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Grady-White coastal fishing boats, manufactured in Greenville, NC, "has received the top ranking in customer satisfaction in every third-party independent study ever done in the marine industry." They have won eight consecutive Customer Satisfaction awards from J.D. Powers and Associates and seven NMMA CSI awards. Grady-White has carved a niche in the marine industry with a line of coastal fishing boats that are ranked first in the Coastal Fishing segment of the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Boat Competitive Study.
This is bullsh!t, don't you know? They bribed everybody, bought all the advertising available... Lets see, what else did I learn about Grady White here on THT??? Oh yeah, they have wood, must be no good...
This is bullsh!t, don't you know? They bribed everybody, bought all the advertising available... Lets see, what else did I learn about Grady White here on THT??? Oh yeah, they have wood, must be no good...
I have owned 3, all were great boats..
if you say something enough times, it automatically becomes the truth.
there is another thread here showing a picture of an awesome wooden boat. don't even want to know how much that cost. poor guy, it's gonna rot in a year or two.
Went through this last year. Looked at 227 GW and vx2200 HS. Sea trialed both on the same day same weather. Dealers are about 30 mins apart.
From the Dock the HS bow just looks huge and I liked the lines MUCH better. I liked the layout of the HS as well with the huge fish box bench seat on the left. The cabin in HS also bigger because it not a true walk-around.
In the water both boats would give a slap/pound at cruise in chop...their 23footers. Going straight into waves and re-entry the HS was softer and dryer. The bow flair on the two boats isn't even close. HS has a ton of freeboard and flair up front. It felt more substantial and just felt bigger than the 227GW.
Construction on both is obviously high quality. Look at how there both built and you decide. HS has no wood...whatever, wood not bad if done right. HS has poored transom that is just about indestructable (GW wood), kevlar reinforced (GW none), thick glass bottoms (GW also has), allthru-hulls stainless and grounded (that 227GW had white plastic thru hull???), thick stainless bow rails (GW's were thin thin thin).
Anyway, I bought the VX2200 for 20k less than the GW and if they were the same price I would have bought the HS regardless.
I am looking for a new or late model used center console about 20'. I have a hydra-sports and Grady dealer nearby and from my reading both brands have good reputation. Grady seems alittle more expensive. Is the cost justified? Comments
Service service service! GW has been around and will continue to be around! RESALE!
Did someone say RESALE!
Supposedly (don't want to jinx myself), a check was sent yesterday that I will receive today before 3pm to close on the sale of my Grady Gulfstream. Listed for 3 weeks and received 2 formal offers.
I just sold a Grady. I had 2 guys fighting to buy it and got $3K more than I wanted. You can't beat their reputation and resale. You will make up the difference in cost on the back end. The customer service was always great.
__________________
2009 Everglades 230cc
Garmin 4208 Chart Plotter / Garmin GMI 10 Instrument Display / Garmin GMR HD 18 High-Definition Radar / Garmin GSD 22 Digital Remote Sonar/ 1KW Airmar Transducer / NMEA 2000 Network / Yamaha F250 on NMEA 2000 / Standard Horizon GX5500 Bluetooth VHF / TACO Outrigger Mounts and 18' riggers / Custom Curtains
2010 Boston Whaler 150 Super Sport
2008 Boston Whaler 150 Sport **SOLD**
2006 Boston Whaler 170 Montauk **SOLD**
2002 Grady White 180 Sportsman **SOLD**
2007 Shelby GT500 with 18 PSI Boost, #69 of 169 Ebony "Red Stripe" **FAST**
QWC,
I am assuming these were new or new used that you see trialed I gather from the price difference between the 2 ?
Yes, both boats were brand spanky new. I will admit...HS owner wasn't in trouble when I bought the HS and that would weigh into my decision today. Is GW worth the extra 20k for a 227GW or 40k for a 232GW? I've been boating for 20 yrs and had 4 diff boats from 4 diff manufactures and never had anything wrong with hull....always engine or electronics warranty work. I agree GW has better resale, but we're talking about boats....money pits all of them...PERIOD.
