To Buy or Not to Buy Grady White 330 Express

[wreckdiver60]

I'm sure i'm opening a can of worms here and am going to get a very biased opinion posting a question on a site pertaining to GW's. But I am in the market for a Grady 330 Express. I love the layout, the center helm and pretty much everything about the boat except.... Comments from various surveyors and friend at marinas, that they call the Grady the "Grady Wet". Now I like to think im a very logical and rational person and can for the most part see through all the gossip, but can this be true?? Here I am considering dropping a $120-150,000 on a used 2006-2008 express, spend the money on surveys only to have to worry 2-3 years down the road if the next owner is going to have the same concerns as I, or will I be stuck with 120-150K boat with delamination issues. Please if someone can put some of these concerns to bed or advise me otherwise.
Thanks

 

[grady33]

Own a ‘06 330 w/F250’s. Love the boat. Plenty of room and rides like a big boat. Bottom is solid fiberglass but there is a little of wood in stern. Owned this boat since 2012 and no problems. Just installed some Ocean LED lights and did it right by drilling a little larger and filling with epoxy.

Get the survey and then get the Grady!

 

[georgemjr]

Ditto. I have owned 5 different Gradys and never had a problem. My 2000 marlin just sold and the surveyor didn’t find any issues. The buyer had to back out of an 02 because there were. A properly maintained boat will last, a poorly maintained one will have issues. Grady went to a no rot transom in late 90s or 2000. That doesnt mean that you cant get water intrusion. Rip a transom mounted transducer off and leave those screw holes submerged and you will have a wet transom. Gradys are built well. If the boat is taken care of you will never have to worry.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Like others have said, get a survey and if it all checks out, get the boat. One of the things that skews the Grady Wet stuff is this. Their boats from 20 -30 even 40 years ago are still on the water and people are still buying used 30 year old boats with wet transomes. Think about that for a second. How many other boat brands have their 30 year old boats still in service and in demand? I think you are good in buying an 06-08 boat. Grady has changed in how they build their boats from the 80s to the 2000s.

 

[seasick]

There are some Expresses with a leak and possible moisture problem on the rear port side where the deck cap, hull and run rail all meet

From what I know, this defect is either there or not. That is to say it doesn't develop over time but if it is there over time the moisture will wick into the internal structure. Grady has repaired some hulls that had the issue I am told.

Depending on the motors, you may need to be a bit concerned about them. The possible exhaust corrosion issue needs to be followed up on.
It has occurred on 225s 250s and some other models. in the time frame you are looking at. I would be less concerned about 2008 motors and more concerned about 2006s.
I would avoid F350s in general and especially the earlier models. I don't remember the first model year for the F350 but many had serious issues.
The F300s are better motors in my opinion.

 

[MA208]

I bought an 05 Marlin last year. Yes there are some 30-33 foot Grady's with some moisture issues. Odds are though, if you find one that passes a survey you won't have any problems if cared for. Worst case, it's just wood and fiberglass. Note that once you start looking at this size of boat, you'll find examples in every brand that have had issues, Pursuit, Whaler, etc.

 

[Fishtales]

The recent issue I've heard is water getting in at the air exhaust for the grill above the name plate specifically 330s. I was checking this out today on my boat as I have a genset. Larger GWs are balsa cored on the beam. I'm told in some cases water gets in and runs down the interior side wall and into the coring. My guess is that the coring top isn't fully sealed and is a path for water to get in? The inside of the exhaust has a housing for the two air hoses and seems well fit to the opening. I don't see how it is happening and my hull side looks fine. I would do a thorough inspection in this area. I tend to agree with earlier posits. It is either there or not...

 

[themikehyde]

Bought a 2009 330 express with 350's last January. Surveyor could only find slight moisture around where the hardtop mounts to the cabin top and said they should eventually be resealed, but since ewe are in a covered slip now, it is somewhere on the to-do list. Get a good survey, buy the boat, and enjoy it!

 

[everwhom]

I know some folks complain about the center helm seating and specifically that it's a tight squeeze past the chair, but I actually love it. You get a great view from the helm and there's plenty of space for your crew to hang out and chat. I'm not a large guy, and my crew is similar, though I could see that bigger folks might find the layout less than ideal.

With regard to being wet, I've never heard that complaint. The 330 has a big Carolina style flare and water rarely sprays over it. In a big quartering sea with high winds you will always get some spray in any boat, but that's what your canvas is for...

My only complaint is that the bench seating around the helm is a bit too low (hard to see over the bow when seated), but they raised those sometime around 2006 I believe.

 

[Fishtales]

a couple of common problems is you ask me.
- the companion seat is a bit low. maybe investigate a custom drawer unit under it. You'll get additional storage and a higher seat.
- the center helm. it has the benefit of being in the center, but I think there is a bit too much going on in the helm area. if you like it - that is all that matters.

 

[Bayhouse]

I have a 2003 330 and love this beast of a boat. I have read about the port transom water intrusion problems but haven't seen it on my boat in the ~3+ years I've owned her. In fact, this past weekend I added another 2000 gph bilge pump just in front of the forward bulkhead (genny is out for repair). We drilled a hold in the port side for the thru hull (level with the very aft bilge pump) and the core was clean and dry.