Help selecting salt water capable family/ fishing boat

tacotory

Cadet
Joined
Oct 6, 2017
Messages
12
Hello All-

New to the forum. Hoping for a bit of advice for a new boat purchase.

We have a large pontoon now (Party Hut 30) that has served us well, but it lacks a few things as our kids get older- ability to drag them around on floating things, ability to fish from it, ability to go in the salt.

I am looking for a family boat that has the following:

1) Decent seating. Since this is for the family, want to be able to have 6-8 peeps on board, so thinking open bow
2) Ability to go in salt water
3) Good fishing platform
4) Traillerable

The boat that I have found so far that seems perfect is the Grady-White Freedom 255. Unfortunately, there aren't many used ones out there and they appear to be well out of my budget.

I am hoping to spend $30k or less. Can anyone recommend any other brand/ models that might fit the bill?
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,296
Welcome aboard

all boats can go in salt water. some are simply better designed for long-term salt water environment and neglect

We will need a bit more information as "salt water family fishing boat" will vary depending if your in the Gulf, the Atlantic, the med, the Pacific. will you be in the ICW, or 30 miles out, etc.

will you be in both salt and fresh?

as far as the family stuff goes, will you just be fishing, burning fuel and cruising, water sports, overnighting?

with or without a head?

the Grady freedom is a dual console boat with T-top, twin outboards, bow seating and a head

other boats similar are wellcraft, Robalo, intrepid
 

tacotory

Cadet
Joined
Oct 6, 2017
Messages
12
Welcome aboard

all boats can go in salt water. some are simply better designed for long-term salt water environment and neglect

We will need a bit more information as "salt water family fishing boat" will vary depending if your in the Gulf, the Atlantic, the med, the Pacific. will you be in the ICW, or 30 miles out, etc.

will you be in both salt and fresh?

as far as the family stuff goes, will you just be fishing, burning fuel and cruising, water sports, overnighting?

with or without a head?

the Grady freedom is a dual console boat with T-top, twin outboards, bow seating and a head

other boats similar are wellcraft, Robalo, intrepid

Thank you very much for the response.

Family boating will be at the lake and involve cruising and maybe pulling around a tube or kneeboard.

We are in the pacific nw, so salt water would be off the oregon coast occasionally (not far out), up in the san juans, and off Vancouver Island on the protected side. So basically not big seas.

Would do some fishing on the Columbia River too.

Thanks again for the help - really appreciate it.

A head would nice, but definitely not required.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,296
Hopefully some of our other PNW boaters can chime in as well with local/area recommendations as well.

you dont need much power to pull a tube or kneeboard. I would recommend the head, bow seating area and a bimini.

if you dont need twin outboards, the boats you look at will be a fair bit less. you can get by with a 21-23' boat with a single
 

Jonboat2Bassboat

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 27, 2012
Messages
89
I'm in the same boat (pun intended) and looking for a sea worthy boat for pleasure cruising in more or less protected waters as you are. See my post with title that includes Sea Worthy Boat for recommendations. Seems the consensus here is a deep V fiberglass boat 20 feet or longer with an outboard. One person mentioned getting a boat that was made for saltwater, otherwise the trim that was made for freshwater will get trashed in a couple of years but so far no one has mentioned the same thing. As someone here said, any boat can go in the saltwater so maybe the key to keeping the trim from getting trashed in a through rinsing afterwards. I am waiting to find the answer to question before I buy. Hope this helps.
 

tacotory

Cadet
Joined
Oct 6, 2017
Messages
12
Welcome aboard

all boats can go in salt water. some are simply better designed for long-term salt water environment and neglect

We will need a bit more information as "salt water family fishing boat" will vary depending if your in the Gulf, the Atlantic, the med, the Pacific. will you be in the ICW, or 30 miles out, etc.

will you be in both salt and fresh?

as far as the family stuff goes, will you just be fishing, burning fuel and cruising, water sports, overnighting?

with or without a head?

the Grady freedom is a dual console boat with T-top, twin outboards, bow seating and a head

other boats similar are wellcraft, Robalo, intrepid


The recommendations for the Wellcraft, Intrepid and Robalo were great. Saw some good models in each.

As I understand what is out there and what we are wanting better, I want a dual console, open bow boat.

Any other makes/ models that could be suggested?

Thanks again for all the help.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
Outboard engine...better corrosion protection.
Galvanized trailer with some sort of wheel bearing protection: Bearing Buddies, or a wet axle like Ranger Trail...Ranger Boats Trailers where the grease flows through the axle and emerges behind the inner bearing forcing old grease out the front ...where you can wipe it off.
Fiberglass construction preferred for that environment.
 

Buddeee

Cadet
Joined
Aug 23, 2016
Messages
16
Not sure if this helps you... but I was in a similar place last year when I bought my boat. I ended up with a Sea Pro 210 Walk Around - Deep V Hull and wide beam - OB motor. I have to launch it each use. I routinely have 6 people on board (kids and adults). I use it on the North East Atlantic Ocean. I'm very pleased with how it handles on the water.... especially in deep swells and choppy water. Also, my wife and I have no problem with trailer on and off duties. I occassionly hook-up a tube for the kids on warm days....brave souls in cold water! Good luck in your search.
 

tacotory

Cadet
Joined
Oct 6, 2017
Messages
12
Not sure if this helps you... but I was in a similar place last year when I bought my boat. I ended up with a Sea Pro 210 Walk Around - Deep V Hull and wide beam - OB motor. I have to launch it each use. I routinely have 6 people on board (kids and adults). I use it on the North East Atlantic Ocean. I'm very pleased with how it handles on the water.... especially in deep swells and choppy water. Also, my wife and I have no problem with trailer on and off duties. I occassionly hook-up a tube for the kids on warm days....brave souls in cold water! Good luck in your search.

Thank you. Very helpful. After searching around quite a bit and being educated by the folks here, I finally feel like I know exactly what I am looking for:

Fiberglass
Dual console
O/B motor
Open bow for seating
22-24ft
Most of these seem to have a head, which is nice

Now just trying to find brand/ models that fit the bill. So far the best match that I have found that fits in my budget ($30k or less) is the Robalo 227. Currently wading through a bunch of boat brands that I have never heard of looking for other models that are similar...
 

Lowlysubaruguy

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
514
Theres been a Rabalo on craigslist portland and Seattle recently thats probably perfect they were asking $19k for it. Its funny i still look on craigslist i bought a new 262 Wellcraft sportsman in August. I guess after searching shopping for years the muscle memory keeps repeating the daily process.
 

tacotory

Cadet
Joined
Oct 6, 2017
Messages
12
Theres been a Rabalo on craigslist portland and Seattle recently thats probably perfect they were asking $19k for it. Its funny i still look on craigslist i bought a new 262 Wellcraft sportsman in August. I guess after searching shopping for years the muscle memory keeps repeating the daily process.

Thank you very very much for the heads up. I don't see it on there now so it must have sold.
 
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