Marlin - Two Stupid Questions

[Bryan3536]

Having a great season with my Overnighter (new to us this year), and have the tentative green light from the admiral to look at larger boats to extend our use/crusing. Zero'd right in on the Marlin - that little aft cabin is key. Three questions:

1. I understand that the change in 1995/1996 was to extend the wetted hull surface below the euro transom, but for some reason am having trouble getting my mind around this entirely because the 28' and 30' look darn similar. Is the platform on the 28' above the water line, i.e., a true platform?

2. Related to #1 - does this mean that the cockpit and cabin dimensions are virtually identical between the 28' and 30'?

3. Real world - how many of you do family overnights on the Marlin? I'm just over 6' tall - is the V-berth big enough for my wife and I? I only have one at the moment, but if the time comes can the aft cabin fit 2 small kids (under 10 years old)? How is storage for an extended weekend for a family of 3 or 4?

Thanks. Going to try to personally check the differences between the 28' and the 30', but wanted to hear from you guys. Obviously my preference would be the newest hull I can afford, preferably with 4-strokes, but my budget tells me that a the model years when it was a 28' are more realistic.

 

[Grog]

You have to see them out of the water, for the early models it's not a swim platform but it's not as deep as the hull.

I have a Sailfish and fit in the V at 6' and I think the Marlin's is a little bigger. For the aft, I would say it would depend on the kids but 2 small kids can do it. For an extended weekend, pack smart.

 

[Tuna Man]

As far as I know the 28 and the 30 are basically the same hull. The only difference of the bottom can be seen when the boats are on land. The running surface extends all the way back and as a result I presume the aft bilge is a little deeper. The transom are is a little different as are the seating arrangements.

With regard to the berths. I am 6'2", my son is 6'4" and my wife and daughter are 'normal' size (about 5'5" and 5'7"). We have overnighted as a family and the boys got the forward berth and the girls got the aft berth. They loved the aft but I got stuck on the short side of the forward side of the v birth. It was about three inches too short for me, but my son was fine.

Since then we have overnighted at the canyons numerous times (all guys). Without a doubt the aft birth IS the place to be whether we are under power, anchored or drifting. The aft birth is closer to the center of gravity and closer to the bottom of the hull so you rock less. Since the aft birth is closer to the transom than the v birth it has less of the see-saw effect in rough seas. The only drawback I can think of is that if you are not at all flexible or claustrophobic, the aft birth might not be for you.

 

[Fishtales]

Hi,
The 272 and early Marlins had a stepped hull. Basically the hull didn't run under the euro transom but the top side is esentially the same as is today. The 272 is the same as the redesigned 282 except on the 282, GW ran the hull completely to the end of the eurotransom (as on todays boats). The Marlin was introduced as a 28' boat and had the same stepped hull. The Marlin too was redesigned and came out as the 300 with the hull all the way to the end of the eurotransom. To confuse things a bit more, the 282 was replaced by the 290.
The 282 has a beam of 9'6", the 290 (wider version of the 282) has a beam of 9'11". The 300's beam is 10'7". As they say... an inch matters - especially in the beam.
The 300 weighs about 600 libs more than the 290, even more than the 282/272. The biggest area difference in the cabin, the 272 and 282 could fit one in the mid birth under the helm. It is bigger on the 300 and two adults can sleep there on the 300, albeit the should be a couple or an adult and a kid. The mid birth is a little confining. The balance of the cabin is larger 300 vs 290 and 290 vs 282/272 due to the larger beam.
For the 300. You can sleep two adults and one child up on the vbirth. Done that many times. The vbirth has more than enough room for two large frame adults alone. You can sleep two adults albeit tight mid birth. It may make sense for the girls to go mid and the guys on the vbirth due to size.
For the 290, 282 and 272,the cabin throughout will be smaller due to the difference in beam. You can sleep 2 on the vbirth on all. It will be tighter than the 300, but should work out fine. I don't think 2 adults can sleep mid birth. I know it would be very difficult on the 272/282. Never rode on the 290.
As for ride. The 272/282 feels like a boat and the 300 feels like a yacht. I had the 282 6 years and a 300 for 6 years as well. I have not been on a 290 in the water so can't say. The 300 hull is proven and is shared on the 300, 305, 306 and 307. It has a nice ride in the slop, isn't wet and when on the drift is better than the 282. The 282 was a wetter hull and in my opinion pounded a little in the slop.
As for helm. The 272/282 was tight in the helm area. The companion seat helps, but the helm is tight. Better on the 290 and much better on the 300. If you can swing it, the 300 is the most proven and largest boat and will give you the best comfort with 2 adults and 2 large children. There is no perfect boat, and these are just my opinions.
We've done 4-6 on the Marlin. Albeit 2 were smaller children and with 6 I was out in the cockpit. Two larger kids mid birth and the two smaller and mom in the vbirth. I installed a tarp with bungee cords on the hardtop rod holders and on two hooks in the aft gunnel rod holders. It worked out perfect, and I used two bean bag chairs and a small foam mattress. Two nights was about it though.

 

[Fishtales]

Some stats you may find interesting...

Boat Beam Cockpit Centerline LOA w/pulpit weight max hp
300 10-7 74 sq' 30-6 32-7 8221 700
290 9-11 56 sq' 28-6 29-9 7650 600
282 9-6 59 sq' 28-0 not listed 5800 500

You can see the weight adder between the 282 and 290. 5" in beam, 6" in length and the added reinforcement for larger HP are the likely drivers.
The 290 likely has a bit bigger cabin. Looks like GW added 6" in length and took some from the cockpit - probably for the aft birth to say it sleeps 2. You do pay the price for 3 sq' less in the cockput though.

