Was 1987 a good year for a 21' Bayliner Capri Cuddy?
I've heard that Bayliner boats were not holding up as well for some years,
while other years are more desirable.


When a boat gets to the ripe old age of 17, the year it was built means a lot
less than the type of care (including storage) it has received since new. There
are probably some 1987 Bayliner Capri Cuddys out there in marvelous shape- not
because they were built in 1987, particularly, but because they have been
treasured ever since.

One of the problems with the smaller Bayliners, and to a degree the smallest
boats sold by almost anybody- is that a high percentage of the buyers for these
boats are first time boaters. They would take better care of their boats if
they knew how to- but they don't. Machinery doesn't get serviced frequently
enough, or properly.
The boats are allowed to collect rainwater or fresh lake water in the bilge,
accelerating rot.

Best advice is to look at *any* used boat very carefully. Don't fall in love
too soon. Get a surveyor to look over the boat, even though some dock walking,
non-boat-owning geezers will say, "Fer crissakes, its a 21-foot boat!". Last I
checked, the hourly rate for repairing a 21-footer is the same as that for a
60, so get that survey before you get all excited.
It's like modern dating- nobody should get naked without a recent STD test.

(Capri is currently the entry-level series of Bayliner boats, don't know if
that was so in 1987 or not. The next level up in the current production, Ciera,
appears to be built to a higher standard. There's a limit to what you can put
into a boat and still offer it for $9995 including motor and trailer.)