Any Gradys with a head compartment and 5,000# towing?

[dcdude]

My tow vehicle is a 4Runner with a 5,000# tow rating.

I intend to have wife and daughter on board often, so I really like the idea of having a porta potty in the center console.

Is there a Grady center or dual console with space for a head that weighs less than 5,000# on the trailer?

Thanks in advance.

 

[HTHM]

I cannot say for sure, but here is a solution to consider: https://www.westmarine.com/self-contained-toilets

 

[CJ7Rob]

204c and 208
Edit sorry you said console, my bad not sure

 

[Chillaxin]

209 fisherman

 

[seasick]

Your towing capacity includes boat and equipment, fuel, water etc as well as trailer weight and the load in the vehicle itself. Figure about 1000 pounds for the trailer. All in all, you are looking for a hull that weighs about 2,000 pounds or so not including engines. The 209 as well as the 208 Adventure fall into that range. A center console up to 22 feet or so may also work out, you have to add up all the factors.

 

[Fishtales]

you can get the dry weight of the boats on GW website, same for the motors on the manufacturers site,
You need to plan 6lbs for fuel, water and waste. 2-300lbs for gear and whatever else you plan to have onboard.

 

[Fishtales]

Re head... I'd ensure whatever you get, you have the space for one. You can get an after market one with a self contained trap for relatively short money. Hopefully not something you'll need all the time anyway and you can move it if you want.

 

[JAdams1]

For your reference, I have a porta potti in my Tournament 205 in my port console that has never been used. I am 6'-2" and it is a challenge to get in there, hopefully your family is shorter than me. My boat with engine and 82 gallons of fuel weighs in around 3,900 lbs. Trailer is another 1,000 lbs so total weight hauling weight (minus gear) is 4,900 lbs. I tow mine with a 2017 Tacoma that has a tow package rated for 6,700 pounds towing capacity. My neighbor has a 2017 Toyota 4-Runner with a rated towing capacity of 5,000 lbs tows a 20ft Sportsman center console with no problem. The center console can fit a portable head in there. Both of our trailers have brakes on both axles.

 

[dcdude]

Thanks for all of the thoughtful replies, gents. I especially appreciate how JAdams1's was very specific to my situation. I'm not too into the Adventure overnighter concept, so I'll broaden my search to include 209 Fisherman and 209 Escape and Tournament 205.

I expect that all of these have at least cost advantages over their Whaler counterparts, including Dauntless 200 and Ventura 210. I also don't really like the low gunwale heights near the transoms. Anything else that I should be aware of?

 

[dcdude]

Here's a pretty sweet deal on a 209 Escape, but the console looks to be better suited for life jackets than humans:
https://www.boattrader.com/listing/2006-grady-white-209-escape-103693879/

 

[Halfhitch]

Heres a good one....
https://sarasota.craigslist.org/boa/d/haines-city-grady-white-209/6996070852.html

 

[Chillaxin]

Console is much bigger on the redesign 209 fisherman than the escape 209 that sold my wife on the fisherman

 

[Sdfish]

DC - I know you said you are not interested in the 208. For reference, I have a 2006 4x4 Toyota 4 runner that I use to tow my Adventure 208, I would say fulled loaded with fuel and extras I 5000-5500 lbs. It is right at the limit of the vehicle. No issues towing, but stopping is where you need to be careful. I take my time and regularly tow 20 - 30 miles 1 way to the ramp. I don't speed and keep plenty of distance.
The 4 runner is my daily driver.

 

[dcdude]

@Sdfish Thanks for the data. Leaving plenty of stopping distance is a given! I expect that the Adventure is the heaviest configuration of the 20' models. My trip to the ramp is about 23 miles and mostly flat freeway. What I'm starting to plan for as the package approaches my max weight is to require trailer brakes or add them. I believe that CA state law requires brakes on for trailers with GVW of 3,000 pounds or more.

 

[Parthery]

I owned a mid-2000s 205 Tournament.

If you are tall, and if you like to run the boat standing up, make sure the throttle isn't too low for you. The 205s use Yamaha's side mounted binnacle control, as opposed to almost every other GW using the top mounted control. The side mounted control, at planing speeds, puts the handle low on the gunwale. In my case, too low. I'm 6'3". Running the boat standing up was miserable.

 

[dcdude]

I owned a mid-2000s 205 Tournament.

If you are tall, and if you like to run the boat standing up, make sure the throttle isn't too low for you. The 205s use Yamaha's side mounted binnacle control, as opposed to almost every other GW using the top mounted control. The side mounted control, at planing speeds, puts the handle low on the gunwale. In my case, too low. I'm 6'3". Running the boat standing up was miserable.

@Parthery: SUPER helpful! I, too am 6’3” and standing at the helm at least some of the time is a must, so I guess the 205 is out. I’ll keep my eyes open for top mounted throttles. That seems rare on a DC boat. I can’t recall any models like that?

 

[Sdfish]

DC - yes - your trailer will need brakes for sure. Are you located in San Diego? I'm up in Carlsbad, I typically launch out of Oceanside, but also go down to Shelter Island or Dana.

 

[Chillaxin]

209 fisherman flip up bolsters can stand or sit plenty of room even with hardtop

 

[Willy-C]

My 19’ Tournament one time weighed in at 4278....boat, motor, trailer, half tank of fuel, kicker and fishing gear. The 2016 4Runner I use is adequate, tows good but wish it had more engine. I tow quite frequently sometimes 800 miles round trip (Lake Ontario) but mostly 100 mile trips locally. When nature calls in an emergency that person goes up front and uses towels or blanket across the split window and windshield for privacy, it works, not great but doable.

 

[dcdude]

When nature calls in an emergency that person goes up front and uses towels or blanket across the split window and windshield for privacy, it works, not great but doable.

I was considering that or a transom rig with a shower curtain clipped between two rods (in holders). Hopefully a 5 gallon bucket will fit in the passenger console or one of the lockers or wells?