I feel a little bad saying every boat is my favorite, but this one genuinely earns it. This is a 2018 Grady White Freedom 307 dual console that I spent time with at Newport Yacht Rentals, and it deserves the SUV of the Sea title I have been throwing around. Grady White uses their award-winning CVD designed hull across most of their lineup — they even have a sticker commemorating it on the windshield — and these hulls are great for the West Coast because they have a lot of flare and handle waves nicely. Out here we do not have much flat water, so a boat that cuts through swell is all that matters. This example comes in at 30 feet 6 inches with a 10 foot 7 inch beam and a split console layout.
The Rear Cockpit
Starting at the stern, you cannot ignore the twin Yamaha F300 outboards — 600 horsepower combined. They will push this boat to 44 knots, and at a 3,700 RPM cruise you are doing 26 knots burning just under 20 gallons per hour. The ladder is sunken flush into the deck so you do not trip on it, and you step through a transom door into the cockpit. Right off the door you have battery switches and fuses in a box, and on the other side is your engine flush system so you do not have to plug anything directly into the outboards. Below that is the freshwater tank fill and above it a freshwater shower for rinsing off saltwater.
There is a toe bar across the transom — one of many details showing this boat is built for comfort and fishing. Behind it sits a 100 gallon fish box and a 32 gallon live well on the port side, both of which double as storage for you non-fishermen. A bolstered seat folds up to accommodate more people, and underneath it a lazarette compartment gives you access to battery banks, bait pumps, and live well pumps. Under the rails you will find more cup holders, storage, a wash down outlet, shore power, and rod storage. There is a satellite Fusion stereo unit back here so you can control music from the rear cockpit, and flush mounted rod holders and cleats run along both rails — the cleats go up and down so you do not snag fishing lines or stub a toe.
At the Helm
The 10 foot 7 inch beam is fairly spacious, and you can sit four across in the helm chairs. Each helm seat has bolsters so you can lean and stand. The passenger side is one bench, and down below you have rear-facing lounge chairs with a bar area and storage between them. Those lounge chairs are actually my favorite feature — there are power seat buttons that extend the rear-facing seats all the way out into full lounge chairs. Just like that, the boat got a lot comfier.
At the wheel you have a stainless steel helm with a knob for easy spinning, throttles to the right with trim for the engines and trim tabs, and bow thruster controls above that. The Simrad NSS Evo 3 handles navigation, there is a Standard Horizon radio, and the Yamaha engine controls sit up top along with switches for freshwater, raw water, hard top lights, forward bilge, cockpit lights, and a horn. The hard top has substantial supports with fishing rod holders, rear-facing deck lights, a mesh storage compartment for life jackets and soft goods, speakers, stainless handrails, and a window up front for breeze. There is even a guide system for mounting eising glass down to the windshield if you want to block everything out completely.
Forward and Below
Up forward there is seating on each side and an anchor locker with a windlass underneath. The forward nav light pops up from the bow, and there are more flush mount cleats and cup holders — 16 cup holders total on this boat, if you are keeping count. A hatch comes over the windshield to block wind and spray, and a door locks across so no small kids wander up onto the bow. Starboard of the helm there is a storage door with electronics access and a little lure drawer to keep everything organized. On the port side, the main Fusion stereo head unit sits near another power seat button.
Open the interior door and you step below into the split console cabin. There is a vanity with a cleat for hanging items, a bed that runs forward and folds up into the bow compartment, and a sink with waste controls. Lift a couple cushions and there is a head underneath — always nice to have on a day boat, and I promise you one day you will have an emergency and be glad it is there. Set the cushions back down and it is a bed again. It is more spacious than it looks — I can lay all the way across and be comfortable.
The Star Review
Quick specs before the ratings: 30 feet 6 inches overall, 10 foot 7 inch beam, 22 inch draft, 7,800 pounds without engines, 235 gallons of fuel, 32 gallons of fresh water, 10 gallons of raw water. Cruising at 26 knots burns just under 20 gallons per hour and top speed is 44 knots. It seats 10 comfortably, has a head below, and those retractable lounge chairs I already mentioned.
Performance gets a 7 — above average with great speed, range, and cruising in its category. Comfort gets a 7 — tons of places to sit and beautifully protected from the sun. Quality gets an 8 — this is a 2018 that is about seven years old now and I cannot find a single thing that does not look brand new. No rust anywhere, every compartment still closes, nothing chipped or broken. Practicality gets an 8 — it beautifully blends the hybrid lifestyle between comfort with the weather protection of the dual console and the fishing capability of the rear cockpit. Value gets a 7 — Grady Whites hold their value well over time because they are built well, so there is no reason for them to depreciate heavily. That gives us a total of 37 stars, one of the highest I have ever given. Smooth sailing.
If you want to see another boat with a completely different mission, check out the real Baywatch rescue vessel built by Seaway reviewed on the channel.
