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Brands & Models
The bowriders built between roughly 1995 and 2015 are the backbone of the used market. Many are excellent value; a few are traps.
The previous-generation bowriders that still make brilliant used buys, what they got right, and what to watch out for.
The Bayliner 185 and 195, the Sea Ray 180 and 190 Sport, the Chaparral 200 SSi, the Glastron GT 205 and the Four Winns Horizon range. All were built in huge numbers, all are mechanically simple, and all can be bought for a fraction of new money.
Simplicity. Carburetted or early EFI V6 engines, mechanical steering, minimal electronics and layouts that were designed around people rather than screens. Fewer systems means fewer failures.
Wood cores in transoms and stringers on some budget hulls, ageing bellows and transom assemblies on stern drives, UV-cooked upholstery, and trailers that have quietly rusted through. Price these in before you negotiate.
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
Comparisons
Bowriders and deck boats look related, and many buyers cross-shop them. The difference sits entirely in the bow: a bowrider tapers to a pointed entry, while a deck boat carries its beam right forward to a broad, blunt bow. That one change alters space, ride and personality completely. The deck boat wins on volume. Carrying full beam to the bow creates a large forward lounge area, often with a walk-through gate and space for four or five people up front. Total capacity on a deck boat is typically two to four higher than a bowrider of the same length. The bowrider trades that volume for a narrower, more sheltered bow. Its forward lounges are more intimate, better protected from spray, and more comfortable at speed because they sit further inboard. A pointed bow parts waves. That is why bowriders ride more comfortably in a chop, stay drier at speed and handle open water better. Deck boats with blunt bows can pound and throw spray when conditions get lumpy, though modern deck boat hulls are far better than early designs. Deck boats are more stable at rest, thanks to that carried-forward beam, and they plane easily. For calm lakes and rivers they are excellent. For coastal…
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