Looking at 228 or 258

[Dragginbait]

I am in the market for a used Grady. I have been lurking and searching for a while and still have some questions. I have a 2004 Trophy 2052 i/o now. I use the boat on a large freshwater lake trolling landlocked salmon and lake trout with occasional inshore trip for stripers in Maine. I am looking at 228 and journey 258. I am trying to find out the aft cockpit size of both. I am looking for the most fishing room around the transom. Running a couple down riggers and fly lines. Looks like both models are similar distance from the motor to rear seat. The 228 is very similar to my trophy as far as beam and loa, Journey being bigger both ways. All my trolling is 1.2-2.5 mph, so room for a kicker is on the list. I am not sure if a 258 trolling on one 150 will achieve the needed speed? I have not ruled out a 232 but my current slip won’t be wide enough. I regularly take 3-4 sports trolling during charters is the reason for needing the larger cockpit. I know most of you are offshore fishing but I figured I could get some inside info on these 2 models. Also if you know of a used one 05 or newer, no bottom paint, hardtop, trailer and well taken care of, pm me. Thank you for your time.

 

[family affair]

I think both will have similar deck space with the 258 being 6" wider. I'm not sure how downriggers would work with the 258 euro transom. The bracket of the 228 might work but you might need to remove the swim step/platform. Doing so will lose any way to reboard the boat.
I'm also curious to know if twins will enable you to get to the speed you are targeting.

 

[luckydude]

I have a 2020 228 (not for sale). If you have a bit more than $100K you can have a brand new, 15 hours, 2019 228. I paid $128K for mine including tax and license so that 2019 is a screaming deal. It has electronics, I paid extra for that. I have nothing to do with the dealer selling the 2019 other than going "ouch, I wish I had seen this first". Probably too much but take a look, that is a brand new boat:

I'm figuring out the trolling as well. I have a 2020 250hp digital that has trolling mode and it won't go below 3mph for me. So you are looking at a kicker. I'm trying to figure out if a 6HP will push it up to 3mph, I want light weight.

 

[Dragginbait]

Kicker is going to be the way to go I assume. Any high thrust 9.9 with trim and tilt will do the trick. Add Garmin ap and troll away. I don’t have many boats for sale close by so stepping aboard each and looking around is not easy. My downriggers are run at 45 ish degrees of each rear corner behind a set of rod holders

 

[luckydude]

I think both will have similar deck space with the 258 being 6" wider. I'm not sure how downriggers would work with the 258 euro transom. The bracket of the 228 might work but you might need to remove the swim step/platform. Doing so will lose any way to reboard the boat.
I'm also curious to know if twins will enable you to get to the speed you are targeting.

I run my downriggers in the rod holders like you can see here:

Larry and Barry and friends adventures in fishing boats

I'm still sorting things so I can't tell you how well that works. It works fine in a triumph but the rod holders are encased in foam (which means
they are stronger; it also means they don't drain, can't tell you how many times I've stuck a rod in and given myself a bath).

Anyone have any cautions with doing that on GW? If they flex, I am planniny on making a bracket that will go around the bottom of the rod holder and either screw or epoxy to the wall.

If family affair is saying run the downriggers off the bracket, welp, I'm MrIdiot so my opinion doesn't count, but I wouldn't do that. You want to be able to manage them while you are in the cockpit. The bracket seems like a bad enough idea maybe I don't understand what is being proposed.

 

[Ky Grady]

I had a '02 Trophy 2002, same boat as yours but outboard. Sold that after I bought a '05 Seaswirl Striper 2301, which was a nice upgrade from the Trophy. Sold Seaswirl in '13 and remained boatless till April of '17 when I bought my 228 Grady. Each time stepping up I feel.

I considered the 258 heavily and looked at them both. To me, the 228 has as much fishing room as the 258 if not just a touch more because of the bracket. The euro transom eats into floor space on the 258. Yes the 258 is a bigger boat, but fishing room wise, the 228 holds its own.

From back of boxes under helm seats to the rear boxes for batteries, you are 5 1/2' . From toe rail to toe rail, 6 1/2'. Side wall past toe rail to other side wall, 7'2".

The 228 is a breeze to tow, launch and retrieve solo, fishes 4 comfortable, and out rides the 2 boats mentioned above.

Here's a pic of inside my 228 and a pic of the Seaswirl. On the Seaswirl you can just see the fish box in the lower part of pic below hardtop leg, not near the fishing space I have with my Grady.

 

[Dragginbait]

ky Grady thank you good info. The rear live well is a plus for me fishing bait daily. Do the covers above batteries/under rear cushions stay put when under power? Or do the cushions need to be installed?

 

[Ky Grady]

They stay in place. Similar to Starboard material. I trailer this way running 75-80 mph and no issues with them. I've run this way for 3 years, no problems, cushions haven't been back on since I bought it.

