Which Grady should I buy

[aqua gypsy69]

I am currently looking at two GW for sale.
I want a boat with a place for the little ones to nap that can be taken a 10-15 miles offshore as well as run around in the bay and take to the beach.

The first is a 1989 Seafarer 228G with a 1998 250 Evinrude and the second is a 1995 Explorer 246G with a Yamaha 250 V76. Both boats are around the same price give or take a couple thousand.

I know the Explorer is the SV2 hull and the other isn't. Plus it is 2' bigger.
Is the extra 2' going to make that much difference. They both seam to have similar drafts and i suspect fuel burn should be fairly close.

Do I need to worry about transom rot on either of these boats?

Any thoughts or advice.



Thanks in advance.
Nick.

 

[Walkers Edge]

Both are great boats, models that GW produced for quite some time.
Size is a matter of preference, restricted by intended usage, towing capacity or slip space.

The engines will both be a wild card, strong cores but only to the degree by which they have been maintained. Hours will tell one story but the repair history can tell another.

Both will burn mucho fuel compared to any DI or 4s engine, but parts and labor come cheap. Sort of a give and take relationship. This is all inferring that the Rude in question precedes their ficht injected models, which are known for catastrophic failures.

To make a long story short, more information on each boat is required to make any informed decisions. Transoms are always a serious concern in ANY boat, especially those that have been around for a while. You can find directions online for how to sound a transom but your best bet is always to hire a professional if there is reason for concern.

Good luck with your decision, there are many of both of those GW models on the water today that will continue to do so for another few decades.

 

[Walkers Edge]

Welcome to the board btw!

 

[aqua gypsy69]

Thanks for the information.

I will double check on that Evinrude to make sure it's not a FICHT motor. I agree that the motors could be iffy. Of course both sellers assure me that they are in tip top shape and have never had problems, flushed after every use and wiped down with baby oil.

I will be towing either one on average 30 miles but occasionally 2 hours for weekends at the beach.

I won't be running 50 mile round trips in them so the fuel cost versus the cost of a newer set up is minor.
Plus I only want to spend money i have on hand to buy this boat
(I don't want to be getting into any financial commitments in this job climate)

I wonder if these would be similar on fuel consumption.
My guess is either of these will probably get around 1.5 mpg/cruise at best but I am no expert by any means.

Nick.

 

[Tuna Man]

Welcome to the website. I had an 92 Explorer (242G) for many years. I prefer the added space, better ride, a little more storage of the Explorer for my neeeds. But, I would hate to two either one thirty miles per weekend unless I had a great truck and trailer (my trailer was a 1988 and the truck was one of my work vans).

As you probably already know the 24' Grady's from that era are almost the same hull as the 22' with a two foot section added. Neither one had a stand up head, the seating was very similar, the hardtops may have been identical, etc. I think the 24' came with more options if memory serves me correctly. All of the 24' Grady's should handle seas better than the 22' cousin due to the length to beam ratio (22'x 8'3" as compared to 24'x 8'3").

I owned a 1988 24' Offshore before the 92 Explorer, and yes the SeaV2 does help out. You will see many posts on this subject here if you a do a search.

Again I maybe biased, but unless you are not able to carry that roughly 500 extra pounds behind your tow vehicle, I would opt fot the newer larger Explorer with SeaV2.

 

[Capt Bill]

I also had a '92 Explorer, single Yamaha 250, and it was a terrific boat. Don't let the the fact that it is a bigger boat, bother you. You will quickly learn that it handes and rides beautifully; great fishability; and cabin space family-friendly.

I think it's the better choice, especially with the Yamaha engine. Just get the usual survey/inspection done, whichever one you choose.

 

[Brad1]

To me, the most important attributes of a boat are ride and layout. The Explorer has the SV2 hull, so it should ride better, and given that it's two foot longer, you would expect more room to move around.

Consider trailering. If you plan on trailering, is your tow vehicle capable of handling the larger boat? Either boat for that matter.

 

[aqua gypsy69]

tow vehicl

I have a dodge ram 5.9L with tow package & off road package. It's towing capacity is 7,200 lbs.

my calculations are:

3500 boat
400 engine
500 fuel (75 gallons)
200 gear
1500 trailer
_____________

6100 total

Am I leaving anything out that you all can think of? Aside from ice and beer which i pick up right near the boat ramp

nick

 

[magicalbill]

This would be a great opportunity to give you my "Diesel Speech," but I will refrain.
I think your Dodge will tow either fine.. You'll know the boat is back there and you be 9-11 MPG.
Remember it's easy to get carried away with stowing gear..More than likely you'll add more stuff as you get to know the boat and it'll get heavier.
It still shouldn't impact your truck, but make sure the trailer is up-to-snuff.

I mention the trailer, 'cause in MANY cases, the selling dealers mate a "barely-good-enough" trailer to the boat. Short trips such as yours may be OK, but extended over-the-road trips is where the problems start happening. I would devote a bit of time, or get an expert to inspect the trailer when you decide on your boat choice.

If you upgrade to a bigger Grady, I'll give you the aforementioned "Diesel Speech."

 

[aqua gypsy69]

The Diesel Speech

Hey my truck barely gets 11 miles to the gallon now.

I will let you know if i get the bigger boat and you can talk me into buying a diesel truck.


thanks, Nick.

BTW, I the owner of the 24 already advise me that the trailer will get the boat home but it would need work before it was ready for travel.
I am already figuring on a new trailer.

 

[aqua gypsy69]

Newest Grady Owner

Well, I look at both boat this weekend and wound up buying the 24' Explorer rather than the 22 Seafarer. I'm sure you all saw that one coming.

Thank you all for you comments and advice. I will be coming here for more input from everyone.

Thank you, Nick.