Need advice on buying a Grady

[Garvfam]

I just sold my 20’ GW CC and I’m now in the market for a Walkaround. It will be the 1st for me and my family. I have teenagers that like to ski, tube, and fish. My freinds and I will use as an offshore and bay fishing boat and my wife and I will use for pleasure cruising.
I do not need a giant cabin, just space for my wife to change and a porta head is fine.
I will probably get an older (late 80’s-90’s) as I can’t afford a 40k boat right now.
I’m 57yrs old and I want this to be the last boat I buy (I want it to last)
So, is there a huge difference in the fishing and lounging area of Gradys depending size or does the cabin just get bigger with size.
I looked at a Sailfish 25 last night and the cabin was huge but the stern area didn’t seem that huge to me?
Because of my towing limitations I am looking at the Seaferer 22’ or the Offshore 24’
(with a bracket) maybe a newer 208
Is the size of the fishing area in the stern dramatically different or does the cabin just get bigger as you move up in size???
Thank you in advance for any and all recommendations

 

[magicalbill]

Cabins get bigger with the size, but either the 208 Adventure or 22 Seafarer will give you plenty of room to change in, get out of the rain, etc. Kids can nap in there and the occasional overniter is not out of the question if you pack correctly for it.

As far as cockpit room, naturally it increases with size as well. To me, both boats have a good size cockpit area for their LOA. The difference between a 208 and a Seafarer is not drastic and I have not been on a 24.

Since you have a family, bigger is better, and if your counting on this being your last boat, bigger is waay better. (Room for expansion without having to buy another.)The Seafarer will do everything a 208 can do, just a little better.

Unless you find an undeniable deal on a 208 with dependable power, I'd lean toward the Seafarer or the Offshore 24.

On that old a boat, there will be issues best described to you by the pro's on here than know more than I do on the subject of water intrusion, weak transoms, engine problems, etc.

 

[luckydude]

I can speak to 2020 era 208 and 228. The 208 is identical to the 228 except the cockpit is two feet shorter and there is no bracket, the motor sits on the transom. For 50 more HP, bracket, and 2 feet of cockpit, you pay around $30K more new. Wheeeeeee!

I walked all over a new 208 at the dealer, it would work well for 2 people fishing. It would be pretty horrible for crab pots (unless you like the fold up kind). I talked it over with my fishing buddy, he said get the 228 so I did.

As has been said in a different thread, now is a horrible time to be looking, COVID has made boats, RVs, anything that lets you do something with your family, be in short supply.

Here's my 228 on the Pacific, we limited that day, 4 lings, 20 rockies. That boat is a fishing machine and I love mine!

 

[family affair]

The Offshore cabin should be 6" wider, several inches taller and longer.

 

[RussGW270]

I love seeing pics of folks on the water. Get the 228. Sounds like it may be the best GW they make, from what folks are saying.


Well, "I" think the 33 express is.. lol.. but hey, not one of your choices

R

p.s and post lots of pictures....

 

[luckydude]

I love seeing pics of folks on the water. Get the 228. Sounds like it may be the best GW they make, from what folks are saying.


Well, "I" think the 33 express is.. lol.. but hey, not one of your choices

R

p.s and post lots of pictures....

I love pics on the water as well. That pic of me and my son on the 228 is not the most flattering pic of me (heh, understatement) but I adore that picture. 2 boat launch with my fishing buddy. That 228 is one good looking boat.

 

[dbiscayne]

owner of a 1990 Offshore 242g, factory closed transom with a single 225. It's not a speedy boat but it'll get you there, 250 would be better, 300 perfect.
The cockpit layout as you probably already know is generally the same as the Seafarer, and I think the cabin sizes are the same just moved forward in the Offshore.
I've got 80 inches of open cockpit from the front of the rear seats to the back of the storage boxes at the helm area. After 1992? they provided a slightly larger rear livewell between the two transom seats, and started using the seav2 hull design on different models around then.

 

[ScottyCee]

If you are serious about water skiing, you will want to be well powered. That's 250hp minimum on a 226/228.

