Considering Grady White...would like some feedback

[mmtmoses]

Hello! We are in the market for our first boat...and have been for almost a year now.

After much research, visiting several boat shows, doing more research, and meeting with dealers, we decided that our first boat would be a new boat vs. a used one. We are not new to boating, have been in a boat club and going out on different boats for a few years now. That, by no means, makes us any experts on boating, boat ownership, or the intricacies thereof. I registered with this forum because Grady White is in our final two of boat brands, the other being Cobia. We were initially looking at the 271 Canyon, but after comparing it to the 306 Canyon we find the features and comfort of that boat to be exactly what we envision our boat to be. Comparing it to the 301 Cobia Center Console, the craftsmanship seems far superior...but again, I am only stating this based on "feel" of the boat, not technical expertise. This is the purchase of a longtime dream for us and we want to make sure we are as educated as possible before committing.

I have some questions, that, I am hopeful, I can get some straightforward answer to...as we have friends who own a Cobia and love it, but we know no one who owns a GW. Here it goes:

1. GW vs. Cobia: is there anyone out there who has experience with both of these brands and can give a comparative answer as to their experience? Again, we are looking at the 30ft, center console versions of these boats.
2. Wood in the hull construction vs. wood free construction. Is wood in the construction process really as bad as it is made out to be? There is so much contradicting information on this topic.
3. Rideability: Can anyone share their experience about the ride, particularly in bad weather, choppy water in a 30 ft Canyon? We have not been able to sea trial either of our top contenders as the dealer will only do a sea trial if we commit by contract to the purchase of the boat (which makes absolutely no sense to me).
4. Customer service after the sale: does GW stand behind their product when things break, are defective etc.?
5. Durability: How does the boat hold up (with proper care and maintenance) with regard to electronic components, seat cushions, plastic parts, etc.?

These questions may very well seem rudimentary to many long-time, experienced boat owners out there. But for us, it has been difficult to get "straightforward" answers as we are mostly dependent on speaking with dealers (who of course want to sell a boat). I would very much appreciate your time in providing some insight into Grady White ownership and thank you in advance.

 

[GH236]

Post the same question on THT and you will get lots of opinions. I love our GW but have never been on a Cobia.

 

[Fishtales]

I think GWs are an above average build that have some weak spots that are well documented. Going with a 30' hull I'd give the advantage to GW. The 30' hull has been around since the 1980s. It is well proven and they have refined the layout, build and features. I don't have a ton of experience with Cobia so you'll need to talk to someone that has it,
No wood used in GW anymore. It was removed from stringers, transom and decking. The fiberglass is excellent free of defects in materials, workmanship and finish. Gelcoat is excellent and there have been no reports to my knowledge of blistering or other defects.
Ride. Advantage GW due to the hull. It really is a proven platform that has been tweaked and stands the test of time. The same hull is used on all 30' boats.
CS. Huge GW advantage against anybody. If you have an issue, they and their dealers will stand behind the boat 100%. Even if on the bubble, they come down on the side of the customer.
Durability. You'll see plenty of 1980 vintage GWs out there. I think this is one of the factors that contribute to some of the complaints. People keep these boats a long time and are not afraid to buy older ones. Any problem will be known in the public domain (here too) more than other brands in the class.
Are they perfect, no. But that being said, it is hard to find a manufactuer that learns from mistakes, constantly improved each boat, isn't afraid to make build decision changes to follow the market and a customer first CS focus. They want you to buy another boat from them versus just making a sale today. Their boats do cost more than some of the competition, but all seem to be nuts today (to me). Reflecting on my 20+ years of experience with two boats I'd say you'd be hard pressed to find another builder in this size and use case class that does more for the customer.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I can't really help you out with the GW vs Cobia debate, or even about how Grady CC's are as I only have experience dealing with their walk around boats. I will say that my 228 Seafarer even for being a 2004 looks quite nice, the fit and finish is definitely above average and I'd call it a great boat imo. I'm sure there are probably better boats out there but those are likely also going to cost you a bit more money, so it really comes down to how much you want to spend and what you'll use the boat for. Around the Seattle area/PNW there aren't hardly any CC/DC boats and the majority of what people use are walk around's. Not many Cobia's around here either. Have you ever looked into Pursuit Boats? My buddy mentioned them to me when I was looking for my 228 Seafarer, and if I ever went with a larger boat I think I would definitely give them a very serious consideration... especially a Pursuit 2470 Walkaround. But they're also about double, even on the east coast, compared to what I bought my boat for. They make a Pursuit S 288 Sport Boat that looks to be kind of in between the 271 and 306 Canyon though... might be something worth looking into?

