Grady-White Escape 209 & Islander 268

Just like America knows Australia for its kangaroos and great white sharks, Aussie sportsfisherman know the name Grady-White. But that's all it has been to them for decades - a name on the bottom of US magazine ads, a distant dream hiding somewhere over the horizon.

This year the sportsfishing fantasy turned to reality when Grady-White winged its way Down Under. Sydneysider Naish Hogan (who owns Skippy Park which has nothing to do with this story other than Skip being a keen gamefisher who carries his lure pouch wherever she goes) is the importer.

Hogan had owned several big boats before and decided it was time to downsize. He chose a sportsfishing boat he and many Australian fishermen most wanted.

Grady-White made its splash on the national boat show circuit this year. Stacked up against the gallery of unassuming local craft, the G-Ws shone bright as a northern star. Many of those who wandered over the craft in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane - whether fishing or fantasising - declared them the best finished boats they had ever seen.

But to really cut it on the local sportsfishing scene, a boat's attractions needs to be more than skin deep. On the water and away from the bright lights, Grady-White had to prove itself. Despite the innate interest in the marque, the boats had to show they were tough enough to tackle our petulant seas; and practical enough to lure gamefish from them.

So, with the rose-coloured glasses cast aside, I passed an eye over - and eventually experienced - the might of Grady-White. Firstly I ran the Islander 268, a centre-cabin configuration which Grady-White lays claim to inventing (see box story over). Then, months later in the Whitsundays, I had the chance to see an Escape 209 centre console strut its stuff across wind-blown passages between tropical islands, bounding out to sea in the hunt for billfish.

Two different boats, two different places, both all the way from Carolina to be at one with our ocean. Friends or foe? Here's what I discovered...

The foundation for all Grady-Whites is bedrock. Their variable-deadrise hulls are hand-laid, with a stringer system encapsulated in resin, foam filling and a full fibreglass liner. PVC conduits are built in for carrying cables and wiring, which is typical of the marque's from-the-ground-up engineering.

Grady-White hull lines are sweet not salty. Their distinctively up-turned Carolina flared bow (Why don't more local sportsfishing boats have high rather than low-slung bows?) massages a head sea for a relaxed ride while cutting the amount of spray. Punching into a 20kt summer sou' easter with 1.5m of swell wasn't a big ask of either the 268 or the 209, off Sydney or North Queensland.

Like many American boats, Grady-Whites are masterpieces of intelligent mouldings. Nothing seems too difficult. Nothing seems an afterthought. For example: recesses for gunwale-mounted fold-away freshwater taps; divided underfloor ice boxes and live wells and massive fish boxes with overboard drains; through-bolted rod-holders; side-pocket racks with toe rails underneath; and fuel tanks with true long-range capacity.

Despite their fishing nous, Grady-White boats are surprisingly family-friendly. Rather than preclude the household, they include them. Though that might surprise some hardcore anglers, Grady-White says its boats are customer not critique driven. As customers want comforts, you'll find them in these fishing boats.

The 20-foot 209 centre console was the star of the Whitsundays Game Fish Tournament in July. Though the crew - a hired skipper, importer Naish Hogan and his son - won not a trophy and raised just a slash from a black marlin for all their bait trolling, they certainly won the 'Miss Boat of the Show' prize.

The 209 has radiant lines and bumps and curves in all the right places. The sheerline has a nice kick in the deck which gives lots of depth and buoyancy up front. The big roll or flare above the waterline turns the spray back to sea where it belongs.

This traditional Carolina hull shape - the raised swooping bow not the modern variable-deadrise running surface - is more seaworthy than the low-slung sporty lines seen on some production fibreglass boats which inevitably ship water aboard over the foredeck.

Mated with a single V-six Johnson 175hp outboard, the 209 outran bigger boats and ate up the choppy Whitsundays water without seriously pounding. Top speed was in the high-30kt range (estimated), though it was more the mid-20s where the hull worked most fuel efficiently.

Heavy boats make good sea boats. The 209 hull weighs 1110kg without a motor or fuel. With more than 370 litres of petrol kept low under the self-draining, foam-filled floor, the 20-footer has both the range, stability and safety to mix it with gameboats on the Shelf in even average weather.

The 209 is a big little boat that is brazen and full of confidence. But pragmatism extends beyond performance to the layout. You won't find just a pretty centre console unit, but one which also offers some protection when standing. There are twin pedestal seats although the optional lean bar with rod holders and tackle lockers would be our preferred choice.

