Grady 27/28 sailfish owners...

[jbrinch88]

This boat seems to check all the boxes in replacing my 24 offshore. I keep reading mixed reviews on how the boat handles chop/head sea. I’m on Long Island and the great South Bay can get choppy and my 24 offshore can take it but I no longer can. Tired of the slapping/pounding. Same when offshore. Slowing down and tabs help quite a bit but I’m hoping a longer heavier boat would be a huge ride improvement.
Was thinking of going with small down east or maybe even deeper v pilot house but the Grady just seems like the best all around boat for what we do.
Any info from experienced owners?

 

[Billv]

This boat seems to check all the boxes in replacing my 24 offshore. I keep reading mixed reviews on how the boat handles chop/head sea. I’m on Long Island and the great South Bay can get choppy and my 24 offshore can take it but I no longer can. Tired of the slapping/pounding. Same when offshore. Slowing down and tabs help quite a bit but I’m hoping a longer heavier boat would be a huge ride improvement.
Was thinking of going with small down east or maybe even deeper v pilot house but the Grady just seems like the best all around boat for what we do.
Any info from experienced owners?

I have a 2005 283 Release center console which may be the same hull. I traded up from a 24 foot Wellcraft. I would consider my 283 a tank compared to the 24 foot boat. It runs well in most seas

 

[efx]

Get a Marlin if you don’t have to trailer it.

 

[Andrew93]

I went from a 24 Offshore to a 272 Sailfish. Night and day difference, I felt like I was in a barge compared to the Offshore. Sold it due to a newborn, we picked up an Islander for the right price until we can upgrade to a 282 or Marlin in a few years, torn on which one. Even the Islander and Sailfish have a completely different feel. We are fair weather boaters but a few times was forced into some nasty conditions and always felt safe in the 272.

 

[Boosted1]

I have a 272 and it lives on the south shore of Long Island. The bay does get snotty but this boat handles it very well. It is very sensitive to motor trim and trim tabs and I find it takes me a few min while on plane to get the ride where I want it. It never really pounds, I’ll push the bow down with the tabs if needed but I don’t have to slow down. For me, it’s been a perfect balance between a comfortable ride, and family or fishing boat.

 

[Bilpep]

I have a 272 and it lives on the south shore of Long Island. The bay does get snotty but this boat handles it very well. It is very sensitive to motor trim and trim tabs and I find it takes me a few min while on plane to get the ride where I want it. It never really pounds, I’ll push the bow down with the tabs if needed but I don’t have to slow down. For me, it’s been a perfect balance between a comfortable ride, and family or fishing boat.

I have a 98 Islander and it handles great. I boat on the north shore between lower Manhattan and the long island sound. Even on bad day we always felt save and the boat handles well in all types of seas.
You wont be disappointed with either model

 

[ScottyCee]

I went from a 226 to a 272 and as noted by others above, the difference is night and day. The 272 is far more tolerant of chop and a far far smoother more gentle ride. It also feels "lighter" at the same time during hole shot and speed runs due to the higher power to weight ratio.

 

[ItalianAngler]

As the signature indicates I have a 282 Sailfish, it'll eat a head sea no problem, fuel burn is a little painful... The only time I would say that it get's a little squirrely is in a big quartering sea. It will tend to bow steer heading downwind unless I really trim up, which in a heavy sea will make my props cavitate. I haven't yet figured out how to manage it, but it's only ever occurred a few times in terrible conditions. Possibly 4 blade props, but 99.9% of the time the 15.25x19 props I have are perfect. I'd love some suggestions if some other owners have experienced this marriage-testing phenomenon.

I do most of my boating on the Chesapeake but have taken her into the DE bay and out in the ocean.