Bayliner 180 OB 2012 vs Bayliner 255 SB 2011 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 or the Bayliner 255 SB 2011?

The Bayliner 255 SB 2011 is the longer of the two at 25,1 feet overall. The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 comes in at 18,0 feet, making it roughly 7,1 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 or the Bayliner 255 SB 2011?

For trailering, the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 has the edge at 648 lbs dry weight versus 1 878 lbs for the Bayliner 180 OB 2012. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Bayliner 255 SB 2011 is rated to a maximum of 300 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 tops out at 125 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 is Coast Guard rated for 5 passengers, while the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 is certified for 8. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Bayliner 255 SB 2011 measures 102" wide, compared to 9" for the Bayliner 180 OB 2012. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 or the Bayliner 255 SB 2011?

The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 has the bigger tank at 23 gallons, versus 7 gallons on the Bayliner 255 SB 2011. That 16-gallon difference translates to roughly 48–80 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 and Bayliner 255 SB 2011 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 and the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 are built by Bayliner. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Bayliner 180 OB 2012 vs Bayliner 255 SB 2011

Bayliner

Bayliner 180 OB 2012

2012

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Bayliner

Bayliner 255 SB 2011

2011

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Bayliner 180 OB 2012 vs Bayliner 255 SB 2011 — Same Brand, Different Boat

Matching a modified vee Bayliner 180 OB 2012 against a deep vee Bayliner 255 SB 2011 means you're likely deciding between two genuinely different on-water experiences. Hull type shapes everything from ride quality and fuel burn to dock handling and resale trajectory.

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Bayliner 255 SB 2011 measures 25,1 feet overall (2011), giving it roughly 7,1 additional feet of deck space compared to the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 at 18,0 feet (2012). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 tips the scales at 1 878 lbs — 1 230 lbs more than the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 at 648 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 300 hp, the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 has a 175-hp advantage over the Bayliner 180 OB 2012's 125-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 carries 23 gallons versus 7 gallons in the Bayliner 255 SB 2011. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Bayliner 255 SB 2011 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 25,1 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeBayliner

Model180 OB

Model255 SB

Model Year2012

Model Year2011

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam7 ft. 6 in. (2.29 m)

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Beam - Meters2.29

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Inches9

Beam - Inches102

Bridge clearance - Detail3 ft. 10 in. (1.17 m)

Bridge clearance - Detail6 ft. 7 in. (2.01 m)

Bridge clearance - Meters1.17

Bridge clearance - Meters2.01

Bridge clearance - Inches46

Bridge clearance - Inches79

Deadrise17°

Deadrise18°

Draft [drive up] - Detail1 ft. 2 in. (0.36 m)

Draft [drive up] - Detail1 ft. 10 in. (0.56 m)

Draft [drive up] meters0.36

Draft [drive up] meters0.56

Draft [drive up] inches14

Draft [drive up] inches22

Draft [max] - Detail2 ft. 7 in. (0.79 m)

Draft [max] - Detail3 ft. 3 in. (0.99 m)

Draft [max] - Meters0.79

Draft [max] - Meters0.99

Draft [max] - Inches31

Draft [max] - Inches39

Weight - Detail1,878 lbs. (852 kg)

Weight - Detail6,480 lbs. (2,939 kg)

Weight - kg851.85

Weight - kg2939.28

Weight - lbs.1878

Weight - lbs.648

Length - Feet18

Length - Feet25.08

Length overall - Detail18 ft. (5.49 m)

Length overall - Detail25 ft. 1 in. (7.65 m)

Length overall - Meters5.49

Length overall - Meters7.65

Length overall - Inches216

Length overall - Inches301

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typeModified Vee

Hull typeDeep Vee

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine makeMercury

Engine modelOptiMax DFI

Engine modelMerCruiser

Engine/s standard90 hp

Engine/s standard260 hp

Fuel tank capacity - Detail23 gal. (87 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail70 gal. (265 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters87.06

Fuel tank capacity - Liters264.98

Fuel tank capacity - Gal23

Fuel tank capacity - Gal7

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeOutboard

Drive typeI/O

Engine max125 hp

Engine max300 hp

Operational Info

Water capacitynot available

Water capacity20 gal. (75.7 l)

Maximum peoplenot available

Maximum people8

Holding tank capacity - Detailnot available

Holding tank capacity - Detail20 gal. (75.7 l)

Holding tank capacity - Litersnot available

Holding tank capacity - Liters75.71

Holding tank capacity - Galnot available

Holding tank capacity - Gal2

Trailer Info

Trailer - Length over allnot available

Trailer - Length over all30 ft. 2 in. (9.19 m)

Trailer - Weightnot available

Trailer - Weight8,068 lbs. (3,659 kg) with boat and engine

Trailer - Widthnot available

Trailer - Width8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Bayliner 180 OB 2012 vs Bayliner 255 SB 2011 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 or the Bayliner 255 SB 2011?

The Bayliner 255 SB 2011 is the longer of the two at 25,1 feet overall. The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 comes in at 18,0 feet, making it roughly 7,1 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 or the Bayliner 255 SB 2011?

For trailering, the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 has the edge at 648 lbs dry weight versus 1 878 lbs for the Bayliner 180 OB 2012. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Bayliner 255 SB 2011 is rated to a maximum of 300 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 tops out at 125 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 is Coast Guard rated for 5 passengers, while the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 is certified for 8. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Bayliner 255 SB 2011 measures 102" wide, compared to 9" for the Bayliner 180 OB 2012. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 or the Bayliner 255 SB 2011?

The Bayliner 180 OB 2012 has the bigger tank at 23 gallons, versus 7 gallons on the Bayliner 255 SB 2011. That 16-gallon difference translates to roughly 48–80 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 and Bayliner 255 SB 2011 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Bayliner 180 OB 2012 and the Bayliner 255 SB 2011 are built by Bayliner. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Bayliner 180 OB 2012 full specs ← Bayliner 255 SB 2011 full specs