 

[family affair]

I run my downriggers in the rod holders like you can see here:

Larry and Barry and friends adventures in fishing boats

If family affair is saying run the downriggers off the bracket, welp, I'm MrIdiot so my opinion doesn't count, but I wouldn't do that. You want to be able to manage them while you are in the cockpit. The bracket seems like a bad enough idea maybe I don't understand what is being proposed.

I was implying that the bracket enables one to mount downriggers aft on the gunnels allowing the downrigger ball to drop over the back of the boat. This would possibly pose more of an issue with the 258 euro transom unless the downrigger arm is much longer or is angled off to the side.

 

[Joez]

I am in the market for a used Grady. I have been lurking and searching for a while and still have some questions. I have a 2004 Trophy 2052 i/o now. I use the boat on a large freshwater lake trolling landlocked salmon and lake trout with occasional inshore trip for stripers in Maine. I am looking at 228 and journey 258. I am trying to find out the aft cockpit size of both. I am looking for the most fishing room around the transom. Running a couple down riggers and fly lines. Looks like both models are similar distance from the motor to rear seat. The 228 is very similar to my trophy as far as beam and loa, Journey being bigger both ways. All my trolling is 1.2-2.5 mph, so room for a kicker is on the list. I am not sure if a 258 trolling on one 150 will achieve the needed speed? I have not ruled out a 232 but my current slip won’t be wide enough. I regularly take 3-4 sports trolling during charters is the reason for needing the larger cockpit. I know most of you are offshore fishing but I figured I could get some inside info on these 2 models. Also if you know of a used one 05 or newer, no bottom paint, hardtop, trailer and well taken care of, pm me. Thank you for your time.

How many downriggers are you looking to run? I have 4 on my 226 with a kicker, two off the back and two off the side, one just extends over the kicker.

Can't speak specific about the 258, but I have a friend with a triton with twin 175's, and he struggles to go slow enough at times. Last I heard, one engine as low as it will idle in gear, the second off in gear so the prop won't freewheel, and trim tabs fully down about get him there.

 

[Dragginbait]

This is my set up now. Will be duplicating it pretty much. Any 258 owners out there know the distance from the fold down seat to the livewell?

 

[wrxhoon]

Many moons ago I owned a Trophy 2002 same as yours but with outboard engine. The deck space in the 228 is twice as big as the 2002 . Much longer and wider the other problem with the Trophy the gunnels were very low .
I have been in a 258 Journey from what I can remember deck space was similar to 228 , Journey was a bit wider but shorter.
This one had twin 150's and she went very well .

 

[Dragginbait]

Well I found what I’d been looking for. Sold Trophy over the winter and picked up an 2009 228 locally. So far added 9.9 kicker, down riggers/rod holders and another 9” axiom. Great boat so far, time to cover it in salmon slime.

 

[Ky Grady]

Congrats on the new ride. Need info on the kicker bracket you went with. Been looking into a kicker for awhile, just haven't pulled the trigger.

 

[leeccoll]

Nice setup. Very fishy boat. I have my downriggers further away from the transom, but as long as you are catching fish it doesn't matter.

Congrats on your purchase!

 

[luckydude]

Well I found what I’d been looking for. Sold Trophy over the winter and picked up an 2009 228 locally. So far added 9.9 kicker, down riggers/rod holders and another 9” axiom. Great boat so far, time to cover it in salmon slime.

You'll love that boat. I'm biased but I have been told, and believe, it is the best 22 foot fishing boat you can buy. I've never heard anyone argue with that statement. Whatever, it's a great boat. Enjoy.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Well I found what I’d been looking for. Sold Trophy over the winter and picked up an 2009 228 locally. So far added 9.9 kicker, down riggers/rod holders and another 9” axiom. Great boat so far, time to cover it in salmon slime.

Great looking boat. Mind if I ask a ballpark figure for what you spent on it? I’m in the same process of looking for a 228 to buy and see prices all over the place. Wondering what is a fair or comparable price to what I’m looking at.

 

[Ryhlick]

Congrats on the new ride. Need info on the kicker bracket you went with. Been looking into a kicker for awhile, just haven't pulled the trigger.

Looks like a Pooderbuilt one. I have mounted to the swim step and it works great.

PDR Marine​

http://www.pooderbuilt.com

 

[Dragginbait]

Yes pdr marine. I used a merc 9.9 efi pro kicker 25” with forward controls tied the outboards together with a seastar cable kit. It was the only options I’d consider other than Yamaha. Merc 7 week wait or Yamaha 5 month wait ‍.

 

[Ky Grady]

Yes pdr marine. I used a merc 9.9 efi pro kicker 25” with forward controls tied the outboards together with a seastar cable kit. It was the only options I’d consider other than Yamaha. Merc 7 week wait or Yamaha 5 month wait ‍.

Excellent!!! That is the same setup I've been looking at. Was going to go with 9.9 Yamaha 4 stroke but it still has carburetors. The Mercury EFI will be nice.