Just hit the 1 year anniversary with my 2020 330 Express so I thought I would share some of my experiences for those in the market for this boat. Overall, I have been very happy and have racked up a little over 100 hours. Not a ton of hours but we have a 2.5 year old and a busy job so I will take what I can get. More importantly, we have made a ton of overnight and weekend trips, so we have spent a lot more time on the boat vs. running the boat.
For context, this is my second boat and I stepped up from a 25ft CC with twin 150's. So some of my feedback may be due to a lack of experience with big boats. I live in Cape Cod and spend the majority of my time in Nantucket and Vineyard Sound, fishing off Monomoy or east of Chatham, cruising with friends and island hopping with the family.
The good:
- This is an extremely versatile boat. It is small enough that I can single hand it in most circumstances, but certainly coming out of my home port for fishing or quick trips. So I would never hesitate to take it out for a quick trip to throw a line in the water if nobody else is around
- It's a beast with the 425's. It outperforms my old CC in every way. It pulls 53 on the top end with bottom paint, is quick out of the hole, and is extremely responsive in turns. It barks under throttle
- All of the systems onboard are (with a few exceptions) well laid out and easy to use. Grady does a great job labeling everything and making it easy to see what you are doing
- It's a perfect weekend boat. We never feel cramped with two adults and a toddler, the A/C is great, and there is plenty of fresh water aboard. Head is roomy enough and the two showers onboard are fine (we use the heated transom shower more often than not)
- We have a full Garmin package which has been great. Autopilot and auto-guidance is a game-changer in terms of time and fuel burn. I have a few issues with auto-guidance but more of a mild annoyance for a separate post
- This boat is outstanding in rough seas. It's hard to put a price on this, but I can leave the harbor for a day trip to the islands or an overnight trip to one of the further destinations with zero anxiety. Nantucket Sound can kick up some nasty seas with a super-short period. 4-5's are pretty bad and this boat eats them up. It can still pound a bit on short, stiff, chop but I don't know of a boat that won't. I have never experienced the wonky handling in following seas that I have read about. I don't know if that is due to changes in the hull or the weight of the 425's but it has been great in following seas. I would say half the trips we make in this boat I would never have attempted in my 25cc which is a huge benefit. Toddler sleeps through the roughest and we are all dry as a bone in the helm deck
- The central helm seat is great for sight lines and handling the boat. It opens up seating for others but it can get cramped if everyone crowds into the helm
- Relatively good economy if you want to push speed. I seem to get 1mpg whether I am going 30mph or 43mph. So really the cruise speed is set by the weather. I can squeak out 1.1 or 1.2 at slower speeds but I am ham fisted and I am impatient so I typically get into the throttle as much weather allows.
- It has extended the season for me by a couple of months. I can put her in the water in April and pull it in November now with the helm air and enclosed helm deck
- I have the helm master and a bow thruster which I thought would be overkill but I am glad I got both, especially since I am usually single-handed. I use the helm master for fishing and staying on station waiting for a slip assignment and preparing my lines. Docking is easier with just the throttles and the bow thruster most of the time
The bad:
- There have been a good amount of issues with the boat. Mostly quality stuff which was surprising. A few include: bow thruster failed and needed to be replaced, helm master positioning sensor failed and needed to be replaced, a water hose ruptured and was spilling into the bilge and fried the battery charger which needed to be replaced, the instrument panel looked like it was trimmed with a Dremel and needed to be replaced, we've had a couple of gel coat issues in the cockpit, and the conduit rigging is too short and constantly pulls off. This was definitely a surprise given Grady's reputation for quality, but we have sorted through most of them and all under warranty. My marina has been awesome helping with all the issues but it has been an inconvenience for sure
- I really wish there was more usable, accessible storage; the transom fish box is huge but that's about it topsides. So you can either store your fenders and dock lines in there or fish but not both. Having some fish boxes on the cockpit deck would be a huge benefit. There are some cubby holes and such in the cabin, but nothing where you can quickly store and retrieve stuff, especially not things that are going to be wet
- The AV2 top does not have enough rod holders. It only has 4 and there are 4 in the gunwales. There should be a minimum of 6-8 on the hardtop for any serious fishing. Instead, I am constantly shuffling rods around the deck
