Engines & Drives
If you are shopping for a used fibreglass bowrider, there is a good chance it has a stern drive. Knowing the difference between the legs is the difference between a bargain and a project.
A practical guide to the stern drive legs used in bowrider boats, what each suits, and how to inspect one before you buy.
The bowriders that come up most often when readers ask us where to start.
The world's best-selling bowrider size, in its most accessible form: 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
The previous-generation classic. Millions of families learned to boat in one of these.
US$8,000 - US$22,000 used
The most common leg on family bowriders up to about 300 hp. Light, efficient and cheap to service, but not designed for sustained high-torque abuse. Ideal for a 4.5L V6 family boat.
Heavier duty, used behind V8 power and on larger or heavier hulls. Bravo One suits high-speed single-prop applications, Bravo Three uses counter-rotating twin props for grip and docking control.
Twin contra-rotating propellers give exceptional grip, straight-line tracking and low-speed manoeuvrability. Fitted to premium bowriders such as the Cobalt R6, often with joystick docking.
Check the bellows for cracking and the date stamp, inspect anodes, look for milky drive oil which indicates water ingress, and feel for play in the gimbal bearing by rocking the leg. Look closely at the transom shield for corrosion, particularly on saltwater boats.
Budget for bellows and drive service on any boat where the history is unclear. It is far cheaper than the alternative.
