New Guy thinking about buying a Gulfstream

[Tarheel1]

Bare with me as I am NOT a current Grady owner but I am looking to upgrade from my 19ft Mako center Console. I fished twice on someone’s 98 Gulfstream and was amazed at the size of this supposed 23ft boot, It feels more like a 25-26ft boat . I really don’t pleasure cruise much except an occasional ride to a waterfront restaurant, I mainly want to fish with this boat. I rather not have twins , probably want a single 300hp if possible. I was wondering out of you Gulfstream owners that fish your boats hard, are you happy with your boat . Any thoughts on the matter , helpful hints, or cons. Thanks much

 

[Fishtales]

I'd reconsider the twins on this boat. Twin 200s or 150s are a very nice set up. You get power, redundancy and better slow speed control. Having the bracket vs the eurotransom really makes it a huge cockpit for the size of the boat. If you are buying used the biggest things can be addressed by a good and independent survey. The wooden core boats really need to have transom, stringers and decks checked as you can run up a big bill if structural work is needed. Not a GS owner but it is a very solid and capable boat for the size. A final thing to check is towing. In many cases you will be ok but the beam is 9'3" and it could require a special permit as the legal width in most states is 8'6"

 

[magicalbill]

Everything Fish said above.

I owned a Gulfstream for 10 years with twin 200's. I don't fish, but many have used them for fishing and were/are satisfied

I would never have this boat without twins. It's wide beam-to-length ratio translates to a Beast that can be hard to dock with a single in wind or current. The twin setup will do you no good if you don't understand the principles of close quarter twin engine maneuvering, but once you get the knack of it, two outboards will become your best friends. Besides, you will have a safety margin if you run far offshore for your fish and they give better stern lift plus more precise control in rough conditions.

Once more thing to add to Fishtales always-informative response. Towing.... A 232 Gulfstream loaded for Bear with the weight of the trailer will come in North of 8000 lbs. Heck, mine weighed 10K-plus BEFORE I loaded the MT Dew into the livewell.... A 3/4 truck will be your other best friend if your situation requires you to move it around.

As you observed when you went out in your friends '98 Gulfstream; it's a much bigger boat than it looks. It's really very unique in the world of 23 footers.

 

[Ted R]

I have fished my 2004 Gulfstream with a single 225 Four Stroke and a 8HP High Thrust kicker on the Great Lakes at it is a fantastic craft that you will be very happy with.

 

[Clark.N]

My '98 Gulfstream does just fine on Chesapeake Bay with my F250. I agree that twins may help in docking but do you need to spend $$$$$ to dock better? Does make since for offshore because a kicker will not work to get you home. I did not need redundancy and added maintenance cost was a consideration.

 

[Hookup1]

I sold my big boat in August of 2007 and was planning to take a break from boat ownership. Later that month I went fishing with friends on their Gulfstream with single Yamaha F300. It was a nice day and we wound up getting out to the Baltimore canyon about 60 miles from Cape May. I was so impressed with the ride and performance that I decided to look for a used Grady White project boat.

You didn't say where you are boating and what your runs are. Single vs twin? Comes down to your use case.

 

[Legend]

I had 04 Gulfstream with a single 225. I used it regularly in New England to fish the tuna grounds 20-30 miles it off shore. Great boat for fishing or cruising. It would have been nice to have twin 150's but i was satisfied with the 225. The single 300 would be good power but backing into a slip would be much easier with twins.

 

[LongIslandGulfstream]

98 gulfstream owner with original Yammy 250 ox66. In terms of the cost/benefit analysis of having twins on the boat, I disagree with the need for it. After the ox66 dies I plan to upgrade to a 300 4stroke. Yes the boat is wide and having one motor all the way out on a bracket makes for unconventional docking tactics.... but once you learn how to drive your boat, you will figure out how to dock it just fine. Not worth the extra cost in my opinion. In the 3 years of owning mine I may have had issues docking two or three times due to tight quarters and a heavy cross wind. Also to note, the range with a single 300 would be amazing. Just my two cents.

 

[seasick]

Personally, I like twin motors for the added maneuverability. I doo not have a Gulfstream but have been doing my research.
In the area I boat, my slip is not super wide at about 10.5 feet and my area gets decent winds almost every afternoon in the warmer months. I had boats with singles and twins and I can say that the twins are for me a necessity when docking in the wind and currents.

A single single 300 has some advantages: less weight, lower maintenance costs and simpler rigging. It is not so simple to compare the initial cost difference between a single 300 and twin 150/200s in newer hulls since it seems that new hulls only offer the digital 300 but offer a mechanical option for 150s or 200, Regardless, twins will cost more ,are more expensive a bit heavier and probably twice as expensive for maintenance. They add a bit more drag too. Based on boat test comparisons, gas usage will be about the same as twin 150s.
On the positive side the twins in addition to better maneuverability may display better low end torque and performance due to the fact that you have 8 cylinders firing (2 x 4) as opposed to 6 cylinders.
The 232 is a pretty heavy boat for its length and in an ideal world where I won the lottery, I would power it with digital F200s
232s with twins don't stay on the market for long these days. There are a lot more listings with the 300. I think that should tell you something.

