new grady

[reel cookin]

I am surprised nobody reported yet on the 281 coastal.
Thanks

 

[seasick]

I don't know if it actually is available yet. It's hard to comment on a photo

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Is it a 281 CE or a 251 CE? I did a Google search for a Grady White 281 Coastal Explorer and got no results for it, although there is a 251 CE on the Grady White website. Either way, I have no need for a 25'+ boat and live in the Seattle area where I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to have a center console boat. I'm definitely set in my ways having a walkaround boat for the versatility, staying out of the weather and elements, having a cabin, a place to sleep and store all of my fishing gear, etc.

 

[Seafarer228G]

Grady-White 281 Coastal Explorer

The best selection of Grady-White center console, dual console, express cabin, & walk-around boats. Quality leisure and fishing boats for the whole family.

www.tristatemarine.com

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Grady-White 281 Coastal Explorer

The best selection of Grady-White center console, dual console, express cabin, & walk-around boats. Quality leisure and fishing boats for the whole family.

www.tristatemarine.com

Small world... that's actually where I bought my boat from last year. Odd that one of their dealers have it on their website but it's not even listed on the GW website yet.

 

[blynch]

Not really sure how many people want or need all of: 28' of LOA, 19" of hull draft, 34 cushy seats, 600 hp, Optimus Prime gunwale... but I'm sure they'll sell plenty like usual

 

[luckydude]

Is it a 281 CE or a 251 CE? I did a Google search for a Grady White 281 Coastal Explorer and got no results for it, although there is a 251 CE on the Grady White website. Either way, I have no need for a 25'+ boat and live in the Seattle area where I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to have a center console boat. I'm definitely set in my ways having a walkaround boat for the versatility, staying out of the weather and elements, having a cabin, a place to sleep and store all of my fishing gear, etc.

I have a 228 walk around and love it, thought about upgrading to a Marlin, too much boat for me, but if Grady made a new Sailfish in 27 or 28, that would be my boat. I'd keep the 228 for trailering to Fort Bragg or south, the Sailfish would be my in the slip boat.

 

[glacierbaze]

Don't know who their target market is, for a 28 foot CC, with only 4 gunnel rod holders, but 8 cup holders. Only 4 in the rocket launcher, and the 4 behind the helm seat are just in the way of anyone trying to fish in the tiny cockpit.

 

[Aquanut2]

I am surprised nobody reported yet on the 281 coastal.
Thanks

Had a Grady White factory tour back in Nov. staff admitted it is coming and will be introduced in 23 at a FL boat show. Not much detail but will have a port side fold down platform door. Hope it will have more fishing features IMHO the 251 CE is big on creature comforts too crowed for fishing & don't like the live well under the helm seat.

 

[seasick]

Grady doesn't seem to have any info online for the 281 but this dealer does

Grady-White 281 Coastal Explorer

The best selection of Grady-White center console, dual console, express cabin, & walk-around boats. Quality leisure and fishing boats for the whole family.

www.tristatemarine.com

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Grady doesn't seem to have any info online for the 281 but this dealer does

Grady-White 281 Coastal Explorer

The best selection of Grady-White center console, dual console, express cabin, & walk-around boats. Quality leisure and fishing boats for the whole family.

www.tristatemarine.com

Check out post #4 above...

 

[luckydude]

I fish in a buddy's Canyon 271 and I really fail to see why they need that and this. The 271 and 281 seem like they share the same console and leaning post. My buddy's 271 has that big coffin fishbox in the front, the newer 271's are more "family" oriented.

I don't get why they need both of these models but cancelled the 228. Perhaps I'm biased.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I fish in a buddy's Canyon 271 and I really fail to see why they need that and this. The 271 and 281 seem like they share the same console and leaning post. My buddy's 271 has that big coffin fishbox in the front, the newer 271's are more "family" oriented.

I don't get why they need both of these models but cancelled the 228. Perhaps I'm biased.

