Finally, a Grady White to call mine.

[Ky Grady]

Hi folks. Long time member, 11 years actually, that seems crazy. Anyway, I finally bought the Grady! Many thanks to Parthery, Smokey Mountain Grady, Stikezone and others I'm forgetting that have answered my many questions over the years.

As was mentioned in another thread, I bought G8RDave's '04 228G with a F225 hanging on her. Went to Tampa Florida from Berea Kentucky to buy it. Dave and I talked for a few months while I was waiting to sell my sports car. It was one of the easiest boat buying experiences that I've ever had.

My boat has lived it's life in the saltwater, she does need some some cleaning, parts and pieces replaced, chips and random holes filled so I can start with my placement of gear. A good buff and wax is in order too after she comes back home. She'll live in fresh water now with an occasional trip to the salt.

I'm taking her to my Yamaha mechanic on Monday to have the exhaust done, timing belt changed, fresh motor mount bolts done and anything else she needs. I'll be picking up all my service parts so I can do that part of it myself. After the mechanic visit, I'll be dropping her off to my fiberglass guys to fill all the holes in the hardtop from dead and unused antennas, fill all the holes in the transom from transducers over the years. Fill and fix all chips around the edges. I'll be going back with twin antennas, VHF/AM-FM and a external GPS antenna that will tie into twin Lowrance HDS 7 Carbons in the electronics box. Kenwood AM-FM and ICOM in the radio box above.

She's blown apart right now for cleaning and such. Can't wait to get her back and put her back together. Looking forward to my first official fishing outing this fall. I'll cruise the lakes around here this summer but she's for my happy place in South Carolina.

With a little help, I'll have some pics up in a bit.

 

[Grady_Crazy]

Will you keep her at Black's? That will be a good boat to cruise thru the lock and down to Charleston. Congrats and have fun!

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Awesome. Congrats! You will live the boat for what you are doing. Glad you have her and hope she brings you many years of joy. One day I will get down and take a cruise with you guys.

 

[Ky Grady]

Will you keep her at Black's? That will be a good boat to cruise thru the lock and down to Charleston. Congrats and have fun!

No, she'll be trailered back and forth to Ky. I had a place in Butlers trailer park just down from Blacks, but sold out a few years ago. We stay and put in up at Canal Lakes next to the bridge over the diversion canal.

I've made the trip down from the lake to Charleston many times, looking forward to taking her down too.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

My years of long distance trailering are suggesting you get an over built trailer. I have spent too many hours to days wasted on the road fixing running gear. But, you already know that ..lol

 

[Ky Grady]

My years of long distance trailering are suggesting you get an over built trailer. I have spent too many hours to days wasted on the road fixing running gear. But, you already know that ..lol

2017 Loadmaster sitting under it already!! 8)

 

[Doc Stressor]

Dave gave me a test ride on that boat back before I bought mine. He really loved that thing.

Did he get another boat or is he getting away from boating?

 

[G8RDave]

Dave gave me a test ride on that boat back before I bought mine. He really loved that thing.

Did he get another boat or is he getting away from boating?

Just a temporary hiatus. My son is headed off to college and he was always my first mate. It would be sitting more than running for the next 4 years if we kept it. And that just didn't seem right. We'll get another Grady at some point. In the meantime I'll live vicariously through Ky Grady! Ya'll should see what he has been doing. Hopefully he'll put together a refit thread. But you're right. I absolutely loved that boat!!!

 

[Seafarer228G]

 

[Ky Grady]

Thanks Jeff!!

 

[Tmbrwuf]

Hey John!
Congrats again! I still haven't got my 228 in the water yet, but getting close. I had the engine cowling repainted and the gelcoat touch-up completed. I should be able to pick her up in a couple days.
I want to replace both seacocks in the aft bilge. The washdown and the livewell. I am having difficulty finding someone here to do it. I may do it myself. I have the livewell out now anyway, to replace the 4-rod holder attached to the well housing. I wanted to get all the related area work completed while I have the livewell out. Also, I found that one of my thru-hulls was chrome over bronze instead of stainless. The one from the fishboxes. It has corroded some, so I plan to replace it too.
I may check with Grady today to make sure I can find a good replacement for the thru-hull and seacocks. Of course, those seacock remote arms were completely rusted so those will need to be replaced. I think T-H Marine is about the only place to get those.
I plan to do some work on the aluminum trailer that came with it. It's a Performance out of FL and the company went out of business in 2006, but most parts are common and it's a pretty well-built trailer. I need some new trailer bunk brackets, the galvanized parts are pretty corroded, may look for stainless. The aft trailer crossmember has been broken where someone must have hit the guide pole where it is inserted above the trailer lights. Only the outside 2-3 inches are damaged, not structural. I may get someone to repair the aluminum, or just look for a new crossmember. I am replacing the trailer wiring too.
Oh yeah, and that horn. As everyone seems to mention those have about a ten-year life expectancy at best and mine doesn't work. I may go with the same horn for ease, or place a trumpet on the top. Speaking of the horn... I also got all new rocker switch covers, haven't installed them yet, they just came in.
I'll get some pics for you soon.
Steve

 

[TonyD]

That's a really nice boat - congrats!!!

