Bayliner 3288 Custom Aluminum Swimgrid

Some friends and I are considering selling our individual boats and going partners on a larger boat. Looking at the 3270/3288 hull. We have one in mind but are stilling looking and have not purchased as of yet.

Regardless, we are thinking about building a larger swim grid to accommodate most of the fishing that happens on the boat. We have seen smaller boats over the years with 36” plus swim grids, set up with the down riggers and rod holders out there. Coolers and everything. The idea is to keep the fish mess out of the cockpit, and then have clean processed fish and ice coolers on the deck.

I’ve heard people say that you can have too long of swimgrids as they can be dangerous in following seas or other conditions. I understand the principle of a wave or the wake washing over the grid and pulling the boat down, or the reverse and a wave pushing up on the extended swim grid. We’ve considered making the deck surface out of channel facing down, with spaces in between to allow water to pass thru and avoid some of this hydraulic push/pull issue.

Either way, looking for some input on this issue. Surely, we’re not the first to consider something like this.

 

Welcome to the Forum, northerner!

Hmmmm, you don't even have the boat yet...
I'd wait and see.

But, in the meantime, you're going to make a bloody mess in the boat, swim grid or not.
You're proposing to add a bunch of weight as far aft as possible...

I once saw a swim grid slip an inch under the fuel dock (while being fueled).
A boat went by, the small wake lifted the boat and pushed the support strut through the transom.
Boat sank, really fast.

Let's have a look at this when you've got the boat.
Pictures?

 

Re the fishing, will this be the most important aspect of the 'new' boat?
Or will she be used for cruising and staying on board as well?
If the former, then it might be worthwhile looking for a more fishing orientated boat - the Bayliner 3288 and 3270 seem to be primarily focused on the accommodation.
If the latter, then they certainly have a lot of accommodation for their size, relatively.
Here are thirteen 3288's for sale on Yachtworld -
Boats for sale - YachtWorld https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-for-sale/?keyword=bayliner%203288

There are two for sale in BC - here is one of them :
1989 Bayliner 3288 Motoryacht Cruiser for sale - YachtWorld https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/1989-bayliner-3288-motoryacht-8693907/

 

I am not too sure on the 3270 or 3288 but Bayliner had prop pockets in some of their boats as well as round chines which caused them to run with quite a bow up attitude.
I would doubt that a longer swim grid would catch any water coming up behind the transom. Might be worthwhile to take it for a test drive to confirm especially if you are considering a 4 foot grid
(the round chine issue robbed stern lift and there was a company, maybe in Anacortes, who fabricated sharp chine add ons to improve lift.

Does this boat have a teak grid? If it does, an aluminum replacement will more than likely lighter even if you pushed the grid out to 4 feet.

A 3 foot by 8 foot grid will weigh:
(excluding transom to grid supports, which you should use to negate having to drill more holes in the transom)
24 square feet 1/8th aluminum checkerplate about 50 pounds
35 feet of perimeter and cross bracing, either 1 1/2 inch aluminum pipe ( which is about 2 inch OD) or 2 inch by 1/8 inch square aluminum tubing adding another 40 odd pounds
So overall 100 pounds (without a railing) less the current weight of the swim grid.

A four x 8 foot grid would add maybe 15 to 20 pounds of additional weight.

If you are using the grid in the ocean you should really add a railing, especially at the back of the grid to keep your fishers in the boat in west coast waves. You also need to have a place to mount the downriggers and
fish cleaning station. Depending on the construction, maybe add another 80 pounds.

A 3 or 4 foot grid will not provide a place to keep a cooler mentioned as you need to have one on board to deal with the fish if you want room for fishing as well on the grid.

I realize that some models of the Bayliner had very small fishing cockpits but I would not be comfortable having fisherman jumping over the transom to tend to downriggers on a continual basis
in larger waves.

An alternative, cheaper, safer option is to install a fixed cooler on to the swim grid. Build the cooler mount set back so that the latch is on the bow side of the cooler for easy access.
When you catch a fish, do not bring it into the cockpit, remove it from the net, cut the gills, give it a bonk, and put it in the cooler.
Build a workable fishing cleaning station with a seawater washdown over the grid on the opposite side of the cooler accessible from the inside of the boat.

Where do you intend to fish the boat?

 

Forgot to add
There is a Bayliners Owners Club forum, old as the hills, and I suspect you will find swim grid ideas on that as well

 

Another aspect to confirm with regard to a longish grid.

If you merely create a gird that comes back perfectly perpendicular to the transom AND at the outer edge of the hull, there is a chance that the water coming off the side of the hull when on step will impact the bottom of the grid. Ie the water is coming toward the keel.
So the grid must either be narrower or have a taper in the outer perimeter to ensure that this does not happen.

 

We are looking at this hull specifically because we feel it will accommodate multi day, family oriented trips, while still being fishable. We realized it’s not ideal for fishing. Hence the swim grid thought to make it more practical and keep the fish mess out of the boat.

the boat were after will have a transom door, so access to the grid isn't issue. The thought is that a dirty fish cooler will be on the grid, and a cleaning table on the grid too. A cooler will be on the cockpit deck for clean processed fish.

boat will be used out of Prince Rupert primarily. Douglas channel occasionally.