Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

[sammyjacob]

I'm totally new this forum and this will be my first Boat so I'd really appreciate any help/advice you can provide. <br /><br />I'm considering buying one of the above boats for use in the open sea. My intended use will be purely for fun - probably a couple of hours/week. Maximum persons on board at any one time will be four adults. My main concerns are Reliability, Economics both operational and servicing and Performance. I appreciate there's a substantial difference in cost but would it be worth paying the extra bucks for the Four Winns? Both come with the Mercruiser 135hp stern drive. <br /><br />Thanks for any advice in advance.

 

[JB]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

Hi, Sammy.<br /><br />The Four Winns is worth the extra bux and more worth the bux than the B'liner.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

Double dog ditto.....<br />p.s.....Welcome aboard!!!!

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

I'd go with the Four Winns. Even if the Bayliner is actually fine, the stigma can drive resale pricing down. 17 feet is a bit small for open seas, so you'll really want to pay attention to weather forcasts, and learn how to read the water. Also, if it is a bowrider you end up with, leave the cover snapped in place on the bow unless it is being used, otherwise that open bow turns into a huge scoop that allows water into the boat if you end up in rough water and have the water breaking over the bow. Maybe going with a larger used boat is an option?

 

[RatFish]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

I'm considering buying one of the above boats for use in the open sea.

Neither.

 

[KCook]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

I agree with RatFish. If you must run a boat this small on the open sea, then it should be a Center Console, not an I/O bowrider.<br />

<br /><br />Kelly Cook

 

[sammyjacob]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

Thanks guys for the advice. Very much appreciated. I should have added that I'll never be more than a mile out from shore and have no intention of taking the boat out in choppy seas (or am I still missing the point)! However, the boat will be stationed in the Marina. Are there any precautions one should take to avoid the demaging affects of the salt water or should such a boat/motor never be left in such a situation. I've decided to go with the Four Winns.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

If you are leaving it in salt water, you will have to get the bottom of the boat painted with barrier paint to prevent bilsters and bottom paint to prevent growth. If you are getting an IO, you will also have to get the outdrive and transome shield painted with antifouling paint as well. Closed cooling should be installed even before you use it in salt, it will greatly prolong the live of an IO powerplant. Having said that, if you are going to leave it in salt, look at the Four Winns Freedom 180 outboard, an outboard may cost more at first but will need less maintenance over time, and it can be tilted up out of the water, minimizing corrosion.<br />If you want to stick with an IO, I'd get a larger used Four Winns, the difference between a 17 ft boat and a 20 ft boat when it gets a little windy (even if you stay in protected bays) is significant. The 200 Horizon is an ideal size, big enough for you to feel secure but not too hard for a beginner to handle.

 

[RatFish]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

I have a 20' Bayliner that I occasionally take out in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New Jersey. I always stay within a couple of miles of the coast. I only go out when 3' seas or less are predicted. I don't know where you are located but here in NJ the inlets that lead out to the ocean are often very rough, usually much rougher than the ocean. <br /><br />An outboard is better suited for the saltwater environment. If you do get an I/O, consider installing a flush device like the MST Guardian. Make sure you install a VHF radio or at least get a good hand held VHF radio. Also, frequently check the condition of you zincs.

 

[krnch]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

Sammy J - we were considering the exact same two boats this past spring. We went with the Horizon 170 and have no regrets. The Bayliner looked a lot more affordable at first, but by the time you added canvas and all of the other necessities to the Bayliner that the Four Winns came with, the cost of the Four Winns wasn't that much more. We've had our boat out in some pretty rough water (3 to 4' plus waves) and it handles very predictably. It has a pretty deep V (21 degree deadrise) which really helps it cut through the chop. A bigger boat would be nice for rough water, but to date, we have never nose dived through a wave. The Horizon 170 is 6" wider than the Bayliner 175 and I think this makes a big difference for lateral stability. The boat feels very stable for it's size. Quite roomy inside too for a 17'-18' footer. The Bayliner is a little lighter, so it will be a little faster, but I still get about 43 to 44 MPH with the 3.0 Volvo and fuel economy is quite good (about 4 GPH).

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

resale value will be MUCH higher for the 4Win too.

 

[ANDREW SMITH]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

Originally posted by krnch:<br /> Sammy J - we were considering the exact same two boats this past spring. We went with the Horizon 170 and have no regrets. The Bayliner looked a lot more affordable at first, but by the time you added canvas and all of the other necessities to the Bayliner that the Four Winns came with, the cost of the Four Winns wasn't that much more. We've had our boat out in some pretty rough water (3 to 4' plus waves) and it handles very predictably. It has a pretty deep V (21 degree deadrise) which really helps it cut through the chop. A bigger boat would be nice for rough water, but to date, we have never nose dived through a wave. The Horizon 170 is 6" wider than the Bayliner 175 and I think this makes a big difference for lateral stability. The boat feels very stable for it's size. Quite roomy inside too for a 17'-18' footer. The Bayliner is a little lighter, so it will be a little faster, but I still get about 43 to 44 MPH with the 3.0 Volvo and fuel economy is quite good (about 4 GPH).

 

[RatFish]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

RebelRipper, What's your point?

 

[swist]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

Can you swim a mile in cold water? "keeping close to shore" is a false comfort in many situations. Depending on the wind and the bottom contour, the seas can be worse than father out. The ocean is the ocean and it's a very hostile environment for a bow-rider - "rogue" waves of much bigger than normal size can come up on a rough day. Does it make a difference if you drown 1 mile offshore or 100 miles?

 

[KCook]

Re: Help: Bayliner 175 or Four Winns Horizon 170

Dunno about Boston waters. But in coastal waters I have experienced there is considerable boat traffic close to shore whereas out in the open water the boats scatter. Thus better odds of help showing up when close to shore.<br /><br />Kelly