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The Silver Boats Silver Shark BR is a mid-size bowrider built in welded and pressed marine-grade aluminium by Silver Boats of Finland, a builder trading since 1970s. On our measurements it works out at roughly 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m) of hull with a beam near 8 ft 10 in (2.69 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. Finnish aluminium hulls wrapped in fibreglass topsides — the best of both materials.
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 10 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.
The ride is what most owners talk about first. Deadrise through the forward sections knocks the top off bay chop, the running surface aft keeps the boat stable at rest, and the hull sits level when six people crowd one side to watch a skier. Inside the bay it feels planted and predictable, which is exactly what a family boat needs.
Power is a 150-225 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 Silver 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.
Anglers do well out of the Silver Shark BR. The bow converts to a casting deck once the cushions are stowed, there is room to swing a rod without hitting the screen, and lockers swallow tackle, nets and a cooler. It is not a dedicated fishing boat, but it catches fish and it still takes the family out the next morning — which is the entire argument for owning a bowrider.
Build and finish sit where you would expect for a mid range boat from Finland. Silver Boats uses an unusual and clever construction method: a welded aluminium hull bonded to a moulded fibreglass deck and topsides. The alloy bottom takes the punishment of rocky Finnish shorelines, ice and trailer abuse, while the GRP upper structure delivers the smooth styling, integrated seating and moulded storage of a conventional fibreglass bowrider. For owners who want alloy durability without alloy's boxy looks and drumming noise, it is a genuinely appealing compromise. The Hawk, Eagle and Shark ranges include bowrider layouts from around 5 to 7 metres, with deep forward seating, walk-through screens, self-draining cockpits and outboard power. Nordic design priorities apply throughout: high freeboard, secure handholds, sealed lockers and hulls tuned for short chop. Silver is a strong seller across Finland, Sweden, Norway and the Baltic states, and the boats have an excellent longevity reputation because the vulnerable part of the structure is metal. Used values are firm, particularly for later models with modern Yamaha or Mercury power.
Options worth having on the Silver Shark 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. Aluminium hulls also reward a good trailer with proper skids, because the plating marks more easily than fibreglass on a poorly set-up trailer.
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 Silver Shark BR is US$50,000 - US$66,000 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. Silver Boats has been refining that formula since 1970s, and the Silver Shark 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
Comparisons
Resale is rarely the reason people buy a boat, and it is often the reason they regret one. Over the last decade the market has shifted decisively toward outboards, and that shift now shows up clearly in what used bowriders sell for and how quickly. Buyer demand for outboard-powered bowriders has grown steadily, driven by simpler maintenance, easier repowering, more cockpit space and quieter, cleaner modern four-strokes. Dealers report faster sales and firmer prices for outboard boats in most markets. Sterndrive bowriders, once the default, now attract a smaller pool of buyers. They still sell well when priced correctly and presented with good service history, but they typically sit longer and negotiate harder, especially in saltwater regions. The concern is maintenance rather than performance. Bellows, gimbal bearings, u-joints, exhaust manifolds and risers all have finite lives, and a neglected sterndrive can present a large bill. Buyers price that risk in even when the specific boat has been maintained impeccably. Repowering compounds it. Replacing an outboard is essentially a bolt-on job with a known price; replacing a sterndrive engine and leg is more involved, more expensive and often uneconomic on an older hull. That perception caps what older sterndrive boats can fetch.
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