3550 Bristol

In her day, the Bayliner 3550 Bristol was an affordably priced family cruiser with a sporty profile and several innovative design features. Beginning with an unusually large flybridge, the Bristol has a unique fold-down walkway (complete with handrail) with steps leading directly from the bridge to the foredeck. Inside, the spacious floorplan is arranged with the galley on the salon level and two staterooms below, each with a double berth. With the salon settee converted into a double berth at night, the Bayliner 3550 can sleep up to three couples. A separate stall shower is fitted in the double-entry head, and wraparound cabin windows provide excellent outside visibility. While the interior accommodations are expansive for a boat this size, the cockpit is comparatively small. Additional features include wide side decks, standard lower helm, transom gate, and very good storage. A competent performer, standard twin 330hp big-block gas engines (with V-drives) will cruise the Bayliner 3550 Bristol at 18–19 knots and reach a top speed of around 27 knots. With her generous 400-gallon fuel capacity, the cruising range is an impressive 250–275 miles.