Grady White Help

[Rashabye]

I'm considering taking a trip early next week to look at a 19' Grady White Tournament. The hull is an '84 and the motor is a '99 Yamaha 2-stroke.

This would be my first fiberglass boat. Does anyone have any experience with Grady White boats good or bad? From what I've heard they are very solid.

Any thoughts about capabilities and limitations? Anything in particular I should keep an eye out for?

Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks!

PS...
I enjoy fishing and need one advice. I am new to ice fishing and about to buy some gear. I'm looking at going a different route when it comes to boots and I'm wondering if anyone has done this or has a reason not to do it. I'm looking at some goretex Klim snow machine boots under-the-open-sky.com/best-ice-fishing-boots because I love their quality. Would they work well for ice fishing?

 

[HTHM]

Take a small hammer along and tap the transom up and down across the entire width, if it pings that means the transom is solid. If you hear a hollow sound that means the transom has delaminated from the fibreglass and will need replacing in the near future.
I would suggest that you hire a surveyor to look at the boat with/for you.

 

[Uncle Joe]

You should also be prepared to re-power within a short period of time with a 21 year old outboard.

 

[seasick]

First thing to do is find a friend who has boat ownership experience along with you just to offer a second set of eyes. I assume you are new to the idea of boat ownership. A hull that old will have issues.There can be serious risks buying a 35 year old hull. Maybe it was well maintained and maybe things were replaced but if not, there is little doubt that the gas tank has passed its prime as has the wiring and electrical panels. Steering and control cables are probably up for replacement. There could be rot, not just in the transom but anywhere including places that you can't easily inspect.
If this is your first power boat and/or you don't have a lot of experience with older boats, that boat may not be the best choice. If the boat is on land, ask how long it has been stored and when was it last operated on the water. Some states have the registration date on the hull sticker. That may give you an idea of when it was last operated.
So starting with the basics: Does the boat run? Can you take a test ride? Does the seller seem like a person who maintained the boat? Is it really cheap? You can tell a lot about whether a boat has been maintained mechanically by its physical appearance. If it looks like crap, dirty, moldy, worn out cushions etc it probably wasn't mechanically taken care of either. ( On the other hand, if it look really good, nice and shinny, polished and clean, that can be a bad sign too. Often boats are detailed to make them look well maintained but often that just hides issues.
Be aware that some repairs can be costly. Having a transom redone can run several thousand. Replacing a gas tank will also cost a few thousand if done by a marina.
I am hesitant to recommend a survey at this point. If you look at it and think it is a decent deal, hire a surveyor and find out what the boat may need and approximately how much it will cost to make it seaworthy.
If you are in a position where the price asked is just about all you can afford at this time, be careful. It could be a money pit. Boats are expensive to repair and maintain.
Good luck and keep an open mind.

 

[Fishtales]

get a survey unless you know what to look for. transom, stringers, deck areas all subject to core issues. It's a 35yo hull. Expect something.