Our "new" boat

Tony, if you want even more space I just read an ad for this company in SEA magazine.--



Www.topsideindustries.com----

They apparently convert the fly bridge on your new boat into a SkyLounge, which is all the rage these days. Make things even more top heavy if you ask me.:confuse:


-- Edited by scarletbison on Thursday 12th of January 2012 03:58:57 PM

Woodsong wrote:
...my boat is better than yours ...your boat is worse than mine ...my boat is built the best...
If nothing else, from this thread I have walked away with a mental note to be sure and NOT hit a reef anywhere anytime soon and then I don't have to worry about how much resin is or is not in the layup.

Click to expand...

Sheriff Woody, if you ever run aground, just don't post any pics here.

BTW, Congrats on your new boat!* I look forward to reading about your new adventures with your family!

So, Rick, I don't think Ksanders is the only one interested to see what boat it is that has your heart (for the moment, anyway), is this what your boat is like, and is it the one you hinted at in past posts, (suggesting there was some work to be done), or is this one possibly going to be replaced by the one you have alluded to...?
http://www.4yachting.com/yacht_info.php?yid=12578

PS.* If it is one like this, then it's a damn nice boat, and as a fellow CHB owner, only of a 34'er, I am envious as anything.* "I need a bigger boat", but not to catch 'Jaws' with...just more interesting places to...well....renovate...and store stuff...and stack a few more people sometimes...


-- Edited by Peter B on Wednesday 18th of January 2012 03:57:24 AM

Old thread but just became relevant for us

We are seriously considering making an offer on a 4588. I was really hoping to see some comments here about "engine room" access. It really looks like it's going to be a serious detriment to conscientious maintenance schedules and ER checks while making a passage. Anybody have any experience with this? TIA

We have thought about a 4788 which is pretty close. The engine room access is bad to say the best. On the later 4788s I believe the center hatch was an option. If I were to own one, I would certainly make a new centerline hatch and also add some on the outboard sides of the engines. The port outboard side would be easy the starboard would be under the couches but may be worthwhile to move them and add hatches for future work.

A lot of folks really like their 4588/4788's. Nice layout, lots of interior space. But, that engine access is not good. I am spoiled with a near stand-up engine room. Having had that I would likely ever own a boat the engine room access to which is to pull up salon hatches. Doing pre-run checks each day makes it a chore to just getting underway, never mind any serious engine maintenance. Still, many folks love them and somehow, some way get along.

jbloyd said:

We are seriously considering making an offer on a 4588. I was really hoping to see some comments here about "engine room" access. It really looks like it's going to be a serious detriment to conscientious maintenance schedules and ER checks while making a passage. Anybody have any experience with this? TIA

Click to expand...

To me, the big question would be this: Does adding the centerline engine hatch provide good crawl-in access? If you can drop down the one hatch and crawl around to all of the major service / check points and only have to pull more hatches for major stuff, that's ok in my mind (and about the same as what I'm used to). But if a basic engine check requires pulling multiple hatches, leaning down through an open hatch, etc. I'd consider that unacceptable.

I too love good ER access. The DeFever's have this in spades. But, the Bayliners' ER in question, like a Fleming 55, can be accessed while cruising or at the dock provided you remove all non essential people from the salon and have secure hatch stowage so it doesn't fall on you.

Earmuffs, good lighting and physical dexterity are pluses. I prefer eyes on while cruising. Cameras are good for spotting occurring disasters, eyes on for preventing same. So lift the hatches, use the IR gun and have a good look at the normal trouble spots.

Everything is a trade off. To get really good access in this boat would result in a much higher center of gravity among other changes. There have been a huge number of these boats built so people are maintaining them somehow. Adding all the possible access hatches will certainly make maintenance much easier however it will never be a standup engine room. If that is necessary for you, then don’t get one of them. If you can live with the maintenance challenges then go for it.

Any Bayliner 4588 or 4788 owners?

Thanks for the comments re possible ER challenges in a 4588. But, are there any previous or current owners willing to comment? Today I did the cave crawl and found the layout to be only somewhat inconvenient as things were logically clustered and many of the most important (e.g.: coolant, oil, transmission, manifold routing valves, through-hulls, etc.) were fairly easily accessible. Shooting IR points seemed doable. A center floor hatch would certainly be a plus and I can add that later. Being 75, my youthful flexibility and stamina have dropped a notch or two lately but, I'm still pretty limber and spry. For my wife and I, the Defever 44 is probably the closest to our ideal but has also been beyond our financial reach (even looking at the 1980's models). We never sat around visualizing a Bayliner yet, here we are, about to profane the trawler crowd by embracing the dark side. The Ford of coastal cruisers.