It's official - 228 is no more :-(

[Legend]

Congratulations 228 owners. The best thing GW did was to discontinue the Sailfish. The demand and prices have sky rocketed for them since they dropped the SF from the line-up. I don't get the increased demand for dual console but the market has spoken. Guess overnighting in boats is a thing of the past.

 

[Bird Blaster]

Interesting...I hope they continue to keep at least 3 walk around. I love mine and picked it for our family over a Freedom line so that we had the ability to boat for a longer season. In Northern Ontario on Superior we have lots of cold and windy days!

They would be wise to keep the 208, 232 and 300.

Personally I probably would keep the 228 over the 208.

 

[Mark DV]

I fish a lot, I have a wife and two kids that like to accompany me. There is no better configuration for us than a WA. My cabin gets used on every, single, trip. They go down there to nap, get out of the rain, we keep all our stuff down there. The sailfish is large enough that my son and I can overnight on it comfortably when we run down south for Cobia. I'd love a CC to fish on, life dictates otherwise. Our first boat was a Seafarer, fantastic platform for a small family with great fishability, sad to see it go but it's a business.

This sounds like me. and I have the wife and 2 daughters so having a private porta potty is a must for them. The WA is best for us.

 

[nuclear]

My last boat was a DC, everyone (especially the kids) loved sitting up front. The kids love playing in the 228 cabin even more. Plus with the closed transom it's a lot safer. When they are in the cabin I don't have to worry one bit about them other than any messes they may make. Personally I would not get a CC, but I am in the minority in that I don't fish.

 

[ROBERTH]

I had a dual console and loved it. But the walkaround to me trumps it by far! Ability to store gear, get out of the weather, etc. is valuable to me. I find it very comfortable down in the cabin as well! I can't imagine no Walkarounds. Was sorry to see the 28' size disappear which is the largest size towable with most trucks. That is why they are in such demand. How does Grady know there is no demand now if they don't offer them?

 

[family affair]

How do they know there is no demand? Market research. The problem with that reasearch is that most new boat buyers are buying what the Jones's have. The new boat buyers only know what the Jones's have and don't know what else is out there or why they might want it. Most likely don't have the experience or put the time into making the decision like most do on this forum. They want to duplicate the experience they had with the Jones's, the brand name, the warranty, and a payment that seemed reasonable at the time.
The WA will make a comeback at some point, in some form similar to what we have now. My guess is it will be more like a fish around with a much higher price tag!

 

[PointedRose]

How do they know there is no demand? Market research. The problem with that reasearch is that most new boat buyers are buying what the Jones's have. The new boat buyers only know what the Jones's have and don't know what else is out there or why they might want it. Most likely don't have the experience or put the time into making the decision like most do on this forum. They want to duplicate the experience they had with the Jones's, the brand name, the warranty, and a payment that seemed reasonable at the time.
The WA will make a comeback at some point, in some form similar to what we have now. My guess is it will be more like a fish around with a much higher price tag!

I tend to agree, I expect it’s a play by GW mgmt to speed up production on some models that they make better margins on, and can deliver quicker, and rebrand or reintroduce later once the world comes back into balance.

 

[efx]

What I have noticed is that dual consoles are showing up at docks, in all brands. They get used a few times and then sit. The users either get burnt or soaked or frozen. Plus you can’t overnight them. I think they are a fad.

 

[Gullchaser]

I am holding a candle light vigil with my boat tonight in Cullowhee,NC. I am in a time of sorrow. So,please respect me and my family as we make it through this difficult time. Also,please respect my wishes as I enter the transfer portal in college football. I want to thank my old coaches .

Grady built their brand on the Walk Around. They invented it and it was who they were for 3 decades. The 228 was a staple in the fleet . I guess just like people don't go to Catskills anymore for Kellermans summer fun, The market for walkarounds is not what it once was. Many here love our walkarounds be they the 208 to the Marlin. I love my 228. It is a true SUV of the water.

Smoky, I love your reference to Dirty Dancing. lol. I can see Max Kellerman now, " it all seems to be changing, now people want four outboards and a bowrider. it all seems to be slipping away."

 

[PointedRose]

What I have noticed is that dual consoles are showing up at docks, in all brands. They get used a few times and then sit. The users either get burnt or soaked or frozen. Plus you can’t overnight them. I think they are a fad.

I actually think the used boat market might level out in maybe 2-3 years as these boats sit a while and owners ask themselves why they keep writing checks for something they don’t use.

