Real life 235 Freedom reviews

Ackdog

Ackdog

GreatGrady Captain
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Feb 26, 2006
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Stonington, CT
Went to the Htfd Boat last weekend just to spend some time waiting for summer.
I’ve always liked Grady’s and wandered over to the models.

Well, there was a 235 Fisherman that caught my eye that I really like. While I was pretending to head to Block, my wife was doing some shopping of her own on the 235 Freedom. After spending an hour going up and down the Freedom, I must admit I like it more than I thought I would as I have never been interested in in a DC before. She said that if we were going to get a Grady it would be the Freedom and not cc. I get it and I am inclined to agree.

Can anyone here give me the good, bad and ugly? I’ve gone through all the internet reviews THT and the like, but I trust the opinions from here most.
Thanks.
 
I’d say it really depends on use case, if you want to fish the CC and if your cruising with your family the DC is more suitable, the freedom gives much more comfortable seating for passengers and with Eisenglass you can lengthen your season. You can get wings for your CC but it’s not the same as the DC’s enclosure. I have a freedom 205 right now and it’s a great boat runs 45 mph cuts through waves easily. Of the cons my biggest would be once you have 4 or 5 people on the boat the center walkway can get filled with people talking and that’s fine until… it’s time to dock and especially if your a one man show doing everything it’s can be frustrating when your at the dock bar and u can’t get to the bow to tie off and you make yourself look like a fool. I will admit we are thinking about changing to a 281 costal explorer which has a bench in the back and is easier to dock solo. But I’d say the fisherman or the dual console would be good choices I’d go sea trial them and see what you like. Remember you need to get what you’re comfortable with. If you have any questions I’d be happy to try and answer them.
 
We have owned our 2025 Freedom 235 for just under a year now. Very happy with it and no problems.
I tend to describe the Freedom series as "the Grady model with the most upholstery". We knew that we would use it for cruising as much as fishing, which has turned out to be true. We do some crabbing and shrimping on the Straits here in the summer but also love to day trip with friends where comfortable seating and a reasonable head are important. If we fished more, the DC floorplan wouldn't be right.
We've owned many, many boats. Most were mission specific, from our liveaboard Chris Craft to our inboard Century skiboat, to our Whalers and Olympic. The Freedom model is less mission specific but great for a lot of what we do now.
I don't understand the comment about a crowded center walkway when docking. I just put my crew to work handling fenders and lines while I drive.
Regards, Mike
 

Seymour Flatwater said:
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I don't understand the comment about a crowded center walkway when docking. I just put my crew to work handling fenders and lines while I drive.
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While that my be your situation, you can’t assume everyone has crew or guest on their boat who know what they’re doing and are comfortable with fenders/ lines.
 
All good comments. Living in SE CT, usage will be 65% cruising with the wife and our Lab around CT and RI inshore to Block on good days and 35% fishing by myself and the dog. Spring can’t come soon enough for a sea trial.
Might consider the 255 too.
 
The 215-275 freedom all have the 8’6 beam so that’s also something to acknowledge. The more feet you go up in this section your simply getting length not width.
 
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Doing a side by side comparison of the 235 vs the 255, the actual lengths are similar due to the extended swim platforms on the transom. A little bit for storage too in each platform that aren’t on the 255.
 
Ackdog said:
Doing a side by side comparison of the 235 vs the 255, the actual lengths are similar due to the extended swim platforms on the transom. A little bit for storage too in each platform that aren’t on the 255.
Click to expand...
That will be beneficial
 
Good choice for a day boat with for a family day boat and some fishing. They sell a lot of them.
 
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