happy hooker
Crew Member
Wow dont click on that link if you have anything pressing in the next hour...Just spent an hour looking at some beauts there. Sea Sport site as well...
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What boat checks all these boxes
- Thread starter TenMile
- Start date
Wow dont click on that link if you have anything pressing in the next hour...Just spent an hour looking at some beauts there. Sea Sport site as well...
bigdogeh
Well-Known Member
nice paintjob. interested in painting another sometime?
Sir Reel
Well-Known Member
TenMile
Well-Known Member
Have had a couple of good long chats with the guys at Canmar Yachts about the Commanders. These guys know every one of the Commanders out there. He recommends only looking at Commanders from 1990 onward. Apparently they changed up their manufacturing and started filling the hull with foam filling all voids. Makes the boat stronger, quieter and a better ride. Also makes the boat more attractive as a candidate for a future repower from gas to diesel. He has a line on 2 boats that aren't currently listed for sale that we are discussing now.
TenMile
Well-Known Member
Ok, we seem to have narrowed things down to 3 boats (for now)
Monaro 298: - dedicated sleeping for 4 adults + sleeping space for 2 more. Wicked fishing machine. Might be a bit small for the family, but going to look at one tomorrow to see. Wife isn't wild about the galley down, but it seems to be in a bright open space. Of the 3 boats here, this one is the best fishing machine layout. No command bridge (which I've liked) but has great visibility.
Bayliner 3388: - excellent layout for family cruising. The best cruising design by far. 2 Queen berths, tons of storage, fantastic galley, huge flybridge, great price. Twin 250HP Cummins on shafts -- boat will cruise at 18kts and can get up to about 24kts. Massive flybridge all covered with hardtop over cockpit for nice dry fishing. But, concerned over the fishing capabilities of this boat and its ability to take a beating.
Commander 30 - Has sleeping for 6, but, have to convert both the dinette and/or settee for the kids. Excellent fishing boat, fantastic big water boat. Expensive but holds resale well.
Monaro 298: - dedicated sleeping for 4 adults + sleeping space for 2 more. Wicked fishing machine. Might be a bit small for the family, but going to look at one tomorrow to see. Wife isn't wild about the galley down, but it seems to be in a bright open space. Of the 3 boats here, this one is the best fishing machine layout. No command bridge (which I've liked) but has great visibility.
Bayliner 3388: - excellent layout for family cruising. The best cruising design by far. 2 Queen berths, tons of storage, fantastic galley, huge flybridge, great price. Twin 250HP Cummins on shafts -- boat will cruise at 18kts and can get up to about 24kts. Massive flybridge all covered with hardtop over cockpit for nice dry fishing. But, concerned over the fishing capabilities of this boat and its ability to take a beating.
Commander 30 - Has sleeping for 6, but, have to convert both the dinette and/or settee for the kids. Excellent fishing boat, fantastic big water boat. Expensive but holds resale well.
barrie
Active Member
Does the Monaro have the Alaskan cabin? If not, you might want to load the Crew on board and go fish in the rain for the day. Yikes! IMO, the Bayliner will give you all you want and more, eventually you can get a small (18'-20') tin boat like a Crestliner to tow behind. My buddy in La Connor WA, did that when his girls were teens. It was the best of both worlds, I know you fish Bamfield so on a good day you can still run out to bank or stick and stay in Barkley.
Sir Reel
Well-Known Member
Hey Terry,
You have 3 good choices there and have each one nailed as to pros and cons.
Personally I would go with the 30 Commander if it is not too much money as is a great boat for fishing and cruising plus resale will be very good. However I think the Bayliner 3388 is a lot of boat for the money. Great Cummins power and lots of room for the family in separate cabins. I have looked at those boats and thought they were a great deal. Look pretty sharp too. I chartered a 3888 Bayliner for a week and really liked it. We fished on it with some success. However when running on one diesel it is hard to steer the side of the running engine. Quite often we had to start up the other engine to complete a turn. The rudders are awfully small. On the 3388 I would put a Yamaha T25 centered on the swim grid and hooked up to your hydraulic steering. There is a valve you can get so that it can be disconnected from the system when not in use.
You have had a Bayliner for years and made it work. The 3388 has an 11'7" beam and is 18,000 pounds. Double the weight of the Bayliner 28 you had so is a much bigger boat.
Any one of those boats would be great though.
Good luck!
You have 3 good choices there and have each one nailed as to pros and cons.
Personally I would go with the 30 Commander if it is not too much money as is a great boat for fishing and cruising plus resale will be very good. However I think the Bayliner 3388 is a lot of boat for the money. Great Cummins power and lots of room for the family in separate cabins. I have looked at those boats and thought they were a great deal. Look pretty sharp too. I chartered a 3888 Bayliner for a week and really liked it. We fished on it with some success. However when running on one diesel it is hard to steer the side of the running engine. Quite often we had to start up the other engine to complete a turn. The rudders are awfully small. On the 3388 I would put a Yamaha T25 centered on the swim grid and hooked up to your hydraulic steering. There is a valve you can get so that it can be disconnected from the system when not in use.
