2021 & 2022 Freedom 285 engines & optional equip questions

[Boatless in Florida]

GW Freedom 285: what is the diff between a 2022 IDES and 2021 XCA models Yamaha twin 300 hp engines?

Can the following be retrofitted to used on either boat

auto pilot?
joystick?
radar?
headlight/s on top of the hardtop?

Any idea of approx costs? Should I just try to find more fully equipped boats that have this equip on it? My pal says auto-pilot is a very nice feature & suggests I have it, & poster here said I need Radar.

 

[Halfhitch]

Shame on you for saying headlights.

 

[Boatless in Florida]

Shame on you for saying headlights.

Sorry, I'm still learning the nautical lingo. I used to call Bow Thrusters, side pushers. What are the lights called?

Anyways, the 2022 Yamaha 300's have wire steering and not hydraulic, so the joystick pkg can more easily be added to a 2022 or 2023 used boat than a 2021 or older.

If anyone here has heard otherwise, plz advise. I heard this from a GW dealer today, so if he is right, I'll need to narrow my search to a used 2022 GW F285 unless the pre-2022 already has the maneuverability pkg on it. As a newbie, I want joystick or bow thrusters to help me with docking on my 1st boat. I realize experienced captains don't need either on a 28' boat.

Since you are in Venice, FL too, any thoughts on Fish Tale, vs. Ingman, vs. Quality? If you prefer not to say here publicly, I understand. I hope my ? isn't out of line.

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Navigation lights and search lights.....
Yu do want an autopilot, it is a good useful addition.
Joystick does not replace your side pushers, thrusters (bow and/or stern) The earlier electric/hydraulic version Joystick can be upgraded to newer all electric version I was told at boat show. Don't know cost for doing it but the kit exists from Yamaha.
I have a 2019 model 335 and it came with joystick, autopilot I have added later to Raymarine system. Yamahas autopilot is a Garmin one attached to the MFD (Multifunction Display) that the motors come with but both Garmin and Raymarine connects to the system as an add on as well for later installation.

I also added Radar but that all depends on how and where u boat. I am in South FL and Bahamas is fairly close, that's how I justified the radar.

H

 

[Halfhitch]

Boatless, I was just kidding you about the headlight thing. Do realize though, it is not kosher to run a boat with anything other than red/green nav lights and all- around white. Search lights, whether mounted or hand-held can be used on a temporary basis to locate/identify channel markers, nuns, bouys and such but full time white lights will get you pulled over by the sheriffs boat and cussed at by fellow boaters. Of course illuminating a dock is acceptable.

I purchased a new Yamaha 225 from Ingman marine in North Port. I would not buy there again. I like Cannon Marine on Longboat key but the drive is not good. Never did business with Fish Tale in Sarasota. I had good experience with Fish Tale in FT Myers several years ago.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Boatless, I was just kidding you about the headlight thing. Do realize though, it is not kosher to run a boat with anything other than red/green nav lights and all- around white. Search lights, whether mounted or hand-held can be used on a temporary basis to locate/identify channel markers, nuns, bouys and such but full time white lights will get you pulled over by the sheriffs boat and cussed at by fellow boaters. Of course illuminating a dock is acceptable.

I purchased a new Yamaha 225 from Ingman marine in North Port. I would not buy there again. I like Cannon Marine on Longboat key but the drive is not good. Never did business with Fish Tale in Sarasota. I had good experience with Fish Tale in FT Myers several years ago.

I'm not sure what happened with your experience with Ingman Marine but I had a pretty negative one as well back when I was looking at buying a boat. To be fair to them, I'm not sure if it was actually the owner of the boat or if it was them, but long story short... a boat owner had their boat on consignment at IM and it wasn't anywhere near the condition of how it was advertised. It was a 1999 GW 228 Seafarer that had a newer Suzuki 4 stroke on it, and they said it was in really good condition, that it really needed nothing and that it was essentially a "turn key" boat. Then all of a sudden a few days after talking to them and putting money down, which I thankfully got refunded, they claimed that the owner wasn't being honest and forthright with them, that there were multiple issues with the boat, that it had like 19 overheating alarms on it and so forth. They claimed to have given the boat back to the owner and then apparently the owner said that IM did damage to the boat that wasn't there before? I don't know, it seemed rather odd that they posted a boat for sale that for some reason they didn't have their mechanic check over everything first before doing so? Again, it could've been an issue with the owner or it could've been more 50/50, but they were claiming that it was all on the owner, which I'm again not sure why they wouldn't document things like that before taking possession of the boat and making sure it was in the condition advertised before posting the for sale ad for the entirety of the world to see. I am slightly curious now to hear your story about IM and why you wouldn't go with them again, just seeing if it goes anything along with what they told me.

