Bayliner 219 Deck Boat

 

Issue: April/May 2006

ALL HANDS ON DECK

An innovative beam-forward design puts this bowrider in a class of her own.

WORDS + PHOTOS IAN MACRAE

Bayliner call her the 219 Deck Boat, but to the rest of us she's a 21-foot bowrider offering more room and more comfort than other boats her size. She can carry up to 11 adults and you'll still have enough space left over for skis, wakeboards, the Esky and a table.

Sure, she's no tournament ski boat, but for towing watersport toys and your average family skier, her wakes are fine. She's ideally suited to large, enclosed waterways such as Sydney Harbour. Why? Because she has a wide beam design that she carries well forward, which extends her interior room beyond that of similarly sized bowriders.

VERSATILITY'S THE KEY
Take up the wake tower option and the 219 can also carry the title of a half descent wakeboarder. Even without the addition of Fat Sacks, the weight of her 5lt EFI 260hp MerCruiser/Alpha I sterndrive combination and a couple of people seated on the aft quarter seats, allows her to wall-up a big enough wake to keep even intermediate wakeboarders happy.

What makes her a good harbour boat? Not only is her maximum beam positioned under the windscreen, which adds to the boat's ability to deliver a dry ride (it forces spray and waves down and away from the hull) she's another of the new generation of boats with wide, aggressive, down-turned chines. Working in conjunction with a sharp bow entry, is the deep-vee keel and large, reversed lifting strakes. The chines form mini tunnels that trap air for a soft ride, especially in the short chop conditions we normally experience on our larger lakes, bays and harbours.

read on below advertisement



Powered by that 260hp, 5lt, V8, she's no slouch in the speed stakes, topping out at 52mph at 4900rpm. Other speed-to-rpm readings were 10mph at 2000, 28mph at 3000rpm, 34mph at 3500rpm, and 38mph at 4000rpm. The hull doesn't need too much trim out to perform at her best and she will dance on her chines if you try to trim the leg out too far.

The 219 also has a 'step-hull' design, which breaks the water's surface tension, so the hull planes quick and easily and delivers better fuel economy.

Exploring our labyrinth of waterways, towing watertoys, skiing, wakeboarding, or just high-tailing it from one beautiful bay to the next for a picnic with family and friends, the Bayliner 219 Deck Boat has it covered.

LAYOUT
What makes her a great family boat are features such as the enclosed head for privacy, the extended swim platform, a transom shower to wash off the sand and salt after a swim and the bow boarding ladder. Nose her up to a beach and the whole crew can go ashore without everyone having to swim for it.

This is also one of the limited numbers of imported bowriders with an anchor locker. Yes, it is shared with the boarding ladder, but she has one and you can anchor at the bow. See, American boats do have more than just drink holders!

next page »



« go back