 

[family affair]

I actually think the used boat market might level out in maybe 2-3 years as these boats sit a while and owners ask themselves why they keep writing checks for something they don’t use.

Yup.
You are about 10-15 years too young to know that history is repeating itself. There was a boat boom in the 80's. Then it went bust. This time the loan duration is a lot longer for many.

 

[Don Davis]

It took me almost 8 years of looking to finally find and make the leap into a 228 Seafarer as it checked every box on my boat must have list, the 208 was just too small and the open transom just doesn’t make sense. I think this is a simple case of people “don’t know what they don’t know” about the Seafarer model. I bet it’ll be back into production when things settle down in the future. Every where I go with mine lately I honestly have had people asking to buy it but I tell them it’s not for sale, it’s worth more to me. My grand kids will have lots of fun in it.

 

[luckydude]

It doesn't matter what we personally think of them, they need to focus on what makes the company cash. My selling dealer in Fla didn't stock any new Walkarounds for the 9 years I did business with them. ALL Freedoms and Center Consoles. I bought my 2018 Marlin while I still could.

Hang onto yours, Lucky; KY Grady... The value will only go up over time.

I get that dealers in warm climates won't have walk arounds, they only make sense for people who want to sleep in them there. But they make a ton of sense as it gets colder. I'm in central California and it is cold enough that I adore the walk around helm. It just gets colder as you go more north. I would have thought that was enough of a market but maybe there are more boat buyers in warmer climates.

Magic, I will *never* sell my 228. If I moved some place where I could trailer a bigger boat, I would take a long hard look at your Marlin or a Sailfish. I'd want to drive one to see if it beats you up less in the slop. If it did, I'd buy one and keep the 228 for kids or whatever.

The more I run that 228, the more I like it. I know the 226 fans have their reasons, and maybe one day there will be a following sea that pushes the platform enough to stuff the bow, oh, well, it will drain out. I love the high transom, I love how safe that boat makes me feel, I just love that 228, I'm a tool guy, I appreciate good tools, and for a 22 foot boat, it is the best tool that I've ever seen. Was out in it Monday and got these: http://mcvoy.com/lm/boat and out today and got 2 more.

 

[luckydude]

Lucky, I thought from your post title that you had sold yours. at least it wasn't that.

Hell will freeze over before I sell mine. Eddie at Grady asked me recently how I was liking my boat and I offered to talk to him for 2 hours about all the things I love about my 228. It's such a great boat, sized just right, gets the job done. I might add a bigger boat down the line but the 228 is here to stay.

 

[efx]

I consider my 268 a 228 with an enclosed head. If I didn’t need that for the ladies, I would have never sold my 228!

 

[luckydude]

Personally I probably would keep the 228 over the 208.

My thoughts as well. Though the 228 is $30,000 more than the 208, maybe they get more volume on the 208. I thought about buying a 208, thought long and hard about the cock pit and went bigger. Super happy that I did so. The 228 is a much better boat. $30K better? I dunno, I paid it, I'm happy.

 

[HMBJack]

I bought a 228 New back in 2006.
Loved everything about it and kinda regret selling it as I moved up to a 265 then to a 330 Express.

When people talk to me about boats and Grady-Whites - I often reply
"The only boat better than a Grady-White is a BIGGER Grady-White"

And while I have no plans to leave my 330, as I get older, I'm fond of the "less is more" phrase.
I personally think the 228 is the best 22 footer ever made by any boat manufacturer. Period.
But in today's market, I can see why GW decided to build and sell the dual consoles and center consoles. Most of their sales are for families in generally warm Summer climates and the DC and CC's serve that well.

But remember what happened when the 265 Express was discontinued?
The price of all used 265's went up regardless of their condition.
I predict the same will happen for the 228.

 

[glacierbaze]

What was the first year of the 228?

 

[Ky Grady]

1981 was the first year for a 22' walk-around,, the 220 Bimini which is a 226 now days. The 222 Bahama is the 228 now days.

1984 they changed the name to Seafarer and used 226 and 228 numbers.

So to answer glacierbaze, if you want to be technical,,1984 is first year of what we know as the Seafarer 228.

 

[Ted R]

Thanks Ky Grady, I enjoyed the old pictures. I am glad I purchased my 232 new in 2004 and will most likely not have to purchase another one.....lets hope they keep the 232 and Marlin in the lineup.