Questions/concerns about possibly purchasing a 228 Seafarer...

Good afternoon everyone. I have some questions/concerns about possibly purchasing a 1999 GW 228 Seafarer and would love some suggestions or opinions. I'll attach the link for the ad to the boat below, but long story short... the boat is pending sale and being held for me at this point but there...

www.greatgrady.com

 

[Boatless in Florida]

Boatless, I was just kidding you about the headlight thing. Do realize though, it is not kosher to run a boat with anything other than red/green nav lights and all- around white. Search lights, whether mounted or hand-held can be used on a temporary basis to locate/identify channel markers, nuns, bouys and such but full time white lights will get you pulled over by the sheriffs boat and cussed at by fellow boaters. Of course illuminating a dock is acceptable.

I purchased a new Yamaha 225 from Ingman marine in North Port. I would not buy there again. I like Cannon Marine on Longboat key but the drive is not good. Never did business with Fish Tale in Sarasota. I had good experience with Fish Tale in FT Myers several years ago.

I did not know that about running w/ nav lights, so thx. I plan to take 2 boating courses prior to buying...there's one in Palmetto that cost $1,200 & they get you out on their boat 6x, so not all classroom stuff. The other is the Coast Guard class they do in Venice.

I was thinking of using the nav lights just for docking if I get back from Sunset cruise a little late. I won't be boating after dark until I'm 100% confident in daylight.

I heard buying used from Ingman is not the same biz entity as buying new so the experience is not consistent.

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Nav lights are only for being seen after sunset. For docking you would use a searchlight that can be either manually or remotely controlled.
Red and Green so others can see which way you are going and toplight as an indication of being a motorboat, sailboats under sails don't have a toplight. If sailboats are motoring they are motorboats and use a top light as well.
Taking the safety and navigation courses are a really good thing to do.

Good Luck with your project.
H

 

[Ekea]

I plan to take 2 boating courses prior to buying...there's one in Palmetto that cost $1,200 & they get you out on their boat 6x, so not all classroom stuff. The other is the Coast Guard class they do in Venice.

good idea. this should help prevent you from making 95% of the mistakes that new un-experienced "credit card captains" make

 

[Cregeis]

Helm Master EX actually came out in 2021. I had it on my 2021 275 with the Level 2 package (auto pilot) and then bought a 2021 335 with the Full Maneuverability package (auto pilot and joy stick). I would highly recommend the system.

 

[Boatless in Florida]

Helm Master EX actually came out in 2021. I had it on my 2021 275 with the Level 2 package (auto pilot) and then bought a 2021 335 with the Full Maneuverability package (auto pilot and joy stick). I would highly recommend the system.

Thx! My best buddy says the auto pilot is a must have. His first few boats didn't have it, but his new 2022 boat does, and he loves that feature.

The joystick eases my mind, but I think bow thrusters on a 28' F285 would be enough, but then I might not get the auto pilot.

Do only GW's with Joysticks have auto pilot? Does Joystick & auto pilot come as a joint package? I'm assuming so.

 

[Sauza45]

joystick and auto pilot come together as a package. giving the choice I would rather have the joy stick than the bow thruster. I have the joystick on my boat

 

[JJF]

Do only GW's with Joysticks have auto pilot? Does Joystick & auto pilot come as a joint package? I'm assuming so.

No & Not exactly, but "yes".

Example: my 2018 306 Canyon has auto-pilot, but does not have the "joystick". It does, however, have a bow thruster.

I believe any GW with Helm Master (see comment below) gets autopilot by default, because I think the autopilot is integrated into the Helm Master.