Center Console Boats | Offshore Fishing Boats | Pursuit Boats

Pursuit Boats builds award-winning center console, dual console and offshore sport fishing boats. Make any voyage an incredible adventure, whether you wish to fish, cruise or entertain.

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Pursuit

The Pursuit S 288 is a twin engine sport center console sport fishing boat that was built with a sophicated and compact design. We’ve honed in on the essentials – but we’ll never lose our attention to detail.

www.pursuitboats.com

 

[Jacktrop99]

Hello! We are in the market for our first boat...and have been for almost a year now.

After much research, visiting several boat shows, doing more research, and meeting with dealers, we decided that our first boat would be a new boat vs. a used one. We are not new to boating, have been in a boat club and going out on different boats for a few years now. That, by no means, makes us any experts on boating, boat ownership, or the intricacies thereof. I registered with this forum because Grady White is in our final two of boat brands, the other being Cobia. We were initially looking at the 271 Canyon, but after comparing it to the 306 Canyon we find the features and comfort of that boat to be exactly what we envision our boat to be. Comparing it to the 301 Cobia Center Console, the craftsmanship seems far superior...but again, I am only stating this based on "feel" of the boat, not technical expertise. This is the purchase of a longtime dream for us and we want to make sure we are as educated as possible before committing.

I have some questions, that, I am hopeful, I can get some straightforward answer to...as we have friends who own a Cobia and love it, but we know no one who owns a GW. Here it goes:

1. GW vs. Cobia: is there anyone out there who has experience with both of these brands and can give a comparative answer as to their experience? Again, we are looking at the 30ft, center console versions of these boats.
2. Wood in the hull construction vs. wood free construction. Is wood in the construction process really as bad as it is made out to be? There is so much contradicting information on this topic.
3. Rideability: Can anyone share their experience about the ride, particularly in bad weather, choppy water in a 30 ft Canyon? We have not been able to sea trial either of our top contenders as the dealer will only do a sea trial if we commit by contract to the purchase of the boat (which makes absolutely no sense to me).
4. Customer service after the sale: does GW stand behind their product when things break, are defective etc.?
5. Durability: How does the boat hold up (with proper care and maintenance) with regard to electronic components, seat cushions, plastic parts, etc.?

These questions may very well seem rudimentary to many long-time, experienced boat owners out there. But for us, it has been difficult to get "straightforward" answers as we are mostly dependent on speaking with dealers (who of course want to sell a boat). I would very much appreciate your time in providing some insight into Grady White ownership and thank you in advance.

About 5 years ago I learned to drive a boat on a 1986 19ft grady and now I use a 1990 23ft grady for boating and both have been very solid in my life, they both have never let me down and don’t be scared of getting a 20-30 year old grady

 

[blindmullet]

I have been out on the Cobia 296 a bunch. I have a family member with one. I think the quality is very similar to the Grady. As others have said it's an above AVG production boat.

The customer service from my experience would be on par as well. He improperly loaded dive tanks on a previous Cobia and it cracked the inner liner on a long run to the Keys. The warranty work was completed on the lift at his home without a lot of questions.

Now...only if yamaha had replacement parts available.......out of commission for 4months with a blown LU.

 

[Pfu]

For me it is all about your intended use. I always wanted a GW for better fishing opportunities Including deck space. My older boats were fine when kids were younger but now we brave the elements and having a proven boat makes the wife feel better.
Agree with others as I purchased older GW 232 due to the history and future opportunities!

