Captain's Report. Grady White Freedom 275 (2015 )

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Georgia Hill
5 years ago
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1 Grady White Freedom 275 (2015 ) Captain's Report The Freedom 275 can provide fun for the whole family including towing sports, entertaining, fishing and, most importantly cruising.

The boat s deep V, SeaV2 Hull design keeps occupants dry in rough water. Features Inspection Cruising Forward, two chaise lounges offer reclining and tanning opportunities.

2 The boat s deep V, SeaV2 Hull design keeps occupants dry in rough water. Features Inspection Cruising Forward, two chaise lounges offer reclining and tanning opportunities. The seats can also be used in conjunction with a removable table, for lunches and happy hour. The seat cushions come standard And an optional filler cushion in the bow area is a sun bather's dream. Most importantly, there is a full-height backrest all around the perimeter of the bow so everyone will be comfortable no matter how the seating is used. In entertaining mode, the bow can comfortably seat five people around a side mounted-table that is standard. Under the starboard seat is an 88 quart insulated cooler that is self-draining. Cruising folks can use it to ice down beverages, and mean fishermen might use it as a fishbox once those in the stern are full. A dedicated anchor locker with an easy-to-close hatch in the deck is fitted to handle a Danforth-type of anchor. It is also wired for an electric anchor windlass. All cleats on the boat are the pull-up type so guests won't be stubbing their toes and anglers won't be snagging lines. Recessed stainless steel cup holders and low profile hand rails are situated in the gunwale cap in order to keep the foredeck clean and unobstructed when fishing, and sleek-looking when cruising.

Kids love it, and there the captain can keep an eye on them

3 When underway, the bow is a preferred position for many people on a boat such as the Freedom 275. Kids love it, and there the captain can keep an eye on them without having to turn around. The helm supplies enough room for a single 10 flat panel monitor.

Outboard of the helm seat, the builder has thoughtfully placed a cubby for a handheld VHF. Note the 12V power supply to keep smartphones topped off, which we would place in the drink holders.

4 Outboard of the helm seat, the builder has thoughtfully placed a cubby for a handheld VHF. Note the 12V power supply to keep smartphones topped off, which we would place in the drink holders. Cockpit Seating The captain is treated to several optional seating choices over the standard Deluxe I helm seat. This is important not just because captains like to be comfy, but the entertainment console option(s) require certain helm seat upgrades in order to make it work in unison. The seat options range from a fully adjustable pedestal style seat, to an electrically adjustable bench type unit with flip-up bolster. The companion s seat is richly padded and incorporates a fold-down footrest, as well as access to the port side mounted stereo system. Below the seat is storage except if the optional electrically-actuated aft chaise lounge seat is installed.

A close up of the cubby outboard of the companion seat

5 Shown here is the optional companion seat with the extendable aft seat in the closed position. A close up of the cubby outboard of the companion seat which has the Fusion stereo master controls. There is a remote at the helm.

During cocktail parties, it becomes a bench seat for two.

6 When in "family mode", the push of a button extends the aft facing spotter's seat turning it into a chaise for sunning or just lounging. During cocktail parties, it becomes a bench seat for two. With the optional chaise seat retracted, we now have an ideal place to sit while trolling baits, or to spot a guest on the end of the tow line, or simply to use while entertaining.

The Freedom 275's standard transom seat is plush and easy to fold down and up. Note the two large self bailing scuppers under the right side of the seat, two of four in the boat.

7 The Freedom 275's standard transom seat is plush and easy to fold down and up. Note the two large self bailing scuppers under the right side of the seat, two of four in the boat. The fold down transom seat in the cockpit is undoubtedly the most comfortable seat aboard when running offshore, when anglers get down to business, it can be easily folded out of the way. When stored, the seat swings vertically to neatly lock into place parallel to the transom, maximizing the usefulness of the cockpit. Entertaining The port side console houses the boat s head compartment, which features a heavy-duty lockable door, a portable head unit, vanity mirror and three rod holders. Several toilet upgrades are available from the builder to suit specific needs, but the most popular is the electric flush with macerator and the 10 gallon (38 L) holding tank. The builder offers customers two entertainment console options. For starters, the deluxe wet bar is located directly behind the helm seat and provides a Corian countertop, drink holders, a fire extinguisher holder, sink, storage drawers and a trash compartment. The console can be upgraded with an electric 1300W grill with a power inverter but it requires that the sink be omitted.

8 Here we see the standard head compartment with a portable toilet, real teak accents for the sole and the classy mirror and shelf. Several options are available for electric heads.

Here we see the 128 quart insulated fishbox in the transom and the 32 quart livewell at right.

9 The optional wet bar can be equipped with a drawer style electric refrigerator in lieu of the cabinet drawers. An electric grill is also available for the counter top. Here we see the 128 quart insulated fishbox in the transom and the 32 quart livewell at right. In the lower left of the image, the standard table can just barely be seen. All cleats on the boat are pull up.

