232 Gulfstream shoutout

[Trophy20002]

Last winter I took the plunge and purchased an 05 232 with twin 150s.

It's really really hard not to become a Grady fan boy after the first season with this boat. I've been on all sorts of comparibles and aluminums (gag) from other manufacturers over the past few years. Nothing holds a candle to this hull. The ride is excellent, fuel economy is well, good for the size and weight. The hull is an absolute tank. The deck room is massive even compared to bigger boats.

The build quality and attention to detail is much better than the completion as well.

One of my friends has a new 24' duckworth aluminum with twin 200s. Beautiful boat and pounds like a jackhammer. At 45 mph it burns just over 40 gallons per hour, I'm about 2500 pounds more and the same speed I'm 30 as a good comparison.

This was the boat I needed. I have really bad knees and back, this boat has put me comfortably back on the water. It's the biggest little boat there is.

 

[Lew]

Last winter I took the plunge and purchased an 05 232 with twin 150s.

It's really really hard not to become a Grady fan boy after the first season with this boat. I've been on all sorts of comparibles and aluminums (gag) from other manufacturers over the past few years. Nothing holds a candle to this hull. The ride is excellent, fuel economy is well, good for the size and weight. The hull is an absolute tank. The deck room is massive even compared to bigger boats.

The build quality and attention to detail is much better than the completion as well.

One of my friends has a new 24' duckworth aluminum with twin 200s. Beautiful boat and pounds like a jackhammer. At 45 mph it burns just over 40 gallons per hour, I'm about 2500 pounds more and the same speed I'm 30 as a good comparison.

This was the boat I needed. I have really bad knees and back, this boat has put me comfortably back on the water. It's the biggest little boat there is.

So glad to hear you truly love your Grady. I feel the same way after on season on my new 2024 Grady 215…
I am amazed with the ride quality and build quality of the boat. Also it utilizes space with every foot of functional. We have had 8 family members (including me) on board and were able to cruise at 23 mph in a two foot chop without a splash of water. Amazing boats. I am coming off a 1997 248 Voyager I owned for 14 years.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Not exactly in the same boat, pun intended, but pretty similar with my situation. I live out here just north of Seattle and Arima’s have an almost cult like following. Had a 21’ Arima Sea Ranger with the skip top, of which I liked it at first because it had a good deal of space on it and it was a relatively versatile boat. Then I went out in it a few times where there would be 1’-2’ chop, some light winds and so forth, which is when my opinion of the boat changed drastically. The boat is very light, with a modified vee hull and the stern is almost like a flat bottom, resulting in pounding. There was one time that I remember vividly where my uncle and I came back from fishing and the tide changed, with a huge rip and current. You’d just pound the entire way back for miles and miles. Then you’d get the wind spraying the water and waves over the windshield and side windows. The result wasn’t a fun experience at all, so I sold that boat, looked for over a year for my 228 Seafarer and bought it in October of 2021.

Flew out to Maryland where the boat was located, saw it in person, climbed in the boat and was immediately impressed. The condition was quite good, the “small things” like the non skid, all of the hardware, the fit and finish, etc were all top notch… especially compared to the Arima. Made an offer, the dealership accepted, took her for a sea trial run and she performed great. I remember vividly on the sea trial run going from flat to 1’-2’ chop and bending my knees to brace for the impact, which she just sliced right through the chop. The shop employee I did the sea trial run saw the whole thing and mentioned how well the boat rides with the SeaV2 hull. I told him I was used to a 21’ Arima and that they pound really badly in those same conditions. He knew of them and their reputation for being an uncomfortable, wet riding boat. I’ve been sold on the Grady White ever since, so I rented a U-Haul truck and trailered her back the 3,009 miles to Seattle and have fished her ever since. Fantastic boat, and one that I don’t ever see myself selling, unless I were to move up to a bigger Grady White. Glad to hear you like your boat, and I wouldn’t call someone a fan boy when it’s for a good reason. I’d call the Arima guys out here fan boys because imo they’re not very good boats, but people obsess over them for some reason. I’ve been in bigger, heavier boats that weren’t as comfortable of a ride as my boat. I have two buddies that both have a boat brand called a Wooldridge, which is kind of similar to a North River aluminum boat. One is a 20’ with a single 140 Suzuki and the other is I think a 23’ Pilothouse with twin ETEC’s on it. Of which I don’t think I’d want to be on either of those during a ride change or any serious chop.

 

[wires38]

Love my 88 Gulfstream.

 

[Ekea]

congrats, glad you love it. consider a nice thick cushy helm pad to help even more with the knees and back