Bayliner 3870 / 3888 Motor Yacht
Built 1983–1994 by Bayliner Marine
About the Bayliner 3870 / 3888 Motor Yacht
Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.
- Built
- 1983–1994
- Builder
- Bayliner Marine
- Length
- 38.17 ft
- Beam
- 13.42 ft
- Draft
- 3.17 ft
- Displacement
- 17,500 lb
- Hull / keel
- planing
- Propulsion
- inboard
- Fuel
- 304 gal
- Water
- 80 gal
- Holding
- 40 gal
- Stern thruster
- none
- Steering
- hydraulic · Hynautic
Named 3870 through 1989, 3888 afterwards. Mid-cabin layout with berth under the salon sole, two heads, standard lower helm. About 1 nmpg at cruise per HMY/BoatUS. HMY's text calls the early name '3780', which appears to be a typo for 3870. A gas (Ford 351) version is discussed by owners but not documented in the specs read. Build count (approximate, not stored): HMY says about a thousand were built; BoatUS notes say over 1,000.
Known problems for this model
-
Wet stringers under engine mounts hull
Rotted or wet stringer/engine-bed sections where the motor mounts attach are a known repair that can require pulling the engine.trawlerforum.com
-
Window frame leaks interior
Owners report chasing leaks at the salon window frames.trawlerforum.com
-
Stiff upper helm steering
Flybridge steering on the two-station Hynautic setup can feel notchy; low reservoir pressure or trapped air is the usual cause.baylinerownersclub.org
-
Tight engine room engine
Engine access is cramped, which makes routine service on the twin diesels harder.hmy.com
Steering
Hynautic — K-series pressurized hydraulic steering (H-series helms, K-series cylinders) parts: obsolete
SeaStar bought Hynautic and kept making components and rebuild kits for years; after Dometic bought SeaStar, Hynautic pages and parts were removed from Dometic's site. Helms H-21 through H-52 and cylinders K-6 through K-31 are discontinued. Seatech Marine Products publishes SeaStar direct-replacement equivalents (e.g., H-50/H-52 replacement kits usable in the pressurized system with a non-vented fill plug) and offers rebuild services; independent hydraulic shops rebuild helms and cylinders for roughly $250–350 each. Kobelt/Accu-Steer also supply steering and power-assist equipment used on larger boats.
Parts sources: Seatech Marine Products (Hynautic alternatives & rebuilds), Kobelt (marine steering systems)
Common problems (3)
-
Helm pump shaft seal leaks steering
The upper helm shaft seal deteriorates from sun, salt and dirt and weeps oil; raising system pressure is only a stopgap, and the helm must be removed and resealed.samsmarine.com · trawlerforum.com · youtube.com
-
Cylinder rod seal leaks steering
Damaged wiper/rod seals let fluid out the end of K-6 type cylinders.facebook.com
-
Olive-type tubing fittings leak steering
Some owners dislike Hynautic's olive compression fittings on plastic tubing because they are prone to leaks.trawlerforum.com
Model sources (3)
Other Bayliner models
- Bayliner 2855 Ciera Sunbridge 1994–1999
- Bayliner 3270 / 3218 / 3288 Motor Yacht 1981–1995
- Bayliner 3988 Motor Yacht 1995–2002
- Bayliner 4550 / 4588 Pilothouse Motor Yacht 1984–1993
- Bayliner 4788 Pilothouse Motor Yacht 1994–2002
Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.