Joined the family- 1999 Sailfish 274

[Spicy_Tuna]

Good day fellow Grady Peeps. My name is Phil. I've been going back and forth between a Defiance, Parker or Grady. To me I really wanted a diesel because of how much experience I gained restoring an old 1988 Marlin 265 Billfish. Plus those engines are workhorses if treated right. Came across a 274 in my area and jumped on it quickly as the previous owner had neglected it a lot. Nothing I can't handle. Currently stripping all the old electronics. Wiring looks pretty good and just needs a lot of TLC. Anyway. Glad to have made the decision to go towards a Grady. I really like the layout. What I have planned for her will be a fishing machine for sure. Already have all the electronics minus the VHF and Transducer. Need to get an enclosure. Unfortunately the previous owner didn't keep the old one. Anyways Hello. And Happy Tuesday.

 

[ROBERTH]

Welcome and this site has a lot of great folks that know their boats and are a great help if you need it. Keep us up to date on you new venture!

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Welcome aboard and congrats on the purchase!

 

[A&J Outdoors]

Congrats on the boat, and welcome to the group. I'm pretty new here too, but so far this is a great place to gather information!

 

[Ekea]

awesome, congrats.

 

[luckydude]

I've just been going through my 2020 228 and fixing stuff that I didn't know enough to get right the first time. I'm putting in Airmar thruhull B175M & B175HW transducers after looking and reading a lot. You might look at those though I dunno where you will fish, those are good for 0-1000 feet or so I believe.

Good luck with your sailfish, if those were still made, that is the boat I'd own. I think it's close to perfect.

 

[Spicy_Tuna]

No doubt. I've ran a 175HW in the past. Funny you post on that. Just took this picture today on placement. Figured i'd remove this thru hull pickup as it's not necessary for my purposes. I already have 2 others for bait tanks. I can pigtail off one of those for my raw water wash down. But i'm going through this boat from head to toe. Removed the engine, swapping with a much better one. A lot of work, but it will turn out pretty good when I'm finished.

 

[luckydude]

My guess is you are younger and more fit than me. I'm 60 and I'm an old worn out 60. My 228 was bought new from Grady because my first boat was used crap. I spent 2 years on my hands and knees trying to make it right and it beat me. So I shelled out the big bucks for new because I just wanted to fish, I didn't want a boat project. That's why I said I'd buy a sailfish if they were still made, I have more money than project ability if that makes sense.

Your path is far more common, there are a ton of people here who have done what you are doing, get an older boat and clean it up. I'm no expert but when you have it that open, I'd talk to people who have older gradys, I think they might want you to poke around to see where there is wood under the fiberglass. It rots. Easier to fix when you have it all open like that.

Good luck, I'm jealous both of the boat and your ability to fix it.

 

[Spicy_Tuna]

Don't need to talk to anyone. I know what I'm doing. Plus this hull is straight fiberglass.

 

[Spicy_Tuna]

Pics too large apparently

 

[Spicy_Tuna]

Few Pics of restore

 

[Sdfish]

making great progress! keep us posted.

 

[billyttpd]

Is it single or twin engine??

 

[Spicy_Tuna]

Is it single or twin engine??

Single. Little underpowered in my opinion, but can cruise at 20kt

 

[Ekea]

Single. Little underpowered in my opinion, but can cruise at 20kt

any final pics? also, im impressed it can cruise at 20kts. thats about where i start falling off plane with no tabs