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Random Quote: NEVER APOLOGIZE, AS IT SHOWS SIGNS OF WEAKNESS
Anybody have any opinion on a 22ft. radon vs. 22ft. grady white 228? Looking for a good trailerable boat that will handle the sometimes rough water in the channel islands area. Have always been very impressed with both of these boats, but was wondering about differences in handling, speed, and ability to handle rough conditions .
Radon, is a closed cabin basic work boat and very little amount of frills and the Grady is a finished recreational boat. They are similar in that they float ONLY!! Radon will be more than likely a single diesel and the grady you can do most anything. Grady is going to be family and fun and the Radon will be fishing buddies only. The Radon Craft I am aware of here in the Southern California area are pro, commercial guys that use the boats day in and day out for local hard core work.
Radons were designed with Channel Island conditions in mind. They pound a bit up hill; but do very well in large following seas. The Radon will do better in larger seas than the Grady. Both are good boats
Radon is a no frills type boat. If you primarily dive, and only go w/ the guy friends, then go for it. Some (radoncraft - sport) are more friendly than others. The Grady will do just fine in any condition you will be out in unless you like to fish in 8ft seas at Rosa or Miguel...
Thanks guys, some good confirmation on what I was thinking. One a bit fancier, the other a bit better for rough stuff, but both good boats. Have always admired the radon hull design, looks like it would handle a following sea very well.
My dad has a 24ft. Radon that we are restoring right now, in order to sell. He has had his boat is some of the worst weather imaginable. Grady White boats and nothing but an ordinary deep vee hulls that will rolls your brians out when you shut down. Radons are known for being very stable boats in all conditons. My father can atest to that. The hull we have is from H&F and I would be careful about buying their hulls, because they do questionable work. Davis boats are also Radons, since Radon has a 2 year waiting list for boats. http://www.davisboats.com
Radons do pound a little going up hill, but run down hill as fast as you want to go. You can shut them down and put them side ways in 20-30 foot seas without a problem. My dad has NEVER had anyone lose their balance on deck in any kinds of seas. Fishing commercially he would be 60-80 miles out of Morrow Bay running home in just about any weather imaginable.
If you decide to buy an H&F boat I would vistit their shop first. We added more glass to my fathers, and according to Don Radon my father's hull is one of the best overall balanced Radon designs. Overall my fatehr can run 25 mph though anything comfortably. Hope this info helps! P.S. the newer Radons are very sport user friendly. Davis boats are built strickly for sportsters, but are lighter hulls.
No doubt the radon is a very seaworthy boat,but they are also heavy and generally get poor fuel economy.There are other boats that clone the radon hull - anderson,davis and wilson.
A 24' by 8' radon hull with a gas inboard usually gets 1.25mpg, with a diesel you can double that.When I was looking to buy a boat I found that radon is very expensive for what you get-20-30k for a 15-25 year old boat and motor
I ended up finding a much better deal back east on a 22 foot c-hawk pilot house(very similar to a wilson)repowering with a brand new honda 150 and all new electronics for under 25k.The big plus is the 3.5-4 mpg.
check out chawkboats.com, also steigercraft,maycraft and jones brothers. They all build a nice pilot house stlye boat.
I go out to the channel Islands every week if you want a test run.
Eric
Spear-it, I hear what you are saying about gas mileage, especially now. I am not familiar with the c hawk boats, are they really similar to the radon or wilson style hull? smechams comment about radons ability to run downswell comfortably is very appealing to me. But, something that gets good gas mileage is also very appealing. My short list of boats [ hopefully a good used one ] are radons, and davis, maybe a parker. But I'll check out the ones you mentioned.
Radons, now matter their age cost some extra money, but hold their value well. Good used Radons are hard to come by. The only boats around are the ugliest Radons ever built and they need soo much work that for most people it is probably better to get a new boat. Although Radon, has a 2 year waiting list.
"You can shut them down and put them side ways in 20-30 foot seas without a problem. My dad has NEVER had anyone lose their balance on deck in any kinds of seas".
Shut down a 24 foot boat in 20 to 30 foot seas? You have to be kidding!
Davis Boats are light weight Radons. They have never been able to handle water that my father's Radon could. Ask any commericial fisherman about Davis boats and after they stop laughing they will tell you what they think. He does nice work, but they are not built like Radons. Compare the core thickness in the bottom and sides of a Davis to a Radon and there is the difference. Davis knows my father's boat well.
WE are always safe. It it knowing what your boat can do and what it cannot that seperates the expereinced helmsman from the amateurs. After you spent 6 straight years trip fishing 100 miles up and down the coast from Morrow Bay, then you will understand what I am talking about.
Maybe he meant 20-30 INCH seas. Any small boat that were to catch a 20-30 foot sea on it's beam is going to roll....a LOT, and nobody is going to be standing. Even LARGE vessels are going to feel that.
If there's a skipper out there that's willing to shut his engine down in that kind of condition, I sure as heck don't want to be on board with him.
BTW - My 21' Campion with the 4.3 VP GLi makes 80 knots against a 6' head sea and does not pound.
__________________ Rich
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
Many commercial fisherman from the Channel Islands to Hawaii prefer Radons for a reason. The same reason may explain also why there are a shortage of nice used Radon's available.
radon boats 
