HELP - Freedom 235 drifts abeam when drift fishing

W

W2f4

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Joined
Jan 29, 2020
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Age
68
Location
NJ
Model
Freedom 225
New to Grady and this site.
Bought my fist Grady last fall, a new 2025 Freedom 235, took delivery this spring.
Thoroughly enjoying the boat and appreciate it's quality. Seating comfort and hardtop shade is fantastic. It's been great for the bay and river in central New Jersey coast.
However, in the ocean I have much to learn on how to dial it in for decent ride.
Coming from a 2660 sailfish center console that ate up ocean conditions cruising on top for a comfortable ride.

I mostly bottom fish for summer flounder & black sea bass at the local artificial reefs, ~5 miles from the inlet.

My 235 is drifting abeam and in this orientation the wind is dominate pushing me sideways, I'm getting too much side to side rocking that gets uncomfortable and limiting my time in the ocean.
btw I'm 68 and in overall good condition considering my spine's lumbar region is fused S1-L2, so dialing in for comfort is important.

In the Grady, thus far seems I'm limited to going out only when seas are 2 feet or less, and the wind needs some westerly component, ideally pure west. (NE/W/SW)

I've tried a single drift sock (51" across when laying flat / 36" dia) 75 feet off the bow hoping it would put the bow into the wind and chop, but it still drifts abeam.
I've also tried the drift sock from mid cleat, got a bit of rotation but still mostly drifting abeam.
btw - This size drift sock could hold the 26 center console bow into the wind chop.

I usually leave the 235's center windshield & bow doors open.

Thinking....
Next time out try closing the center windshield and bow door.
Try different engine positions.
I have another drift sock of similar size, could try adding as a second drift sock at the bow's other cleat, hoping the 2 don't get tangled.
Try the drift sock at the stern, though I'm not crazy about wind chop constantly hitting the stern & engine.

Would greatly appreciate any advice
 
Welcome to the family! I purchased a 255 Freedom in September and finally got out to do some sea bass and flounder fishing out of Ocean City MD last week for the first time. We ran into the same issue in the same conditions. We did not use a drift sock. I keep my curtains on year round (advice from a highly reputable canvas person that's been doing it a long time). We kept all the windows, bow door, and bow windshield open. I was able to keep the boat tracking straight with just the outboard being slightly turned, and would bump it occasionally, maybe every 5 + minutes. There was a brief learning curve but we were able to do this for over 2.5 hours. I hope you're able to be able to do the same!
 
Interesting to know why you didn't keep the sailfish as I hear they are a great ride. How did it drift?
In regards to drifting abeam, I have heard most center consols do this, however, I had a old 20' bowrider type boat before the 25 Grady Sailfish WA that I have now and they always drift with aft facing current/wind/waves.
I don't see any issues with the aft facing. It is most comfortable as you don't get the bow raising up and down if bow is facing the waves.
I am not really sure why they drift abeam. Would have thought the drift sock would have solved it.
 
Can't help with the solution as I've never been in that situation, but it's an interesting dilemma and primarily, that's why I'm writing to be able to follow this.

Obviously what's on the top side (CC, dual console, WA, whatever) doesn't really factor in - other than having extra canvas up, like a sail, for example. It's gotta be just a function of the size of the boat... length vs beam. Right?

Other than turning the engine hard over one way or the other, just some other thoughts...

-- Drop one or both tabs?
-- For the heck of it, try tilting the engine up

For a double sock... could you add a simple spreader bar between the two of them to keep them apart -- a 3' length of 2x4 for example just to clarify the "thought"... but certainly something better could be used. Would a 2x4 cause too much flotation? Maybe use a piece of PVC pipe, maybe drill some holes in it (maybe not needed), attach to each sock with a flange adapter (with a reinforcing backer plate).

Just spit-ballin' some thoughts :)
 
were your engines down when you were using the drift sock? if so, they were also acting as a drift sock, but from the stern. id raise them and give that a try.
 
Thanks guys

All good info & suggestions

A bit more info on my ocean situation. -
Engine titled down and straight.
Full enclosure is completely removed and stored indoors.
Trim tabs partially down as I’ve be trying to dial in engine trim vs trim tabs vs speed.

The sailfish questions +
Yes, the sailfish has an outstanding smooth ride. Cuts nicely. Lands softly with the vertical strakes, but it’s a wet ride in quartering seas, wings are a must. 24/22/20 degree deadrise with flat keel pad that started mid way and about 8”-10” wide at the transom. Very similar to classic seacraft hull. Bottom fishing the wind always grabbed the tall bow and swung the hull in the direction the wind was heading, so fished off the back facing the wind & waves. Dry weight, the sailfish 2660 was 420lbs lighter than the 235.

Getting older and with my sons married, just don’t fish as far as we use to. It’s mostly me just solo fishing inshore now a days. So time to try something better suited to current conditions. Wanted better seating, shade and less to maintain. I enjoy doing as much diy as I can take on, I’m a fanatic with everything. Narrowed it down to trying a ~23 dual console with a single engine, after looking at many boats settled on the freedom 235. If I can improve my ocean handling skills for smoother ride and drift orientation for bottom fishing, I’ll be enjoying the 235 for many years. Otherwise I’ll be getting a bigger freedom or a sailfish dc.

If tomorrow’s weather forecast holds, I’ll be ocean fishing and look forward to trying some of your suggestions.

Thanks again
 
Going down to a 23 from a 26 is going to result in a less comfortable drift (and ride) in the same conditions. There is no way around that.

You lost me on the drifting. I prefer drifting abeam for fluke(flounder). I purposely turn my motors to acheive that. Allows more lines, spread out. Don't have to fish over motors.
Try turning your motor the other way (away from the wind).
I never use a wind sock. gets in the way of lines, have to pick it up everytime you go back on a drift..PIA

If you are fishing in a current as well as wind, the motors being down will act to spin the stern of the boat downstream.


A Garmin Kraken will solve your problem. Stop drifting and get on top of rock piles.
 
All boats i had are drifting mostly abeam when it's windy, only if surface current comes from the right angle they drift straight ahead so i dont think another boat will help with that, but a electric aka TM motor will help.
I do mostly 100-3000 ft deep bottom fishing and that needs less than a knot drift speed.
I prefer that boat drift abeam way as i have the lines abeam too and far from boat and engines, but yes.
But this way boat rolls more what can become more uncomfortable and makes seeing bites harder than when boat rocks.

You can do some things (or the combiantion of it to shift boats drift angle a bit
a) turn the engines fully to one side
b) lower one flap as Dennis mentioned, but have to admit that i never tried that
c) use a drift sock either on bow or stern cleat, that helps most but in most cases not enough
As bigger the drift sock is more it may work if current has the right direction
The above depends on surface current, more current helps with each of them
d) install a electric motor, not cheap but that would be best for many reasons and it should be able to keep bow in the desired direction.

Chris
 
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