The joystick is more correctly (not to being a douche') referred to as "Helm Master" in Yamaha speak.

 

[Boatless in Florida]

joystick and auto pilot come together as a package. giving the choice I would rather have the joy stick than the bow thruster. I have the joystick on my boat

thx, that is the kind of feedback I'm looking for. As a newbie, that Helm Master package sounds great to me.

I just saw a Pursuit 285 for sale in Destin that has no Helm Master package, but it has auto pilot, so I guess each manufacturer is different. I love the looks of the Pursuit DC 295 over the Grady F285, but my experts tell me the Grady's are a much better & quieter ride in all sea conditions. They say in a Pursuit, the water hitting the bow is much louder, & the waves push the Pursuit around a lot more than a Grady. I wish the Grady F285 looked like the Pursuit DC 295....imho, Grady's are ugly by comparison.

I'll likely chose function over form in the end though, & Pursuit DC295's 2020-2022 used are very hard to find. There's only 2 in FLA right now, 1 in Jax 1 in Destin. The GW F285's are much easier to find, but in White, Celestial, & Coastal Fog Blue AND Helm Master, it gets a bit tougher. I hope in early October, there's more for me to chose from.

 

[JJF]

It's not so much the manufacturer making the choices, but more so the buyer.

If I were you, I would try to get a test drive on a PURSUIT. They are very good boats and you may want to keep the 285 DC on the list.

 

[Boatless in Florida]

Do only GW's with Joysticks have auto pilot? Does Joystick & auto pilot come as a joint package? I'm assuming so.

No & Not exactly, but "yes".

Example: my 2018 306 Canyon has auto-pilot, but does not have the "joystick". It does, however, have a bow thruster.

I believe any GW with Helm Master (see comment below) gets autopilot by default, because I think the autopilot is integrated into the Helm Master.

The joystick is more correctly (not to being a douche') referred to as "Helm Master" in Yamaha speak.

Thx! I'll try to use Helm Master rather than Joystick moving forward.

 

[Boatless in Florida]

It's not so much the manufacturer making the choices, but more so the buyer.

If I were you, I would try to get a test drive on a PURSUIT. They are very good boats and you may want to keep the 285 DC on the list.

Thx! I'll do test rides of both if possible (no Pursuit DC295's around here right now anyways) beginning in late September, & early October when I'm ready to buy.

Is the brand or the dealer more important? The GW dealer I'm considering gets weaker marks on buying used from them than buying new. The Pursuit dealer gets high grades on new & used.

 

[JJF]

six of one & half dozen of another.. it's one of those craps shoots in life.

 

[Beyond A Wake]

Autopilot is a piece of software within the Yamaha package. Yamaha uses Garmin MultiFunction Diplays MFD.
I have a Raymarine electronics package and my autopilot is Raymarine with also its own display on top of the MFD integration.
The newer Joystick HelmMaster EX has the autopilot integrated to it.
A Bowthruster is a completely separate item with its own controls. It can be combined into a joystick control package as well but that is an integration experts need to talk about.
So if you already have an electronics package picked Raymarine, Garmin, Simrad, etc.... that may dictate what is practical to add to it.
Good advice to try different packages out on boats that have them installed,

H

 

[Boatless in Florida]

Autopilot is a piece of software within the Yamaha package. Yamaha uses Garmin MultiFunction Diplays MFD.
I have a Raymarine electronics package and my autopilot is Raymarine with also its own display on top of the MFD integration.
The newer Joystick HelmMaster EX has the autopilot integrated to it.
A Bowthruster is a completely separate item with its own controls. It can be combined into a joystick control package as well but that is an integration experts need to talk about.
So if you already have an electronics package picked Raymarine, Garmin, Simrad, etc.... that may dictate what is practical to add to it.
Good advice to try different packages out on boats that have them installed,

H

Thx! I'll likely buy a 2020 or newer F285 w/ Joystick HelmMaster EX that was factory installed. I read that in 2020 the Freedom 285 went to a new steering system, so I'd prefer that newer technology than the prior steering system. The new steering system was tested on the larger Canyon's for a few years, & worked so well that they are now making their way down the line into smaller boats.