I sold our 1969 38' Hatteras tri-cabin last May 08, and, to expedite the sale, I took in the buyer's 1984 Bayliner 2850 Contessa Flybridge that was in excellent condition for the balance of the funds due. I immediately put it up for sale, never dreaming I would like a Bayliner. However, after we took it out several times, my family and I decided it was a "keeper" and took it off the market! I was blown away by the fact it would get up and plane easily with as many as 8 adults and two grandchildren and go 30 mph. We have owned many other boats and have had various experiences. We owned a 1974 28' Carver that had a semi-displacement hull that wouldn't go much faster than 10 miles per hour. We owned a 1989 26' Invader that wouldn't plane with more than two people in in unless I'd send my wife up front to make it plane, and, of course, that quickly killed that boat! We discovered the Bayliner 2850 Contessa Flybridge was everything we had been looking for to cruise the California Delta and San Francisco Bay waterways. It is much easier to maneuver a 2850 Bayliner into a waterfront restaurant dock than the 38' Hatteras! Had we known what we know now, we would not have bought the Hatteras, although that is an outstanding vessel, but was just too big for us and my thrifty wife cringed each time I'd fill it with gas. The Hatteras required three people to just dock it and I spent nearly $100,000 on the purchase and upgrades before realizing it was not the right craft for our retirement years. The Bayliner is like a tugboat that wants to be a speedboat. It is just a reliable vessel that has enough luxuries to satisfy us. It's kind of like, when I retired, I sold two rare Jaguars and bought a 2003 Honda Hybrid?one of the best financial moves I've made, even though I loved my prize winning Jaguars that I owned and competed on the national Concours d' Elegance circuit. The bottom line is few of us really know what we want until we get this expensive "tuition" life experience. Yes, I was shocked to see the Bayliner did not have a gas gauge on the top helm, but that was easily added at a minimal cost. I'm fortunate the top helm instrument panel sported a gas flow meter, plus a new Garmin color GPS 540S. I've added two stereos with i-Pod capability, a blue Formica cover over the top helm dashboard, a new three battery Pro charging system, and flat screen TV with new HD antennae. We also got rid of the original marine toilet and installed an electric Jabsco toilet with easy push button controls. I will soon add a PowerWinch 31 with a toggle switch control at the helm and an inverter system. The only problem encountered so far is the steering seems very difficult on the top helm and I may convert it to hydraulic steering to make it easier. The Chevy 350 with Volvo outdrive and duo prop has the reliability of my Honda Civic Hybrid and kicks butt. I'm so amazed that I will be changing the boat's name to "Unexpected Surprise!" The upgrades outlined should provide everything I'm looking for and I've finally found a boat to keep for many years to come. I might conclude by mentioning that the beds are extremely comfortable. I highly recommend the 1984 2850 Contessa Flybridge to any other boaters. Good ones like our 1984 model are for sale in the $10,000-$20,000 range.
