I know this is a Grady forum so I am pretty sure where the responses will go but I thought I would ask anyway. I have been looking all over all brands for a 23' trailerable walk-around type boat (I know the 232 is over width but there are more than a few being trailered). I have narrowed the search by both style, manufacturer, and ability to find to the Grady 232 or the Scout Abaco 242 (really a 23' boat with a 24' label). The Grady is about 10 years old or so for the same price as a 5 year old Scout. I have not had a chance to drive either but have been on a 232. How do the rides compare? Fishability? Rolling at troll? How about 3-4' steep wind chop ride? Longevity? Re-sale? I have a love for Grady's and would really like to become an owner of one more than anything but the fuel efficiency of the Scout, less trailer weight, and ability to get a good price on a newer boat are giving me second thoughts. Those are probably the only 3 things I can think of that win over the Grady. Please help.
Grady v. Scout
- Thread starter Cardinal Coug
- Start date
I don't have much experience with Scout boats but they have a good rep and look pretty nice to my eyes. GW makes a 25 (was called 24) which has a more narrow beam the the 23 (8' IIRC). You may want to add that to the mix.
The GW 23 is really a very short 26' boat.
The GW 23 is really a very short 26' boat.
I think the 3 things you mentioned speak for themselves. You are able to get a better deal on the scout because it does not have as good re-sale value as a Grady. It is easier to trailer because of its weight, which will not serve as good in the chop you are asking about. I would have to leave the drift and troll question to someone that has been on both, but my friends with the Grady can not speak highly enough about its operation, ride, fishability, etc...
Uh, yeah, fer sure man...No one here is going to tell you that a SCOUT is better than a Grady. :wink:
I do have to admit though, they are nice looking boats. I always look at them at the shows. They have some innovative design features, and yeah, just about everything is cheaper than a Grady - dang it.
Sea-Pro is another one that always shows up at the shows. And HydraSport, Robalo, Mako, there's a bunch of 'em isn't there?
But alas, there are lots of folks out there that will tell you there really is no difference between a Bayliner and a Grady. They both float!
I do have to admit though, they are nice looking boats. I always look at them at the shows. They have some innovative design features, and yeah, just about everything is cheaper than a Grady - dang it.
Sea-Pro is another one that always shows up at the shows. And HydraSport, Robalo, Mako, there's a bunch of 'em isn't there?
But alas, there are lots of folks out there that will tell you there really is no difference between a Bayliner and a Grady. They both float!
I have been in the 24 ? footer(the Guy Harvey edition), boat looks good and rides good, what i didn't like was the rocking was doing(at that time i had also a 24' sportcraft cc and mine was more stable).Scout has nice fit and finish, so the Grady, the 232 is MUCH bigger boat than the Scout, as far as ride on a 232, i'm embarashed to say that i never rode one.
GW 23
I owned a GW 23 for 3 years before I moved up to Marlin 30. In my opinion, the GW 23 is the most versatile and safest boat made under 26 feet. The hull and extra width provide a margin of safety and solid ride that can't be matched by any 8'6" hull, including other GW models. The cabin is very comfortable for ovenighting for 2 people. In the helm area, there is plenty of room between the two seats. On most narrow boats, passing between the two seats is a pain.
If your a serious about your fishing, get a GW 23.
I owned a GW 23 for 3 years before I moved up to Marlin 30. In my opinion, the GW 23 is the most versatile and safest boat made under 26 feet. The hull and extra width provide a margin of safety and solid ride that can't be matched by any 8'6" hull, including other GW models. The cabin is very comfortable for ovenighting for 2 people. In the helm area, there is plenty of room between the two seats. On most narrow boats, passing between the two seats is a pain.
If your a serious about your fishing, get a GW 23.
I believe the 232 is oversize on width for trailering. You should check with someone more familiar with them. That said, its a much bigger 23' boat than most, due to the width, so its not a fair comparison. You'd be better off comparing the Scout to the 24' Grady.
I realize that I am no expert on naval architecture and I have mentioned this before, but I still hold my position on boat design (until you guys finally convince me otherwise)
I am under the inpression that when comparing two boats with the exact same length (at the waterline I guess) with the same deadrise and two significantly different beams (boat A ~8'6" vs. boat B 9'3") that the wider beam would ride much different than the narrow beam. For example boat A would ride better in a headsea as the bow will cut through the seas better, boat B will be more stable while drifting. The reason I mention this is I read often on websites like this how a wide beam boat rides better than a narrow beam boat of about the same size. My experience has been the opposite, and I suggest for a headsea the opposite is the case. Look at the offshore race boats, most of them are roughly 8' beams with lengths approaching 40' or so. I am not suggesting Grady Whites are race boats or all out fishing boats for that matter, but wanted to share my opinions on 'wide beam' boats.