 

[Rustygaff]

I along many others here have crawled around our share of Cobia's. Seahunts, Robalo's, and Ket West's, etc., at our local boat shows. As far as I am concerned, none of them compared IMO to the fit, finish, and curb appeal of a Grady. As others here mentioned, I consider GW to be somewhere half way between the mid-tiers I mentioned and an upper tier boat. If budget allows, I would not think twice about choosing a GW over any other of the mid-tier's.

 

[MarineBob]

Ten cents worth. We bought our first boat 2 years ago. Got a fair, not great, deal on a relatively low hr 2013, 226 with a 250 Yammie. This was our first boat and it checked out well, just over 300 well cared for hours, everything else nicely kept. Anyway, our goal is fishing and its fine for up to 2 ft seas, then a bit bumpy. One thing I would consider as noted, is figure what you want to do with your boat. One thing that I learned is docking in wind, tides is not as easy as it looks. But we got pretty good at it. Sometimes we are at a mooring. With those ideas you want to be able to get to the bow easily which is not bad but not simple on the 226 with a canvas top. Think about how/why you might want to get to the bow area and when. If I had a deep pocket book, I would buy a dual console boat with a canvs top to make accessibility and storage pretty easy. Anyway, if you are still trying to compare, once you keep feed back on ride etc, park a GW next to another boat and examine cleats, door hinges and fittings. See what you think.

 

[JJF]

Hi,

I have a 2018 GW 306 Canyon with twin F350s. The boat is a beast. It rides great in all conditions. If it isn't riding great, then you are going too fast for the current conditions.

At least one person on THT said the GW 306 pounds. Again, if you are pounding a nearly 10,000 pound boat, you are going too fast for the conditions. This is just my opinion, of course.

The quality, fit and finish as very good throughout the boat. All components, hardware, canvas and vinyl/cushions are high quality.

The size and scale of the 306 is amazing. Wide beam and deep gunnels add to the scale. I am average size (5' 8" 185 lbs), so it is very roomy for me. I have three friends who are each 6' 3" and 220+ lbs. The boat feels roomy even to them.

The HUGE console is great for the head and for storage. The storage in the footrest is good, as well. Speaking of storage, some in-deck storage would have been nice, but the three large fish boxes help. I use the fwd fish boxes for food/beverage (starboard) and gear (port). The HUGE fish box on the transom is great for fish, buckets, etc.

My model year has a large, wrap around windscreen that goes all the way up to the t-top, which makes for a calm and quiet ride. This is especially true when the spray curtains are on/up.

The live-well and sink on the leaning post are great, as are the drawers and cabinet.

There are many other nice features and amenities.

I would be more than happy to have a phone conversation with you. Also, if you are in the Northeast, I would be happy to demo my boat for you after May 10th.

Regarding your list:

1. GW vs. Cobia: I am not familiar with Cobia, so no comment.
2. Wood in the hull construction vs. wood free construction. Is wood in the construction process really as bad as it is made out to be? There is so much contradicting information on this topic. I believe GW is now wood free.
3. Rideability: Can anyone share their experience about the ride, particularly in bad weather, choppy water in a 30 ft Canyon? We have not been able to sea trial either of our top contenders as the dealer will only do a sea trial if we commit by contract to the purchase of the boat (which makes absolutely no sense to me). See above comments. I am happy to sea-trial mine for you after May 10th.
4. Customer service after the sale: does GW stand behind their product when things break, are defective etc.? GW will stand behind their product and I suspect they expect their dealers to do so, as well.
5. Durability: How does the boat hold up (with proper care and maintenance) with regard to electronic components, seat cushions, plastic parts, etc.? Assuming proper care is given, the entire boat should hold up very well. In many cases, this is what separates quality boats from non-quality boats. It's four, five, six years out when quality components still look and operate great. On lower end boats, the components will be loose, pitted, stained, decomposing, etc.

