Few questions from new member.

[Fighting Chance]

Hey guys just a few questions from you guys experiences with GW.

Looking at getting my family back into fishing boating and 1 GW very very much appeals to us. The 360 express.. Obviously used as i am not financially in that ball park so looking in the 2006 to 2008 period.

I am using a broker right now and find him telling me dont look at a GW untill 2008 due to Transom rot that a lot of these boats seem to have. Plenty of YT videos showing this. He stated in 2008 things changed for the better? What changed? And i seen postes on different Message boards that in the 360 they didnt use wood? I actually have a call into GW to talk to someone but have not gotten a call back yet to discuss the construction of the 360.
Now i cant believe just every GW especially the 360 prior to 2008 has a wet transom or water intrusion. Just dont make sense. I feel the layout of this boat would be perfect for my family. We just recently looked at a perfect 35 Cabo FB 2002 and yes it was perfect or as perfect as can be for 2002. Only thing was the FB and that darn ladder . My wife and i both have AUTOIMMUNE arthritis so it just wont work. Plus diesels were on the loud side for us. CAT 3126B also in perfect condition. So express with quiet 4 stroke seemsblike a winner. But what my broker said resonates in my head NO GRADY TILL 2008.

I AM IN NJ and there is a 2006 GW 360 and seems great but in his description the owner states the TRANSOM CAP WAS REPLACED AND FULLY GLASSED. To me this reads transom rot and makes me wonder if it was fixed or just sealed for future problems.
Linkhttps://www.boattrader.com/boat/2006-grady-white-express-360-7948358/

Just would like to hear from the masses who actually own these boats.
Appreciate your time
Brian

 

[Hookup1]

It's good for you to do your homework on a used boat. I have an older one (1997) and all is well but I would have preferred an all -composite hull. Whatever you do make sure you have a good surveyor watching out for your interests - not the sellers! I'm in Cape May and may be able to recommend someone.

 

[Fighting Chance]

It's good for you to do your homework on a used boat. I have an older one (1997) and all is well but I would have preferred an all -composite hull. Whatever you do make sure you have a good surveyor watching out for your interests - not the sellers! I'm in Cape May and may be able to recommend someone.

Thanks and yes absolutely surveyors for hull and motors without question. Maybe a call to the owner would be in play to just hear hisnside of the story. He put a lot into this boat recently and shows well in pictures but we all know pictures can lie. Been there done that. I just dont nor wont or cant believe my broker is set on no pre 2008 GWs.

Hope to get a return call from GW soon to get more info on this.

Any current owners of a 360 express opinions.

Hey neighbor i am just north of you in Atlantic county. Just a short ride to Chestnut neck.

 

[seasick]

There is no hard and fast dates for determining what hulls may have issues and which ones won't.
Only a good survey can 'say' . I put that in quotes because there are excellent surveyors and not as experienced ones.
Grady may have changed the transom construction in later models but they also changed the hull construction above the water line and on some late model hulls that has led to extensive and quite costly to repair core rot. Your choice in surveyors should include a check on the surveyors experience with the model hull you are looking at.
With regard to the listing stating that the cap was replaced and glassed over: That may mean there was an issue, maybe serious or it may mean that the owner was concerned about possible issues. There are so many posts about that cap and that scares folks into thinking they have a timebomb on their hands. The fact is that you just can't tell.
Aside from the hull condition, the motors are the next big ticket item that would need thorough checking. Some models are more prone or very prone to mechanical issues.

You also said that the boat 'looks great". If a boat looks really great and is a brokered boat, there is a decent chance that the boat was detailed by the broker. That is not in itself a bad thing but it raises a red flag to me. Sometimes, quick cosmetic work is done to make everything look great and it may be hiding issues..I don't know what you past owned boats were and how much experience you have but that boat is a lot of boat. Maybe it is a fit for your needs and maybe it isn't.
Regardless, don't fall in love at first sight, you want to remain objective.

 

[Hookup1]

Sent you a PM with surveyor info.

 

[seasick]

a good reference or two is worth a ton. Don't use any surveyor or mechanic recommended by the broker.

 

[wspitler]

I believe Grady White will tell you they switched to Greenwood XL no rot for all structural members, including the transom in all models in 1998. Let us know if they confirm that.

