Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 vs Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 or the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013?

The Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 is the longer of the two at 25,1 feet overall. The Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 comes in at 18,8 feet, making it roughly 6,3 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 or the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013?

For trailering, the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 has the edge at 648 lbs dry weight versus 2 278 lbs for the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013. 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: How many people can each boat hold?

The Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 is Coast Guard rated for 5 passengers, while the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 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 Cruiser 2013 measures 102" wide, compared to 91" for the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013. 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 196 Bowrider 2013 or the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013?

The Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 has the bigger tank at 23 gallons, versus 7 gallons on the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013. 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 196 Bowrider 2013 and Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 and the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 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 196 Bowrider 2013 vs Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013

Bayliner

Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013

2013

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Bayliner

Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013

2013

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 vs Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 — Same Brand, Different Boat

Matching a modified vee Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 against a deep vee Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 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 Cruiser 2013 measures 25,1 feet overall (2013), giving it roughly 6,3 additional feet of deck space compared to the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 at 18,8 feet (2013). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 tips the scales at 2 278 lbs — 1 630 lbs more than the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 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.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 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 Cruiser 2013 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 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 196 Bowrider 2013 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

Model196 Bowrider

Model255 Cruiser

Model Year2013

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam7 ft. 7 in. (2.31 m)

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Beam - Meters2.31

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Inches91

Beam - Inches102

Bridge clearance - Detail3 ft. 11 in. (1.19 m)

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

Bridge clearance - Meters1.19

Bridge clearance - Meters2.01

Bridge clearance - Inches47

Bridge clearance - Inches79

Deadrise18°

Draft [drive up] - Detail1 ft. 5 in. (0.43 m)

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

Draft [drive up] meters0.43

Draft [drive up] meters0.56

Draft [drive up] inches17

Draft [drive up] inches22

Draft [max] - Detail2 ft. 9 in. (0.84 m)

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

Draft [max] - Meters0.84

Draft [max] - Meters0.99

Draft [max] - Inches33

Draft [max] - Inches39

Weight - Detail2,278 lbs. (1,033 kg)

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

Weight - kg1033.28

Weight - kg2939.28

Weight - lbs.2278

Weight - lbs.648

Length - Feet18.75

Length - Feet25.08

Length overall - Detail18 ft. 9 in. (5.72 m)

Length overall - Detail25 ft. 1 in. (7.65 m) 26 ft. 10 in. (8.18 m) rigged

Length overall - Meters5.72

Length overall - Meters8.18

Length overall - Inches225

Length overall - Inches322

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typeModified Vee

Hull typeDeep Vee

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine makeMercury

Engine modelMPI / A1 (3.0 l) WPS ECT Carb Compliant

Engine modelMPI / B3 (5.0 l) ECT Carb compliant

Engine/s standard135 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

Fuel typeGas or Diesel

Drive typeI/O

Operational Info

Water capacitynot available

Water capacity20 gal. (75.7 l)

Holding tank capacity - Detailnot available

Holding tank capacity - Detail20 gal. (75.7 l) waste 20 gal. (75.7 l) optional gray

Holding tank capacity - Litersnot available

Holding tank capacity - Liters75.71

Holding tank capacity - Galnot available

Holding tank capacity - Gal2

Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 vs Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 or the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013?

The Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 is the longer of the two at 25,1 feet overall. The Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 comes in at 18,8 feet, making it roughly 6,3 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 or the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013?

For trailering, the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 has the edge at 648 lbs dry weight versus 2 278 lbs for the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013. 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.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 is Coast Guard rated for 5 passengers, while the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 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 Cruiser 2013 measures 102" wide, compared to 91" for the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013. 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 196 Bowrider 2013 or the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013?

The Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 has the bigger tank at 23 gallons, versus 7 gallons on the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013. 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 196 Bowrider 2013 and Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Bayliner 196 Bowrider 2013 and the Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 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 196 Bowrider 2013 full specs ← Bayliner 255 Cruiser 2013 full specs