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Honors in Cruiser-ology
by Chris Caswell
Bayliner's new 3587 Motoryacht earns high marks in every subject
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Every fall, thousands of boaters bone up on their favorite subject by hitting the books: those full-color brochures with pictures of brand-new boats, distributed at boat shows.
But at least one boat builder has studied boaters' "want lists" as hard as boaters have studied their literature: Bayliner. If there were such a thing as a "College of Boat Building Knowledge" -- and Bayliner wanted a bachelor's degree in marketing, a master's degree in design and a doctorate in accounting -- it could get them all by taking faculty members through the new 3587 Motoryacht.
Earning the marketing degree would be easy: Bayliner has figured out exactly what boat owners want -- and provided it. Just ask the couples I overheard at a recent boat show, oohing and ahhing as they walked through the 3587.
Bayliner qualified for the design degree by taking a boat that measures just 34 feet, 8 inches overall and fitting in everything most family boat buyers want: three double staterooms, inside and flybridge helms, two heads, a comfortable saloon and a spacious covered aft deck. Amazing as it seems, the 3587 really does offer three honest-to-goodness private staterooms: a master stateroom aft, a guest cabin forward and an amidships cabin for children or overnight visitors.
Bayliner didn't get to be the biggest boat builder in the world by sheer luck, and the effort its staff continues to expend to understand and meet the needs of boat buyers is light years beyond that of most other companies.
Bayliner assembles focus groups to discuss boats in general, the company listens to its boat owners and the company encourages its dealers to participate, as well. The results give Bayliner a finely honed sense of what works and what doesn't in boat design and construction.
To someone used to yacht designers working with big sheets of paper, a coffee mug full of sharp pencils and a bunch of whale-shaped lead weights, the computer design system used by Bayliner (adapted from the aerospace industry) is another quantum leap ahead. The technology allows designers to not only fit more into a given hull, but to create intricate molds that take full advantage of fiberglass technology.
Where a designer might once have spent hours or days balancing the size of one cabin against another, Bayliner's wizards can do it in hours, while comparing almost infinite variations.
Still, most designs look good on paper. The proof of how well any new boat accomplishes its goals is in the sea trial.
Taking a Ride
We tested Bayliner's 3587 off San Diego, on a warm, clear summer day. Power for our test boat was provided by a pair of optional Hino 250 hp diesels, although the standard powerplants are twin 300 hp 7.4 Liter MerCruisers.
The diesels -- an option that adds $15,000 to the price tag -- are considerably more fuel efficient than the gas inboards, but they also cut into the performance of the 3587. On our test boat, they reached a top speed of 23.3 mph and provided a cruising speed of 14 mph at 2,400 rpm.
This is a fairly tall boat for its length. However, it didn't seem unduly top-heavy in turns or unwieldy when maneuvering, although it does have considerable windage when docking in a crosswind.
Both helms provided good visibility, although the lower station has the typical blind spot aft.
A Closer Look Inside
From dock level, you board the 3587 via a ladder and molded steps from the swim platform. I suspect that most owners will invest in dock stairs, so they can step directly onto the deck amidships.
The aft deck is large enough for a table and chairs. With an optional hardtop, a wet bar, a canvas enclosure and a settee, you could turn it into an all-weather living area.
Step below, and you're in a bright saloon, surrounded by opening windows with mini-blinds. Pale ash joinerwork complements the light and airy atmosphere aboard (although teak is also available) and white counters add to the contemporary look.
A U-shaped galley is to port, with a full-height Norcold AC/DC refrigerator/freezer (6.3 cu. ft.), a Princess three-burner propane stove with oven, and a built-in microwave oven. There is good storage in the galley, as well as a double stainless steel sink.
Just forward of the galley, a convertible dinette provides seating for four. It is on a raised platform, so that guests will have a good view.
To starboard is another settee and a lower helm station with full instrumentation -- plus, a helm chair with armrests.
Aft, two steps lead down to the master stateroom. You're likely to be stunned by the amount of room available inside.
An angled double berth is to starboard, along with a pair of nightstands and a cedar-lined hanging locker. Drawers are provided under the berth.
The stateroom's en suite head is cleverly designed, with an enclosed compartment that contains a marine toilet aft, to port. It is separated from the shower stall by a vanity with a sink, a counter and considerable storage for toiletries. By not enclosing the vanity and shower, Bayliner has created a master stateroom much larger than you have any right to expect on a boat this size.
Forward of the saloon are the guest quarters, with a pleasant VIP stateroom in the bow that has an offset double berth against the hull side, a seat and a nightstand -- and a shelf for an optional 13 inch television. To port, the amidships cabin offers a double berth just above floor level, beneath the saloon dinette area.
A shared head compartment is to starboard, with a shower and a curved vanity. I suspect, judging by the comments I overheard at the boat show, that many buyers are likely to turn the forward two cabins into a suite by removing the door between the amidships cabin -- which has the only hanging locker forward -- and the guest cabin.
If the weather isn't good, the skipper and crew are likely to congregate in the saloon while running the boat, using the dinette as a lounge, along with the settee behind the helm. But in fair weather, the flybridge is easily the center of action. Convenient steps lead up from the aft deck to comfortable wrap-around lounges on the bridge and a pair of swivel helm seats behind a Hynautic-equipped steering wheel.
The helm's lozenge-shaped dashboard holds the usual complement of gauges, and there's ample room for mounting electronics both in-dash and in drop-down lockers below. Add an optional Bimini top, off the radar arch, and you're ready for summer.
Sidedecks with ample space and stainless steel rails for security lead to the foredeck, which has a large sunpad area, an integrated bow platform with an anchor roller and a recessed anchor locker.
Construction is of traditional high quality, with a hand-laid fiberglass hull and decks, and backing plates under all hardware. The boat comes with a five-year transferable hull warranty.
Value Pricing
As usual, Bayliner includes a considerable amount of equipment in the basic 3587 package, such as engine alarms, shore power gear, pressurized hot and cold water, bridge covers, aft deck carpet and a transom platform. Options on our test boat included Hino diesel engines and a Westerbeke 8 kw generator, a hardtop, a radar arch and a wet bar on the aft deck.
But let's get back to the subject of Bayliner's "college degree" work. We haven't mentioned anything about accounting yet.
With the standard 3587 priced at just $135,995, ready to launch, it's obvious that Bayliner really earned that advanced degree in accounting.
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This article first appeared in the September 1995 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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