 

[Sailfish]

I have never heard of a change that would address a potentially rotten transom. There was a change in Max HP fro 750 in 2007 to 1050 in 2008, and then recently to 1275. I don't own a 360/370, so I cannot comment on how well it runs with 750 HP, but I am sure others on this forum will chime in,

 

[Mustang65fbk]

If you are looking at buying a boat, as said above, I'd highly recommend paying a surveyor to go out with you to look at it. I was looking at a 228 Seafarer back in New York a couple of weeks ago, paid a surveyor to go out and look at it, and it was nowhere near in the condition the seller claimed it was. I paid around $600 for the survey and I'm glad that I did because I ended up walking away from the deal and the boat is still for sale multiple weeks later. I'd look on Google for nationally accredited marine surveyors and they will give you a couple of different sites to look on. Be advised, for most surveyors this is the busiest time of the year so keep that in mind if you're wanting to get the boat as soon as possible, and most will likely be a couple of weeks out. Here are the two links I used, there's a couple other sites that can be used as well. Definitely have your surveyor go over the boat with a water meter to look for water intrusion and possible damage to the boat from water intrusion. Good luck!

NAMSGlobal | An International Association of Marine Surveyors | The National Association of Marine Surveyors, Inc. | Find A Marine Surveyor Near Me | Training | Education | Certification | Referral | NAMS | NAMS-CMS

NAMSGlobal members are marine surveyors who inspect, and provide a broad variety of consulting services for the maritime industry. Our members are certified based on their knowledge and experience, with designations for: Yachts and Small Craft, Cargo, and Hull and Machinery (including Fishing Vessel

www.namsglobal.org

Home - The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors

Welcome to The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® Find a Marine Surveyor Locate By: U.S. States | Canadian Provinces | Other Countries Types of Surveys Types of Surveys Tug & Barge Cargo Commercial Workboat Yachts & Small Craft Engine Fishing Vessel Hull & Machinery Tug & Barge Cargo...

www.marinesurvey.org

 

[Fighting Chance]

Thanks guys for the input its much appreciated. This is. Big jump for us my wife Nx i had a 21 flats /bay boat when we lived in SW FL years ago. We have a daughter and she enjoys fishing like me so we want the space afforded by this size boat.

We almost bougbt a 35 CABO a few weeks ago but passed on it. Due to it being a Flybridge and my wife and I have AUTOIMMUNE Arthritis so no ladder.

Funny one mentioned dont use the brokers surveyors people as we did just that. But maybe a good lesson anyways in the future.

This boat is a private seller not brokered. So will see what he says about the boat if i give him a call in the near future. I am very patient as i have been looking for a few years so waiting a bit longer is no biggie. We dont just want a boat, we want the RIGHT BOAT!

 

[Fishtales]

Wood was used until the mid to late 1990s, then XLGreenwood (basically pressure treated) was used. The 360 had fiberglass stringers but wood in the transom. I believe all moved to composite, again a phase in the mid to late 2010s, no exact timeline as I was out of the market then. I'm sure others here can fill in the blanks.

 

[Fishermanbb]

I had a 2006 360 for 11 years. It’s still out on the water with no issues that I am aware of. Older Grady’s can have transom issues just like any other boat but the reports are overblown. A well-cared for boat will be fine and to my knowledge there were no changes to the 360 hull in 2008. The plastic transom cap replaced the aluminum one(Which I had) at some point but the hull remained the same AFAIK. I‘S a great boat and if you get a good surveyor and the survey comes back clean you should be fine.

 

[Capt Bill]

I think that most transom rot is more to do with transom-mounted transducers being installed improperly. So many dealers, owners, and even some marine electronics installers just drilling holes below the waterline, and maybe coating the mounting screws with silicone, or such. Absolutely wrong to do this, and will eventually lead to water intrusion. Then someone else buys the boat, removes the old transducers, squeezes some silicone in the holes, and drills holes for a new, probably bigger transducer. I was a marine electronics installer for over 40 years, and I think I've seen it all.

My 2002 282 Sailfish, which I just sold a few months ago, has never had a hole drilled in the transom. That boat is as solid and dry as the day it was new. I just bought a 255 Freedom, which also has never had a hole drilled in the transom. I understand and agree that there are other ways water can get in a transom, but I do believe that's the main source of the problem with any boat.

Take the advice, and get a proper survey, but I would try to narrow my search to boats with nothing transom mount, unless you know the installer, and how it was done.

 

[Fighting Chance]

Thx capt bill appreciate that info on transducers mounted on transom.

Fishermanbb. Thanks for your reply as i have read just about every post you made of the 360 as i saw you had one for awhile. If you have any good and bad or just overall opinions on the boat let me have it. All info welcomed and appreciated. This boat 360 just seems to cover everything that we would love. My family steped on the 370 at the ac boat show a few years ago and they both loved the layout as did i. So thats why the interest in the 360.

 

[SkunkBoat]

The bigger wide grady hulls have(had?) balsa core hull above the waterline. all of the Express models and the Marlin for sure.
I thought I saw a post here about a particular spot on the 360 that got a wet/ delaminated core...where a thru hull goes thru...

Can't seem to find the post.

 

[Fighting Chance]

Thx I'll look but seems a wet transom seems to be present atleast more than normal but it also can be lack of care also. I'm going to keep researching