Yes, both boats were brand spanky new. I will admit...HS owner wasn't in trouble when I bought the HS and that would weigh into my decision today. Is GW worth the extra 20k for a 227GW or 40k for a 232GW? I've been boating for 20 yrs and had 4 diff boats from 4 diff manufactures and never had anything wrong with hull....always engine or electronics warranty work. I agree GW has better resale, but we're talking about boats....money pits all of them...PERIOD.
You are right (at least in my opinion). The 20k 40K delta is far too much for most buyers to feel comfortable justifying. I'm betting this is not a fair comparison. If the HS buyer (previous poster) goes in with a cash-in-hand offer that is more in line with the HS......the final purchase price on that GW is going to be lower than the 20K 40K difference. However, he chose the HS regardless of cost.....and good for him because GW didn't have a sweet spot for that size boat.
Buy a USED Grady as low as possible.....and there's a good chance you can recoup your purchase price.
It's just great to see the Grady owners slowly popping up to say hello on this Thread!
Grady's are nice looking boats.
I don't get the 'resale value thing' though.They are the 'Harley' of boats, overpriced in the first place to the tune of very close to double the cost of 2 others. Grady's, like Harley's, are absolutely not the best bang for the buck (a little 23 gulfstream over 100k with piecemeal bow rails-not welded SS makes me laugh), but a lot can be said for buying something that 10/20 years from now you can get parts for and support, but a glass hull is a glass hull, what parts? And support for what? As far as resale, my take on that is the money means nothing because people paid too much for the machines in the first place, but they CAN be sold without sitting on 'yachtworld' or 'harleyworld' for 3 years, if they are well kept and priced reasonably. Half the Grady's I see leave the slip twice a year, hence a lot of that 'customer satisfaction', a Bayliner used twice a year can win satisfaction awards, funny stuff. I have seen many Grady's that were trashed and yet still priced like the other Grady's. Those are the ones that don't sell, those are the ones that get taken back off the brokers lot by a frustrated owner trying to sell under the misconception it is still worth something if it is trashed, no one wants a trashed Grady. They do stresscrack just like most others when fished hard. When I was shopping Grady's, I couldn't find a well kept Sailfish and saw cracks like on no other, even up the dash. I bought something else instead. It's going on 27 years old and still tough as nails, going offshore.
So don't let anyone fool ya with the 'resale talk'....if you buy a grady, you will be able to sell it but you are gonna take a beating on the money, just like with everything else. It is not an 'investment' that you will be 'collecting on' later at 'resale time' ....when it needs a repower.
If you want that CC, I would go out and look at all the manufacturers in a given model year range and price range and see what will give you the best bang for the buck for the way you are going to use the boat and for the length of time your best guess would be for how long you will own it before moving up or moving on or moving out. We do better for ourselves we have have no loyalty to specific brands, for anything. It is more expensive being loyal to a companies that reach into our pockets. Best deal makes the sale! These boats versus boats threads get crazy.
Grady's are nice looking boats.
I don't get the 'resale value thing' though.They are the 'Harley' of boats, overpriced in the first place to the tune of very close to double the cost of 2 others. Grady's, like Harley's, are absolutely not the best bang for the buck (a little 23 gulfstream over 100k with piecemeal bow rails-not welded SS makes me laugh), but a lot can be said for buying something that 10/20 years from now you can get parts for and support, but a glass hull is a glass hull, what parts? And support for what?
Harleys and Gradys are not for everyone... Obviously not yourself, I fit however, 3 Gradys and 4 Harleys (so far)... Will buy a few more Harleys, another Grady is not in the cards unless they come out with a bay boat, and then it'd probably cost more than the really good ones already out there....
Support for what??? Lets see... How about we ask some of the posters to the other Hydrasport threads running right now... Or for the owners of those boats that ranked 5th 10th, 20th in the J D Power ratings that don't mean anything. I agree sometimes you get these satisfaction questionaires a little too early. The last one I got on a new Harley (from Harley) arrived before the registration did. I sent them a note with "I'll let you know after I put a 100 miles or so on it."