Tony D.

 

[Parthery]

KY Grady is famous on FB too....Loadmaster likes to take pictures and put them on their page. :grin:

Congratulations on the boat.....I know it's been a long search but you landed on a good one.

 

[Ky Grady]

KY Grady is famous on FB too....Loadmaster likes to take pictures and put them on their page. :grin:

Congratulations on the boat.....I know it's been a long search but you landed on a good one.

Lol, yeah I saw that. 8)

Definitely long time coming.

 

[Ky Grady]

Hey John!
Congrats again! I still haven't got my 228 in the water yet, but getting close. I had the engine cowling repainted and the gelcoat touch-up completed. I should be able to pick her up in a couple days.
I want to replace both seacocks in the aft bilge. The washdown and the livewell. I am having difficulty finding someone here to do it. I may do it myself. I have the livewell out now anyway, to replace the 4-rod holder attached to the well housing. I wanted to get all the related area work completed while I have the livewell out. Also, I found that one of my thru-hulls was chrome over bronze instead of stainless. The one from the fishboxes. It has corroded some, so I plan to replace it too.
I may check with Grady today to make sure I can find a good replacement for the thru-hull and seacocks. Of course, those seacock remote arms were completely rusted so those will need to be replaced. I think T-H Marine is about the only place to get those.
I plan to do some work on the aluminum trailer that came with it. It's a Performance out of FL and the company went out of business in 2006, but most parts are common and it's a pretty well-built trailer. I need some new trailer bunk brackets, the galvanized parts are pretty corroded, may look for stainless. The aft trailer crossmember has been broken where someone must have hit the guide pole where it is inserted above the trailer lights. Only the outside 2-3 inches are damaged, not structural. I may get someone to repair the aluminum, or just look for a new crossmember. I am replacing the trailer wiring too.
Oh yeah, and that horn. As everyone seems to mention those have about a ten-year life expectancy at best and mine doesn't work. I may go with the same horn for ease, or place a trumpet on the top. Speaking of the horn... I also got all new rocker switch covers, haven't installed them yet, they just came in.
I'll get some pics for you soon.
Steve

Hi Steve

Was wondering about you. Hadn't heard from you in awhile. I did get to run mine for a couple of days while I was in Florida picking it up. Once she got home, I pretty much blew her apart. Anything removable came off and a serious cleaning was started. I have all new SS thru hulls, radio/electronic box hinges, wing window handles, and a few other things waiting on me at the Grady dealer down south that I use. The exhaust is being done this week, then over to fiberglass for some work. I hope to get her back in a couple of weeks. I've got a bunch of new stuff going back on her when she gets home. Hope to splash sometime in June here on the local lake then my first fishing trip to South Carolina is scheduled for October 1st with the guys.

Seel's Outboard is my Grady dealer I use. Call and ask for Nancy, she just ordered all my stuff for me and has the thru hull numbers. Get in your owners manual and give her the part number you're looking for, she should be able to cross it to the new numbers. Grady went to all SS a few years back I think, those are different numbers than original. If you can't find it, shot me a email, I'll send you the new numbers.

John

 

[Tmbrwuf]

Hey John,

Thanks for the update. Yep, Grady went to the stainless through hulls but for some reason the fish box drain on mine was installed chrome over bronze and it has corroded somewhat. I think my manual shows the stainless, I'll check again, but if you have the numbers I'd appreciate it. All my other over above-water through hulls were stainless. Are you replacing the inlets and seacocks on the livewell and washdown? If so, I'd like to get info on your replacement/upgrade parts. Since I have the livewell out, I wanted to get all the related work done now. I've looked at all the posts about the livewell pump on the seacock versus on the bulkhead/transom and am considering that too. I'll probably put in a new Pro-Blaster raw water washdown pump also. I'm not sure if my freshwater pump for the shower and sink is working either. I need to troubleshoot that when I get her back. I have an extra one I took out of a motorhome that may suffice for that one. I also have to look at how to replace all those rocker switch covers. All of mine were faded to the point you couldn't read the labels. I got a set online, just have to see how to physically remove and place them. I'm working on the trailer some today, waiting for the call to go pick her up.

Steve