Sneak peak: Grady-White Freedom 235, Designed for life
Mar 12, 2020
One of the best features about a Grady-White; the look and feel is unmistakably “Grady-White” and while it’s a handsome and contemporary boat, it has a unique style that I think is designed for life. It will always be a Grady-White and the Freedom 235 feels like it will last for years.
The company has a hull design that is called the SeaV²and they say that their hull’s superior rough water performance can be attributed to the forward sections that offer a sharp “deep vee” cutting edge while the flatter aft section provides stability. The SeaV²is a “continuously variable vee” hull that delivers a soft and stable ride. Unlike other brands, a SeaV²hull design has no two places on the keel where the deadrise is the same. The vee continuously sharpens from the transom to the bow stem. ASeaV²hull with 20 degrees of deadrise at the transom will have around 30 degrees amidships—more than even the most radical older deep vee designs. The deeper vee forward means a softer ride at sea. Less vee at the transom coupled with wide chines provide stability at rest and when trolling.
Additionally, the Grady-White designs feature a high bow and what I call a “Carolina sheer” like you see on some big sport fishing yachts.
Performance
Grady-White specifies the Freedom 235 Dual Console with the Yamaha F 300 outboard engine, Yamaha Command Link controls and SeaStar steering. The Yamaha idles silently and seems silky smooth at all speeds. We found that the boat planes off at about 3,400 RPM and 18 miles per hour but 27.9 at 3,600 RPM, which is the optimum cruising speed. Acceleration to planning speed times at about six seconds and there is plenty of power for towed sports or planning off a group of passengers.
Out in the bay, we found it heels over hard and turns well at speed. The ride is tops –very solid and a great boat for Georgian Bay or the Great Lakes as well as saltwater use.
Read Andy Adams’ complete review of the Grady-White Freedom 235 in the April edition of Canadian Yachting.