I agree partially, though I honestly don't think that they needed essentially a 21, 22 and 23 foot boat in a model that most people probably don't even consider buying. To me, it seems like that was the reasoning for cancelling the 226/228 Seafarer as well as 208 Adventure and making the 218 Adventure instead of having 3 "similar" sized walkaround models and essentially combining the two boats together. I think the better option imo, though I obviously have no idea about sales and numbers of boats GW sells, but that would be to have a walkaround size in between the 232 Gulfstream and the 300 Marlin. As you mentioned before, I'm sure that there are more than a handful of people out there that would like to buy a brand new 25'-28' walkaround Grady White. But, if one wanted a brand new walkaround in that size range, they'd either have to go with a 232 Gulfstream or all the way up to a 300 Marlin. Which the size as well as price difference between those two boats is going to be quite insane and probably to where most people will have to resort to a used Grady, if they wanted a walkaround in that size/price range. In a perfect world, I think the better option would've been to keep the 228 Seafarer as well as the 232 Gulfstream as it's a pretty big boat comparatively, and then done maybe another 270 Islander or 282 Sailfish. But I'm assuming GW did what they did because they weren't selling enough walkaround boats in that size range and it was strictly a dollars and cents type of decision. I will say though, that it seems like with the cancellation of the 228 Seafarer that it's increased the value of the used ones quite a bit as there is a pretty big crowd out there that really enjoy them, myself included.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Just got an email notification this morning about the new GW 281 Coastal Explorer for anyone that is interested. Not much information and only 3 pictures, but I'm sure more info will come out in the following weeks.

Grady-White | 281 CE Coastal Explorer Center Console

The ultimate inshore/offshore boat, built on Grady-White’s legendary SeaV²® hull: packed with ingenuity, this incredibly versatile boat will be the delight of the entire family!

www.gradywhite.com

 

[Rayvon]

They missed the mark with the new 218 as far as west coast guys are concerned,only available with a single motor and no place for a kicker to be mounted on the integral swim step.The 228 is a much better design.Not surprising really,they are selling to their biggest market ,the south east US.I agree w/"Mustang65fbk" that the 228 and 232 Gulfstream will be in big demand on the west coast.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

They missed the mark with the new 218 as far as west coast guys are concerned,only available with a single motor and no place for a kicker to be mounted on the integral swim step.The 228 is a much better design.Not surprising really,they are selling to their biggest market ,the south east US.I agree w/"Mustang65fbk" that the 228 and 232 Gulfstream will be in big demand on the west coast.

There was one that was basically identical to mine that was listed for $65k up here on the Seattle CL last summer and the ad after a couple days showed as "Deleted by poster" or whatever the wording is on CL. Making me think that the boat sold, and likely for close to the seller's asking price, of which the only difference between that boat and mine was that it had radar. Same boat essentially... 2004 GW 228 Seafarer with a hardtop, same vintage Yamaha F225, aluminum trailer, Garmin electronics and a Garmin radar. I think it might've also had a kicker motor on it as well? But I'm not positive. Regardless, a cheap radar dome is what $1,200 and a used kicker motor is probably the same? Or if you wanted brand new maybe $3,500 for a kicker, depending on the brand and HP level you want? Long story short, I was shocked to see it sell considering the $65k asking price and when I bought my boat back east for $26.5k.

 

[Don Davis]

Well correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t see how that flip down door on the port side of the new 281 would work when tied to a dock, the dock would have to be very low for that door not to hit. Look at my signature picture for example of my 228 tied to the dock. I realize they are different hulls but does the 281 have that much more freeboard? Or is it just a swim platform?

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Well correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t see how that flip down door on the port side of the new 281 would work when tied to a dock, the dock would have to be very low for that door not to hit. Look at my signature picture for example of my 228 tied to the dock. I realize they are different hulls but does the 281 have that much more freeboard? Or is it just a swim platform?

I was wondering about that design as well and wasn't exactly sure how well it would do compared to a swinging side door, but I'm not an expert on the matter. Perhaps someone else might chime in. You'd think that they wouldn't make a door that looks to be almost 2' deep when in the down position, flip downward so that you have to be 2' away from the dock if you're using it. Obviously you could use the other side of the boat or not even open up the door at all, though that would kind of defeat the purpose of having the door imo. Maybe it's more for going to the sandbar or tying up next to other boats or something? I have no idea.

 

[luckydude]

They missed the mark with the new 218 as far as west coast guys are concerned,only available with a single motor and no place for a kicker to be mounted on the integral swim step.The 228 is a much better design.Not surprising really,they are selling to their biggest market ,the south east US.I agree w/"Mustang65fbk" that the 228 and 232 Gulfstream will be in big demand on the west coast.

Yeah, the 218 makes little sense as a west coast fishing platform.

I wish they had addressed the heavier weight of 4 strokes on the 228, you stand in water lots of times. I solved that with some flap valves.

 

[glacierbaze]

It would be interesting, and informative, to know what percentage of Grady Whites ever make it west of the Mississippi River, much less the west coast. Some days, it seems like they are 50% of the under 35 boats using Beaufort Inlet, which is the inlet nearest to the factory.