265 Express Grady White - The Hull Truth

daydreamer2 · 10-02-2005, 08:58 AM

Im getting ready to purchase a 2002 grady 265 express with 4 strokes. Any body have experience with these boats. Im going to sea trial one next week in wrightsville beach nc which I have a contract on. The boat has an awesome layout for an hardcore fisherman and also has some nice family amenitess, plus its wide 9.7 wide Ive got friends that say that people have had problems with the 265 express hulls gell cracking and splitting. This hull is clean that Im looking at but I wanted to know if any 265 owners out there have had any gel or structural problems? I believe this is the boat for me and my family but want to make sure Im doing the right thing due to a recent bad experience with the last boat. I have alot of confidence that the grady will be a great experience dispite my friends trying to push me to buy a used Carolina Classis with a under powered Kmad 43 diesel. Please reply express owners if there is any thing I should know good or bad.

wahoo33417 · 10-02-2005, 05:28 PM

Daydreamer: You may want to post the same question on greatgrady.com. You may reach more 265 owners.

Rob

tinmarine · 10-02-2005, 06:03 PM

Also try gradyowner.com
Jim

Enough Already · 10-02-2005, 06:29 PM

You may also want to do a search within Hull Truth. Several "what do you think" threads out there on the 265, one of them recent. Let me know if you have additional questions. BTW - its a great boat. Wish I had the 4-strokes.

mronzo · 10-02-2005, 09:31 PM

Do a search here!
I have a 2000 265 Express with T 200 OX-66 SaltwaterSeries II that I bought used in 2003.
So far I've been very happy with it and the engines.
Too tired from fishing to type more!
Sea trial and get back to us!

Good luck!

fishcop · 10-03-2005, 06:06 AM

I have personally rode alot of grady white boats including the 265. For what ever reason that hull seems to ride the best (in my opinon) and is a true off shore fishing machine. I like the way the motors are mounted which makes for easy handling of tuna and more cockpit space. I think you would be very pleased. As far as the cracking issue, almost every grady owner I know who fishes off shore, has some sort of gel coat cracking. Its not stuctural so its no big deal.

JoeyM · 10-03-2005, 06:57 AM

wow, i dont normally like grady's cuz of their layouts, but that one seems really sweet.

here's the sportfishing review: http://www.sportfishingmag.com/article.jsp?ID=22440

nice choice!

joeyd · 10-03-2005, 09:01 AM

What was the hp rating on the CC 28?

moklodge · 10-03-2005, 10:40 AM

Splitting? I doubt it very much.

doeboy · 10-04-2005, 07:31 AM

great boat I really like the way they mount the motors on the back, the least intrusive outboard setup I have seen. I bet you will be happy with it. good luck

vvreddy · 10-22-2005, 01:38 AM

Quote:

mronzo - 10/2/2005 9:31 PM Do a search here! I have a 2000 265 Express with T 200 OX-66 SaltwaterSeries II that I bought used in 2003. So far I've been very happy with it and the engines. Too tired from fishing to type more! Sea trial and get back to us! Good luck!

My apologies for hijacking this thread

mronzo, what do you find to be the most efficent trim angle on your motors with a passenger or two in calm to 2-3 ft seas? Number of bars on the trim gauges of the tachs?

Thanks,

Vikram

mronzo · 10-22-2005, 08:45 AM

V V
When I start up the engines are
down all the way, when I'm close to my
cruising speed I'll trim them up a bit.
I go by feel then look at the gauge.
With the trim tabs, they stay all the way up
unless I need to trim one side down a bit to
balance the boat. I keep them all the way up
in a following sea so I don't bury the nose
in the next wave.
In a 2-3 head sea I use the tabs to keep the bow down
Then I go fast!

vvreddy · 10-22-2005, 08:04 PM

Thanks mronzo,

I find that two bars on the tach/trim gauges give me the best performance on average.

I just had the bottom sanded, primered and painted. I picked it up today but spent most of the time on the intracoastal and did not have time to run it on plane for very long. My first impressions are showing me that I have conservatively picked up at least 20% in mpg since the bottom was pretty cruddy before. Some of it definitely has to do with the fact that I did a full engine service last weekend ( I like to fix my own stuff) but the paint made a HUGE difference for sure. I'll post more performance numbers after I have a chance to run it a bit (Wilma aftermath permitting!) but it seems to be doing better than the factory test numbers.

Jonafare · 10-23-2005, 09:08 PM

Daydreamer,

I have a 2001 GW Express and I simply love the boat. Yes, there are small gel coat fractures but they are barely noticable and not structural flaws. The boat is great for my family of four and she's great offshore in rough water. I you have any questions about the boat do hesitate to PM me... Crockers is your area GW Marine Dealer and they are straight up people.

blah97 · 10-23-2005, 10:35 PM

This boat looks pretty cool to me. Anybody know why Grady discontinued it? I'm sure it wasn't their biggest seller, but I wouldn't guess it was the worst, either.

troll · 10-24-2005, 11:16 AM

I believe they dropped it due to disappointing sales but that is just a guess. There are rumors of a new express in the 30' range.

globe · 10-24-2005, 01:18 PM

I own a 2005 265 and I just love the boat. Great fishing machine and family boat. My BIL has had his since 2001 and no problems at all. This is why I bought one. Have been out to Hudson Canyon on good days no problems. Hopefully I will not have any gel coat problems however if I do my Marina is great and can do wonders with gelcoat.