You have had a Bayliner for years and made it work. The 3388 has an 11'7" beam and is 18,000 pounds. Double the weight of the Bayliner 28 you had so is a much bigger boat.
Any one of those boats would be great though.
Good luck!
TenMile
Well-Known Member
That 3388 really has me thinking. It is indeed a ton of boat for the money (the other two choices are sort of the opposite).
Steering has a couple of options. Either the kicker like you say or install an autopilot with a cockpit control. Adding a kicker has a snag as that boat as it is today comes in at 36'8" -- it has even had the bowsprit shortened. Might have to cut a notch in the swimstep and install the kicker on a bracket so it doesn't extend beyond any further. An autopilot is a more simple solution provided the boat can troll slow enough on one engine for fishing (it should). I can really see that 3388 lasting us a long time. Bayliner builds a boat to a certain price point -- and I do find that the quality and hardiness of the finishing is where the big difference lays here. That's really my big reservation here. Just want to be careful that I don't beat up to boat too badly. Lots of guys on the BOC that have the 3288 (the prior version of the same boat) and fish from them with several going offshore to Bamfield etc... Does make me feel somewhat more comfortable.
Steering has a couple of options. Either the kicker like you say or install an autopilot with a cockpit control. Adding a kicker has a snag as that boat as it is today comes in at 36'8" -- it has even had the bowsprit shortened. Might have to cut a notch in the swimstep and install the kicker on a bracket so it doesn't extend beyond any further. An autopilot is a more simple solution provided the boat can troll slow enough on one engine for fishing (it should). I can really see that 3388 lasting us a long time. Bayliner builds a boat to a certain price point -- and I do find that the quality and hardiness of the finishing is where the big difference lays here. That's really my big reservation here. Just want to be careful that I don't beat up to boat too badly. Lots of guys on the BOC that have the 3288 (the prior version of the same boat) and fish from them with several going offshore to Bamfield etc... Does make me feel somewhat more comfortable.
barrie
Active Member
Tenmile,
If that's the boat at Custom Yachts you should Buy the Bayliner! My buddy fishes a 32 bayliner with Hinos for the last 10 years p. WITHOUT trolling valve. No problem . Not sure if the cummins will need one. You get a lot of boat there for not much cash difference after the sale of your 28. I am shocked!
If that's the boat at Custom Yachts you should Buy the Bayliner! My buddy fishes a 32 bayliner with Hinos for the last 10 years p. WITHOUT trolling valve. No problem . Not sure if the cummins will need one. You get a lot of boat there for not much cash difference after the sale of your 28. I am shocked!
Sir Reel
Well-Known Member
If you are taking it for a test run try running on one engine. Like I said the 3888 we chartered ran fast (about 3 knots) and was very hard to steer even though no wind and a little current. You might need a trolling valve to get the speed down. I think you can upgrade the rudders to large size too. I have heard on the 45 and 38 they are a little dicey in following seas. Bigger rudders give you more control. The BOC may have more info on that. It may be with the older 3288's and 3888's though.
Good choice though I think Terry. Especially with the family as you describe.
Good choice though I think Terry. Especially with the family as you describe.
TenMile
Well-Known Member
Got on board the Monaro 298 today. Beautiful boat, but all 4 of us gave it the thumbs down -- took 30 seconds. Too small. Had less room than our Bayliner. Its a great fishing platform, and would be a great dual purpose boat for a couple, but not really well suited for a family.
Need to find a local Commander 30 the family can crawl aboard.
Need to find a local Commander 30 the family can crawl aboard.
barrie
Active Member
Sir Reel,
Yup, makes me shake my head ! When I look at what that Bayliner has to offer for the price it's hard to believe! About 8 years ago I sold my 1969 Bertram 31, for $73,000cdn . It had Twin 440 gassers and was no frills basic as could be! The new owner repowered with Volvo diesels! BIG BUCKS!! IMO, that Bayliner is a winner!
Yup, makes me shake my head ! When I look at what that Bayliner has to offer for the price it's hard to believe! About 8 years ago I sold my 1969 Bertram 31, for $73,000cdn . It had Twin 440 gassers and was no frills basic as could be! The new owner repowered with Volvo diesels! BIG BUCKS!! IMO, that Bayliner is a winner!
El Capitan
Member
If the Bertram is in Pt Hardy, I know it very well! Beautiful machine in great shape. You would never guess it age. The new owner is super happy with the power he installed, and flanged her out with quality electronics. Great ride and capable of handling crappy weather.
On another note, pursuit and tiara make a nice boat, and there are models with twin shafts and diesels. The finish is pretty nice and they ride awesome. I have a 2860 pursuit Denali and I'm happy.
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