It’s tough—nearly impossible—to find a modern boat large enough to house a cabin with an enclosed head, a galley, and a mid-cabin berth, that doesn’t cost as much as a house. Literally. The thought that you might be able to buy one for less cash than many modern SUV’s is outrageous. But if you wish such a boat existed, get ready for a surprise: Bayliner’s 245 Cruiser carries an advertised base MSRP of $55,558 at this very moment.
Now, of course at this price you won’t be getting all the bells and whistles. But many boats with three or four feet less LOA and no cabin cost this much. Besides, the 245 isn’t exactly stripped, either. A stereo system, Sunbrella Bimini top with boot, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and a 260-hp 5.0 Merc with an Alpha One drive are all standard features. And if you can part with a few more bucks, get dockside power, AC, and trade out the portable MSD for a fixed unit.
Added bonus: this is one of few cabin boats with these interior features (again, remember there’s an enclosed head, a galley, and an aft cabin berth) that can be trailered. In other words, if you like to check out new cruising grounds and head off for weekend-long adventures with another couple or the kids, the 245 has what it takes. And if you’re relatively new to the world of boating and you’d like to find out if this sort of over-nighting jaunt is something you’d enjoy, you can get into the game without breaking the bank.
Walk the docks these days, and you’ll hear a lot of whining and moaning about how boats have become too expensive for new people to get into boating. But the 245 proves that this simply isn’t always the case. And who needs one of those fancy SUV’s, anyway?
LOA – 24’1”
Beam – 8’5”
Draft – 2’9”
Displacement – 5,460
Max HP – 260
Fuel capacity – 64 gal.
Water capacity – 20 gal.
Everglades 230 DC
The dual-console design has made a come-back in the past few years, after more or less fading away. And that’s a good thing, especially for anglers who like to take the family fishing and maybe even pull a tow-toy now and again. If that sounds like you, and if you’re the kind of person who demands the very best in a boat’s construction and design, it might be time to check out one of the newer entries into this field: the Everglades 230 DC.
This is the first DC model ever produced by Everglades. The RAMCAP (rapid molded core assembly) construction method is used with all their boats. Different from the normal process of molding a hull and deck and then spraying foam in-between, instead they start with a core of pre-molded closed-cell urethane foam. Then, they pressure-bond the hull and deck together around that core. The resulting boat is a one-piece structure, and you can really feel the difference when you take a RAMCAP-built boat through rough water. There’s no hollow drumming sound, no vibrations shudder through the boat, and no parts squeak against each other as you smash through the waves. Yes, building a boat like this does cost more than your run-of-the-mill vessel. In fact, the 230 DC is one of the most expensive boats of this size and design around. But hey—you get what you pay for.
Wait a sec—I know what you’re thinking. If you get a DC model, won’t you have to trade off a lot of the common center console model fishing features, for family-oriented stuff? No way. The 230 DC has a 27-gallon lighted livewell, a 38-gallon fishbox, and four under-gunwale rodracks. In fact, when they designed this boat, there was really only one fishing sacrifice made: the port console space is utilized as a head compartment instead of keeping it small, using it for stowage, or building in a tacklebox. If I said that was a fair trade, my wife and all three kids would all agree with me for the first time in… well, for the first time. And even though such stout construction makes for a relatively heavy boat, the 230 DC scoots along at a cruise of 37-mph and hits a top-end of 48 mph with a single Yamaha F-300. Anglers—and family—start your engines.
LOA – 23’7”
Beam – 8’6”
Draft – 1’3”
Displacement – 3,800 (w/out power)
Max HP – 300
Fuel capacity – 112 gal.
Water capacity – 9 gal.
by Lenny Rudow
Now, of course at this price you won’t be getting all the bells and whistles. But many boats with three or four feet less LOA and no cabin cost this much. Besides, the 245 isn’t exactly stripped, either. A stereo system, Sunbrella Bimini top with boot, power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, and a 260-hp 5.0 Merc with an Alpha One drive are all standard features. And if you can part with a few more bucks, get dockside power, AC, and trade out the portable MSD for a fixed unit.
Added bonus: this is one of few cabin boats with these interior features (again, remember there’s an enclosed head, a galley, and an aft cabin berth) that can be trailered. In other words, if you like to check out new cruising grounds and head off for weekend-long adventures with another couple or the kids, the 245 has what it takes. And if you’re relatively new to the world of boating and you’d like to find out if this sort of over-nighting jaunt is something you’d enjoy, you can get into the game without breaking the bank.
Walk the docks these days, and you’ll hear a lot of whining and moaning about how boats have become too expensive for new people to get into boating. But the 245 proves that this simply isn’t always the case. And who needs one of those fancy SUV’s, anyway?
LOA – 24’1”
Beam – 8’5”
Draft – 2’9”
Displacement – 5,460
Max HP – 260
Fuel capacity – 64 gal.
Water capacity – 20 gal.
Everglades 230 DC
The dual-console design has made a come-back in the past few years, after more or less fading away. And that’s a good thing, especially for anglers who like to take the family fishing and maybe even pull a tow-toy now and again. If that sounds like you, and if you’re the kind of person who demands the very best in a boat’s construction and design, it might be time to check out one of the newer entries into this field: the Everglades 230 DC.
This is the first DC model ever produced by Everglades. The RAMCAP (rapid molded core assembly) construction method is used with all their boats. Different from the normal process of molding a hull and deck and then spraying foam in-between, instead they start with a core of pre-molded closed-cell urethane foam. Then, they pressure-bond the hull and deck together around that core. The resulting boat is a one-piece structure, and you can really feel the difference when you take a RAMCAP-built boat through rough water. There’s no hollow drumming sound, no vibrations shudder through the boat, and no parts squeak against each other as you smash through the waves. Yes, building a boat like this does cost more than your run-of-the-mill vessel. In fact, the 230 DC is one of the most expensive boats of this size and design around. But hey—you get what you pay for.
Wait a sec—I know what you’re thinking. If you get a DC model, won’t you have to trade off a lot of the common center console model fishing features, for family-oriented stuff? No way. The 230 DC has a 27-gallon lighted livewell, a 38-gallon fishbox, and four under-gunwale rodracks. In fact, when they designed this boat, there was really only one fishing sacrifice made: the port console space is utilized as a head compartment instead of keeping it small, using it for stowage, or building in a tacklebox. If I said that was a fair trade, my wife and all three kids would all agree with me for the first time in… well, for the first time. And even though such stout construction makes for a relatively heavy boat, the 230 DC scoots along at a cruise of 37-mph and hits a top-end of 48 mph with a single Yamaha F-300. Anglers—and family—start your engines.
LOA – 23’7”
Beam – 8’6”
Draft – 1’3”
Displacement – 3,800 (w/out power)
Max HP – 300
Fuel capacity – 112 gal.
Water capacity – 9 gal.
by Lenny Rudow