 

[MarineBob]

I like JJF comments. On my always salt water moored 226, a 2013 model, there is no pitting no degredation of any of the components. My humble opinion is GW is over priced but you do get what you pay for. A lesser boat will likley do just about the same things, but after a few years, it won't have solid new look and high quality holding-up-well components. The cushions on my boat, 8 yrs old, are in amazingly good shape, another sign of quality. Only thing I had to do is replace a couple of snaps....probably salt water corrosion and certainly nothing of any consequence.

 

[Fishermanbb]

I’ve had 14 GW’s in my family so obviously I’m a fan. My current boat is a 306 canyon (2020 w/twin 300’s) and I have had the same hull in a 2000 Marlin (W/A). It’s a great hull and, like most GW’s it is “Big” for it’s size. Like ANY boat, run at high speed or improperly trimmed will degrade the ride, but operated properly it is a great riding 30’ boat. The 30 is heavy and not a very fast hull, but it settles nicely in the low to mid 30’s at cruise and is relatively (but not overly efficient). No disrespect to anyone or their opinion, but Cobia is just not in the same class in ANY way. My friend had the 30 Cobia CC for one or two years and I was on it - Just no way the boat is in the same class. When it is brand new it’s a nice boat but give it 3-5 years and the differences will scream. In fact, my friend got rid of it for an Edgewater. Not trying to knock Cobia. It’s a decent boat. But it’s not a GW and the price and resale demonstrate that. There are plenty of boats in the GW class that have similar quality and design (Some might say better) - Pursuit, Boston Whaler, Jupiter….Just to name a few - but there are more. Cobia is not one of them but it is not a BAD boat in any way….Just not a GW. Just my $.02 which today is worth less than nothing.

 

[luckydude]

Hello! We are in the market for our first boat...and have been for almost a year now.

After much research, visiting several boat shows, doing more research, and meeting with dealers, we decided that our first boat would be a new boat vs. a used one. We are not new to boating, have been in a boat club and going out on different boats for a few years now. That, by no means, makes us any experts on boating, boat ownership, or the intricacies thereof. I registered with this forum because Grady White is in our final two of boat brands, the other being Cobia. We were initially looking at the 271 Canyon, but after comparing it to the 306 Canyon we find the features and comfort of that boat to be exactly what we envision our boat to be. Comparing it to the 301 Cobia Center Console, the craftsmanship seems far superior...but again, I am only stating this based on "feel" of the boat, not technical expertise. This is the purchase of a longtime dream for us and we want to make sure we are as educated as possible before committing.

I have some questions, that, I am hopeful, I can get some straightforward answer to...as we have friends who own a Cobia and love it, but we know no one who owns a GW. Here it goes:

1. GW vs. Cobia: is there anyone out there who has experience with both of these brands and can give a comparative answer as to their experience? Again, we are looking at the 30ft, center console versions of these boats.
2. Wood in the hull construction vs. wood free construction. Is wood in the construction process really as bad as it is made out to be? There is so much contradicting information on this topic.
3. Rideability: Can anyone share their experience about the ride, particularly in bad weather, choppy water in a 30 ft Canyon? We have not been able to sea trial either of our top contenders as the dealer will only do a sea trial if we commit by contract to the purchase of the boat (which makes absolutely no sense to me).
4. Customer service after the sale: does GW stand behind their product when things break, are defective etc.?
5. Durability: How does the boat hold up (with proper care and maintenance) with regard to electronic components, seat cushions, plastic parts, etc.?

These questions may very well seem rudimentary to many long-time, experienced boat owners out there. But for us, it has been difficult to get "straightforward" answers as we are mostly dependent on speaking with dealers (who of course want to sell a boat). I would very much appreciate your time in providing some insight into Grady White ownership and thank you in advance.

