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Materials & Sizes
Three materials dominate bowrider construction, and each one changes the boat's character completely. Choose the material before you choose the brand.
Aluminium, fibreglass and polyethylene bowriders compared on ride, weight, durability, repairability, resale and cost.
Fibreglass rides best and looks best, but is heavier and harder to repair after impact. Aluminium is lighter, tougher and easier to fix, but noisier and less refined. Polyethylene is nearly indestructible and cheap, but limited to small sizes and basic layouts.
For open water and long days aboard, fibreglass. For rough ramps, remote launching and hard use, aluminium. For a knockabout tender or a lake runabout on a budget, plastic.
A 17 ft 9 in (5.40 m) aluminium bowrider might weigh 1,650 lb (750 kg) on the trailer. A comparable fibreglass hull will be closer to 2,650 lb (1,200 kg). That difference decides which vehicle you need and how easily you launch alone.
Fibreglass bowriders from established brands hold value best in most markets. Aluminium holds up strongly in Australia and New Zealand, where alloy is the mainstream choice. Plastic boats depreciate least in absolute dollars simply because they cost little to begin with.
The bowriders that come up most often when readers ask us where to start.
The world's best selling bowrider size, Light, simple and easy to tow.
US$38,000 - US$52,000 new
The refined mainstream benchmark: quiet, dry, and beautifully finished for the money.
US$72,000 - US$95,000 new
15.5 ft fibreglass Bayliner bowrider with stern drive power — entry level pricing and a classic convertible bowrider layout.
US$26,000 - US$34,000 new
Featured Boat of the Week
This week we are putting the Bayliner Bayliner DX2000 in the spotlight, and it earns the spot. At 20 ft 2 in (6.16 m) long on a 8 ft (2.44 m) beam, this is a bowrider that reads the water well and still feels roomy enough for a full day out. A 20-foot deck-boat-width bowrider with outboard power and a huge social cockpit. Power comes from 115-150 hp mercury fourstroke outboard through a outboard package, and the fibreglass hull keeps the ride settled when the afternoon breeze puts a chop on the surface.
Seating is rated for 8 people, so there is space for family, friends, towels, eskies and the tow rope without anyone climbing over gear. Owners tend to buy it for family, water ski, leisure — which is exactly where it shines. Fuel is 30 us gal (114 l), and on the second-hand and new market you should expect to land somewhere around US$42,000 - US$58,000 new depending on hours, trailer and options.
Our full deep dive covers the layout in detail: bow lounge comfort, helm ergonomics, the rear entertaining area, storage that actually swallows a weekend, plus standard features, popular options and honest notes on where the boat compromises. If the Bayliner DX2000 is on your shortlist, start there — and check back next week, because the featured boat changes every week as we complete more full model reviews.
Featured Bowrider Article
Buying Advice
Family boating rewards getting size right more than any other use. Too small and half the family sits uncomfortably; too big and the boat becomes a logistical project you use less often. Here is what each size band actually delivers. This size is the easiest boat to own. It tows behind a family SUV, fits in a garage, launches solo and costs the least to run. Four to six people fit, which suits a family of four with room for a friend. The limits appear in rough water and on longer trips. Light hulls of this length get bounced by a chop, and a full load slows the boat noticeably. For lakes, rivers, calm bays and short outings it is often the most-used boat in a family's history. This is where most families end up, and for good reason. Six to eight people fit comfortably, the hull has enough weight and deadrise to handle a seabreeze chop, and the boat still tows behind a mid-size SUV and fits on a single-axle or light tandem trailer. It is also the deepest part of the used market, which means better choice when buying and easier selling later. Bow lounges are long enough for adults, rear seating usually…
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