Last, all three have different hull plugs (molds) - 282, 290 and 300. All three are three piece boats with all 3 pieces (hull, topside and cabin mold/plug) being different. Don't assume they will perform the same, take them out and sea trial them all, then pick the one that best suits your needs.

 

[Bryan3536]

Wow, here is an even dumber question - GW made boats with mid-cabins other than the Marlin?!? I had no idea, I thought the sailfish had the single side berth forward and that was it. Which models have that? I have a ton more research to do on this. I love GW, but their catalogs are not the best for this kind of research. :doh

 

[Fishtales]

The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

Go to www.gradywhite.com. Select boats and then the type (walk or express) and you can see them all.
If you go to the customer tab, you can get catalogs for all the years, so you can review the models by year and then do some research before seeing.
Definatly go to the boat shows. GW improves the boats a lot, but doesn't do massive wholesale changes (except when introducing a new model or re-doing one, I'd say every 6-10 years). So what you see new is close to what you will see late model. Between shows, riding on them and using the catalogs you will have a very good idea what you want.

Best of luck and don't be afaid to ask for opinions here, you'll get them!

 

[Bryan3536]

I have been doing just that - problem is that GW actually rarely includes pictures of the mid-berth in any of their catalogs, and doesn't mark that it exists on the diagrams. You have to dig through the writing to see if "aft berth" is listed under "accommodations." Yes, I guess I am griping that I have to read instead of just look at pictures. Going back to look now. Seems like the 1999 Sailfish was the first with an aft berth. Now I am wondering which other models had that!

 

[Fishtales]

Agree. The pics could be better. Check the sleeping specs. 2 prob no mid birth, 3 small and 4 double. The last is still tight if you ask me. Good luck and asks specifics on the boats that interest you. Folks will help if they can.

 

[Marty grady 272]

I think that Grady extended the running bottom on the 272 Sail fish to the 282 and the 28 marlin to the 30 when the factory went from lighter weight 2 stroke motors to the heavier 4 stroke motors and needed more buoyancy and lift in the stern to compensate. The basic boats remained the same except the step under the motors was changed to the full running bottom. The newer 4 strokes from Yamaha have gone on a diet and now have similar weight to the older 2 strokes.

 

[Fishtales]

Good point... Forgot that.

 

[Bryan3536]

To correct my earlier post, an aft/quarter berth has been on the sailfish since at least 1989, and more or less in its current layout since 1990. Thanks guys. So, Marlin and Sailfish essentially same layout, but completely different boats when you compare 10' 7" to 9' 6" beams.

 

[Grog]

All late 80's thru the end Sailfish had mid berths, the Dophin is a Sailfish but no mid berth and extra gas capacity. The interrior layouts didn't change much over the years, just cosmetic upgrades. All Marlins have the eurotransom where the Sailfish got one in '94 but yes basically a Sailfish is a mini Marlin.

 

[Tucker]

Ok Bryan looked at your first post and saw some interesting things. You got the tentative green light to look at a larger boat. Operative words are tentative and look. Huge price difference between a Marlin with 4-strokes and OX66's. There was a Marlin for sale here reasonably priced with OX66's. Your gas consumption will increase dramatically compared to what you have now. The early generation 4-strokes have issues with corrosion and oil pumps. Someone mentioned packing smart. In my aft cabin there are, pool noodles, life jackets, dinnette table insert, extra sodas, water, & beer,isenglass, and all the wife's stuff when we do an overnighter. With 2-little one's I can only imagine how trashed-out your cabin will be.

 

[Bryan3536]

Took the wife to one of the local GW lots to kick some tires. She likes the Marlin (shocker) and . . . Freedom 27/28. She's comparing everything to my buddy's 35' Tiara express, so neither the Marlin or Sailfish made her think of long weekends overnighting on board. She thought the Freedom series was an incredibly useful day boat that suited how we currently use the boat best. Logic, go figure.

That said, discussion is ongoing. I am going to make a new post about a diesel sailfish I saw.

 

[bc282]

i have a 2002 282 with aft (mid) berth and an AC rev heat pump. I mention the latter because the AC was what i believe factory installed on the starboard side in the aft berth. The AC is separated by a carpeted plywood bulkhead and occupies approx 16" of the aft berth. Significant because any person taller than 5'4" will not be able to stretch out fully. If i planned to overnite it often with a crew of 3+ of regular adult proportions, i would unistall the AC unit and gain back the space. In PacNW, AC really never required, in fact, more likely to utilize the unit for reverse heat before using AC.

Not sure where the AC is installed on a Marlin, but if in starboard side of the aft berth, may consider checking dimensions to ensure adequate length in the berth.

 

[Fishtales]

There is no space consumed by the AC unit on the Marlin. The aft cabin is full length, don't have a measurement though. I am 5'10" and I've slept there with room to spare.

 

[Bryan3536]

Guys,

Thank you all for your tremendous help. I took the wife to see all the boats under consideration, and the bottom line is that all for boats - even the Marlin which she acknowledged was gorgeous - fell short in her eyes. She wants to cruise first and for extended trips, and she could not see herself doing that on any GW i showed her. what can you do? anyway, that sent me back the the drawing board looking for a relatively economical "cruiser," and a 34' Mainship in great shape at a good price came along at the perfect time. My offer was accepted today, setting up the sea trial as soon as I can. That means my Overnighter will be for sale - will post pics and specs on the "for sale" section. Going to miss my GW ...