GW Express 360 vs. Pursuit OS 375

[jalbert523]

Hello everyone.

My Father and I are planning the purchase of a new boat for early/mid 2011. We visited the Miami and Fort Lauderdale shows. We have narrowed our choices to two vessels, the Grady-White Express 360, and the Pursuit Offshore OS 375. We do not have previous experience with either brand/builder.

I am posting this message on this forum hoping to receive some feedback from a 360 owner who was in the same situation, and decided to purchase the Express 360 instead of the OS 375, and the reasons why.

Thank you.

Cordially,

José

 

[ElyseM]

can't help with those models, but i went thru GW v pursuit twice. both times went GW (a 232 and now a 330). ultimately it was the GW reputation for standing behind the product (versus the product itself - although obviously important) which was really critical to me (and not to say pursuit doesn't, just that GW is known for it). second purchase had a lot more weight to customer service since i now had first hand experience.

as far as product to product, both had features that i liked and didn't like (pursuit can really finish out a boat). you need to sit down and make a list of ALL the things you want out of this boat. the models you are looking at are not cheap and the decision needs to be well thought out. then you''ll need to walk thru each boat SLOWLY (with pad and pencil) and make a list of likes and dislikes. match the lists and see what comes out.

also, SEA TRIAL, SEA TRIAL, SEA TRIAL. i truly believe that people who trash a brand of boat "that they have owned" do so because they bought something that didn't match their needs. read the thread on here about the 282 not being a "bluewater boat". if you need to blast thru 6 foot waves at 60 mph, go look at contender, et al, because i don't think either of the models you are looking at will meet the bill.

if money were no object, i would own both; but it is and i had to pick (maybe you don't :mrgreen: ). it's a tough decision, but if you go thru the steps you'll be pleased with the one you select. good luck, ron

 

[ElyseM]

one other thing. before we committed to the 330, we took the factory tour. i would recommend you do the same. ron

 

[jalbert523]

Hello Ron,

Good day.

Thank you for your feedback; I appreciate it.

Best regards,

José

 

[townvet]

I just went through these exact options. I ordered the 360. The Pursuit is a beautiful boat. Sea trailed both. Loved the 360 ride. The pursuit has a more modern finish to the cabin, but lost some of the fishing ability in the cockpit. My decision came down to dealer and Grady reputation.

 

[Fishtales]

I've never had the opportunity to ride on either, so my opinion is only based upon taking my wife and four kids and crawling around them. This is a great compare as these boats are just about the same and come from two of the best out there. I am biased toward the Grady's. I really like the cockpit, the high gunnels, the substancial cockpit door. I'd like to see only one change - transom mounted rod holders....

Sorry to say, but this case (contingent upon an even or better cost compare) the Pursuit wins.
The helm layout of the the Pursuit does it for me and since the capt spends most of his time there - it is the deciding factor. I am not a fan of the Grady center helm on the express boats and likely would never move up to one. The center helms are just too tight IMHO and the seating isn't substancial enough. Great for kids - inadequate for adults.
The cabin is a little nicer, maybe a tad bit for a hard core fishing machine, but lets be honest - neither of these are designed for this market.

If I move up, I really don't see a center helm Grady in my future. I would consider if 40' or over, but in low to mid 30 footers you really compromise helm space with a center seat.

Best of luck - I wish I was in your position!

tx

 

[ElyseM]

I am not a fan of the Grady center helm on the express boats and likely would never move up to one. The center helms are just too tight IMHO and the seating isn't substancial enough. Great for kids - inadequate for adults

not trying to sell anyone on anything, but don't dismiss the center helms. the newer 330's do have a better layout, but it is still tighter than if the chair were not there. also, they now offer the new flip-up bolster helm chair which makes a difference.

i was lifelong starboard helm exposed, but i am really liking the center helm now. sight lines are great and operating it just feels more natural, at least to me. it did take a good deal of getting used to though.

i also think the 360 has a LOT more room at the helm, so that may not be too much of a deciding factor for jose.

jmo, ron

 

[LongTimeLoafer]

The Pursuit 375 was not an option when we moved from our Express 330 to the Express 360 in 2008, so I can not address your question directly from personal experience. That said, there is virtually nothing about our 360 that we would change; we could not be more pleased with it, using it for light cruising, light fishing, adventures with grandkids, and the like. (We did have our dealer add an inverter so that, at anchor, we did not need to run the generator.) We are running it with twin 350's, by the way, and are glad that we chose twins rather than triples; we have more than enough power.

For us, it was our prior experience with the brand (we are now on our fourth Grady, each purchased new) and the local dealer that made us not even consider a different manufacturer (once we decided to stay with outboards). Grady has better customer service than I have ever seen in any industry, and our local dealer (Bayside Marine in Duxbury, MA) is spectacular.

I very much like the center helm on the 360, while I was not a fan of the helm on our 330 (as others have said, it is quite tight). The 360 helm and seating areas are just fine, and the sight lines are far better than on the 330.

As has been suggested, sea trials should help your decision, as should any differences between the dealers involved. I think that the dealer may be nearly as important as the manufacturer.

I don't think that you can go wrong with either option, though! Good luck, and have fun ordering the boat!

 

[The Black Pearl II]

I have the 360. my like 5th Grady. there are some things that I would suggest you get if you go with the grady. search my posts. This is by far the best boat i have every had, pretty close to perfect. I have the trip 250's and just run them, and they run great. we use our boat, I have not been a big fan of the pursuit line over all, no real reason. good luck.

 

[Tashmoo]

I have owned both brands (not in the size you are considering) and have the following comments:

Mercedes vs. BMW, you are not going to go wrong with ether, the differences are in details and what is important for your taste.

1) I would suggest that you look at and try to obtain an understanding of how both firms handle hidden elements of their construction. Specifically, below deck finish and wiring. Pursuit has an advantage in this area. Look and make your own judgment.

2) My GW has a persistent minor corrosion problem with the select stainless hardware and fasteners, not a huge deal but aggravating. I never had that issue with Pursuit.

3) Customer service, GW has it all over Pursuit in this department. Example, I broke the side windshield of my Pursuit about five years after I bought it and had to beg to get a replacement from Pursuit. From comparable experience with GW this would never happen. In fairness to Pursuit some of the issue was with the dealer but when I went around the dealer the experience was still not pleasant.

4) Durability over time. The Pursuit and all of the components passed the test of time with flying colors; the GW is now three seasons old and so far so good. Even score.

5) Non skid goes to Pursuit.

I was a dyed in the wool Pursuit owner and only went to GW because they came out with a model that I had said for years if only someone made a boat with…. Well GW made it and I bought it the day I set foot on it. I have to now concede that after three years with my current GW I am thrilled and would be very comfortable with ether manufacturer. For me the customer service would push me to GW the fit and finish to Pursuit.

BMW or Mercedes?

Good luck and enjoy the selection process.

PS, I have the Yamaha F350 -- 500 hours not a single problem. Great engine, looking to be bullet proof and torque like no other outboard that I have driven.