Bayliner Ciera 3055

Is this boat a candidate as a live-aboard for a single guy? It's hard to tell by the photos because wide angle lenses can make tiny spaces look huge. I don't see any with diesels so are they more for sport (go fast gas guzzler) or cruising?

Also, I saw one listed as 36' and one as 31'. Is there such a thing as a 36' long 3055?

The 3055 is a nice boat, there were several in the marina when we boated on a lake. It's roomy enough but being a express cruiser it doesn't have many windows so you have very limited views of what's outside. The main concerns for me as a liveaboard would be the size of the refrigerator and holding tank, I don't want to make frequent trips to the pump out. I also want a fridge big enough I don't have to go to the grocery store 2 or 3 times a week. We had a 2455 and we loved that boat, but after going to a 38' sedan bridge boat I don't want to give up the things that make it a comfortable liveaboard and a really nice cruising boat. There was a single guy at the lake who had a 3055 and he really enjoyed it on weekends, but his priorities were enough room for a half dozen guest, mostly young ladies, a great stereo, cold beer and being able to go fast. 36' is close to the overall length.


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I agree w/ River Cruiser...

We started w/ a 24 Ciera and it was a good starter boat for us. Cruised for 1 month and found it way too cramped - little hanging / other storage.

Soft top sunbridge style is great for wkends - wk cruising for longer time / live aboard my vote would be for hardtop and more "living" space & storage.

I've had several Bayliners...

1950
2452
2859
3488
4788

I have seen the 3055, and while it is a really good boat for what it is intended to do, I would not choose it to live aboard. The reason is that much of the boat only has a canvas cover, making the view out looking through canvass. The lower cabin areas are roomy for a boat in this size range but the windows are small.

If I were to choose a 30' boat for one person to live on, it would be the 2859 with Alaska bulkhead.

One person could be fairly comfortable on that boat. It has a raised pilothouse with a view, a nice cabin, head, and a nice cockpit.

The big thing is that it has large windows for a view, and enclosed cabin areas to easily heat and or cool. The raised pilothouse really adds space and being up high it allows an out of the weather place to get a 360 degree view of the surroundings.

I had a 2003 285, which was one notch smaller than the 305, which I think was previously called the 3055.

Another important thing to look at would be the head and shower. We really liked the 285, but having a separate shower was on the top of our "next boat" list.

Bayliners make great use of the available space. I liked the full camper enclosure. Sure, it was only vinyl and not glass, but it gave you "inside" space when needed, which could be converted to "outside" space when desired.

The cabin always seemed light and airy, even with smallish windows compared to a pilothouse cruiser. The windows are much bigger than a lot of sailboat cabins. We could always see out enough to know what's going on, but didn't feel like we were on stage all the time.

I'd say it's worth a look. There are enough boats like it out there that even if you find you don't like it, it will have been a worthwhile trip.

ksanders said:

I've had several Bayliners...

1950
2452
2859
3488
4788

I have seen the 3055, and while it is a really good boat for what it is intended to do, I would not choose it to live aboard. The reason is that much of the boat only has a canvas cover, making the view out looking through canvass. The lower cabin areas are roomy for a boat in this size range but the windows are small.

If I were to choose a 30' boat for one person to live on, it would be the 2859 with Alaska bulkhead.

One person could be fairly comfortable on that boat. It has a raised pilothouse with a view, a nice cabin, head, and a nice cockpit.

The big thing is that it has large windows for a view, and enclosed cabin areas to easily heat and or cool. The raised pilothouse really adds space and being up high it allows an out of the weather place to get a 360 degree view of the surroundings.

Click to expand...

I've looked at seveal Bayliners and it seems as though the only fuel option below 32' is gas. Is that a fact or are there just way more gas engines than diesel?

I like the 3270/3288's.

CaptTom said:

I had a 2003 285, which was one notch smaller than the 305, which I think was previously called the 3055.

Another important thing to look at would be the head and shower. We really liked the 285, but having a separate shower was on the top of our "next boat" list.

Bayliners make great use of the available space. I liked the full camper enclosure. Sure, it was only vinyl and not glass, but it gave you "inside" space when needed, which could be converted to "outside" space when desired.