 

[efx]

1992-1996 228 is an excellent boat. It was my first Grady and I think it rides better than any model they make. You may also want to look at islanders if you need an enclosed head. It’s 27’ or 29’ with pulpit, but narrow at 8’6”. I’m not sure if you could ski behind it!

 

[Pops54]

Does anyone have any advice or comments on the 247 Advance? Just put a deposit on a 2001.

 

[UCPA111]

+ 1 for the Seafarer. Pound for pound...just a fantastic boat. I routinely fish 5 guys on mine...trolling 10 rod spread on Lake Erie. Easy to tow....I pull the kids on a 2 person tube. It's as comfortable on the hook as it is trolling (very stable).

Grady White

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

 

[luckydude]

+ 1 for the Seafarer. Pound for pound...just a fantastic boat. I routinely fish 5 guys on mine...trolling 10 rod spread on Lake Erie. Easy to tow....I pull the kids on a 2 person tube. It's as comfortable on the hook as it is trolling (very stable).

Grady White

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

I'm loving mine. How do you fish 5 guys? Does that include you?

In my mind, if I am not fishing, mine is good for 4 guys at the corners of the cockpit. If I have kids, at least one could fish up front but it is not ideal, I'm on the pacific and salmon, halibut, some lings, they all want a net or a gaff. Hard to do that up front, it is a "walk around" but not easily.

 

[UCPA111]

I'm loving mine. How do you fish 5 guys? Does that include you?

In my mind, if I am not fishing, mine is good for 4 guys at the corners of the cockpit. If I have kids, at least one could fish up front but it is not ideal, I'm on the pacific and salmon, halibut, some lings, they all want a net or a gaff. Hard to do that up front, it is a "walk around" but not easily.

My Dad drives. I rig the lines and net fish. Then 3 others will be reeling in fish and such. We have a system that works pretty well....but I also have a lot of room in the cockpit of this seafarer. If you checkout my youtube videos...you'll see what I mean.

 

[luckydude]

My Dad drives. I rig the lines and net fish. Then 3 others will be reeling in fish and such. We have a system that works pretty well....but I also have a lot of room in the cockpit of this seafarer. If you checkout my youtube videos...you'll see what I mean.

Are you guys commercial? And link to the youtube channel please.

And yes, I can see how that works, if you and your dad are helping and 3 guys fishing, that's a no brainer, that cockpit is plenty big for that.

 

[UCPA111]

Are you guys commercial? And link to the youtube channel please.

And yes, I can see how that works, if you and your dad are helping and 3 guys fishing, that's a no brainer, that cockpit is plenty big for that.

Used to be. Dad had his captain's license (6 pack) through the 80s and 90s and as a youngster I worked as a mate. 25' Tiara. 34" Luhrs Sportfisherman. And I also worked on a 30' Penn Yan.

good times!

 

[SouthFork]

Have you looked at an Islander? Easy to tow, lots of cabin room, tons of fishing room and with twin 200’s it will easily do 50+.

 

[luckydude]

Used to be. Dad had his captain's license (6 pack) through the 80s and 90s and as a youngster I worked as a mate. 25' Tiara. 34" Luhrs Sportfisherman. And I also worked on a 30' Penn Yan.

good times!

Still waiting on the youtube channel, I bet it is good.

 

[UCPA111]

Still waiting on the youtube channel, I bet it is good.

Do you mean my youtube page?
Here is a link to my main page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCATvLuuBWqIPmRX0gH9FiMQ
And here is my playlist for my boat: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCATvLuuBWqIPmRX0gH9FiMQ

 

[luckydude]

Do you mean my youtube page?
Here is a link to my main page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCATvLuuBWqIPmRX0gH9FiMQ
And here is my playlist for my boat: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCATvLuuBWqIPmRX0gH9FiMQ

Yes, that's what I wanted. It looks like you put a tremendous amount of work into that Seafarer. Was it worth it in the end? I'm assuming you got her cheap and put sweat into it. She looks great on the water! Really hasn't changed that much, looks a lot like my 2020.

 

[Legend]

There is a Seafarer on this site for sale on Cape Cod. It is an 85 with 2000 200hp HPDI for 12k. Looks to b on good shape and updated. The boat is listed by a member on this site in the for sale page.