33 express - Offshore question - Or Marlin

[FBender]

Hello all
Ihave a question reqarding a newer 33, maybe 08 or 09, on performance in moderate seas. I currently own an 05 28 Sailfish. I love the boat. That being said we mainly run offshore and in 3 to 4 footers, i don't want to say we get smacked around but to say its a comfortable ride would not be true. Anything less than 3's and shes a perfect fit. I would like honest replies on the performance of the 33 in 3 to 4's, maybe more. Being a weekend fisherman sometimes we just gotta go, 4 to 5's even are not uncommon. I know they cant perform in a moderate head sea like say a Carolina or something with a deep v like that. Grady does have a good mix for an ok forward ride w/o the rock and roll of that extreme deep v while on the drift or hook. Any replies from actuall owners or people that have been on these boats in not so nice water would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.
ps, great site

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Back in September(i think) of 2007 i had test both 330 express on the same day at the same time(half hour apart), one with F250's and the other with F350's. Seas were up to 3-4 footer chop and windy. The one with the F250's for some reason was tracking much better than the one with F350's(Note:was the first year and i think one of the first 330's with the F350's on it). After the test run of both i had made up my mind but i also asked the dealer who was with me at the time of the test, which one he would buy if it was him a buyer, he said the one with F250's wins big time and that was my thoghts too, so i end up buying a 2007 330 with F250's. The boat tracks and acts like a much bigger boat, she's not as fast as the one with 350's, but that was the only down side to the boat(if you can say is dowside). I kept the boat for a year which i really enjoyed, but i went back to a center console boat, i think that "defines" better :wink: .
Good luck, you really going to love this boat.

 

[richie rich]

nothing else, did the dealer say why the 250 rode better in those seas? was it the attitude of the boat, ie more on a level plane with the 250 that lead to a better ride? That's an interesting observation because I would think the other combination would be a bit more stable....

 

[megabytes]

The difference when I moved from a 272 to a 300 was significant to the point all my fishing buddies commented on it for at least a year. I would expect going up another notch to give an equally incremental improvement. There is no substitute for displacement if you want to maintain stability and other factors.

I would estimate I can run 3-5 kts. faster in the same conditions while maintaining the same level of comfort. You analysis is right on target that GW balances stability with head side ride. Pursuit, BW, and Scout have similar hulls. All designs have tradeoffs.

Welcome to the board with your first post!

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

nothing else, did the dealer say why the 250 rode better in those seas? was it the attitude of the boat, ie more on a level plane with the 250 that lead to a better ride? That's an interesting observation because I would think the other combination would be a bit more stable....

At that time the boat with those motors was new to everyone, he assumed that the extra weight of the engines along with the extra support on the transom to accommodate the more HP might have something to do. On my 330 with the F250's i never had to use any tabs for leveling the boat for planning as oppose to the one with the 350's, the bow was too high up, i think they(Grady) corrected this "problem" though.

 

[Eberen]

33

Had the 330, moved to the 360. Used it exclusively offshore canyons. 3-5 was the maximum with wind 10-25knts. we proceeded offshore. Boaad did well (twin 250's), although occasionally it 'surfed'. Felt safe almost always.
ed beren

 

[gulfcart]

I've had my '08 33 with 350's since Sept. '07..I never ran the 250's so I wouldn't know the ride difference, but I think it handles the rough seas excellent. I have over 500 hrs on it in every kind of conditions you can imagine. Ran it to the keys, mid grounds etc. Never let me down...
I have had issues with the 350's but problems seem to be resolved.

Just imo.

 

[FBender]

Thanks for all the replies guys and please keep them coming. Steve what issues did you have with the 350's if you dont mind me asking

 

[richie rich]

NEM, do you recall how GW fixed the "problem"? Did they come through with a hull change?

Ed, what do you mean it "surfed" occasionally...do you mean like chine walk, except from the front end instead of the rear when trying to get on plane?

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

NEM, do you recall how GW fixed the "problem"? Did they come through with a hull change?

Ed, what do you mean it "surfed" occasionally...do you mean like chine walk, except from the front end instead of the rear when trying to get on plane?

Richie, i don't know how it was fixed, if it was a problem and not just my opinion or my dealers.

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Thanks for all the replies guys and please keep them coming. Steve what issues did you have with the 350's if you dont mind me asking

I can answer for Steve, cause i had the same problem(in fact Steve had mentioned this first to this forum). Yamaha had an "upgrade", which is, in my opinion was a recall with a "nice" title. Anyway, they had to change the harmonic balancer on all F350's cause it was causing the engine shaft to break. They are some cases of a bad lower units also, but maybe one or two, no fix there yet.

 

[Eberen]

33 question

Richie -- I used the boat (33 w/250's) for only Canyon runs. Withe the wrong combination of wind, speed, wave heights (which happens more than occasionally), i felt that the oceaqn was more in control to a degree many times than vice versa. I am not talking about 6-8 footers, more like normal 4-6 foot swells. The boat is great for normal use, however, 12 -16 canyon runs exclusively a season may be a nother question.