- The cabin door design is awful. It rattles and bangs constantly while underway. And if you put felt strips on the door it helps some but then the interior door won't lock. I would gladly give up the retractable instrument panel for a sliding pocket door
- Goes without saying, but bring your wallet. Running costs, insurance, slip fees, hauling/launching, overnight slips and moorings on trips, etc. gets pricey. I knew this coming into it, but it hurts all the same
Nits:
- The TV/DVD is baffling to me. I don't think you can even buy a standard DVD anymore and there are no provisions for HDMI input. So the TV is fairly useless. Luckily we have a few kids DVDs for our daughter but other than that we don't can't use it
- It is next to impossible to clean the inside of the windshield on the AV2 top. The screen is massive and it is very far forward of the helm station. Spraying with water/vinegar and rinsing is about as good as I have been able to get
- The raw water thru hull is under the sleeping area under the helm. I like to run with the thru hulls closed unless they are needed, so it is inconvenient to have to do down in the cabin, into the rear berth, pull up the cushions, pull the panel, just to access the thru-hull.
What would I do differently if I were to buy it again:
- I would have gotten the tuna door. I had one on my CC that I never used but didn't take into account the height and the width of the gunwales on this boat. It would be much easier to board and load luggage
- I would get the retractable sunshade. A) we end up spending a lot of time on the dock at the dock and it can get hot and b) its an easy way to mount a paddleboard or kayak on the top
What's next:
- I am trying to get out to the Canyons this year which I have yet to do. Shooting for early September if I can line up a buddy boat
- Would really like to find a way to bring a kayak or SUP along with us on our weekend trips. I'm also looking at getting an inflatable tender to give us some more options for docking/ mooring/ beaching
Like I said, great purchase and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. It has brought us some great times and memories, especially this year since we have limited options with the COVID outbreak. Hope this helps anyone in the market for one of these monsters.
For context, this is my second boat and I stepped up from a 25ft CC with twin 150's. So some of my feedback may be due to a lack of experience with big boats. I live in Cape Cod and spend the majority of my time in Nantucket and Vineyard Sound, fishing off Monomoy or east of Chatham, cruising with friends and island hopping with the family.
The good:
- This is an extremely versatile boat. It is small enough that I can single hand it in most circumstances, but certainly coming out of my home port for fishing or quick trips. So I would never hesitate to take it out for a quick trip to throw a line in the water if nobody else is around
- It's a beast with the 425's. It outperforms my old CC in every way. It pulls 53 on the top end with bottom paint, is quick out of the hole, and is extremely responsive in turns. It barks under throttle
- All of the systems onboard are (with a few exceptions) well laid out and easy to use. Grady does a great job labeling everything and making it easy to see what you are doing
- It's a perfect weekend boat. We never feel cramped with two adults and a toddler, the A/C is great, and there is plenty of fresh water aboard. Head is roomy enough and the two showers onboard are fine (we use the heated transom shower more often than not)
- We have a full Garmin package which has been great. Autopilot and auto-guidance is a game-changer in terms of time and fuel burn. I have a few issues with auto-guidance but more of a mild annoyance for a separate post
- This boat is outstanding in rough seas. It's hard to put a price on this, but I can leave the harbor for a day trip to the islands or an overnight trip to one of the further destinations with zero anxiety. Nantucket Sound can kick up some nasty seas with a super-short period. 4-5's are pretty bad and this boat eats them up. It can still pound a bit on short, stiff, chop but I don't know of a boat that won't. I have never experienced the wonky handling in following seas that I have read about. I don't know if that is due to changes in the hull or the weight of the 425's but it has been great in following seas. I would say half the trips we make in this boat I would never have attempted in my 25cc which is a huge benefit. Toddler sleeps through the roughest and we are all dry as a bone in the helm deck
- The central helm seat is great for sight lines and handling the boat. It opens up seating for others but it can get cramped if everyone crowds into the helm
- Relatively good economy if you want to push speed. I seem to get 1mpg whether I am going 30mph or 43mph. So really the cruise speed is set by the weather. I can squeak out 1.1 or 1.2 at slower speeds but I am ham fisted and I am impatient so I typically get into the throttle as much weather allows.