Sometimes you just get what you pay for. As for the Harleys, well either you ride a Harley, or you ride a crotch rocket. Everything else is just a wannabe Harley (with the exception of a few niche bikes like a BMW or Gold Wing) BTW, I happen to think the Suzuki Boulevard is the baddest ass looking bike on the street... But it ain't a Harley, and a HS will never be a Grady.
Local Motion, 'resale talk' as you stated....and 'don't be fooled'. I received final payment for the sale of my Gulfstream today and will not disclose if I lost or made money since ownership. Read between the lines......these boats do WELL on the resale side. Your other comments are very accurate and sounds like you have one well built 27 year old offshore boat.
Can someone tell me how to Quote only a paragraph?? Driving me crazy.
Grady has a lifetime warranty on its wood. Does anyone's foam coring have a lifetime warranty? I thoroughly looked at a hydra sports 2200dc and was impressed. I bought a very lightly used Grady 225 for considerably less. I liked the HS interior better but I tested the GW during small craft advisories and it was flawless. Both are impressive. It comes down to cost and personal taste. You must factor Genmar's struggles when making the decision. If all is equal then I, personally, would go with Grady.
Lastly, before I bought the Grady I contacted Grady and spoke to Grady employess quite often. I also spoke to the actual boat designer at C. Raymond Hunt Associates. I called Hydra and had to leave my name on voicemail and "someone will get back to me." I was contacted by an area rep. That rep was also helpful. At a dealer level, nothing but good things to say for both Grady and Hydra dealers.
Harleys and Gradys are not for everyone... Obviously not yourself, I fit however, 3 Gradys and 4 Harleys (so far)... Will buy a few more Harleys, another Grady is not in the cards unless they come out with a bay boat, and then it'd probably cost more than the really good ones already out there....
Support for what??? Lets see... How about we ask some of the posters to the other Hydrasport threads running right now... Or for the owners of those boats that ranked 5th 10th, 20th in the J D Power ratings that don't mean anything. I agree sometimes you get these satisfaction questionaires a little too early. The last one I got on a new Harley (from Harley) arrived before the registration did. I sent them a note with "I'll let you know after I put a 100 miles or so on it."
Sometimes you just get what you pay for. As for the Harleys, well either you ride a Harley, or you ride a crotch rocket. Everything else is just a wannabe Harley (with the exception of a few niche bikes like a BMW or Gold Wing) BTW, I happen to think the Suzuki Boulevard is the baddest ass looking bike on the street... But it ain't a Harley, and a HS will never be a Grady.
I hear you guys.
I had more than a few bikes too, 3 of them Harley's. One I built from the frame up, took me a little over a year, lots of parts needed when you are starting with none.
The most reliable bike was my Suzuki, my cheapest bike, 8 years+ and not so much as a hiccup.
The nicest, most comfortable and most expensive bike I ever owned is my latest Harley............and it is the only bike that ever broke down and had me on the side of the road looking for some help. I find it ironic.
QWC,
I only question because Grady has not used plastic scuppers since the early 90's and the bow rails which are not 1 piece but the highest grade stainless are the same as everybody's in diameter and I dont see a 227 in their lineup but I know they had 1 in the mid 90's as an I/O so I would be leary of both the dealers you have used and be sure to do your own research.-Good Luck Pat L
QWC,
I only question because Grady has not used plastic scuppers since the early 90's and the bow rails which are not 1 piece but the highest grade stainless are the same as everybody's in diameter and I dont see a 227 in their lineup but I know they had 1 in the mid 90's as an I/O so I would be leary of both the dealers you have used and be sure to do your own research.-Good Luck Pat L
I noticed a few... "My 1988 Grady had soft floors and a wet transom" When ? In 2007? How many 20 year old Hydra sports are around? uh none?
20 years from now I don't think you'll see too many 2008 Hydra sports around either!
But you will find 2008 Grady-Whites! And folks will fix them up and keep using them!
The Hydra sports will be long as landfill!
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