Seafarer v. Overnighter

[JPonHudson]

What would be the advantages and disadvantages between 20 foot Overnighter and 22 foot Seafarer? The boat would be used mainly for fishing with occasional weekend trip on a choppy brackish river (Hudson River, NY). It will be at a boat club that has a ramp (suitable to boats smaller than 25foot) and I would be putting a mooring in as well. I am thinking of a single either outboard or mercruiser I/O, I am leaning towards I/O because I think (assume) that it will be easier to maintain and cheaper to replace when necessary (I am looking at boats 1988-2000ish). I see many of these boats on the market now but I am planning to take the plunge next year. Anything else I should consider?

 

[VeroWing]

Either will serve you well in the Hudson, and are setup similarly. The Overnighter will weigh less and have the advantage of using less power and fuel, but the Seafarer will have a bit more room and handle rough water better.

 

[RAINMAKER]

I, personally would lean towards the Seafarer with a bracketed outboard.Lots of room for a 22 and a nice transom...... Lots of things to consider with an I/O especially up north. Winterization, risers, manifolds if you are looking at 10-12 year old boats are a few things that come to mind. Maintainence is a lot easier on an outboard IMHO............

 

[noXcuse]

I'm partial to my Seafarer. I've been around a few Overnighters, and that extra 2' adds alot. Mine is a 5.0L Mercruiser. I prefer the I/O over outboards. They're easier to work on, parts are plentiful and cheap, they last forever, way cheaper to replace if it blows up, and almost twice the fuel economy. Plus, nothing sounds like a Chevy small block on the water. Lol. There are alot of people who prefer outboards, though. You'll get mixed reviews on that.

I do not winterize my boat, because I go striper fishing in it all winter long. My engine has 6 drains on it. It completely drains all of the water out of it, so there's no chance of freezing. There's one on the bottom of each exhaust riser, 1 under the thermostat housing, and 3 on the block. The ones on the block have hoses that come to the front of the bilge with a brass plug on the end. Also, if you plan on keeping it at a marina, there's electricity hookups there. You could always install a block heater, or just do what my dad does with his at the marina. Leave a halogen lamp in the engine compartment. You'd be surprised how much heat those things put off.

As far as fishing room, it's all in what you prefer. Fighting to get the fish around those outboards, or having to walk around an engine cover inside the boat. They make great fighting chair platforms though.

Basically, it all boils down to personal preference.

 

[65aircooled]

I'd go with the seafarer, larger cabin. Also would consider only 93 and up, the SeaV2 hull does make a big difference. I am partial to outboard models because they allow for more space in the cockpit which translates to more comfortable fishing and/or riding IMO.
Hart top would be a must for me, adding a hard top later can be pretty expensive. 12 years is a heck of a range, and the prices will vary dramatically so it depends on the amount of coin you want to fork out. Again, I'd shoot for '93 and up for a better/dryer ride.

If you need to choose between a 93 and a 97 the only difference you'll see will be the decals on the hull, that's it. From there up the helm raises higher, side windows and windshield have rounder lines. Also the layout of the cabin and the look of the doors change quite a bit (more modern look) No more dura trim. In my case I painted the hideous dura trim off white and it looks much cleaner.
Make sure you take a very close look at the transom (make sure is dry) stringers and bilges. You want to see clean dry bilges.
Seafarer 226 or 228, the first one has a transom cutout for the outboard and the second one has a bracket mounted outboard. The second one is about 4' longer I believe due to the bracket (some one will correct me on this I am sure), only mention this because of storage as some places will hit you for every inch. Also people say that the 226 tends to be more maneuverable around the dock.
If you need to move them on land, they trailer easy, I trailer mine all the time. Overall very very happy with mine, but I would eventually trade up for a Gulf-stream for extra room and twin engine capability for safer offshore trips.
Good luck with the hunt, btw, if you buy before the spring you will get a better deal.

