Bayliner 175 Flight Review | Australia's Greatest Family Boats
Bayliner has hit the mark with this value-packed budget blaster, the Bayliner 175 Flight. All judges commented on the performance the gutsy little four-cylinder MerCruiser sterndrive engine.
BAYLINER 175 FLIGHT REVIEW
The Bayliner 175 is a terrific boating platform, aided by recent updates to its Flight package. These include big launching pad, great-looking graphics, dropdown wake tower, integrated bimini and a convertible passenger seat/sunlounger. You can option-up with the Fish Package, gaining an electric trolling motor, livewell, fishfinder and rod storage at the expense of the tower.
The 175 includes power steering as standard and it works really well with the efficiency of a refined deep-vee hull. As you power through the rev range you can feel the hull telling you it’s keen for more.
The helm is simply a pleasure to operate and trimming the boat is child’s play. It’s a simple set-and-forget format that allows a novice to drive without fear of the unfamiliar.
The 175 also has a very low wake at speed which will please skiers, and you can produce a reasonable wave for wakeboarding by adding weight and trimming the leg out at lower speeds.
The layout is simple and extremely efficient, while ergonomics are inviting and comfortable. Construction quality is up there with the world’s best production boats and Bayliner keeps track with worldwide safety trends by foam-filling the hull.
With a combined boat-motor-trailer weight of around 1200kg the 175 is an easy-tow package. For first-timers, she’s hard to beat.
BAYLINER 175 FLIGHT RATING
Fun factor | 9.1 |
Innovation | 7.7 |
Design and layout | 8.4 |
Quality of finish | 7.5 |
Handling and ride | 7.7 |
Stability at rest | 8.3 |
Ergonomics | 7.7 |
Standard equipment | 8.4 |
Value for money | 9.4 |
X-Factor | 7.8 |
TOTAL SCORE | 82 |
UNDERSTANDING THE RATING SYSTEM
| Meet the judging panel | The rating criteria explained |
THE JUDGES’ NOTEPAD
Angelo Sangiorgio: “The Bayliner is solid. We hit a massive cruiser wake without a drama, the whole thing is really secure and if there’s four or five of you in the family it’s great entertainment. You can do just about anything out of it and the fuel usage for a day out is less than taking your family to the movies. It’s an indestructible engine, too.”
John Ford: “This is the value package of the lot. It’s great for someone starting out in boating, who wants something simple. You can save dollars compared to a much bigger boat that won’t do much more! She’s a great little boat. I really like it and to give a lifetime warranty on the hull you need to have confidence in your product.”
Kevin Smith: “Not everyone can afford top-of-the-range and this does it all, with a great price tag to match. The gearbox ratio and prop helps the little engine get you out of the water and once she’s up on the plane, she just keeps going. The graphics look great and you can use it for fishing, some cruising or even wakeboarding — all in one day.”
Matt Jones: “This is a pretty cool little family fun machine. It’s compact and value-packed, and at only around 1200kg tow weight you don’t have to change the family car either. That’s pretty appealing. I can really see a young couple, or perhaps a young family getting around in it having a ball. The big platform at the stern really makes a sweet little machine seem like a much bigger boat, too.”
John Willis speaks to Todd Kay from Bayliner: “This is the biggest selling fibreglass trailerboat in the world for really good reason — terrific safety, incredible all-round package and a great little performer. We have had the product for over 25 years and seen the history of incredible resale demand. Not to mention the security of a national dealer network. The way we package the boat there’s really no more to worry about. You just turn the key and it does water sports, running around or even a sneaky bit of fishing.
BAYLINER 175 FLIGHT SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 5.35m
BEAM: 2.11m
WEIGHT: Approx 1031kg (BMT std. model)
MAX. HORSEPOWER: 135
BASE PRICE: $29,990 (BMT)
PRICE AS TESTED: $33,900 (w/ Flight package)