 

[Fishtales]

I agree with seasick re twins. I'd focus on what you can afford. As for docking, you can do a couple of things to make it easier: rollup as much of the enclosure as possible when entering the harbor to eliminate the sail effect, have an extra fender or two on board/have them out in the normal spots and have someone that is trained on how to use them to cushion a potential collision and finally have your lines ready to go so you can quickly tie up and mitigate movement once you land on the dock. If all else fails, just blow your horn a few times and hope help comes to you!

 

[ElyseM]

owned a 2002 with twin f200's (the old heavy ones) until 2009. can't add anymore to the above other than endorsing twins. really helps the close quarter handling. someone mentioned trailering. it's a 9'3" beam so you need to factor permits possibility.

good luck, you'll love it. ron

 

[Tarheel1]

I'd reconsider the twins on this boat. Twin 200s or 150s are a very nice set up. You get power, redundancy and better slow speed control. Having the bracket vs the eurotransom really makes it a huge cockpit for the size of the boat. If you are buying used the biggest things can be addressed by a good and independent survey. The wooden core boats really need to have transom, stringers and decks checked as you can run up a big bill if structural work is needed. Not a GS owner but it is a very solid and capable boat for the size. A final thing to check is towing. In many cases you will be ok but the beam is 9'3" and it could require a special permit as the legal width in most states is 8'6"

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

I sold my big boat in August of 2007 and was planning to take a break from boat ownership. Later that month I went fishing with friends on their Gulfstream with single Yamaha F300. It was a nice day and we wound up getting out to the Baltimore canyon about 60 miles from Cape May. I was so impressed with the ride and performance that I decided to look for a used Grady White project boat.

You didn't say where you are boating and what your runs are. Single vs twin? Comes down to your use case.

thanks,

boating in NY eastern Long Island. I fished a lot in the bays and picked my days to go outside the inlet with my 19’CC.
I want to be able to go to Montauk and offshore a few times a season . Roundtrip like 50 miles or so plus trolling.

 

[LongIslandGulfstream]

I boat in the great South Bay. Routinely run 60 miles a day during fishing trips out through fire island inlet. Boat handles well.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

thanks,

boating in NY eastern Long Island. I fished a lot in the bays and picked my days to go outside the inlet with my 19’CC.
I want to be able to go to Montauk and offshore a few times a season . Roundtrip like 50 miles or so plus trolling.

 

[Bird Blaster]

I can attest to twins moving fast.
Looking for the right boat with either 150 or 200's.
I won't consider one w a single screw.

 

[magicalbill]

Tarheel1:

This is the forum doing exactly what it's designed to do; provide different perspectives on your target vessel.

One thing you can take to the Bank: twins will perform noticeably different than a single-equipped Gulfstream.

You'll be spending significant cash on this boat. Unless your just sold on a single, it may be worth considering finding a twin-powered Gulfstream; there should be several in your area. Throw the Captain some Jing and have he or she take you a spin so you can make an informed decision as to which configuration will best suit your needs.

 

[Tarheel1]

Tarheel1:

This is the forum doing exactly what it's designed to do; provide different perspectives on your target vessel.

One thing you can take to the Bank: twins will perform noticeably different than a single-equipped Gulfstream.

You'll be spending significant cash on this boat. Unless your just sold on a single, it may be worth considering finding a twin-powered Gulfstream; there should be several in your area. Throw the Captain some Jing and have he or she take you a spin so you can make an informed decision as to which configuration will best suit your needs.

I agree on all your points Magicalbill. , thanks. I really do enjoy getting different views on topics I have little to no experience. As far as paying to take some rides on boats, great idea but a lot of boats in my boating area are out of the water. I totally would thow some $$$ at a few to let me test single vs twin .

 

[Tarheel1]

98 gulfstream owner with original Yammy 250 ox66. In terms of the cost/benefit analysis of having twins on the boat, I disagree with the need for it. After the ox66 dies I plan to upgrade to a 300 4stroke. Yes the boat is wide and having one motor all the way out on a bracket makes for unconventional docking tactics.... but once you learn how to drive your boat, you will figure out how to dock it just fine. Not worth the extra cost in my opinion. In the 3 years of owning mine I may have had issues docking two or three times due to tight quarters and a heavy cross wind. Also to note, the range with a single 300 would be amazing. Just my two cents.

I am leaning towards a single for the same reason I don’t think the added cost equates to the benefit of having two. That’s just my opinion though. If money wasn’t an issue(it usually is for most of us), I would definitely want twins!

 

[magicalbill]

Aye YiYi...I forgot it's December and boats are dry stacked. Duh...

I'm in Fla so I wasn't thinking about it being winter.

 

[Tarheel1]

Aye YiYi...I forgot it's December and boats are dry stacked. Duh...

I'm in Fla so I wasn't thinking about it being winter.

Depending on this COVID crap , I may be going to moms house in Florida in January . If you know of anybody with a 232 with twins on the west coast that wants to make a few bucks for a quick boat ride, let me know.
thanks

 

[magicalbill]

Will do; Keep me advised of your plans. I can't say for sure, but I'd be happy to make a phone call or two.