Bayliner 180 Bowrider Review and Specs [Video]

Marketed from 2003 through 2020, the Bayliner 180 Bowrider was a nice little runabout powered by 90-125hp Mercury outboard motors. The manufacturer also offered this model with MerCruiser sterndrive engines under the name of Bayliner 185 Bowrider.

Bayliner 180 Bowrider Review

Hull and Top Deck

Bayliner runabouts have always been known for their simplicity and affordability, and the 180 Bowrider (180 BR) was no exception.

As the name suggests, she was a versatile 18-foot dayboat featuring a bowrider-style top deck layout.

During her long life, this model underwent some upgrades and cosmetic changes, but her main architecture remained essentially unchanged for a decade and a half.

In the early years, she was built on a 17-degree modified V fiberglass hull redesigned with a steeper (19-degree) deadrise in the 2010s.

Featuring a sleek sporty design, the overall length of the boat was exactly 18 feet with a beam of 7.5 feet.

Due to the small dimensions and minimalist features, the advertised dry weight of the boat was only 1,878 pounds alone and 2,315 pounds on a painted factory trailer.

Figuring in the weight of a full tank of gas, safety equipment, and some personal gear, you could expect the gross trailering weight to be around 2,500-3,000 pounds.

These ballpark figures may change slightly due to the amount of gear, optional features, and the extra weight of optional engines.

Enjoying high gunnels with textured-grip surface and the Bayliner-exclusive Beam Forward Design, the top deck offered a lot of free space and under-seat storage.

It was rated at seven to eight passengers depending on the model year but was comfortable with just four or five passengers.

Tiny but practical, the forward lounge was designed with full wraparound seating, two cupholders, grab handles, and an optional bow filler cushion.

Besides the under-seat storage, you had two console storage compartments located behind the backrest cushions.

Moving aft, the cockpit was protected from the elements with a curved walk-thru windshield.

Passengers appreciated the full-beam aft bench seat, which was fitted with nice cushions and lumbar support backrests.

Depending on the year, the cockpit was completed with either swivel bucket seats or back-to-back lounger seats.

The latter configuration had more cockpit seating but sacrificed a lot of free deck space.

Despite her affordable price tag, the 180 BR still had many convenience features and amenities like snap-in carpets, side panel cushions, grab handles, cup holders, and a 120W waterproof audio system.

You could load your gear into sizable storage compartments nestled in side panels and under the seats.

An in-floor ski storage and a lockable port console storage compartment also came standard.

At the helm, you had a shift/throttle lever, a tilt steering wheel, and an easy-to-read dash with a non-glare coating.

Instrumentation included the most essential gauges like tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge, and voltmeter.

At the stern, you had an integrated outboard swim platform with a retractable three-step swim ladder and grab handles.

Optional features included a ski tow pylon, a net bay storage system, a galvanized trailer, an hour meter, a depth indicator, and custom color schemes.

You could also order Sunbrella canvas packages including a Bimini top, bow well cover, cockpit cover, mooring cover, and more.

Engines and Performance

As a rule of thumb, Bayliner offered the 180 BR exclusively with single Mercury outboard options.

In the early years, the offering included many 2-stroke engine options, but from the mid-2010s their 4-stroke successors became more prevalent due to environmental regulations.

To be more precise, the 180 BR debuted with a standard 2-stroke 90hp DFI OptiMax while the list of optional engines included a 4-stroke 90hp EFI, 4-stroke 115hp EFI, and 2-stroke 125hp DFI OptiMax variants.

Even though Brunswick manufactured their 2-stroke Mercury OptiMax outboards until early 2018, they stopped using them on Bayliner Bowriders in 2014.

Hence, the 2015 180 BR was only available with 4-stroke engine packages including the standard 90hp, and the optional 115 and 150hp.

Fitted with the 90 and 115hp engines, the 180 Bowrider topped out at close to 40 mph and cruised in the mid-20s.

In contrast, you could expect a top end in the mid-40s with the more powerful 125hp engine option.

As reported by the manufacturer, the exact performance data of the different engine packages were as follows:

Engine	90hp DFI Merc OptiMax	90hp EFI Merc 4T	115hp EFI Merc 4T	125hp DFI Merc OptiMax
Cruise mph	25.2 mph	25.5 mph	23.2 mph	30.1 mph
Cruise gph	4.4 gph	4.9 gph	3.9 gph	5.6 gph
WOT mph	38.2 mph	40.8 mph	40.5 mph	44.1 mph
WOT gph	8.0 gph	9.2 gph	11 gph	10.8 gph
Prop	13×19 AL BLK MAX	13×29 AL BLK MAX	13.25×17 AL BLK MAX	13×19 AL BLK MAX
Range @ Cruise rpm	103 mi	94 mi	107 mi	97 mi
Cruise load weight	2,981 lb.	3,098 lb.	3,023 lb.	2,987 lb.

Thanks to its solid hull and powerful engines, this boat could tow a wakeboarder or tuber with ease.

The optional engines especially promised quick and hassle-free starts even with heavy riders.

The well-designed hull of the 180 also offered easy predictable handling, which made the model an excellent choice for novice boaters.

What’s more, thanks to its outboard power options and simple features, she proved to be fairly reliable and durable in the long run.

Specifications

The factory specifications of the Bayliner 180 Bowrider were as follows:

Dimensions and Capacities

Overall Length (LOA)	18’ 0”
Beam*	7’ 6” or 7’ 7”
Hull Draft	1’ 8”
Max Draft*	2’ 7” or 2’ 10”
Dead Rise*	17° or 19°
Height – Waterline to top off windshield	3’ 10”
Approx weight w/ standard engine	1,878 lb.
Approx weight w/ trailer	2,315 lb.
Fuel Capacity*	23 or 28 gal.
Max People Capacity*	7 or 8 persons
Max Weight Capacity (persons, gear, motor)	1831 lb.
Storage Length	20’ 2”
Beam on Trailer	8’ 6”
Height on Trailer	5’ 10.5”

Engine Packages*

Std. Engines	90hp Mercury OptiMax, 90hp Mercury 4-stroke
Opt. Engines	115hp Mercury 4-stroke, 125hp DFI Mercury OptiMax, 150hp Mercury 4-stroke

* May vary depending on the year

Disclaimer: Specifications in these charts are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.

Takeaways

Introduced in the mid-2000s, the Bayliner 180 Bowrider carried over the legacy of the 180 Capri.

This lively versatile 18-foot budget bowrider was built on a modified V fiberglass hull and enjoyed single Mercury outboard packages.

Designed with families and beginner boaters in mind, she came with simple features, a relatively low weight, and a very reasonable price tag.

Due to a small lightweight construction, this runabout was easy to store and tow, even by a small vehicle.

Therefore, it is not surprising that you can see many of these boats out of the water.

If you are looking for a 180 Bowrider for sale, you can find plenty on eBay, Craigslist, or FB Marketplace.

Based on our research, their asking prices average $10,000 but be prepared to pay $15,000-$20,000 for a more equipped one with a newer engine.