Bayliner 4588 offshore capabilities-gctid395362

[Guest]

Hi everyone !

Hello from sunny Martinique, caribbean !

After intensive searchs, we finally settled on a Bayliner 4588 for our next full time cruisings.

The point is we can't seem to find info on sailing capabilities of this particular boat.

Has anyone of you 4588's owners cruised in open waters, say with 6 to 8 feet swell ? it's gonna be the sea conditions we'll find in the caribbean when one's crossing the channels or when northerns or tropical waves hit, with sometimes 30knts+ winds...

Do you have first hand experience on how the boat behave in rough conditions ?

Thanks for your answers

laurent, Martinique FWI

[ksanders]

I know for a fact the 47 will do that hands down. (and then some) :arr

Not allot of fun though, unless they're just long ocean rollers.

[Guest]

The 4588 will handle the conditions that you discribed. BUT, if you "have to", because you have not other options, take beam sea the ride can get sloopy. IMHO, there is no boat that will handle all sea conditions, each boats has it +/-.

[Guest]

I agree, the 45 will handle it with ease. If you have 25 to 30 knots of wind on the bow you will need to slow down otherwise the boat will pound making for a very uncomfortable ride. Good luck with your purchase.

45mike

[Guest]

Thanks for your insights, guys

Does anyone know if the salon windows, which are quite large, withstand offshore cruising. I'm wondering how they behave under wave crash ... and I know from 1st hand experience that sometimes waves crash on the boat from any direction...

[Guest]

The 45 should handle fine, Ive had my 4388 out in twice that. Question is the boat ready with proper maintenance, and do you have the capabilites to fix on the fly? if not youll be in trouble. Ive put $100K in my 43 and she is just like new, I also did the work myself have a full set of spares so I can fix if anything that goes wrong, hopefully giving me the edge. Most problems at sea are not due to the boat but to lack of maintenance and lack of owner knowledge. Best advice just dont go out in questionable seas or take your time and prepare to wait out weather.... Coon

[Guest]

Laurent972 wrote:
Thanks for your insights, guys

Does anyone know if the salon windows, which are quite large, withstand offshore cruising. I'm wondering how they behave under wave crash ... and I know from 1st hand experience that sometimes waves crash on the boat from any direction...

I have heard of cabin windows being blown out in a 3270 Bayliner, not offshore but in Georgia Strait in 10 foot seas. Not a lot of fun. The 45 has windows which are at a similar height from the water, so it is possible, but I have never heard of it happening.

[mmichellich]

I know of one 47 that lost one or more pilot house windows and two salon windows off the Wa/Or coast, but that was in worse seas than 30 knots of wind would bring. The 45/47 is at least uncomfortabe in a large beam sea.

[Pacrimrat]

I've never been on a mono hull in a beam sea that I considered comfortable.

Many people here have said the 45/47 with take more then you ever want to be exposed to.

[Dave_Stevens]

Bayliners are "bay" boats and not suited for open ocean and conditions of breaking waves. We have turned back many times in the Salish Sea due to high wind waves complicated by currents. It is, after all about "pleasure boating", not scaring the wits out of your passengers and yourself. Also, many times rough water will agitate the fuel tanks sufficiently to get crud in the fuel filters. There you are, bouncing around with no power. Keep Bayliners in the bay, where they are comfortable! If you want to go offshore get a displacement hull, sailboat or heavy trawler and have fun.

[Guest]

dave,

I do agree with you and I don't like to suffer while navigating too. That's one of the resaon I quit sailing sailboat and rather cruise on a motoryacht for long terms ...

But unluckily, you sometimes have to do with real bad weather (I do remember a nasty experience in the windaward passage beteen cuba and Haiti that I wouldn't like to live again).

And I wouldn't like a window to pop out filling the boat with each wave, hence my interrogations...

Displacement speed trawlers could be nice too but never find one nicer than the Bayliner 45. And having speed could be nice too in case of trouble...

[ksanders]

I've been in some pretty serious water in out 4788.

To get the details please read about our inside passage voyage in the captains log forum.

The Bayliner is no Nordhavn, but it is no wuss either. To call them "bay boats" is a tad of an understatement. They are good all around coastal cruisers.

I would not want to make a habit of heavy weather travel, but I would not shy away from open ocean crossings within the fuel range of the boat, and utilizing prudent weather planning.

For example I would not hestiate one second to take our 47 back accross the Gulf of Alaska. In fact I'll probably make that trip several times in coming years.