I know I love my Gulfstream and although I considered a Robalo, Steiger or Parker I was never going to buy anything other than my 232. I wanted Twins, something that was Ocean worthy and had positive flotation. Gulfstream was the answer for sure. What I wonder is why Grady White is so dominant on the East End of Long Island NY. I swear that 6 out of 10 boats I see out here are Gradys. I was fishing Shinnecock reef last week and 5 out of 8 boats were GWs. It is Grady City! Anyone know how and why a North Carolina boat manufacturer became so dominant in NY? What percentage of boats are Gradys in your area?
Why are Grady's so popular in eastern Long Island and what is it like in your area?
- Thread starter PonquoguePlayer
- Start date
Yep, quite a few up here in these parts. Im sure Spellmans has a lot to do with all the ones you're seeing in your locale
Brought mine over to Orange Beach, Al/ Perdido, FL area last week which included the 4th. I saw more Grady's in one day than I have seen total in the 3 years I have owned mine. But I also seen more boats than I ever have. It was busier than normal because of the boat parade for the President.
South end of Lake Michigan here. Closest dealer is about 8 hours away, and I think that plays into why you see very, very few of them. I have only seen one other Grady this season on the lake, and that was another older one at the beach about 22 miles from home port. There are more Albemarles, Boston Whalers, and Carolina Classics in my marina than Grady's, which isn't hard being that I'm the only one. I see plenty of Robalos, Tritons, etc out on the water, so the style of boat is sure popular.
I grew up at the Jersey Shore, and I remember fishing as a kid on my friend's dad's Grady. I remember seeing a lot of Gradys and always considered them a Northeast boat. Fast forward 30 years, and I am living in Southeast North Carolina and have learned that they are not a Northeast boat but rather a Carolina built boat. On the waterways around here, you see a ton of Gradys. They are, however, very different than the ones I remember up in Jersey. Down here, they are all center consoles and not the small cabin boats on my Northeast youth. Some of that is the recent center console revolution, but a lot of it is climate. Up North, protection from the elements is more important than it is here in the Carolinas, and no one builds a better small cabin boat than Grady White. From the Seafarer to the Sailfish and on up, they are the standard for boats that make sense in colder Northeast climates. For sure, dealer proximity plays a role. But who else would you go to in the Northeast for a small(ish), offshore capable, outboard, cabin boat you could take to the Hudson Canyon in October? Grady is the answer, and that it why you see so many of them on the Island.
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Joez:
I believe there is a Grady dealer in Holland MI. That would be fairly close to you if your near new Buffalo, Mi City, Gary, etc.