 

[Clockwork]

Seafarer is better in most areas. I used to own a overnighter 204c with a yamaha 150. I loved that boat and itis the best 20 footer out there from a fishing perspective, but a seafarer is virtually the same boat plus 2 feet in length and also it is a little wider beam and deeper with a larger helm. My dad has a seafarer and the most significant difference is the larger helm. We always fished in the overnighter just because it had more reliable power. But all else equal its better due to its size adga tage and I never noticed a difference towing it.

As formotors, I had one I/O and ill never do that again. Outboards are much more desireable and most of your assumptions I had too and now know they are wrong. I/Os areharder to service, and much more complicated and failure prone mostly on account of the outdrive which are generally a strangely designed mechanism as compared to a lower unit.

 

[bayrat]

Seafarer is better in most areas. I used to own a overnighter 204c with a yamaha 150. I loved that boat and itis the best 20 footer out there from a fishing perspective, but a seafarer is virtually the same boat plus 2 feet in length and also it is a little wider beam and deeper with a larger helm. My dad has a seafarer and the most significant difference is the larger helm. We always fished in the overnighter just because it had more reliable power. But all else equal its better due to its size adga tage and I never noticed a difference towing it.

As formotors, I had one I/O and ill never do that again. Outboards are much more desireable and most of your assumptions I had too and now know they are wrong. I/Os areharder to service, and much more complicated and failure prone mostly on account of the outdrive which are generally a strangely designed mechanism as compared to a lower unit.

Actually the Seafarer only has an 8' beam whereas the 204c has 8'1''... Another consideration for bracketed boats is your docking arrangements (if any). Floating dock..no problem…having to get off of the stern (bracket and engines)or off of the bow (climbing over a pulpit and anchor) can require some agility.

 

[Doc Stressor]

As you can see from my signature, I've had a few of them over the years. I also did test runs in the SV2 208 and 228 before settling on my current 226 Seafarer.

1. The old 204c, while a very wet riding boat in bigger seas, will handle a 1 ft chop very well. The hull has a mind of its own and does not respond to trim tabs. It was the most stable fishing platform of all of them. It also has the widest walk around channel and you can actually fish from the bow it it isn't too rough. You pay for the wider walk around by losing some space in the cabin. You sleep with one shoulder under the walk around. Not good if you turn over a lot when you sleep. I spent many nights on that boat, but I don't think that I was ever able to get to sleep. The old 204c weighs at least as much as the newer 226. The listed weight of 2400 lb was not correct.

The boat is a whale and solid as a rock. Unlike the SV2 hull models and even the pre-SV2 Seafarer, the 204c will drift sideways into a tide rip. This lets you fish the side of the boat rather than from the stern. The SV2 hulls drift bow first into a rip. The 204c was also the best handling boat during docking maneuvers. Tuck the bow in 45 degrees or less, turn the wheel, put the engine in reverse and the stern will pull parallel to the dock. Try that with an SV2 hull and the bow will pivot out.

2. The pre-SV2 Seafarer was a very well laid out boat. As everybody says, the extra 2 ft is very nice. You can fish 4 people unlike the 204c where 3 fisherman was the max. The hull rides much drier than a 204c, but it will pound in a short 2 ft sea. The drop down transom splash gate was a great feature for diving and getting in and out of the boat from the stern.

3. The SV2 208 is an excellent riding hull, almost as good a ride as the SV2 226 or 228. The cockpit seemed smaller than the 204c, but that could have been due to the fish boxes and wells under the helm seats. It's a very versatile boat and is easy to launch and retrieve. Just a bit too small for me.

4. The SV2 228 is the best laid out for fishing and diving. Everything seems to be right where it belongs. The stern live well is really nice if you use live bait. It takes a bit to climb over the transom to get to the swim platform/bracket to get in and out of the boat. While the ride was good and dry, I don't like the way bracketed engine boats handle in big seas. They like to go fast and I found the minimum planning speed to be about 27 mph in a good chop. The transition to running just off plane was dramatic. They tend to yaw slightly in a following sea unless you are firmly up on plane. Both 228s that I tested also has a slight tendency to porpoise. This could easily be corrected with the tabs, however.