10 Ready for fishing; here the aft bench seat is stowed. In Fishing Mode Just because the Freedom 275 is so well adapted to family use doesn't mean that Grady-White gave shortshrift to the needs of anglers. The cockpit is 27" deep with a toe rail to help stead anglers in sloppy conditions offshore. Thick bolster padding surrounds the cockpit. The transom features a 185-quart insulated, self-draining fishbox, and 128-quart aft insulated box. A smaller portside box can be used for storage or to house the optional 32-gallon livewell. On the starboard side of the transom is a molded fiberglass door for easy access to the boat s integrated swim platform and engine well.

Note the optional isinglass that will keep the crew cozy and dry.

11 The windshield includes a wiper with freshwater wash capabilities. Other arrows point to the passageway door and the positive clasps to hold the windshield open. Note the optional isinglass that will keep the crew cozy and dry. A major feature of the Freedom 275 is the standard hardtop. It has overhead lights and a stowage compartment for life jackets. With optional isinglass the boat can be turned into a 3 season vessel.

Standard Hardtop. The Freedom 275 s standard fiberglass hardtop is supported by a white painted aluminum frame and is complimented by the boat s large wrap-around glass windshield.

12 Standard Hardtop. The Freedom 275 s standard fiberglass hardtop is supported by a white painted aluminum frame and is complimented by the boat s large wrap-around glass windshield. The two provide excellent protection from the elements, plus can be equipped with several canvas options to enclose the bridge. The top itself comes ready with laminated mounting pads for outriggers and a radar array. Power Grady-White equips its Freedom 275 with four different outboard propulsion options from Yamaha. Standard equipment is a pair of Yamaha 150-hp 4-stroke engines. Two other twin-engine applications are available including the 200 XB 4-stroke, and the burly 4.2L 250-hp models. Should single engine efficiency be desired, owners can select the 350-hp 4-stroke beast from Yamaha. Something else to consider is that the twin 250-hp configuration is with Yamaha s Helm Master controls. This system provides an all-digital helm, joystick steering capabilities, along with integrated autopilot. A bird s eye view of the Freedom 275 s fishing cockpit. Performance We have not yet tested the Freedom 275, but the manufacturer has provided the following information for two popular packages. According to Grady-White the base engine set-up with twin 150-hp outboards cruises at 28.3 mph at 4000 rpm and got 2.17 mpg, while the single 350-hp engine rigged boat cruised best at 3700 rpm and 29.2 mph while getting 2.36 mpg.

13 The freshwater washdown in the stern gunwale is standard. Note the extra beefy hardware used on the Freedom 275's transom door.

14 The standard 3 step re boarding ladder along with the recessed hydraulic trim tab can seen in this image. Standard Equipment 100% hand laid hull and deck Cockpit freshwater shower (recessed) Fish/ice box quart (175.1 L) aft insulated box with light and ob drain Fish/ice box - 88-quart (83.3 L) starboard, insulated box with ob drain Hardtop with painted aluminum frame Head - lockable console with bulk storage and portable head Hydraulic trim tabs with indicator and retractor Integrated outboard mounting system with swim platform and ladder Stereo system with AM/FM tuner, VHF receiver, MP3 auxiliary audio connections/amplifier, Bluetooth 128-quart (121.1 L) aft insulated box Table in bow (doubles in cockpit area) Transom door - fiberglass Washdown - pressurized raw water with hose Water tank - 20-gallon (75.7 L) freshwater Windshield - walkthrough tempered glass windshield Options to Consider

15 Since the Freedom 275 comes pre-wired for an anchor windlass it makes good sense to order this item since it makes boating easier on everyone. Canvas options are another smart upgrade but choices will depend on where the boat is being used. One option that really cannot be overlooked is the wet bar or alternatively the bait prep station. Since it can be configured in a couple of ways, it will certainly enhance the utility of the boat. Observations Regular readers know that we like dual consoles because of their obvious utility, and the Grady-White Freedom 275 is no exception. Most saltwater veteran boaters know that Grady-Whites don't come cheap, and again the Freedom 275 is no exception. However, the builder has done both the keen angler and the family-oriented boater a favor by not loading up the boat with either fishing or watersports amenities. That allows each consumer to build the boat exactly for the mission intended, thus making sure that money is not spent on amenities not needed. Grady-White has a well-deserved reputation for building seaworthy boats that are durable and for standing behind its products.

This publicity photo of the Grady White Freedom 225 dual console explains in a snap the versatility and utility of this all purpose

Grady White Freedom 225 (2015 ) Captain's Report This publicity photo of the Grady White Freedom 225 dual console explains in a snap the versatility and utility of this all purpose boat. Even Fido has