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The Bella Boats Bella 700 BR is a large bowrider built in moulded fibreglass by Bella Boats of Finland, a builder trading since 1972. On our measurements it works out at roughly 22 ft 12 in (7.00 m) of hull with a beam near 9 ft 10 in (2.99 m), which places it squarely in the trailerable family bowrider class: one vehicle, one trailer, one afternoon of prep, and the boat is in the water. Practical Finnish family bowriders with a strong reputation for durability and value.
Layout is classic bowrider and that is the whole point of the boat. Twin lounges run forward of the windscreen with a walk-through to the anchor well, the helm and companion seats sit amidships behind a wrap screen, and a full-width lounge spans the transom for sunbathing and socialising. Around 11 people fit aboard comfortably in sheltered water. Cushions lift out, backrests fold and filler pads convert the cockpit from a conversation pit into one long sun bed in a couple of minutes.
Underway the Bella 700 BR behaves the way a well-sorted large bowrider should. It comes onto the plane early, holds a low tow speed without wallowing and tracks flat through a hard turn instead of skating out. The extra waterline length pays off in chop, where the bow keeps working rather than slamming.
Power is a 190-285 hp four-stroke outboard package, and that suits both the hull and the way these boats are used. Keeping the machinery outside the hull frees up stern storage, simplifies servicing and removes the bellows and gimbal wear items that punish neglected stern drive boats. It also lifts the swim platform clear of the exhaust.
Watersports are well covered. A tow point is standard on almost every boat in this class, and Bella Boats owners regularly add a pylon or a folding tower for wakeboarding. A healthy outboard package pulls a slalom skier out of the water cleanly and tows children on an inflatable biscuit all day without protest. Skis, ropes and vests live in the under-floor and under-seat lockers so nothing sits underfoot while the boat is loaded.
Fishing is the quiet strength of this hull. Pull the bow cushions and the forward lounge becomes an open casting platform with clear access all the way around the bow, and the rear lounge lifts out to open up the transom and side gunwales. Ten minutes of work turns the family boat into a genuinely capable fishing boat, and ten minutes the other way turns it back again before anyone gets home.
Build and finish sit where you would expect for a mid range boat from Finland. Bella has been building fibreglass boats in Kuopio, Finland since 1972 and is one of the Nordic region's highest-volume producers. The range spans small utility boats up to 9 metre cabin cruisers, with several genuine bowrider layouts in the middle. Bella's approach is pragmatic: strong laminates, self-draining cockpits, high freeboard, deep bow seating with real backrests and enough dry storage for a Nordic family's wet-weather gear. Hulls are tuned for choppy lake and archipelago water rather than open ocean, and they are notably stable at rest, which matters when the boat is used for swimming and fishing as much as cruising. Fit-out is honest rather than showy — hose-out surfaces, hard-wearing upholstery and simple, legible helm layouts. Because Bella sells in such volume in Finland, Sweden and Norway, used examples are plentiful and affordable, and they have a reputation for still being structurally sound at thirty years old, which is the strongest possible endorsement of the construction.
Options worth having on the Bella 700 BR are the practical ones: a bimini for shade, a decent bow and cockpit cover so the upholstery survives being stored outside, an upgraded sounder if you fish, and a stereo package that can be heard over the engine. On fibreglass, a ceramic coat or a good polish once a season keeps the gelcoat looking new and protects resale.
As a used buy, check the same things you would on any bowrider in this size band: transom firmness, stringer and floor soundness, hours and service history on the engine, steering and trim function, and the state of the upholstery seams, which are the first thing to fail on a boat that lives uncovered. Boats from this builder hold their money well, so a tidy example will not be cheap, and that is usually a sign you are buying the right one.
Our price guide for the Bella 700 BR is US$60,000 - US$79,000 new, which moves with engine choice, trailer, tower and how recently the boat was refreshed. Judged as a whole, it does what people buy a bowrider for: cruise, tow, swim, fish and entertain in one boat, without asking the family to compromise on any of them. Bella Boats has been refining that formula since 1972, and the Bella 700 BR is a straightforward, well-judged expression of it.
The world's best selling bowrider size, Light, simple and easy to tow.
US$38,000 - US$52,000 new
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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
Capacity is the question every family asks first, and brochures answer it optimistically. There is a legal number, a physical number and a comfortable number, and they are rarely the same. Here is how to work out how many people your bowrider really carries. As a rough guide, a 4.8-5.2 m bowrider is rated for four to six people, a 5.5-6.0 m boat for six to eight, a 6.4-7.0 m boat for eight to ten, and a 7.6 m-plus bowrider for ten to twelve. Beam matters as much as length: a wide 6 m hull can seat more comfortably than a narrow 6.5 m one. Comfortable capacity is usually two people fewer than the rated maximum. A boat rated for eight is pleasant with six adults, cramped with eight, and unpleasant with eight adults plus eskies, boards and towels. Most bowriders carry a builder's plate stating maximum persons, maximum load in kilograms or pounds, and maximum engine power. The persons figure is calculated using an assumed average weight per person, which is often lower than real adult weights. The load figure is the one that matters. It covers people, fuel, gear and any accessories, so a full tank of fuel and a loaded esky reduce…
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