They like Sea Hunt, Cape Horn and Key West boats because they give a lot of value for the money. The argument against upper mid tier boats like Gradys, Whalers, etc. is that they don't. THT guys like top end semi-custom boats like Yellowfins. Unless they happen to own a Contender or a Regulator. :roll:
I can tell you as somebody who has owned 3 Gradys over the years that GW has come a long way in building fiberglass boats. My original 1975 Overnighter, which I bought new as a first year model, had all sorts of construction and design problems. But it really wasn't that far off the industry standards of those days. The wiring was a complete joke and had to be re-done every 3 years (before I myself learned about marine grade wiring and connectors), the cabin cracked at the door joint (they had a support bracket kit available the following year), the balance point of the boat was wrong (it took me several years to get that sort of figured out), and my transom only lasted 7 years because of the stupid aluminum cap design.
I liked the stability of the hull and walk around design, but I had pretty much sworn off Gradys when I was ready to replace that boat after 11 years. But the improvements in the 1986 Seafarer model were very significant. So I decided to go with the devil I knew. The hull was lighter, it handled great, and had a much drier ride in the Gulf chop. I liked the drop down splash well for access to the swim platform. I put a pair of livewells in the stern and converted the forward fuel tank area to a storage locker for scuba tanks. I loved that boat, but it certainly wasn't perfect. The wiring was laid out better, but they still didn't (and don't to this day) use high grade shrink connectors. The hull would pound in any chop over 2', but it could run just on plane as low as 15 mph once I put a fin on the anti-ventilation plate. On long runs we would use the autopilot and stand behind the seats to minimize the effects of the pounding.
I had to sell that boat when I moved out west for 17 years where aluminum boats were more practical. When I returned to Florida, I originally got a Key West (a lot of boat for the money), but it lacked both the fit and finish and ergonomics that I had gotten used to. So I started looking at Gradys and other similar boats. Thanks to some folks on this forum, I was able to go for rides in several Grady's and I decided that I had to go back full circle to where I was in 1986-90. I was able to find a brand new 2008 Seafarer in 2010 that had been sitting in a dealer's barn for 2 years because of the recession. I got it for a song.
The wiring and ergonomics of the newer Seafarer are an order of magnitude better than my earlier boat. They seem to have solved the wood rot problems by using different material and better encapsulation methods. The ride is as good or better than any 22' boat I've been in and I ride in a lot of boats. They can say what they want against wood stringers and a wood transom, but the ride is as solid as it can get. The handling characteristics are a bit quirky, but after I got the right prop and learned how to use the tabs correctly everything is just fine. I've been able to stay on plane in seas that caused a 26' World Cat and a 27' Fountain that I was running with to slow down.
So the question of whether or not a Grady or similar upper mid-tier boat is worth it comes down to "Would you rather drive a Chevy or a BMW". If they can afford it, most would opt for the BMW. Grady White has shown the same type of ergonomic refinement as the bimmer. Everything is right where it should be and everything works well. That's because GW pays attention to their owners and make their improvements over time.
I can understand how somebody who pays a lot of money for an older Grady that is starting to fall apart can become a Grady hater. Paying a lot less for a used Sea Hunt or Key West in the same condition doesn't cause the same pain.