5. I ended up with a 226 because of the rough water ride characteristics. A salty old guy up in the Panhandle told me that he liked the ride of the 228 except for when the seas got really nasty. He suggested that the 226 ran better off plane and was generally a more solid ride in bad seas. I found that to be exactly right. With the right prop, you can keep a 226 on plane at 22 mph unless the seas are really bad. They also ride solidly in a bow up conformation when slogging off plane. The off plane handling characteristics are more similar to my old 204c.

Unless you can find a pristine or recently restored 204c for a great price, I would also suggest going with the SV2 hull. The smoother and drier ride more than makes up for the low speed prop walk and funky docking characteristics.

If you have specific questions about any of the models discussed here, send me a PM.

 

[Sully4755]

Hello JPonHudson, I have a 1989 228G with a 225HP johnson outboard that I use on the Hudson. I dock it at Riverfront Marina in Newburgh April to Oct. I have a hardtop and it is just a great boat. I like outboards over I/O. I sold a SeaRay 250 Sundancer and then bought the Grady. I have taken it up river to Catskill and Hudson and down river to Statue of Liberty.I have tried different props and have got 41 mph out of it. It is just a great all around boat. I take the kids down to the cove in Haverstraw and we float around on tubes and cook out. If you have any questions just ask. I bought mine in Tuckerton NJ. A friend of mine just sold a 1989 240 Offshore Grady.

 

[noXcuse]

As formotors, I had one I/O and ill never do that again. Outboards are much more desireable and most of your assumptions I had too and now know they are wrong. I/Os areharder to service, and much more complicated and failure prone mostly on account of the outdrive which are generally a strangely designed mechanism as compared to a lower unit.

I'm on the total opposite end of the spectrum. I've had all three types of power options. Inboard, I/O, and outboard boats. I will absolutely never again own an outboard boat. That's just my opinion. I know alot of people like them. My opinions are not based on assumption, they're based on my experience. Given my auto mechanic background, I find inboard engines way easier to work on. My Seafarer came with an Inline-4 cyliner, and was replaced with a fuel injected Mercruiser small block V-8. I can access every side of that engine without a problem. I'm not sure where you got the idea of outdrives being failure prone. In my many experiences with dealing with alot of outdrives throughout the years, outdrives are far superior to lower units of an outboard. I still see several Mercruiser pre-Alpha outdrives on boats with the original carbureted motors. You can't find many 1970's outboards that are still running. And if they are, you sure ain't going to have an easy time getting parts for them. Again, that's just my opinion. Not trying to make this a heated discussion.

 

[zimm]

I love my 226. After owning a 22' Donzi, I'm so happy to not have an old I/O anymore. I'm sorry, but I'd rather have an engine designed from the drawing board to be on a boat, rather than a car engine adapted to a boat. Impellers exploding, cast iron blocks with salt water running through them, rotting exhaust manifolds, outdrive bellows that go bad, etc, etc. And pulling an I/O is much harder than swapping an outboard. You can't beat the power and sound of a V-8, but for ease of maintenance, no winterization required, I'll take my 2 stroke outboard.

 

[GulfSea]

As you can see from my signature, I've had a few of them over the years. I also did test runs in the SV2 208 and 228 before settling on my current 226 Seafarer.

1. The old 204c, while a very wet riding boat in bigger seas, will handle a 1 ft chop very well. The hull has a mind of its own and does not respond to trim tabs. It was the most stable fishing platform of all of them. It also has the widest walk around channel and you can actually fish from the bow it it isn't too rough. You pay for the wider walk around by losing some space in the cabin. You sleep with one shoulder under the walk around. Not good if you turn over a lot when you sleep. I spent many nights on that boat, but I don't think that I was ever able to get to sleep. The old 204c weighs at least as much as the newer 226. The listed weight of 2400 lb was not correct.

