New Member

[Coastboater]

Hey folks! After lurking a bit joined the forum today. Certainly a wealth of knowledge here. Much appreciated. Hopefully this is the correct forum to post this.
What prompted me was I placed a factory order for a Freedom 215 yesterday. This will be my third Grady, the first being a Seafarer 228 I bought in 2004. The boat should be x-factory in August and hopefully will have my build slot info in a few days.
We live in Charleston SC and mostly me, wife and the dog cruising the local waterways. Nothing better than doing that in a Grady!

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Welcome aboard. Did you buy the 228 Seafarer brand new back in 2004 and any reason why you got rid of it? I'm guessing the Mrs wanted an open bow to lounge in as opposed to the walkaround style cabin of the 228 Seafarer? I just bought my 2004 back in October of 2021 back in Maryland and then drove her the 3,009 miles back out to the Seattle area where I live.

 

[Coastboater]

Welcome aboard. Did you buy the 228 Seafarer brand new back in 2004 and any reason why you got rid of it? I'm guessing the Mrs wanted an open bow to lounge in as opposed to the walkaround style cabin of the 228 Seafarer? I just bought my 2004 back in October of 2021 back in Maryland and then drove her the 3,009 miles back out to the Seattle area where I live.

Thanks for the welcome! I did buy the Seafarer new in early summer of 2004. I bought it from the same dealer that I purchased yesterday. At the time we were living mid-state SC and often trailered to the coast for weekend cruises and some fishing. During one of those trips in the boat prior, a bowrider, we got caught in a nasty thunderstorm in Charleston harbor which convinced us that we needed a boat with some sort of cabin, leading to the Seafarer purchase. The odd thing I remember most about that boat was it was my first 4-stroke outboard (225) and it was so quiet I tried to start it while running at least 1/2 dozen times.
It was a great boat and could handle nasty stuff, but a job opportunity in Phoenix led me to sell it. A gentleman retiring to Florida bought it.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Thanks for the welcome! I did buy the Seafarer new in early summer of 2004. I bought it from the same dealer that I purchased yesterday. At the time we were living mid-state SC and often trailered to the coast for weekend cruises and some fishing. During one of those trips in the boat prior, a bowrider, we got caught in a nasty thunderstorm in Charleston harbor which convinced us that we needed a boat with some sort of cabin, leading to the Seafarer purchase. The odd thing I remember most about that boat was it was my first 4-stroke outboard (225) and it was so quiet I tried to start it while running at least 1/2 dozen times.
It was a great boat and could handle nasty stuff, but a job opportunity in Phoenix led me to sell it. A gentleman retiring to Florida bought it.

That would be pretty funny if the boat that I purchased was the same one that you owned and bought brand new from the factory. I bought mine from a dealership in Maryland that was selling it for the owner who also lived in Maryland, and he said that he'd owned the boat for about 6 years. He did mention that he trailered the boat back and forth to Florida a few times for fishing, but not sure if he's the guy that you sold it to. He's actually a member of the forum here though and he oddly enough he reached out to me when I was driving my boat back across the country.

 

[seasick]

Good luck with the new boat and welcome to the forum!

 

[Coastboater]

That would be pretty funny if the boat that I purchased was the same one that you owned and bought brand new from the factory. I bought mine from a dealership in Maryland that was selling it for the owner who also lived in Maryland, and he said that he'd owned the boat for about 6 years. He did mention that he trailered the boat back and forth to Florida a few times for fishing, but not sure if he's the guy that you sold it to. He's actually a member of the forum here though and he oddly enough he reached out to me when I was driving my boat back across the country.

I installed 2 Raymarine 6” displays in the helm cabinet. One was a gps and the other was sonar. Don’t know if they were replaced obviously, but if they were still there then it could be.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I installed 2 Raymarine 6” displays in the helm cabinet. One was a gps and the other was sonar. Don’t know if they were replaced obviously, but if they were still there then it could be.

Likely not the same then, as the boat had a 7" Garmin touchscreen unit on it from around 2010, as well as I believe a it's a Humminbird smaller sized display as well. Could've been swapped out but I'm not sure. The dating of the Garmin though puts it around the year 2010 or 2011 though IIRC. I looked up the HIN on my boat and it shows that it was built in May 2004. Either way, it's been fun chatting and again welcome aboard. Post up a couple of pictures of your new boat when you get a chance.

 

[Halfhitch]

Welcome Coasty! Glad to see you have maintained the affliction all these years.

 

[Ky Grady]

Welcome Coastboater!!! You live in my happy place. I've been coming down to the Charleston area for over 35 years. Been in and out of Charleston Harbor many times and enjoyed the 4th of July fireworks quite a few times. Fish a lot up on Santee-Cooper for the big cats. Seel's is a great place. I use the Savanah Highway location for all my Grady-White specific parts, Nancy Condon has helped me a ton to get what I need. Again, Welcome Aboard!!

 

[Coastboater]

Welcome Coastboater!!! You live in my happy place. I've been coming down to the Charleston area for over 35 years. Been in and out of Charleston Harbor many times and enjoyed the 4th of July fireworks quite a few times. Fish a lot up on Santee-Cooper for the big cats. Seel's is a great place. I use the Savanah Highway location for all my Grady-White specific parts, Nancy Condon has helped me a ton to get what I need. Again, Welcome Aboard!!

Thanks! I dealt with Kenny at Seels Mt. Pleasant back in 2004 and would see him at the boat show every year, so I went back to that location even though Sav. Hwy. is much closer to where I live. Plus, they had a 215 I could crawl over there. Unfortunately, Kenny is sick and in the hospital, so I ended up working with Herb.