Admiral
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May 27, 2007
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6,761
Four Winns have good options. Other neighbor got a 21 footer last season, pretty nice just not a good color for me (Tan), walk thru transom, can't remember what the flooring was now.

Bryants are not that well known, and low production numbers as I mentioned. I had a Bryant come up as a candidate early in my search and that is why I added that to the brand list I had, looked pretty good. Knew nothing about them, and about the time I started making the rounds to look at boats it had sold. The one I have now is the only one I have ever actually seen anywhere. I bought it, and then later learned about how they were built with hand laid glass, no wood anywhere all composites, no decals only emblems, etc. Bought the shirt and hat :)

Just for reference, here is the list of boat brands I would look in ads for every day, alphabetical order for first level, then second level, and add boats to my list if they seemed legit, I had 36 boats on the list eventually before I purchased...:

Bryant
Caravelle
Chaparral
Cobalt
Crownline
Excel
Four Winns
Glastron
Larson
Mariah
Maxum
Regal
Sea Ray
Stingray
Sylvan
Sea Sprite
Tahoe
Wellcraft
Webbcraft
VIP

Astro
Bayliner
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
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Aug 2, 2008
Messages
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Keep in mind however that the properties of wood in a boat are a good thing not a bad thing. Other than the succeptibility to rot from water intrusion from poor storage or however the water ultimately intrudes but every thing has an upside and a downside. So then the Bryant has carpet glued down to fiberglass floor?
 

Maclin

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May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
"So then the Bryant has carpet glued down to fiberglass floor?"

Can only talk about mine, so I guess so, looks like that to me.

About the actual floor, the brochure says

"Hand laminated for extra strength, Bryant's floor is made of high-density composite core material. It's one piece. So it can't leak. It's wood-free. So it won't rot. You will never have to replace it."

That last part refers to the lifetime structure guarantee.

In mine you are definitely walking on carpet.

Pic of part of the flooring since you asked...

20170228_130920.jpg
 

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jkust

Rear Admiral
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"So then the Bryant has carpet glued down to fiberglass floor?"

Can only talk about mine, so I guess so, looks like that to me.

About the actual floor, the brochure says

"Hand laminated for extra strength, Bryant's floor is made of high-density composite core material. It's one piece. So it can't leak. It's wood-free. So it won't rot. You will never have to replace it."

That last part refers to the lifetime structure guarantee.

In mine you are definitely walking on carpet.

Pic of part of the flooring since you asked...


Wonder why they bothered to put carpet down at all and not do diamond pattern floor. Here's a 2011 Bryant 2010 for $20,000 for the op. The Brants I think take an unfair beating price wise in the used market which is good news for used buyers. This one just popped up as they are far and few between.


minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/boa/6199557890.html
 

Maclin

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That one has the snap-in carpet, so it must have become an option somewhere along the line. The fuel tank in Bryants are in the front, and what looks like "snap-in" in the bow floor is a panel of some kind, carpeted and screwed down for access to the tank if/when needed. You can see that one in my pic just ahead of the ski locker. The Bryants are a little different, and in my case it was like "who knew" :)
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
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Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
How did you find it? Should we just drive around the community?

A few of us old retirees started to tinker around with boats a few years back. We have gotten the best deals from knocking on doors in the rural area we live, when we see a boat in the driveway or behind the Barn that were not advertised for sale. All they can do is say no. A few times someone said "no" but knew someone that was thinking about selling. Believe it or not, not everyone in the world is A) on the internet or B) knows how to post an add on sites. We all live within a few miles or right on Lake Erie so there are many boats on properties. If you are near the water look around there. A walk around marinas have proved to be a good place to look, for sale or not. Many folks get into boating and not everyone loves it like most everyone here on iboats.
 

briangcc

Commander
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Jul 10, 2012
Messages
2,089
I just traded in my '05 FourWinns 200Le. It had the 5.0MPI Volvo SX and did about 55mph GPS on the water. Hull wise, I had a void in one of the stern tie downs when delivered - was corrected by the selling marina under warranty. Also had about a 5" stress crack in the gel near the windshield. Supposedly wood free construction. I say supposedly as I added (4) cleats to the boat and drilled through wood in the cap for each one I added. Never had to pop the floor but it did have an access hatch for the fuel tank - 40Gal. Also had snap in carpet.

​The engine was a bear to work on as its tight quarters. Some of the reinforcement strips under the sunpad began to split. If I had kept it, I would have needed to replace those. Boat had about 130 hours on it, not hard use either.



​I know Bayliner has a bad rap from the early 80's but my '99 1800LS was built well. In the 6 years I owned it from new, no issues with the hull or any of the interior. I replaced the POS Force engine with a Honda 4 Stroke and had no issues with the boat afterwards. If my extended family hadn't extended further I'd still own that boat. I wouldn't hesitate on owning another.


​My current Chap, 19H2O Ski&Fish, I have just shy of 4 hours on it and I just had it in some rather hairy weather. Took a wave over the bow at low speed - no issue as the water drained through the deck drains. Took some rather hard hits on white caps 2'-3' waves and it handled it well. I had an issue with a couple screws being stripped out of one of the storage doors and a bad down trim solenoid but that's it thus far.
 

QBhoy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
Messages
8,286
If you can manage a little extra than the earlier posted list...a campion would be a sound choice. One of the best quality (for North American built boats) finish and hulls I've came across.
Probably not as cheap as most though.
If all else fails...try and get one with at least a 4.3. (Massive opinionated argument pending).
 

V153

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Apr 16, 2011
Messages
1,764
I'd keep my eyes open for a Stingray. Faster hull than most of those mentioned. Fit and finish is purty good. My lil bro's got a 19' bow rider that'll smoke anything in it's class 'round here.
 
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