The boat is a whale and solid as a rock. Unlike the SV2 hull models and even the pre-SV2 Seafarer, the 204c will drift sideways into a tide rip. This lets you fish the side of the boat rather than from the stern. The SV2 hulls drift bow first into a rip. The 204c was also the best handling boat during docking maneuvers. Tuck the bow in 45 degrees or less, turn the wheel, put the engine in reverse and the stern will pull parallel to the dock. Try that with an SV2 hull and the bow will pivot out.

2. The pre-SV2 Seafarer was a very well laid out boat. As everybody says, the extra 2 ft is very nice. You can fish 4 people unlike the 204c where 3 fisherman was the max. The hull rides much drier than a 204c, but it will pound in a short 2 ft sea. The drop down transom splash gate was a great feature for diving and getting in and out of the boat from the stern.

3. The SV2 208 is an excellent riding hull, almost as good a ride as the SV2 226 or 228. The cockpit seemed smaller than the 204c, but that could have been due to the fish boxes and wells under the helm seats. It's a very versatile boat and is easy to launch and retrieve. Just a bit too small for me.

4. The SV2 228 is the best laid out for fishing and diving. Everything seems to be right where it belongs. The stern live well is really nice if you use live bait. It takes a bit to climb over the transom to get to the swim platform/bracket to get in and out of the boat. While the ride was good and dry, I don't like the way bracketed engine boats handle in big seas. They like to go fast and I found the minimum planning speed to be about 27 mph in a good chop. The transition to running just off plane was dramatic. They tend to yaw slightly in a following sea unless you are firmly up on plane. Both 228s that I tested also has a slight tendency to porpoise. This could easily be corrected with the tabs, however.

5. I ended up with a 226 because of the rough water ride characteristics. A salty old guy up in the Panhandle told me that he liked the ride of the 228 except for when the seas got really nasty. He suggested that the 226 ran better off plane and was generally a more solid ride in bad seas. I found that to be exactly right. With the right prop, you can keep a 226 on plane at 22 mph unless the seas are really bad. They also ride solidly in a bow up conformation when slogging off plane. The off plane handling characteristics are more similar to my old 204c.

Unless you can find a pristine or recently restored 204c for a great price, I would also suggest going with the SV2 hull. The smoother and drier ride more than makes up for the low speed prop walk and funky docking characteristics.

If you have specific questions about any of the models discussed here, send me a PM.

Not sure if my 08' 228 is a different design altogether or what?? But she does not handle anything like you've described. Not at all..... She planes slow enough that I've never paid attention to the speed, have never noticed a yaw in any conditions, and handles great in larger seas for a 22' boat. I do suspect that many people never fully learn how to use trim tabs with the 228 though. I spent the 1st 2 years not using them correctly thinking the boat was great except for handling in certain conditions. Ironically it was getting caught in a big storm one day when I finally learned how to use them according to conditions and loads. Since that day, I could not ask for a better boat all the way around.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Doc My 08 22 Planes At 22 And With A 4 Blade Prop The Boat Handles Big Seas And Following Seas Much Better Than A 3 Blade Prop. The Boat Does Porpoise But The Trim Tabs Solve It. In Fact The Boat Handles Well In MoSt Seas Conditions With Tab Adjustments. With That Said I WoulD Not But A 226 228 That Is Not SV2 Hull. I Would not But One With AN I l/O Power. The Prop Change For Me From A 3 Blade Prop To A 4 Blade Prop And Would Highly Suggest Anybody Turn One On Their 228 226.

 

[Doc Stressor]

The differences in handling between a 226 and a 228 are very real. All of the things that I didn't like about the 228 ride could be minimized by using the trim and tabs judiciously. I just don't like the ride of bracketed boats in rough seas. I prefer a more forgiving hull. I don't like using tabs except to maintain port to starboard geometry.

