Need advice for 2009 Grady Seafarer 226 / Yamaha F225 pre purchase

[phil2302]

Hello to the Grady community and thank you for taking the time to read this inquiry.
Here is what I seek advice on.
I am currently negotiating to buy a 2009 226 Seafarer.
It is about 8 hrs drive from where I live so I havent seen it in person yet.
I am trying to find out before taking the long drive if the Yamaha F225 is too heavy for the stern.
I am concerned because I do not want the engine gear case or the scuppers submerged while the boat is docked.
The seller has been a trailer boater so he really cant say much on this plus the boat is winterized and covered.
The marina I keep a boat at has a lot of stray current in the water causing a very big problem with galvanic corrosion (zincs havent helped much) and the marine growth will foul a submerged scupper in 2 weeks.
If anyone with this boat motor combo can share their experience regarding this it would be greatly appreciated!
Phil

 

[SirGrady226]

Hello to the Grady community and thank you for taking the time to read this inquiry.
Here is what I seek advice on.
I am currently negotiating to buy a 2009 226 Seafarer.
It is about 8 hrs drive from where I live so I havent seen it in person yet.
I am trying to find out before taking the long drive if the Yamaha F225 is too heavy for the stern.
I am concerned because I do not want the engine gear case or the scuppers submerged while the boat is docked.
The seller has been a trailer boater so he really cant say much on this plus the boat is winterized and covered.
The marina I keep a boat at has a lot of stray current in the water causing a very big problem with galvanic corrosion (zincs havent helped much) and the marine growth will foul a submerged scupper in 2 weeks.
If anyone with this boat motor combo can share their experience regarding this it would be greatly appreciated!
Phil

My 226 is a 1987 but should give you a fair comparison. I have twin Johnson V4 140's with a combined weight of 756 lbs, my scuppers are not submerged when just tied up at the dock. Look up the weight of the Yamaha you stated and see how it compares. My large fuel tank is placed in the forward compartment, and there is no reserve tank in the back one, most likely to avoid what you are concerned about.

 

[Fishtales]

The hull was designed for the 2-stroke age, but the transom is rated at 250HP. The F225 is the identical weight of the 250, so you are probably on the high end of the range. That being said, you likely won't find a lot of 2-strokes out there as the 4-stroke craze was in full swing. I assume you are going to water test?

 

[Fishtales]

The guy has to know if the engine doesn't come out of the water all the way. I'd say he's not being truthful if he says he doesn't know. You can remedy the drains easy enough.
Personally I wouldn't buy a boat without water testing and a survey. So make your offer contingent upon a successful survey and water test. He can wait until the spring if he doesn't want to uncover. Sounds like it isn't going anywhere until then anyway.

 

[Ky Grady]

Mine is a 2004 228 with a F225. I have 4 batteries and a trolling motor in the rear and 50 gals of fuel in auxiliary tank. Can't tell you if lower unit clears the water when tilted up. Scuppers are at the waterline.

 

[phil2302]

Thank you all responders for the good info !
Yes I will sea trial and survey the boat.
He is willing to unwrap it for a sea trial.
Really want to get those questions answered before driving 8 hours only to find out the gear case is always in the water.
I believe the guy when he say he doesnt know because the boat is trailered and he has used it only 7-8 times per year.
If is not kept in a slip I dont think its some thing most would care about or focus on.

 

[Doc Stressor]

Here's the picture I told you I would take in your THT thread. This is with 125 gallons of fuel, 10 gallons of water, 50 lb of ice, and a cooler full of bait on the starboard side. While the starboard scupper is under water, no water enters the cockpit since there is a vertical drain that goes into a reinforced hose connected the external scupper port. The front part of the lower unit stays submerged, so you would need to put a little anti-fouling paint at the tip if you are going to keep the boat in the water. Electrolysis should not be a problem since the stainless steel prop and shaft will be out of the water.

 

[phil2302]

Here's the picture I told you I would take in your THT thread. This is with 125 gallons of fuel, 10 gallons of water, 50 lb of ice, and a cooler full of bait on the starboard side. While the starboard scupper is under water, no water enters the cockpit since there is a vertical drain that goes into a reinforced hose connected the external scupper port. The front part of the lower unit stays submerged, so you would need to put a little anti-fouling paint at the tip if you are going to keep the boat in the water. Electrolysis should not be a problem since the stainless steel prop and shaft will be out of the water.

View attachment 6097

Thank you very much for the info and picture. It is so helpful and by the way your Grady looks beautiful!

 

[Legend]

I don't think I have ever seen a Grady that a portion of the lower unit was not touching the water when tilted up.

 

[Doc Stressor]

It is so helpful and by the way your Grady looks beautiful!

My Grady is in its 10th season of abuse. Run hard and put away wet most times. I keep it at a dry stack marina but don't have enough time to do much more than hose it off after each offshore fishing trip. The cockpit and gunwales look like a crime scene after most trips. I generally come back a day or two later and give it a good cleaning on the wash rack. I only polish it once a year.

It's starting to show wear and tear, finally. But its held up better than my previous Gradys.

The 226 is a very seaworthy boat. It handles bad seas better than the 228 despite the open transom/splash well design. That's because if it's propped right, you can stay on plane at a much lower speed when running in the bad stuff.

Be sure that the 226 your looking at has no more than a 15" prop on that F225.

 

[Fishtales]

Looks good to me. Most have some of the lower unit in the water.

 

[OMER]

I don't think I have ever seen a Grady that a portion of the lower unit was not touching the water when tilted up.

like that!

 

[phil2302]

Certainly no expert here but would the 228 be more prone than the 226 to having submerged scuppers and a "dipped In" gear case due to the engine being further back from the boats center of gravity creating more leverage?
Opinions?
Thank you all for your input!

 

[Doc Stressor]

No. The bracket on the 228 allows the engine to be mounted higher than on the 226.

I've never seen water coming in the scuppers on either a 228 or 226. It might be a problem for pre-2006 boats that were balanced for lighter 2 stroke engines, but I am not familiar with them. I have seen the problem with 204 Overnighters with 4 stroke engines mounted on them.