My brother has owned Grady’s since 1987, so I’m a bit familiar with the smaller walk arounds. Started with a 1987 204C and moved up to a 1992 226 Seafarer.
safe, easy to operate solo, economical, and can take a few more anglers out.
So after some searching and trial and error, I added a 2001 Grady White Seafarer 226 to my fleet which includes a Whaler 18 Outrage and a Whaler 15 Striper.
Why essentially the same boat/SeaV2 that I have access to almost anytime?
1. My 226 is on a trailer. Brothers boat permanently moored.
2. Newer model has some benefits like:
Single engine well compared to old wide transom allows less water to enter over transom and has 2 useable jump seats.
Right away my brother noticed the windshield is lower to see over yet does not have wind in your face! A well designed curved windshield!
New boat has an Atlantic Tower fold down aluminum arch.
To this I added
Garmin Fathom Plus 18 Radar
6 rod holders
2 8’ vhf antennas
Side flood lights
Deck flood light
Hailer/horn
Nav all around light
new electronics to compliment the original Garmin 740s which was originally mounted in the radio box next to a Standard Horizon GX1400:
Garmin 1042xs
Garmin 743xs touch screen
Garmin Fantom 18x
Standard Horizon GX2400
Standard Horizon GX1400
Garmin NMEA 2000
Yamaha NMEA 2000
Original boat owner upgraded to a 2005 F250 but kept original gauges. Original FlowScan inoperable. Fuel senders intermittent. No fuel management no troll function. Shane at H&M said this motor can o the modern things even though Yamaha said no I couldn’t (see related thread).
Now this boat is almost complete!
The factory (maybe selling dealer) position for the VHF antenna mount is on the gunnel adjacent to the driver. That’s where I believe the spring line cleat should go. On my brothers 1992 Seafarer, that’s where it is located. I can tie up by either reaching over at the helm or reaching up from the deck or stepping on fish well to easily tie up. Not sure when the change but newer Seafarer’s have the clear set forward. Easy to secure from the dock but much more difficult from the boat.
This deck drains through 2 floor scuppers in addition to around the base of the motor well fold down door. The older version has drainage through the base of the wide transom door, or the door can be dropped to fully open.
Deck space is identical, as is cabin space and fish wells/bait well. My 2001 came optioned with the sink, saltwater and freshwater wash downs, and baits elm plumbed. The previous owner even added a diesel heated with outlets to both cabin and passenger area.
My 2001 runs heavy with the optional 56 gallon tank forward (both 1992 and 2001 have 92 gallons in main deck) and a Yamaha 15hp. 4-stroke kicker sitting beside a 3.3L V-6 Yamaha at 600#+!!
I’m still getting a feeling got for I’m consumption, but it surely is more than the 1992 with a new Yamaha F200XCA with DEC. I really like the digital controls compared to my mechanical ones.
The next things I’m going to do, other than learn my new tools, are to:
Add spring lines to where I believe they should be mounted.
Replace my hydraulic Bennett trim tabs with Lenco electric tabs.
Add a 3rd battery connected to 2000watt power source inverter to run a rice cooker or microwave on extended trips with a switch so I may recharge battery from motors alternator.
The reason I went with an arch over a hardtop is to keep that open feeling. I can still put up my Bimini under the arch and enclose with Eisenglass is needed.
Also I don’t like things mounted in the overhead box on a smaller boat. Especially don’t like mic cords hanging down.
And comparing a 226 to a 228. My experiences running a 228 is that while it does ride like a larger boat, and the transom storage is nice, I find maneuvering a fish in the line easier around a motor on a standard transom.
And I noticed backing down to port, if I remember well, was very difficult.
And most important, to me, is I have boat storage in a 28’ space. A 228 puts me over.
I’ll be adding pictures soon and will keep updates coming as I learn these new electronics!
Mahalo!
Brian K
No Ka Oi
safe, easy to operate solo, economical, and can take a few more anglers out.
So after some searching and trial and error, I added a 2001 Grady White Seafarer 226 to my fleet which includes a Whaler 18 Outrage and a Whaler 15 Striper.
Why essentially the same boat/SeaV2 that I have access to almost anytime?
1. My 226 is on a trailer. Brothers boat permanently moored.
2. Newer model has some benefits like:
Single engine well compared to old wide transom allows less water to enter over transom and has 2 useable jump seats.
Right away my brother noticed the windshield is lower to see over yet does not have wind in your face! A well designed curved windshield!
New boat has an Atlantic Tower fold down aluminum arch.
To this I added
Garmin Fathom Plus 18 Radar
6 rod holders
2 8’ vhf antennas
Side flood lights
Deck flood light
Hailer/horn
Nav all around light
new electronics to compliment the original Garmin 740s which was originally mounted in the radio box next to a Standard Horizon GX1400:
Garmin 1042xs
Garmin 743xs touch screen
Garmin Fantom 18x
Standard Horizon GX2400
Standard Horizon GX1400
Garmin NMEA 2000
Yamaha NMEA 2000
Original boat owner upgraded to a 2005 F250 but kept original gauges. Original FlowScan inoperable. Fuel senders intermittent. No fuel management no troll function. Shane at H&M said this motor can o the modern things even though Yamaha said no I couldn’t (see related thread).
Now this boat is almost complete!
The factory (maybe selling dealer) position for the VHF antenna mount is on the gunnel adjacent to the driver. That’s where I believe the spring line cleat should go. On my brothers 1992 Seafarer, that’s where it is located. I can tie up by either reaching over at the helm or reaching up from the deck or stepping on fish well to easily tie up. Not sure when the change but newer Seafarer’s have the clear set forward. Easy to secure from the dock but much more difficult from the boat.
This deck drains through 2 floor scuppers in addition to around the base of the motor well fold down door. The older version has drainage through the base of the wide transom door, or the door can be dropped to fully open.
Deck space is identical, as is cabin space and fish wells/bait well. My 2001 came optioned with the sink, saltwater and freshwater wash downs, and baits elm plumbed. The previous owner even added a diesel heated with outlets to both cabin and passenger area.
My 2001 runs heavy with the optional 56 gallon tank forward (both 1992 and 2001 have 92 gallons in main deck) and a Yamaha 15hp. 4-stroke kicker sitting beside a 3.3L V-6 Yamaha at 600#+!!
I’m still getting a feeling got for I’m consumption, but it surely is more than the 1992 with a new Yamaha F200XCA with DEC. I really like the digital controls compared to my mechanical ones.
The next things I’m going to do, other than learn my new tools, are to:
Add spring lines to where I believe they should be mounted.
Replace my hydraulic Bennett trim tabs with Lenco electric tabs.
Add a 3rd battery connected to 2000watt power source inverter to run a rice cooker or microwave on extended trips with a switch so I may recharge battery from motors alternator.
The reason I went with an arch over a hardtop is to keep that open feeling. I can still put up my Bimini under the arch and enclose with Eisenglass is needed.
Also I don’t like things mounted in the overhead box on a smaller boat. Especially don’t like mic cords hanging down.
And comparing a 226 to a 228. My experiences running a 228 is that while it does ride like a larger boat, and the transom storage is nice, I find maneuvering a fish in the line easier around a motor on a standard transom.
And I noticed backing down to port, if I remember well, was very difficult.
And most important, to me, is I have boat storage in a 28’ space. A 228 puts me over.
I’ll be adding pictures soon and will keep updates coming as I learn these new electronics!
Mahalo!
Brian K
No Ka Oi
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