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Random Quote: You know what they say about common sense-it ain't so common!
I'm looking at a leftover 2002 Aquasport 225 Osprey w/ a 225 Yamaha Saltwater series. I'll be trading a '94 Grady White 208 Adventure w/ 150 Evenrude Ocean pro. I fish both inshore and out to 20 miles offshore. Any opinions on the performance and durability of the Aquasport would be most appreciated.
I think the Aquasport 225 is a pretty nice boat. It's a real classic Aquasport hull and has been around for many years. I considered purchasing a loaded up '99 model earlier this year, but the owner was holding tight on his price (which I thought was too high.)
The Aquasport 225 is perhaps not as efficient a design as newer boats like the Sea Hunt 232 or Triton 2286. The console design is a little dated, for example, but Aquasports have good resale here in the Northeast and you can't go wrong with the Yamaha 225.
Are you considering the boat for sale down in Williamstown, NJ?
I worked in the factory for a while and did not see but one aquasport come in for any type of hull warranty and it was a 250 osprey the big brother to yours. i have run that boat and can say they do ride nice, the hull design has been around forever which tells you it works or they would not keep it. they have good resale value and are loved by those that have them. i recently sold a 1981 25ft aquasport which had the same basic hull bottom. I loved the way it handled the offshore chop. the buyer flew down from ny. to purchase the boat. that says alot for the reputation of the boat. I only sold mine to get into a center console rather than a wac. just my 2cents. hope it helps.
Thanks Guys
I guess I need to ride in one. I still do not have a good feel for it's offshore character. Can anyone compare the ride with a similiar size and weight Grady-White? Thanks again for the opinions!
Some people don't like the classic styling of the 225 but I am personally a big fan. My dad has the 215 which has a very solid ride. It outperforms many boats in it's size class, but every hull design is different. I believe the 225 is somewhat bigger than the Grady 22. It may not have the fit and finish Grady is known for but I believe it is structurally comparable and will perform as well or better. My dad's boat is very well laid out with the placement of grab rails, and the bilge drainage system is well thought out. The only significant issue we have had is the placement of major wiring connections within the bilge area. They are prone to moisture intrusion and won't last long. Check the 225 for this as they may need to be sealed or re-located. A test ride is always the best idea.
Thanks L.M. for some really good points. Being a larger guy....I've always appreciated not having to be "dainty" on my Grady. It still looks new at almost 10 yrs old. The Osprey 225 strikes me the same way....lots of room to move around, heafty grab rails, solid T top structure, good leaning post design...etc. I would guess with a 10 year hull warranty....Aquasport must make it solid. I suppose I need to run it in 3-4's to see what it is made of; and how it performs.
Thanks again for the input!
I have a 205 Osprey which I have owned for 2 years now.Its been a great boat both inshore and also for the ocean trips.boat handles well in 2-3 foot chop.The 225 got to be one step up so it should be a great boat.
I have a 225 Explorer, 95 modle. It handles well even though it has the feel of a larger boat. It is heavy, you will be surprised how much trim tabs help. If the Osprey doesn't have them, it would be the 1st thing I would add. I have had mine 50 plus miles offshore and been in 3-4 ft seas and feel very comfortable with the boat. Good fit and finish, lots of storage, useable live well and generous fish box. It is a well made boat and I have only one complaint. It is a wet ride.
Thanks John
What engine do you run and how does she perform? Do you think the Aquasport "plumb Bow" design contributes to the wet ride? It is "different" than most bow flair designs. I wonder if it does not knock down the bow spray like a wider flair might? The boat I am considering has a 225 Yami SS and trimtabs. The marina claims the boat will do 50. What do you think?
Jim, it will probably do 50 with light load on smooth water trimmed out. I have 200 Johnson and can get about 42-43 mph under simular conditions, I think the Explorer is 500 or so pounds heavier. BTW I have never had a boat as sensitive to trim as the 225, for best performance you need to trim it up until it starts cavitating then bring it back down a few degrees. When you find the "sweet spot" you will know, it will pick up 3-5 mph and about 500 rpm and the best part is watching the flowscan drop about 2 or 3 gallons/hr. While I'm thinking about it, under ideal conditions at 32 mph and 4000 rpms I get 2.6 mpg, which ain't bad for a boat this heavy with carbed motor. I average about 2mpg. Fuel capacity on both the Osprey and Explorer is 102 gallons so you have pretty good range.
The lack of bow flare is probably why it is such a wet ride. I have a plastic curtain that fills the space between windshied and top so it isn't so bad. I have windshied wiper and it gets used a lot. In the summer I don't use curtain as the occassional shower feels pretty good. I have considered buying the splash guards, not sure of brand name, but from what I have seen they are a permanent thing and if they didn't work or didn't look right I would be stuck with them.
Aquasport 225 Osprey 