The console features include: two drink holders; a 35 litre livebait tank; rod storage for six outfits; a forward seat; non-feedback mechanical steering; stainless steering wheel; storage which can be used to harbour a portable (but rather public) toilet; a lockable electronics box; and flat dash space for mounting a full spread of electronics.

The optional T-top with rocket launcher and radio box is a must-have. The aluminium welding, like the stainless work which was all 316 marine-grade, is brilliantly good. Mind you, the bow rail could have been split for easier access from the beach to the boat and the anchor-locker could be bigger.

The 15-foot gunwale-mounted outrigger kit was stylish and it pulled skipping gars beautifully. The optional Top Gun outrigger mounts for the T-top are better again because they will keep the poles out of the way when fighting fish.

The rest of the 209 is plainly practical. The forward casting platform is raised ahead of the console like a moulded V-berth. With padded cushions it works as a seat, while underfloor are big, insulated 113lt and 80lt fish boxes with overboard drains that work even better.

Deck hardware includes springer cleats and aft cleats and four rod holders, all of which are through-bolted.

With cockpit lights and side pockets with racks for holding six outfits or gaffs and tag poles, the 209 has room to pack plenty of tackle without turning the boat into a jumble.

Although there are seats next to aft rigging compartments, the 209 centre console is among the most seriously fishy boats in the Grady-White range. With options - cockpit shower with freshwater tank, compass, trim tabs, outrigger kit, T-top and swim platform - and Johnson 175hp outboard and trailer, the Escape 209 package sells for $64,950.

Serious dollars sure, but the 209 and its big brother are masterpieces in fibreglass moulding and engineering with comforts for the whole clan. They have the power to keep everyone happy, especially the 268 which is an exceptionally convivial for weekending, tournament fishing and long-range canyon-running.

With twin 150s, a hard day's tournament fishing at Cape Bowling Green in September in the 268 apparently consumed around 200 litres a day, which isn't so thirsty.

Speaking of bills, both the Grady-Whites have won the approval from the ultimate judges - the billfish. The little 209 raised a black off Hayman Island, which didn't go on with it. And the 268 raised four striped marlin in its maiden voyage off Sydney, then numerous black marlin and sailfish during the Townsville tournament last month.

If local billfish can't resist 'em, what chance have Aussie anglers?

Box Story: THE ISLANDER 268

What's non-trailable, just shy of 8.3m long, almost 2700mm wide, weighs a whopping 2110kg (without motors) and eats fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

No, not a grizzly bear, its the Grady-White Islander 268.

The Islander is a walkaround you can fish and sleep around. It's a big boat that combines convincing gamefishing features with a cabin that's nothing short of five-star.

The 268's heavily optioned interior included a separate head with deck pump out and hot-water shower, microwave oven and cabin rod racks made for storing outfits out of sight of thieving eyes. The galley, moulded from fibreglass with modern plastic finishes, had a fridge, sink and two-burner stove. A big V-berth and dinette table in the bow convert to a double berth, while ventilation and light stream through hatches and bounce off the bright fabrics and wall liners. Wooah, there's even standing headroom.

The hardtop hanging on anodised alloy pipe frame really makes the Grady-White 268 sparkle. With clears down the sides, it gives valuable shade, standing headroom, protection from spray, while providing a mounting point for such niceties as spotlights, a rod rack and electronics storage. Optional side-mounted outrigger bases were the big-boat thing, though not a patch on the bases in the Grady-White brochure which are mounted from the hardtop.

The tiered dash is big enough for twin sets of engine gauges for the 175hp V-six Johnson OceanRunners. The switch panels, operating everything from lights to bait pumps and deck hoses, are impressive in their convenience. Hydraulic steering is standard, though the Richie compass, stereo cassette system and freshwater windshield washer are extras. Phew!

A neat touch was the passenger's side two-person lounge with a removable section so you can stand behind the armour-plated glass windscreen while heading offshore. Being slightly elevated, the entire helm area offers a clearer view of the ocean, both front and back, than the low helms on even bigger trailerboats.

The self-draining cockpit hides huge underfloor ice boxes, livebait tanks and fish wells. The transom has a permanent rear padded lounge and a pod for the twin outboards, making it a long reach to clear a fish around the back of the motors.

As a base model - better fitted up than many fully-optioned local boats - the Islander 268 costs $89,000. With all the goodies and twin 150s, it costs $139,000.