- It has extended the season for me by a couple of months. I can put her in the water in April and pull it in November now with the helm air and enclosed helm deck
- I have the helm master and a bow thruster which I thought would be overkill but I am glad I got both, especially since I am usually single-handed. I use the helm master for fishing and staying on station waiting for a slip assignment and preparing my lines. Docking is easier with just the throttles and the bow thruster most of the time
The bad:
- There have been a good amount of issues with the boat. Mostly quality stuff which was surprising. A few include: bow thruster failed and needed to be replaced, helm master positioning sensor failed and needed to be replaced, a water hose ruptured and was spilling into the bilge and fried the battery charger which needed to be replaced, the instrument panel looked like it was trimmed with a Dremel and needed to be replaced, we've had a couple of gel coat issues in the cockpit, and the conduit rigging is too short and constantly pulls off. This was definitely a surprise given Grady's reputation for quality, but we have sorted through most of them and all under warranty. My marina has been awesome helping with all the issues but it has been an inconvenience for sure
- I really wish there was more usable, accessible storage; the transom fish box is huge but that's about it topsides. So you can either store your fenders and dock lines in there or fish but not both. Having some fish boxes on the cockpit deck would be a huge benefit. There are some cubby holes and such in the cabin, but nothing where you can quickly store and retrieve stuff, especially not things that are going to be wet
- The AV2 top does not have enough rod holders. It only has 4 and there are 4 in the gunwales. There should be a minimum of 6-8 on the hardtop for any serious fishing. Instead, I am constantly shuffling rods around the deck
- The cabin door design is awful. It rattles and bangs constantly while underway. And if you put felt strips on the door it helps some but then the interior door won't lock. I would gladly give up the retractable instrument panel for a sliding pocket door
- Goes without saying, but bring your wallet. Running costs, insurance, slip fees, hauling/launching, overnight slips and moorings on trips, etc. gets pricey. I knew this coming into it, but it hurts all the same
Nits:
- The TV/DVD is baffling to me. I don't think you can even buy a standard DVD anymore and there are no provisions for HDMI input. So the TV is fairly useless. Luckily we have a few kids DVDs for our daughter but other than that we don't can't use it
- It is next to impossible to clean the inside of the windshield on the AV2 top. The screen is massive and it is very far forward of the helm station. Spraying with water/vinegar and rinsing is about as good as I have been able to get
- The raw water thru hull is under the sleeping area under the helm. I like to run with the thru hulls closed unless they are needed, so it is inconvenient to have to do down in the cabin, into the rear berth, pull up the cushions, pull the panel, just to access the thru-hull.
What would I do differently if I were to buy it again:
- I would have gotten the tuna door. I had one on my CC that I never used but didn't take into account the height and the width of the gunwales on this boat. It would be much easier to board and load luggage
- I would get the retractable sunshade. A) we end up spending a lot of time on the dock at the dock and it can get hot and b) its an easy way to mount a paddleboard or kayak on the top
What's next:
- I am trying to get out to the Canyons this year which I have yet to do. Shooting for early September if I can line up a buddy boat
- Would really like to find a way to bring a kayak or SUP along with us on our weekend trips. I'm also looking at getting an inflatable tender to give us some more options for docking/ mooring/ beaching
Like I said, great purchase and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. It has brought us some great times and memories, especially this year since we have limited options with the COVID outbreak. Hope this helps anyone in the market for one of these monsters.