I've been on the 271 Canyon and I'd encourage you to look harder at it. GW reuses their hulls, mostly, for CC, DC, and walk arounds. So they are a compromise. The 271 Canyon, for reasons unknown, is CC only and it is better in chop in my opinion. I almost bought a 300 marlin, put the money down, backed out because the ride wasn't enough better to be worth the money (for me). If the 271 came in a Walk Around with that same hull, I'd own it.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I've been on the 271 Canyon and I'd encourage you to look harder at it. GW reuses their hulls, mostly, for CC, DC, and walk arounds. So they are a compromise. The 271 Canyon, for reasons unknown, is CC only and it is better in chop in my opinion. I almost bought a 300 marlin, put the money down, backed out because the ride wasn't enough better to be worth the money (for me). If the 271 came in a Walk Around with that same hull, I'd own it.

I was kind of surprised to find out that the 270 Islander wasn't the same hull in that it has a smaller 8'6" beam as opposed to the 271 Canyon which is a 9'6" beam. What about something like the 282 Sailfish? Same beam, slightly longer and a little bit heavier than the 271 Canyon? Plus, it'll be much, much cheaper than a 300 Marlin.

 

[JJF]

I've been on the 271 Canyon and I'd encourage you to look harder at it. GW reuses their hulls, mostly, for CC, DC, and walk arounds. So they are a compromise. The 271 Canyon, for reasons unknown, is CC only and it is better in chop in my opinion. I almost bought a 300 marlin, put the money down, backed out because the ride wasn't enough better to be worth the money (for me). If the 271 came in a Walk Around with that same hull, I'd own it.

Hi,

I am not so sure this is true. My dock neighbor had a 27' DC. I believe it is the same hull as the CC. I could be wrong, though.

J

 

[billyttpd]

Hi,

I am not so sure this is true. My dock neighbor had a 27' DC. I believe it is the same hull as the CC. I could be wrong, though.

J

The 271 Canyonn is a foot wider than the Freedom 27

 

[Sauza45]

I just got my new 271 Canyon and Iam still breaking the engines in. The Canyon is a great riding boat, It handles like a sports car. To be fair I have not taken it offshore yet. I like to fish 30 to 60 miles offshore here in the
gulf, but buy the way it handles so far I think it will be great offshore.

 

[GradyGuy3420]

As others have said, just look at resale/the value that Gradys hold over the years. My family is on our 3rd GW (two 232s and now a 330 express) and we won’t own any other brand unless we venture out above 36’. Sure there are others comparable, but we have had a flawless experience with the boats and our dealer to date.

No experience (first hand or otherwise) with Cobia so can’t help you there.

Curious where you’ll be boating and what your expected ratio of fishing vs. cruising is. Also, slip or mooring?

Good luck! It’s a fun journey, no matter where it takes you.

 

[capeguy]

I have the 2017 GW 306 and use it on the South Shore of MA and off Cape Cod. Previously had the GW Sailfish 282 and before the Sportsman 180 CC. The 306 is a beast. Not just me saying it, but everyone I bring out is amazed at the ride. We have wind blown waves here that can build quickly. I just put on auto pilot and sit at the helm as the boat does 32mph through pretty much anything within reason. Its not a go-fast hull, but its rock solid. Don't know another 30' CC with a 10'7" beam.

As a fishing platform it is excellent. Lots of room, great layout. My one drawback is the range. It holds 290 gallons, but that is cutting it close for me to do a canyon run, which I would like to do....

GW support is excellent, had an issue with the windshield and they fixed it on them. They have always been excellent with all 3 of my GWs.

Don't know the cobia.

 

[Saltydogcapecod]

Owned a 220 Cobia for 3 years, not close to the 30’ in size, but same parts. Quality was ok, for example, inside of fish boxes glass was not finished smooth. Hinges all rusting for a 2017 a few years after. Did get wet in the ride with a lot slap being lighter. Mid class.. I have owned a GW Marlin and it was solid. I have recently purchased 2013’ GW 271 with 300’s. It’s Unreal! During the sea trial with 1.5-2’ seas slices it like butter could not feel a bump. Turns on a dime. The hull is what sold me. Definitely higher up the food chain than Cobia. Cobia, sportsman, and a few others try to fancy up the dash and helm area imo and they just can’t get the hull dialed in.