Bayliner 3255 – With an unusual bow thruster
During last week surveys, I came across an interesting bow thruster on a Bayliner 3255. As opposed to being built within a tunnel in the bow, the motor and props were externally mounted on the stem
I understand that these units are quite common in the USA being purchased off the shelf and can be DIY installed
Not a recommended installation
So, as you can see from the above picture, all of the bow thruster is exposed. And this is probably fine when sailing on the Broads (good for catching ropes etc) at a low speed but if one wants to enjoy a trip out at sea, two things are going to happen
1. The bow thruster will almost certainly be out of the water when the boat is planing
2. The chances of this unit suffering accidental impact damage are very high indeed
Since the vessel has twin outdrive propulsion and is reasonably small in length, It is better for the owner to practice control with the two engines and possibly consider removing the external bow thruster or investigating a way to have a bow thruster tunnel fitted.
Despite this slight concern, this boat was a good example of a Bayliner 3255. The interior was in a good condition with the usual fair wear and tear consistent with a vessel of this vintage, no osmosis was found and the boat was strongly built.
The usual questions were raised regarding the condition of the legs and since when buying a boat you are also buying one or two engines with it, we always recommend having a qualified marine engineer carry out an in-depth inspection of the out-drive units as they can be notoriously expensive to be put right.
Plus have an engine Oil Inspection Analysis which we offer as a service
For more information contact European Marine Services Ltd (inc European Marine Surveys) Tel : 01603 327 123 www.europeanmarinesurveys.com
