Bayliner VR5 Cuddy Boats For Sale

The Bayliner VR5 Cuddy is a compact cuddy cabin sports boat measuring just under 21 feet long with a beam of more than 8 feet, built on a deep-V hull carrying a 20-degree deadrise at the transom. It follows the traditional Bayliner beam-forward design, pushing usable volume up into the bow and creating a surprisingly roomy cuddy cabin for the size. Bayliner cuddy boats like this one suit families looking for a day boat, weekender and water sports platform in a single hull, and the VR5 is offered both as a sterndrive inboard and as an outboard. Many of the Bayliner VR5 boats for sale finished in freshwater service show original gel coat throughout, with stainless steel bow rails, chunky cleats including a midship cleat, a stainless rub rail and LED nav lights built into the gunnel for clean lines.

The headline sterndrive engine is the MerCruiser 4.5-liter V6 producing 250 horsepower, matched to an Alpha One outdrive turning a three-blade aluminium prop; the standard fitment is the 4.5-liter 200 horsepower version, and outboard buyers commonly see a 115. With the 250, the boat planes almost instantly. On the water it makes about 5 knots at 2,000 RPM for no-wake cruising, 15 knots at 4,000 RPM, and 19 knots at 5,000 RPM, with a comfortable cruise around 18 to 19 knots at roughly 3,500 RPM. Top speed runs to around 45 mph and approaching 50 mph flat out. Handling is light and predictable through tight turns, and the deep-V will cut through coastal chop. The hull weighs around 1,500 kg, or about 2,300 kg all-up on a trailer.

The helm centers on a bucket-style seat with a flip-up bolster, fore-and-aft adjustment and tilt-adjustable steering, with side-mounted throttle and shift controls. Depending on the boat, the dash carries either a 9-inch Simrad multifunction display or a Garmin chart plotter with fish finder fed by a transom transducer, alongside analog gauges for speed, fuel, voltage, engine temperature, oil pressure, trim and a digital depth finder. A Jensen Bluetooth stereo handles audio through cockpit speakers, and there is a USB input, headphone jack and 12-volt socket at the helm.

The cockpit seats eight with an L-shaped wraparound lounge around a removable folding teak table that stores in the cabin. A swivel seat rotates to face aft for dining, and the passenger bolster and aft bench both fold down into sun pads. Soft-tread EVA foam decking in a teak style covers the cockpit and the full-width swim platform, which spans the boat's 8-foot beam and runs about 2.5 feet deep. A walkthrough transom with a folding sun lounger, a pull-out four-step stainless ladder, a transom shower and a central ski tow point support swimming and water sports. Storage includes a thermally insulated locker that drains overboard for use as an ice box, an in-floor ski locker, a lockable glove box and a forward freshwater sink served by a tank of around 70 liters. Up front, removable bow cushions, a deep anchor locker with stainless roller, and on some boats an electric windlass complete the deck.

The cuddy cabin is reached through a sliding door with molded non-skid steps that double as access to the bow, where a full sun pad sits over the cabin with an overhead hatch for light. Inside, panoramic side windows brighten a space rated to sleep two, with filler cushions converting the seating into a double berth and a portable head stowing beneath the backrest. A 12-volt television with a side-loading DVD player on a swing arm is fitted to some examples. Build presentation on low-hours freshwater boats is strong: one 2022 single-owner example showed 69 hours with engine warranty running to July 2025 when serviced to MerCruiser protocol, and a new equivalent was priced at £69,995. When weighing Bayliner cuddy cabin boats for sale, check whether a trailer is included, confirm anode and service condition, and budget for a Bayliner VR5 boat cover, as many come with full camper canvas and a tonneau for storage.