 

[sel1005]

I had a 330 for a couple of years before moving up to the 360. Boat was solid as a rock. I did over 3,000 miles in it varying from smooth as glass to 10-12 ft following seas. I'm still alive so the boat must be OK.

Like everything else I think the issue is less what the boat will do vs your skills and experience. I've been crossing from Clearwater to Apalachicola in 2-3's when you hit the Middle Grounds and suddenly you go to 4-6's; well, you slow down, or tack as needed to get the angle on the bow that doesn't kill you and the boat and the contents of your cabin. That's not a boat issue, that's just common sense.

I also got caught in the Bahamas in the NW Passage in some very nasty conditions that were literally do or die. The 330 did exactly what it was supposed to do, all I had to do was adapt the driving to the conditions and hang in for a very long day.

GW's are designed to keep you safe and the Yamahas will do their part as well, but no boat is going to overcome adverse water and weather conditions unless the Capt has / matches skill and common sense to those conditions.

Just my .02, but if I had to be on the water in bad weather, I would prefer to be in a GW with my Furuno equip vs any other brand / combination available today.

 

[gulfcart]

Thanks for all the replies guys and please keep them coming. Steve what issues did you have with the 350's if you dont mind me asking

I can answer for Steve, cause i had the same problem(in fact Steve had mentioned this first to this forum). Yamaha had an "upgrade", which is, in my opinion was a recall with a "nice" title. Anyway, they had to change the harmonic balancer on all F350's cause it was causing the engine shaft to break. They are some cases of a bad lower units also, but maybe one or two, no fix there yet.

You're right..Except my engine broke the crank before the fix came out. But in addition I had a head go bad in one, also had a seal go bad in the lower unit, they had to replace the whole unit... also trim tab sensor went bad...

Yamaha took care of it all. Things have been ok in the last 100hrs or so.. Still love 'em!

 

[1stgrady]

quote from sel--"GW's are designed to keep you safe and the Yamahas will do their part as well, but no boat is going to overcome adverse water and weather conditions unless the Capt has / matches skill and common sense to those conditions. "

The Capt is 100% he should always match the boat to the conditions. But you can only get that with experience, reading and listening. Learn from other folks mistake.

I got caught in 6/9 footers with a 226 Grady, 50 miles offshore. Amazing what some current and a steady 25/30 knot wind will do not to mention how bad things look through a blanket of blowing rain. It is so wonder I was able to keep my Bimini and curtains.

My ambitions that particular day exceded my abilities at the time and good sense. I ceased a window of oppurtunity with regard to the weather. Bad decision. No grouper or king worth that. Could not even stand up. Came back in about 6 knots for the most part last 2 hours of that was in the dark.

The Lord looks out for idiots sometimes and I learned a lesson that day. the 12 hours of good seas NOAA reported was really only 6 and I should left to come home sooner.

All I could think about was how; if or when I made it back to the hill I was gonna sell the boat all my offshore tackle and rods and do nothing but jig for spanish mackeral on the pier.

When I make long trips now I only go if 48+ hour spans are predicted. I try to stay within 20 or 30 miles also.

 

[richie rich]

1st grady, too bad a realtime story like yours didn't come out a few months ago in the local papers...maybe those football players in Florida would have heeded your warning about going 50 miles offshore in a 20 footer with a pending storm coming in that night.......I've been caught with my pants down only 20 miles out in my 25 footer with 6-10 footers and 30mph in New England waters...5 knots, white knuckled, driving rain and soaking wet with a sea constant at the beam......the right boat for the right waters with the right experience is a must....lucky to learn the hard way.

 

[FBender]

Again, thanks for the info guys.
One more question, how about a move from the Sailfish to a newer Marlin. Would there be a considerable difference? Looks like over 2000lbs of weight difference.

 

[sel1005]

Fbender, your last question sorta gets at the heart of boats and rough water. My pref is that LOA, Beam and weight are all good things, within reason. If I can get a heavier larger boat for maybe .1-.2 mpg differences, I would go heavy - always. More than that and its a toss up.

Its always good to have great MPG, but reality is the GW is like a cork in the water; the same flotation that will keep you from sinking also acts in very large seas as a bit of a negative negative as you have to watch out for breaching, keep alert, etc because your weight is less. Follow a 39' Bertram that weighs 12K lbs more in a 33 Express and you will see what I mean. They settle in, have an easier time tracking due to the weight vs the GW.

I have never been in a Marlin in large seas but if its lighter, I would ask for the 33 by default if the mpg was reasonably close. Just my .02 of course.....

 

[megabytes]

Again, thanks for the info guys.
One more question, how about a move from the Sailfish to a newer Marlin. Would there be a considerable difference? Looks like over 2000lbs of weight difference.

Mine is just shy of 12.5K as weighed by our forklift. This is pretty much fully loaded. Weight is good when the seas get choppy.