Cruisers 328 Bow Rider: Bow Rider, or Weekender?
Cruisers Yachts Sport Series 328 Bow Rider incorporates a cabin worthy of a cruiser.
The Cruisers 328 Bow Rider is a perfect example of how bigger is better, especially when it comes to bow riders. It should fit the needs of a lot of buyers looking for more of, well, everything. One thing it offers that few of its type can match is a mid-cabin. Tucked behind a CNC-machined aluminum door and a horizontal hatch with a skylight, the 328’s mid-cabin comes well equipped with an L-shape lounge, a flat-screen TV and a head compartment. (You can get a glimpse of it in our Sneek Peek at the Cruisers Yachts 328 Bowrider video). It’s all tastefully decorated with soft-touch vinyl, woodgrain cabinetry, and a polished stainless-steel and wood staircase. It’s a spectacular touch and something that highlights the strength of large runabout designs.
A cabin in a bow rider? Cruisers says yes, with the 328.
Of course, the bow area is decadent, with stowage belowdecks, a removable Igloo cooler and a trash bin tucked beneath a hatch in the walkway to the cockpit. Cushions swing up and out on dual-pin piano-style hinges so you don’t have to hold them up while you’re retrieving or stowing gear. There’s also a dinette table and a filler cushion that allow the bow to serve different purposes. When not in use, the table and cushion tuck neatly away in the stowage space belowdecks.
An unusual port-side walkthrough allows Cruisers to make full use of the available space both above and belowdecks, on the 328 Bow Rider.
Cruisers made good use of the coaming space on the port side in the walk-through to the bow area by incorporating concealed stowage areas. They’re behind double white plastic hatches swinging on piano-style hinges. Access is great and there’s more room in there than you might think.
In the cockpit, the 328 Bow Rider includes two double-wide seats to port and starboard. Both seats have flip-up thigh bolsters and flip-down armrests for ease of use. The helm seat swivels on a single pedestal. Two passengers seems like a big load for a single pedestal, though.
The helm itself if smartly laid out, with a trio of gauges up top and a Raymarine nav screen to the left of the steering wheel, which falls naturally to hand. The throttles also are well-placed.
At the stern, the 328 Bow Rider really shines. The swim platform is big enough to hold a curling tournament (not really) and the swim ladder is well placed off to the port side, clear of the propellers. However, the rear lounge is the star of the show. It can be configured as a front facing lounge in the cockpit, with an aft-facing loveseat overlooking the swimming area behind the boat. In just seconds, it can convert to an aft-facing sun lounge, yet still provide enough room for people to use the swim platform.
Base price for the 328 Bow Rider, the largest boat in Cruisers Yacht’s Sport Series, is a smidge over $230,000, which includes twin MerCruiser 350 Mag engines and Bravo drives. At this price point and on a boat this size, it’s probably worth it to move up to big-block power. You might wish you had later.
From the profile the 328 Bow Rider may look like a cruiser from Cruisers, but yes, those are people seated in the bow.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 32'11" |
| Beam | 10'10" |
| Draft | 3'1" |
| Deadrise | 22 degrees |
| Displacement | 11,000 lbs |
| Fuel capacity | 154 gal. |
| Water capacity | 25 gal. |
If you find yourself searching for a boat with a full cabin and more room but you don’t want to forgo the runabout platform, now you have a new place to look. Because on the Cruisers 328 Bow Rider, you get a bit of the cruiser from Cruisers, too.
Other Choices: Another super-sized bowrider with a cabin is the Formula 330 CBR, which focuses more on performance and less on cabin space. More options include the Cobalt 336 and for those who like to cast a line now and again, the Grady-White 335.
Read/watch text and video reviews of other Sport Series models from Cruisers Yachts.
See Cruisers 328 Bow Rider listings.
For more information, visit Cruisers Yachts.
