Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 vs Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 or the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996?

The Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 is the longer of the two at 39,0 feet overall. The Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 comes in at 18,6 feet, making it roughly 20,4 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 is Coast Guard rated for 5 passengers, while the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 is certified for 11. 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 has the larger fuel tank — the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 or the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996?

The Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 has the bigger tank at 298 gallons, versus 35 gallons on the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013. That 263-gallon difference translates to roughly 789–1315 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 and Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 and the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 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 197 Deck 2013 vs Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996

Bayliner

Bayliner 197 Deck 2013

2013

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Bayliner

Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996

1996

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 vs Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 vs Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 is rated for 11 passengers, while the Bayliner 197 Deck 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 3988 Command Bridge 1996 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 11 passengers and at 39,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bayliner 197 Deck 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

Makenot available

Model197 Deck

Modelnot available

Model Year2013

Model Yearnot available

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam8 ft. 1 in. (2.46 m)

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters2.46

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches97

Beam - Inchesnot available

Bridge clearance - Detail7 ft. (2.13 m)

Bridge clearance - Detailnot available

Bridge clearance - Meters2.13

Bridge clearance - Metersnot available

Bridge clearance - Inches84

Bridge clearance - Inchesnot available

Deadrise17°

Deadrisenot available

Draft [drive up] - Detail1 ft. 4 in. (0.41 m)

Draft [drive up] - Detailnot available

Draft [drive up] meters0.41

Draft [drive up] metersnot available

Draft [drive up] inches16

Draft [drive up] inchesnot available

Draft [max] - Detail2 ft. 8 in. (0.81 m)

Draft [max] - Detail3.33 ft

Draft [max] - Meters0.81

Draft [max] - Meters1.01

Draft [max] - Inches32

Draft [max] - Inches40

Weight - Detail2,695 lbs. (1,222 kg)

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg1222.43

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.2695

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Feet18.58

Length - Feet39

Length overall - Detail18 ft. 7 in. (5.66 m)

Length overall - Detail39.00 ft

Length overall - Meters5.66

Length overall - Meters11.89

Length overall - Inches223

Length overall - Inches468

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull materialnot available

Hull typeModified Vee

Hull typenot available

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine makeMercury

Engine makeCummins

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

Engine modelnot available

Engine/s standard135 hp

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail35 gal. (132.5 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters132.49

Fuel tank capacity - Liters1128.05

Fuel tank capacity - Gal35

Fuel tank capacity - Gal298

Fuel typeGas

Fuel typeDiesel

Drive typeI/O

Drive typeinboard

Operational Info

Water capacity8 gal. (30.3 l) optional

Water capacity1

Sleeping capacitynot available

Sleeping capacity2

Cabinsnot available

Cabins2

Headnot available

Head2

Holding tank capacity - Galnot available

Holding tank capacity - Gal36

Holding tank capacity - Litersnot available

Holding tank capacity - Liters136.27

Boat typenot available

Boat typePower

Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 vs Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 or the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996?

The Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 is the longer of the two at 39,0 feet overall. The Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 comes in at 18,6 feet, making it roughly 20,4 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 is Coast Guard rated for 5 passengers, while the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 is certified for 11. 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 has the larger fuel tank — the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 or the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996?

The Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 has the bigger tank at 298 gallons, versus 35 gallons on the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013. That 263-gallon difference translates to roughly 789–1315 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 and Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Bayliner 197 Deck 2013 and the Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 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 197 Deck 2013 full specs ← Bayliner 3988 Command Bridge 1996 full specs