Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Bayliner 195 BR 2012 vs Bayliner 217 SD 2011 — Same Brand, Different Boat
Matching a modified vee Bayliner 195 BR 2012 against a deep vee Bayliner 217 SD 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.
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Bayliner 195 BR 2012 at 19,0 ft versus Bayliner 217 SD 2011 at 20,6 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bayliner 217 SD 2011 tips the scales at 3 409 lbs — 3 107 lbs less than the Bayliner 195 BR 2012 at 302 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.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 260 hp for the Bayliner 195 BR 2012 and 260 hp for the Bayliner 217 SD 2011. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Bayliner 217 SD 2011 carries 55 gallons versus 35 gallons in the Bayliner 195 BR 2012. 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 217 SD 2011 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Bayliner 195 BR 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 217 SD 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Bayliner 217 SD 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 20,6 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bayliner 195 BR 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
Model Year2012
Model Year2011
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam7 ft. 11 in. (2.41 m)
Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)
Beam - Meters2.41
Beam - Meters2.59
Beam - Inches95
Beam - Inches102
Bridge clearance - Detail4 ft. 1 in. (1.24 m) 7 ft. 1 in. (2.16 m) max
Bridge clearance - Detail7 ft. 8 in. (2.34 m)
Bridge clearance - Meters2.16
Bridge clearance - Meters2.34
Bridge clearance - Inches85
Bridge clearance - Inches92
Deadrise19°
Deadrise20°
Draft [drive up] - Detail1 ft. 10 in. (0.56 m)
Draft [drive up] - Detail1 ft. 4 in. (0.41 m)
Draft [drive up] meters0.56
Draft [drive up] meters0.41
Draft [drive up] inches22
Draft [drive up] inches16
Draft [max] - Detail3 ft. 3 in. (0.99 m)
Draft [max] - Detail2 ft. 8 in. (0.81 m)
Draft [max] - Meters0.99
Draft [max] - Meters0.81
Draft [max] - Inches39
Draft [max] - Inches32
Weight - Detail3,020 lbs. (1,370 kg)
Weight - Detail3,409 lbs. (1,546 kg)
Weight - kg1369.85
Weight - kg1546.3
Weight - lbs.302
Weight - lbs.3409
Length - Feet19
Length - Feet20.58
Length overall - Detail19 ft. (5.79 m)
Length overall - Detail20 ft. 7 in. (6.27 m)
Length overall - Meters5.79
Length overall - Meters6.27
Length overall - Inches228
Length overall - Inches247
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull typeModified Vee
Hull typeDeep Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Engine makeMercury
Engine makeMercury
Engine modelMerCruiser MPI / A1 (4.3 L) CARB Compliant with ECT
Engine modelMerCruiser
Engine/s standard220 hp
Engine/s standard190 hp
Fuel tank capacity - Detail35 gal. (132.5 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail55 gal. (208.2 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters132.49
Fuel tank capacity - Liters208.2
Fuel tank capacity - Gal35
Fuel tank capacity - Gal55
Drive typeI/O
Drive typeI/O
Engine max260 hp
Engine max260 hp
Operational Info
Water capacitynot available
Water capacity10 gal. (37.8 l)
Maximum peoplenot available
Maximum people12
Trailer Info
Trailer - Length over allnot available
Trailer - Length over all25 ft. 0 in. (7.62 m)
Trailer - Weightnot available
Trailer - Weight4,351 lbs. (1,974 kg) with boat and engine
Trailer - Widthnot available
Trailer - Width8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)