A New Grady Owner (almost)

[fellinger]

I am happy to be joining the ranks of Grady owners worldwide! Tomorrow or early this coming week I am sealing the deal on a 1995 272 Sailfish. After a tremendous amount of help from members here, speaking to the boat's mechanic, and looking at the boat last week I am ready to purchase her. The boat has quite a bit of cosmetic issues but, seems mechanically and structurally intact. The plan this year will be to fish the hell out of her to make sure I get comfortable with her and ensure that she is reliable. I also plan on adding rod holders, replacing/repairing cushions/combing pads, new electronics, adding a center rigger, etc.

I hope that everything works out and she treats me well for many more years.

Thanks for your help!

 

[GW VOYAGER]

Welcome !
I hope everything works out on your Grady ,and I'm sure it will. Nothing like the day you take possession of a Grady!
Keep us informed on your progression .

 

[girt]

Congratulations. I purchased a 1996 272 Sailfish this winter and have taken it out fishing a few times. I really like this boat. Mine also needed cosmetic work so I had it wet sanded, new decals, new cushions, redid the instrument panels in carbon fiber, installed a flush mount nav system, and covered all of the faded duratrim with a 3M wood grain decal. Also put a faux hardwood in the cabin floor. It really turned out good. You should really enjoy the boat.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Congrats on your new to you Grady!

 

[Tucker]

Congratulations on your new boat fellinger. Lots of smart cookies here if you have any questions or problems.

Woh there girt! Tell us more about those carbon fiber gauge panels. I've been wanting to do that for awhile. How difficult was the job and where did you source the panels?

 

[onoahimahi]

Congrats to the new Sailfish owners...

Girt - the decal over the Duratrim sounds interesting. Can you post a photo? I'd also be interested in seeing a photo of what you did with the cabin floor.

Cheers,
-Scott

 

[girt]

I will get some photos and post them. For the instrument panels, I used the old wood panels and took the gauges and rocker switches out. I then got some 3M Di-Noc Carbon fiber and then put the gauges back in. The stuff is pretty durable and is applied to cars sometimes. That is the same stuff I used on the Duratrim but used a wood grain pattern. I had a piece of aluminum cut out for the VHF and Lowrance and flush mounted it where the electronic cabinet was.. Now it is flush mounted and a lot easier to view. It actually turned out good. I spent a lot of time looking around, as I am sure y'all have. I have seen some people who replace the duratrim with starboard but you have to be careful to leave some room for it to expand when it gets hot or it will get wavey.

Like I said, I will get some pictures and at least you will have another option.

 

[girt]

Just to clarify, the 3M Di-Noc is a wrap. So the insturment panels are not totally carbon fiber. I have seen places that will fabricate them for you if you send them the pattern.

 

[Fishtales]

if you can still do it, make the purchase contingent upon a survey. you really want someone to go through the boat top to bottom - especially the transom core.