Back to the question Grady vs. Scout. I gather Gradys are a little better made, much heavier and much better resale. I also think Scout has some very innovative ideas on almost every model. For example Scout is probably the only manufacturer that takes advantage of the gunwales for storage (24' model if I recall). There hardtops were one of the first to incorporate storage. Due to their hull design, they claim to be more efficient than Grady, Whaler, etc as far as fuel consumption goes.
Hope this helps a little
I am under the inpression that when comparing two boats with the exact same length (at the waterline I guess) with the same deadrise and two significantly different beams (boat A ~8'6" vs. boat B 9'3") that the wider beam would ride much different than the narrow beam. For example boat A would ride better in a headsea as the bow will cut through the seas better, boat B will be more stable while drifting. The reason I mention this is I read often on websites like this how a wide beam boat rides better than a narrow beam boat of about the same size. My experience has been the opposite, and I suggest for a headsea the opposite is the case. Look at the offshore race boats, most of them are roughly 8' beams with lengths approaching 40' or so. I am not suggesting Grady Whites are race boats or all out fishing boats for that matter, but wanted to share my opinions on 'wide beam' boats.
Back to the question Grady vs. Scout. I gather Gradys are a little better made, much heavier and much better resale. I also think Scout has some very innovative ideas on almost every model. For example Scout is probably the only manufacturer that takes advantage of the gunwales for storage (24' model if I recall). There hardtops were one of the first to incorporate storage. Due to their hull design, they claim to be more efficient than Grady, Whaler, etc as far as fuel consumption goes.
Hope this helps a little
I have not ridden a 24 scout, but the 28 is horrible riding boat and very wet, and from other owner's I have heard similar instances. They are light boats, scout utilizes some newer age technologies, which can be a good thing, but they have also had issues over the years with laminate problems and having problems with fiberglass adhering to core, which is a bad situation, the core becomes powder inside and has 0 strength putting a lot of stress on the fiberglass that was not designed to be that way. I am not sure of what years this effected but they had a run of about a year with issues like this. When we looked at moving up Scout was on our top 5 list, but after hearing from owner's and looking more into them, we eliminated them. their fit and finish is nice on the outside, overall finish work is ok. Grady builds a great boat and if cared for correctly will last longer then you and I will, granted they have some issues too, but typically they are caused by owner negligence or lack of knowledge and care. As far as amenities, the 23 Grady is very well laid out for a 23. The scout has a smaller cockpit, no walkaround making it harder to get forward if you anchor or even when docking. Personally I think the dash on the scout is horrible, little room for electronics and they will either have to be out in the open or suspetible to glare. The scout does put you closer to the engine which I perfer over a bracket, but both are not too big of an issue. The side gunnels on the scout are neat and give you lots of storage, but take away from a LOT of cockpit space in the end, and on a 23-24' boat ther eis little to no need to have all of that space taken up. The cabin on the scout is nicer, but scout concentrates more room on the cabin, so unless you will overnight a lot and put fishing or lounging in the cockpit second, this on a 24' boat is a down side, you want an even spacing in helm, cabin and cockpit, on the scout they put more emphasis on cabin then cockpit. The 23' Grady is a solid boat and rides like a 25' boat, the scout 24' will ride like a 22' boat, there is no comparison in how the 2 will ride. The scout will be more efficient because it is lighter and rides like a smaller boat with a narrower beam, but you will also notive the difference when seas kick up, or even in a chop, weight can be a good thing in a boat, going lighter isn't always desired.
As you mentioned above, trailer is something to look into, but a 23' with that wide beam can be trailered, you will either need a permit for it or need to go online and notify your states authorities of your route for approval. Some states are more lax about it and do not fully enforce this law either, depends on your location and how far you will need to really travel, but being aware of the law in your state is something of importance.
