Potential Freedom 205 upgrade

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Beaur90

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After the family’s first 2 season with a freedom 205 to see if boating was something we enjoyed, and it was… it’s now time for the next boat. I wanted to see what the community thought about my thought process and what the best fit for my family’s uses. We are on the Chesapeake and goals on the water are more focused towards cruising and some fishing. Between the freedom 285 , canyon 271 and costal explorer 281. I’ve been on all of them in the showroom. (Never in the water)I think my favorite among the boats was the costal explorer. The back bench seat was an attractive feature and the low gunnels for easy on and off at the dock. And I know bad weather pops up but I feel the 281 can hold its own if bad conditions came out of nowhere. The 271 is obviously very similar but obviously a bit beefier because the boat is designed for more offshore uses which isn’t a concern for us in the bay. And I think the better seating layout on the coastal is better option . When it comes to the freedom 285 I feel like the some of the things I don’t like on my current boat would translate over. That being the walkway to the bow being blocked by someone when I’m docking and trying to get lines tied off. Obviously the center console design is much more friendly to a single man show. I just thought it would be helpful to hear the opinions of others to help bolster my decision.
 
I own a 235 Freedom and your concerns about the dual console are legit. I find when docking there is always somebody in my way. I'm considering going back to a center console. The boat market is in the dumper right now so your used boat will be worth half what you paid for it if you bought new. My 235 lost 50% of its value in 3 years. You're best option is to look for a good used boat because dealers are living in a dream world and will not discount new boats in proportion to the boat market.
 
I have to agree with your assessment, we bought our freedom used and we aren’t down all that much. I was very big on dual consoles but the docking can cause unnecessary stress while on the water. For the boat market, dealers are not giving as much discounts as I would have thought. At this point I think one more season with the current boat and hopefully some deals will come up in the fall, on new or used boats.
 
Beaur90 said:
I have to agree with your assessment, we bought our freedom used and we aren’t down all that much. I was very big on dual consoles but the docking can cause unnecessary stress while on the water. For the boat market, dealers are not giving as much discounts as I would have thought. At this point I think one more season with the current boat and hopefully some deals will come up in the fall, on new or used boats.
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I prefer to buy new but I’ve been burned so bad by my 235 I’ll probably buy clean used from now on.
 
even thought the chesapeake bay is obviously a bay, i wouldnt suggest a "bay" boat. it actually can be a very rough body of water and get rough very quickly. id be concerned that the coastal explorer would pound in our short period chop.
 
I think if you like the Freedom DC then you won't like a CC. You lose a lot of seating and shade with a CC. My buddy has the 281 Coastal and it's a great boat. The side door that lays out is awesome, but on a hot day there isn't much space to get out of the sun. The 285 is going to be a better family boat...and yes, you can still fish off of it. Never had a problem docking a DC, even with people aboard. Just give them duties or tell everyone to stay seated.

I am currently considering upgrading the 235 to something bigger. It's either going to be the 285 Freedom, the Boston Whaler 280 Vantage, or the Scout 277 Dorado. Grady has the best ride, Waler has the most features, Scout is the best looking. Just my opinion.
 
Beaur90 said:
Hard to swallow spending $300k and losing $100-85k in the first year or two of ownership. But that’s life.
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Yep. I am done buying new boats. Bought this 235 new in 2023. Way too many like-new, late model boats to choose from. And Grady only offers a one-year warranty, so it's not really worth it. If they offered a 3-5 year warranty....I'd consider it. But I'm not spending an extra $100K+ for one season of boating.
 
I've been fishing off a 1989 Sailfish for a couple of decades from Virginia Beach so Southern bay and near off shore. If you plan to fish during the winter for Stripers or whatever, the cuddy is nice to have to get a break out of the cold wind. And, having the bow of the walk around is nice if we are not trolling and just casting as we can get one person away from the others at the stern. I like the wider beam of the Sailfish.

An important consideration is the height of the transom. Test that in the showroom. In rough water, which is fairly common in the winter, being able to lean against the gunnel really helps. I fished from a neighbor's boat which was a little longer but the gunnel was lower so I felt like I would get pitched over the side! Not a good feeling to say the least as the water would have been quite cold.

The Gulfstream is also a wide beam boat but a little shorter. I've never been on one but I think it is very similar to the Sailfish size.
 
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