Grady-White Boats, the North Carolina Builder Known for Owner Loyalty

Sixty-plus years in Greenville and a culture built on owners

Grady-White began building boats in Greenville, North Carolina in 1959 and has stayed in the same eastern North Carolina town ever since. The company's modern identity was shaped under the long leadership of Eddie Smith, who made owner satisfaction a measurable business goal long before it became marketing language. Grady-White has repeatedly topped independent customer satisfaction studies for its segment, and in 2026 it moved into a perpetual purpose trust intended to keep it independent.

Today the lineup runs to 32 models from 18 to 45 feet across Fisherman and Canyon center consoles, Freedom dual consoles, Coastal Explorers, walkaround cabins and Express cabin boats. Power ranges from a single 150 hp outboard to multi-engine installations of up to about 1,800 hp.

The SeaV2 hull and the Grady-White range we cover

Every modern Grady-White rides on the SeaV2 hull, a continuously variable deep-V developed with C. Raymond Hunt Associates and first used on the Marlin 28 of 1989. Deadrise increases progressively from transom to bow, which gives a sharp entry for head seas and a flatter, more stable aft section for drifting and trolling. It is not the fastest hull type in the segment, but it is famously predictable in a sloppy inlet. We cover fourteen Gradys, and they sort neatly into five families.

The Fisherman center consoles are the trailerable fishing boats. The Grady-White Fisherman 216, new for 2018, is the smallest Grady with a stand-up console head and runs on one Yamaha of 200 to 300 hp. The Grady-White Fisherman 236 arrived a year earlier with a bigger cockpit and a 350 hp rating,. The twin-engine Grady-White Fisherman 257 began life as the Advance 257 in 2009, took its current name in 2011 and still fits on a standard trailer. Above them, the Canyon line is built for offshore runs: the Grady-White Canyon 336 has been in production since 2008 and was refreshed in 2020 with a glass windshield and triple-engine options, and the Grady-White Canyon 456 of 2019 is the quad-outboard flagship.

The Freedom dual consoles target families who fish part of the time. The Grady-White Freedom 235 of 2017 is the single-engine choice. The Grady-White Freedom 275 started as the Tournament 275 for 2008, was renamed in 2011 and was retooled for 2016, keeping a narrow, towable beam with twin engines. The Grady-White Freedom 285 shares its hull lineage with the Canyon 283 and was reworked for 2020 with a side door and a 700 hp rating.

The walkaround cabins are Grady's oldest formula. The Grady-White Seafarer 22 was in the catalog by 1990 in outboard, sterndrive and bracket versions and lived on as the Seafarer 226 and 228 until 2020. The Grady-White Gulfstream 232 carried a cuddy, galley and big fish boxes on a 23-footer through the 2025 model year. The Grady-White Marlin 300, descended from that first SeaV2 Marlin and redesigned in 2004, remains the long-running walkaround flagship.

Finally, the Express boats added proper cabins to outboard power. The Grady-White Express 330 launched in 2001 as one of the first outboard express cabin boats and sold more than 1,200 hulls before the Grady-White Express 340 replaced it at the 2025 Fort Lauderdale show with a starboard helm, centerline cabin entry and side doors on both sides. The Grady-White Express 370, on Grady's website since 2013, is the flagship express, with a 13-foot 2-inch beam, triple Yamahas and a standard Seakeeper.

Dealer reach, resale and what to inspect on a used Grady

Grady-White sells through a large US dealer network concentrated along the East Coast and Gulf Coast, with a long partnership with Yamaha outboards. That network is a big reason Grady resale stays strong. A ten-year-old Grady in good shape often holds its value better than a three-year-old boat from a less established brand, and discontinued models such as the Gulfstream 232, Seafarer 22 and Express 330 remain in demand, with older Seafarers making good repower projects.

Grady-White boats are conservatively built, but an older boat is only as good as its maintenance. Focus your survey on these areas.

• Outboard hours, compression and lower unit service, plus bracket and transom condition
• Fuel tank condition and age on older boats, since replacing an under-deck tank is costly
• Deck and transom coring around rod holders, cleats and T-top mounts
• Trim tabs, steering cylinders and helm pumps
• Cabin leaks on Express and walkaround models, especially around windshields and hatches
• Electronics and wiring added by previous owners