As mentioned by other posters, reason the 24 scout rocked more was due to its light weight, the lighter you get the more rool action, typically a narrow beam boat would roll less then a wide beam boat, but this also has to do with deadrise, a variable deadrise will rock less then a straight v boat. If weight is located higher in the boat or the boat is made lighter, it will rock a bit more for its style boat. Adding the weight in the gunnels from the storage and fish box makes the boat act like a pendulum and will give it more momentum to rock more then a typical boat without those storage areas outboard. Also, having a box on one side that might not be filled all the time and gear on the other always being there throws off the boats stability a bit as well, it will rarely ever be equalized which is perfered. As far as ride, in a chop, a widder boat with more deadrise is best, if the boats have the same deadrise, the wider boat will still ride better, but burn a little more fuel doing so, in a beam seas a narrower boat is perfered, but on a 23-24' boat the difference will be minimal in the overall picture of the ride.
As far as offshore race boats, most are stepped or straight v boats or have little change in deadrise, so they are hard to compare, they ride well because they have a deep v for slicing waves, narrow beam to add efficiency and speed, and being narrow allows weight to be cut out. If you set that boat on the drift...yikes.
As far as the price and what you get, the scout will not hold resale as well, basis for the newer boat being in the same price range, this does not mean scout is a bad boat, but when you factor in customer service, longevity, and brand name, there are a handful of brands that top scout. As far as which suits your needs better, that is a personal decision, and you need to see what will give you the features you are seeking. The age of the hull is negligant, hulls last far longer then we do if cared for, so take that out of the picture, assuming both are in fairly decent shape. The engines are a big factor, the scout may have a better engine being newer, unless the 23 is repowered. When you look at it this way, this shows you that after the cost of the newer engine, the scout hull itself is worth little compared to the Grady's, looks on the outside sometimes mask the reality of the situation. I would highly advise a sea trial beforwe buying, even if you need to put money down you might not get back, in the grand scheme of things it is important to do so so that you do not get stuck with something you will not be happy with. Unfortunatley being a grady forum it is hard to get a perfect answer here, but coming from someone who works in the industry designing boats and someone who just went through a boat purchase a few years ago, there is little comparison between the 2 in overall value for your buck, with that being said, not always is the best bang for your buck the best fit for everyone out there.
As you mentioned above, trailer is something to look into, but a 23' with that wide beam can be trailered, you will either need a permit for it or need to go online and notify your states authorities of your route for approval. Some states are more lax about it and do not fully enforce this law either, depends on your location and how far you will need to really travel, but being aware of the law in your state is something of importance.
As mentioned by other posters, reason the 24 scout rocked more was due to its light weight, the lighter you get the more rool action, typically a narrow beam boat would roll less then a wide beam boat, but this also has to do with deadrise, a variable deadrise will rock less then a straight v boat. If weight is located higher in the boat or the boat is made lighter, it will rock a bit more for its style boat. Adding the weight in the gunnels from the storage and fish box makes the boat act like a pendulum and will give it more momentum to rock more then a typical boat without those storage areas outboard. Also, having a box on one side that might not be filled all the time and gear on the other always being there throws off the boats stability a bit as well, it will rarely ever be equalized which is perfered. As far as ride, in a chop, a widder boat with more deadrise is best, if the boats have the same deadrise, the wider boat will still ride better, but burn a little more fuel doing so, in a beam seas a narrower boat is perfered, but on a 23-24' boat the difference will be minimal in the overall picture of the ride.
As far as offshore race boats, most are stepped or straight v boats or have little change in deadrise, so they are hard to compare, they ride well because they have a deep v for slicing waves, narrow beam to add efficiency and speed, and being narrow allows weight to be cut out. If you set that boat on the drift...yikes.
As far as the price and what you get, the scout will not hold resale as well, basis for the newer boat being in the same price range, this does not mean scout is a bad boat, but when you factor in customer service, longevity, and brand name, there are a handful of brands that top scout. As far as which suits your needs better, that is a personal decision, and you need to see what will give you the features you are seeking. The age of the hull is negligant, hulls last far longer then we do if cared for, so take that out of the picture, assuming both are in fairly decent shape. The engines are a big factor, the scout may have a better engine being newer, unless the 23 is repowered. When you look at it this way, this shows you that after the cost of the newer engine, the scout hull itself is worth little compared to the Grady's, looks on the outside sometimes mask the reality of the situation. I would highly advise a sea trial beforwe buying, even if you need to put money down you might not get back, in the grand scheme of things it is important to do so so that you do not get stuck with something you will not be happy with. Unfortunatley being a grady forum it is hard to get a perfect answer here, but coming from someone who works in the industry designing boats and someone who just went through a boat purchase a few years ago, there is little comparison between the 2 in overall value for your buck, with that being said, not always is the best bang for your buck the best fit for everyone out there.
