We've got a 2001 Bayliner 160 w/ a 90hp outboard. Its our first boat, and has been great so far (2 months of use this past fall - getting ready for more fun this Spring!). One area that the small size really does come to light in is storage. By the time we get 2 adults and a few kids on board, along with a ski or three, a tube (deflated - we inflate it once we're out on the water, and deflate it before heading back in), towels, a bag or two of snacks, etc, we're about up to our gullets and gunnels in people and stuff, and we're crawling around, over, under and through stuff trying to move around the boat. There is some storage under the open bow seats - enough for the life vests when we're not on the boat - enough for shoes and bags when we're on the boat, and the rear seat lifts up and/or you can slide stuff under it. There's really no other storage other than stacking stuff on the floor at that point though.
I'm doing some work on the boat now, getting ready for Spring, and the wild idea hit me that maybe there's some room under the floor - to at least stow stuff like the ski rope, tube harness/rope, etc. (we ski off a rear pylon, but tube off the transom eyes). I have yet to try to get a look under there (presumably I'd be able to get some rough idea by squirming my head down into the front under-seat storage - hope there's no critters holed up in there from the winter!
), so don't know anything about the stringer or crossmember locations, to determine if this is more than just fanciful thinking on my part.
Does anyone have any idea of the locations of stringers and crossmembers, distance from floor to hull, etc in the main cabin area of a Bayliner 160? (The floor up in the open bow area is textured fiberglass, and I have no desire to try to cut into that, but I'm not real hesitant to cut a hole and build a hatch in the wood floor area, if it makes sense to do so.)
I'm naturally a little teeny bit afraid of opening that area up and finding all kinds of rot and ugliness down there (if I don't see it, it can't hurt me, at least not for a little while), but even that would be better to know than not to know!
Any other clever ideas from those more experienced than myself in terms of storage? I've contemplated trying to get the skis to fit under the gunnels in some type of holder or such, but its pretty tight in there w/ the seats close up against the sides.
Money is a serious object in this situation, so things like wake towers, stainless steel rack systems, etc are definitely not in play.
Thanks!
I'm doing some work on the boat now, getting ready for Spring, and the wild idea hit me that maybe there's some room under the floor - to at least stow stuff like the ski rope, tube harness/rope, etc. (we ski off a rear pylon, but tube off the transom eyes). I have yet to try to get a look under there (presumably I'd be able to get some rough idea by squirming my head down into the front under-seat storage - hope there's no critters holed up in there from the winter!
), so don't know anything about the stringer or crossmember locations, to determine if this is more than just fanciful thinking on my part.Does anyone have any idea of the locations of stringers and crossmembers, distance from floor to hull, etc in the main cabin area of a Bayliner 160? (The floor up in the open bow area is textured fiberglass, and I have no desire to try to cut into that, but I'm not real hesitant to cut a hole and build a hatch in the wood floor area, if it makes sense to do so.)
I'm naturally a little teeny bit afraid of opening that area up and finding all kinds of rot and ugliness down there (if I don't see it, it can't hurt me, at least not for a little while
), but even that would be better to know than not to know!Any other clever ideas from those more experienced than myself in terms of storage? I've contemplated trying to get the skis to fit under the gunnels in some type of holder or such, but its pretty tight in there w/ the seats close up against the sides.
Money is a serious object in this situation, so things like wake towers, stainless steel rack systems, etc are definitely not in play.
Thanks!
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