Bayliner 2452 Ciera Express

Been searching family cruisers, campers on the water, that's my bag. Of them all the sub-26 foot Bayliners are my favorite for a number of reasons.

In no particular order:

1. The hard top with various possibilities for surround canopies. Here in the northeast (not that I am an experienced seafarer) you need some protection from the elements. Our boating season goes from April 1 to Thanksgiving. Well, those could probably be some pretty cool days in the early and late season.

Actually, I have an additional problem in that the sun really gets to me. Even an 85 degree day out doors can cause heat exhaustion in me so the hard top is really useful feature that adds permanent value . I've seen examples of these boats with canvas that even extends out over the entire aft.

2. There's lotsa windows in the cabin. Other boats have cave-like interiors but not the Bayliners. Perhaps there's a regional issue here too. In Florida, I could see the need for window minimization due to the blaring sun. With a 24'-er you'rw not going to get mid-cabin, instead you get the old pop down table as the second sleeping area.

3. Trailer-ability. Not that these Bayliners have cornered the market on this aspect but these 23' to 26' are astounding as to how the weight has been kept below 6500lbs. This makes these boats tow-able by your average Ford 150 or large size SUV.

4. Clean lines. This is a somewhat subjective element but the boats have a rigid, boxy look to them. I have gathered anecdotal claims from Bayliner owners in Seattle who take these boats out in 6 'swells without a problem.

5. Helm. It's sorta got a no non-sense design that has kept its nautical feel as opposed to other brands that have literally incorporated automotive steering wheels. There's room for Garmins, depth finders and toys but the gauges have a timeless, simplistic feel. The only down side to all this, for me, is the solo Captain's chair. I've got three boys and while boating for me now is only a thought experiment, I know I'm going to have small hands wanting to take the helm (or at least sitting tight with Daddy) when we're under power.

6. Aft. Some of these look no-nonsense, even commercially spartan but there's a flexibility there whether it is do a couples cruise with friends, a family day or roughing it during a guy-day fishing expedition. With other boats, you get one or the other.

photos were nicked from listing in Texas @ powerboatlistings.com. Why not buy it?