I did a ton of research and comparing Scout vs Grady and my conclusion was that they're comparable in terms of quality and price. Sure you can get a Scout cheaper than a Grady in the same class, but I found that once you added the accessories to make them equal, the price was roughly the same. Both are great boats.
Capt Bill
GreatGrady Captain
Between the well-documented transom water problems with Scout; (here is but the latest example of many: http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-for ... issue.html ), and what might be another design problem of gas tanks breaking loose, I'll still put my money on the Grady.
I agree with Tuna Man about the beam vs. ride. All other things equal, longer length and narrower beam wins the ride in chop category.
Ask anyone at offshore fishing tournaments which boats ride best, and Contender is usually at the top (along with a host of others that are all similar in size/shape/configuration). Contenders are long and narrow. In fact, if you compare the numbers, they're even LIGHT.
The point is that I have a hard time believing that wider beam would ever make a boat ride smoother in chop or seas. I do agree that the additional weight of a wide beam would add to the stability, but science would have to make it pound more than long and narrow.
The problem is that we (myself included) start these posts with "all things equal" and they never are! Each boat design is a compromise and can be focused on better performance in certain situations while giving some up in others.
Ask anyone at offshore fishing tournaments which boats ride best, and Contender is usually at the top (along with a host of others that are all similar in size/shape/configuration). Contenders are long and narrow. In fact, if you compare the numbers, they're even LIGHT.
The point is that I have a hard time believing that wider beam would ever make a boat ride smoother in chop or seas. I do agree that the additional weight of a wide beam would add to the stability, but science would have to make it pound more than long and narrow.
The problem is that we (myself included) start these posts with "all things equal" and they never are! Each boat design is a compromise and can be focused on better performance in certain situations while giving some up in others.
Put an ad on CL for selling a Grady and then put one on CL for selling a Scout and see how many e-mails you get from both ads, you will see what brand has a better re-sale value. Only bad thing I ever heard from anyone who has owned a 232 was having one engine vs twins. If I was getting that GW model, I would only want twin engines. From what I have heard is that this model due to the extra wide beam (9.3 for a 23ft boat) rides better and is faster with twins. I have never owned one and have only been on one with twin 175hp and it ran well with twin 175hp. I wish you the best in finding your new boat.
In a perfect world if you put the same deadrise on an 8' and a 9' beam boat there wouldn't be that much of a ride difference. The 9' beam boat would draw more water and there might be a stability problem (how many wide beam 24 deg deadrise boats do you see).
A steep 4' chop will not be a pretty ride in any 23' boat.
A steep 4' chop will not be a pretty ride in any 23' boat.
I have not been in the Scout 24, or, a Grady 24 for that matter.
I DO own a 23 Gulfstream and DID own a 22 Seafarer.
The Seafarer had an 8 FT. Beam, the Gulf, 9'3" as you all know.
The Gulfstream, with the wider beam, outrode the Seafarer by a HUGE margin. I was openmouthed at the difference, the 1st time I went into Lake Erie around the islands in the Western Basin.
Scouts are nice boats..I wouldn't trade my Gulfstream for one, though.
I DO own a 23 Gulfstream and DID own a 22 Seafarer.
The Seafarer had an 8 FT. Beam, the Gulf, 9'3" as you all know.
The Gulfstream, with the wider beam, outrode the Seafarer by a HUGE margin. I was openmouthed at the difference, the 1st time I went into Lake Erie around the islands in the Western Basin.
Scouts are nice boats..I wouldn't trade my Gulfstream for one, though.
Tuna man is right on,The path of least resistance would say a narrow beam would have the better head sea ride VS. a wide beam but the Grady brings in other factors,20 Degree deadrise ,sharper entry,Much more weight so i think the head sea ride will still be better on the Grady.As far as all around handling Grady will be much more stable due to its beam which translates to great following sea ride.As far a stability stand on the gunnel Of a 8' beam boat than stand on the gunnel of the gulfstream,My 200 pounds barely budges my gulfstream but when i step on a 25 Advance it leans over substantially And they are similiar in weight .Good Luck -Pat L
There is a Grady dealer here in CT that used to sell Scout. They had so many quality control issues with their boats that they finally dumped them after many years of repairing Scout boats after the sale which Scout would not pay for under warranty. They are pretty boats but I don't think they're designed very well either. I was on a 22 or 24 at a boat show last year and was amazed how much less usable room the boat had compared to others in the same size range.