The cabin always seemed light and airy, even with smallish windows compared to a pilothouse cruiser. The windows are much bigger than a lot of sailboat cabins. We could always see out enough to know what's going on, but didn't feel like we were on stage all the time.

I'd say it's worth a look. There are enough boats like it out there that even if you find you don't like it, it will have been a worthwhile trip.

Click to expand...

So basically the Ciera is more of a weekender lake boat? There are so many different models it's hard to keep them all straight.

scurvy-yard-dog said:

So basically the Ciera is more of a weekender lake boat? There are so many different models it's hard to keep them all straight.

Click to expand...

We had five people on ours for almost two weeks once. We took 3-week vacations all the time. I'd put it a few notches above "weekender", at least.

Also, we took it as far South as NJ, as far North as Eastport, ME and as far East as Nova Scotia. I wouldn't call it a lake boat. Granted, we couldn't get up on plane in open ocean all the time. But oh man, it was great when we could!

Mine was available with a diesel. But it added about 33% to the price tag, and a lot of extra weight. I don't think they sold too many of those.

It seems that in the US people prefer gas engines in these type of boats. I've been told by a dealer that people in So. America and Europe tend to prefer diesel.

There is a pretty big step up in cost for diesels. The premium will buy quite a bit of gas.

scurvy-yard-dog said:

I've looked at seveal Bayliners and it seems as though the only fuel option below 32' is gas. Is that a fact or are there just way more gas engines than diesel?

I like the 3270/3288's.

Click to expand...

The diesel units were underpowered. Gas big block was the best chocolate those boats

scurvy-yard-dog said:

So basically the Ciera is more of a weekender lake boat? There are so many different models it's hard to keep them all straight.

Click to expand...

They can make great ocean boats as well. Actually any 7,000 pound 30' boat is a bit big for many lakes, unless it's a big lake.

If you are anchoring out then we found the approx 40 gallon water tank good for two to three nights, with really short showers.

Remember size is relative. Last summer I saw a 30' sailboat arrive in Seward Alaska from New Zealand, with I'm sure stops in between. A older happy looking couple were there for about a week, hanging out in the sun relaxing, and reprovisioning before departing for points further south.

I'' guarantee that a 30' Bayliner has allot more living space than a 30' sail boat, so again size is relative to your desires.

One of our members SCARY took his 2855 with wife and kids all around southeast Alaska for several summers. My understanding is they had a great time!

If I were on a tight budget and willing to go to a 32' boat the one I'd pick hands down is the 32' Bayliner motor yacht series. Find an older one that has been well taken care of and you've got allot of boat for your boat buying $$ In these you get an economical Diesel engine (or two I don't remember) and a whole lot of space.

ksanders said:

I'' guarantee that a 30' Bayliner has allot more living space than a 30' sail boat, so again size is relative to your desires.

If I were on a tight budget and willing to go to a 32' boat the one I'd pick hands down is the 32' Bayliner motor yacht series. Find an older one that has been well taken care of and you've got allot of boat for your boat buying $$ In these you get an economical Diesel engine (or two I don't remember) and a whole lot of space.

Click to expand...

I'm starting to feel like a politician because I've flipped and flopped back and forth so much on the sailboat vs. trawler debate. I saw your post late last night and got on craigslist and typed in trawler. That helped because I don't know any of the manufacturers out there except for a very few and realized there are a lot of boats that could work for me in the 29' ro 36' range. I even saw a few that were in the 27' to 29' range, like Albin & Prairie Sedan, that looked doable if they're well built. I haven't got that far yet.

I like the beauty and/or romance of wind in the sails but I don't know if I'd be comfortable living full time on a boat that had such limited room below deck.

Thanks for the feedback.

By all means, flip and flop all over the place! The day before I saw my Bayliner 285 I would have sworn I'd never buy a chlorox-bottle design like that. But it fit all my needs, and my budget, better than the used boats I'd been looking at.

Likewise my present boat; I was looking for a single-engine trawler, something a bit newer than what I ended up with.

Long story short, do a lot of research, look at a lot of boats, be firm with a few "must have" features, but be flexible on the rest. The right boat will eventually find you, and when it does, you'll know it.