I've seen props make a huge difference in the handling properties of a boat. It makes sense that a properly pitched 4-blade would grip the water better than a 3-blade. This would allow a lower planning speed and more stern lift that should also minimize the tendencies to porpoise and yaw. I put one on a Key West 186 that I once had and it eliminated a really bad porpoising problem. I'll probably try one on my 226 the next time I ruin a prop. Happens about once per year around here.

Which prop are you using Bob?

 

[GulfSea]

If you read the Grady 226-228 manual on page 8-6, they describe the reasons for using trim tabs. I used to fish bass boats big time, back when porpoising partially due to big engines was a real problem. And back then, I developed a fix for the boat I had which worked like a champ. In a nutshell, the porpoising was due to stern design. I didn't try patenting the device because the ultimate fix was to simply construct the sterns differently which the manufacturers started within a couple of years of my idea.

Where this matters is understanding how offshore boats are built and why they behave the way they do, usually requiring trim tabs. No matter what offshore hull you have, there will be some need for trim tab useage. Even a 226 will benefit from the proper use of them. I nearly bought a new 226 and am glad I didn't. Not because it isn't a great boat because I think it is but how we fish would have invited occasional waves coming over the stern. Or at least getting very close. I did not like the bracket at 1st either. But now that I've learned how to navigate with it, could not imagine having any other set up. The protection from waves, huge swim platform and seating/baitwell area far exceeds any gain from an open stern, "for our use."

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Doc,I dont doubt the the 226 and 228 handle differently. I just have not observed the same things your buddy has or perhaps even you. My Grady fishing resume includes being out on my old 192, my brothers 1988 190, the Tourny 205, Express 305, Express 330 and Marlin 280 and of course my 228. I was a guests on the other boats for a day of fishing. All the boats behaved a little different, and I mean who is kidding here a 330 is way different boat than a 190 (lol).

The OP asked between an Overnighter and Seafarer and if all things being equal like you can afford the 228, the 228 is an awesome boat for a 22 footer. I like the bracket and I got use to it kind of quickly. The layout is awesome for fishing and knock on teak, I have yet to lose a fish due to the motor hanging off the bracket. My only complaint about the 228 and even my 192 is taking choppy quartering seas, the boat can be wet. I wish Grady would add a bit more flare in the gunwale rub rail area to knock that spray down or out a bit more. Other than that, the 228 with the bracket has handing traits that once you know the boat, it is a great boat to captain at sea and around the dock. using the tabs really helps this boat perform well. I honestly could not see owning this boat without tabs.

Doc, I should have researched more on the prop. I bought a Power Tech stainless 4 blade. I dont recall their model name. Coconut here is running a 4 blade merc prop on his express 330 with Mercury's speed hub or what ever it is called. You can change the hub in the field if you spin a prop. Pretty cool I think. I am happy though with the Power Tech and would buy another one without hesitation. The low speed handling especially around the dock and in reverse is noticably improved. Following seas performance better, cruising speed fuel economy improved by as much as .20 mpg. We use our 228 for lake water sports and she holds tight turns pulling a tube with a lot less loss in speed in tight turns. I bought the prop to run to the Bahamas last year and used my SSII yammy prop as a spare.

 

[Doc Stressor]

I never should have posted that I was interested in a 4 bladed prop. I bent 2 blades on my prop today running down the river. That's 3 times so far this year.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

I remember running the Homasassa River while living in paradise and man that place is sketch in areas. I can see how easy it is to run aground and hit stuff there. Good luck and now you "GET" to buy a new prop!!!!! Sorry for the hassels there for sure...

 

[Doc Stressor]

The drunken shrimpers run in at night and drag the channel markers out of position. It usually takes a couple of days before they get put back where they belong. Many of the day markers on metal posts that you may remember have been knocked down and replaced with cans and nuns.

I'll probably just get this prop reworked. I have plenty of spares. Probably won't go for a 4 blade until I lose a blade. That won't be too long unfortunately. I'll be researching them in the mean time.