IN THIS ISSUE: The All-New Freedom 235 | Grady Fest V | Owners’ Club News | Letters & Photos | Grady Buddies

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Coming to the Northeast!Grady Fest V

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Moving on Down

C-Time Heads to Florida for the Next Chapter–and Grady-White Owners’ Club By Brian and Cathy Hodson

Brian and Cathy Hodson were long-time residents of Tidewater, Virginia. They were members of the Chesapeake Bay Grady-White Club for over ten years, and founding members of the Tidewater Grady-White Club. After attending Grady Fest III in 2012, they discovered they really liked the Fort Myers Beach, FL, area. After visiting again for Grady Fest IV in 2014, they decided to make this their home after Brian’s retirement. This past April 2-17, they moved their 2002 Islander 270 C-Time from Norfolk, VA, to Fort Myers Beach via the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and the Okeechobee Waterway (OWW), flying the burgee of their new club, the Fish Tale Grady Club. On to the next chapter in their Grady Life!

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While Brian had 28 years in the U.S. Navy and was a licensed Merchant Marine 1600-Ton Master, a trip like this does not require extensive experience. The ICW is a safe, inland waterway travelled by approximately 13,000 recreational vessels each year. There are numerous ICW guide books and chart kits available, and most chart plotter navigational charts have good coverage. You can use your iPad or other tablet for charts and marina information as well.

Our 18-day trip is evidence that, while a larger Grady might have been more spacious, you don’t need a big boat to make a journey such as this one. In fact, our 78-year-old, long-time friend and fishing partner, Chuck Kahlert, joined us for the trip as far as Amelia Island, FL, and he was very comfortable in a sleeping bag on a thick piece of foam on the bridge deck, and we were in the V-berth.

Continued on page 2

CHUCK KAHLERT WAS ALONG FOR THE RIDE

WITH CATHY AND BRIAN HODSON

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Moving on down Continued from page 1

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Journey logbookWe began our journey from our slip at Bay Point Marina, Norfolk, VA, and ventured about 70 miles to Coinjock Marina, Coinjock, NC, which is Statute Mile (SM) 50 on the ICW. Spent the night with friends from the Tidewater Grady-White Club. Always great to see them! Have you ever been to Oriental, NC (SM 182)? It’s a nifty town. We stayed two nights at the Oriental Marina & Inn so we could thoroughly explore and enjoy. Then it was on to Wrightsville Beach, NC, (SM 282), and the Wrightsville Beach Marina. We found great food at and can recom-mend Poe’s Tavern. The fifth day we crossed into South Carolina, and overnighted at Myrtle Beach’s Osprey Marina (SM 373). This is a really nice marina but honestly there wasn’t much nearby, so we opted for delivery pizza and called it a night. We had decided to bypass Charleston so onwards to Dataw Island Marina, SC (SM 521). The food at the Sweetgrass Restaurant and Bar was the best of the entire trip! The end of the first week put us at Skidaway Island, SC (SM 601). Delegal Creek Marina is part of an upscale, gated community. We used a loaner golf cart and re-provisioned at a Publix.

FernandinaBeach,FL(SM721)islocatedonbeautifulAmeliaIsland,andistheonlyU.S.municipalitythat’sflowneightdifferentnationalflags.WestayedtwonightsatAmeliaIslandYachtBasin,andthensaidgoodbyetoChuckwhoflewhomefromJacksonville. Thenbeganthefirstlegwithjustthetwoofus.Wehadlotsoffunenjoy-ingthesitesofthebeautifuloldcityofSt.Augustine(SM777),dockingatthemunicipalmarina.FromtherewecruisedontoNewSmyrnaBeach(SM846)andstayedtwonightsatNightSwan–areallygreatB&Bwithdockageincluded.Weenjoyedsleepinginarealbed! You’llfindnicedocksatHarborMarina,Melbourne,FL(SM918),butfranklyitwasn’tveryfriendly.Therewasgoodfood,however,atIchabod’sDocksideBar&Grill.WeventuredontoStuart,FL(SM988),andtheSailfishMarina–theendofourICWtravels.WelockcrossedtoFortMyersBeach,andspenttwodaysataSaltySam’sMarina,veryprettyandgreatfoodattherestaurant. Day 18: Wearrived!C-TimewentupintheliftatournewhomeinBaysideEstates.Newfishinggrounds,newfishingfriends–excitingtobehere!AndtothinkitallstartedwhenwewenttoaGradyFest...

Lessons that we learned - Reduce “air draft” as much as possible

in advance. We hadn’t removed the center rigger and had to anchor upstream of a swing bridge to remove it when the tender refused to open for non-fixed items on the boat.

- Always call ahead on the VHF to ask bridge tenders what their current clearance is. We waited 30 minutes for a swing bridge to open then found out there was much more clearance than listed on the chart and in the guides. And the Wrightsville Beach bridge had a good bit less clearance!

- The Waterway Guide website is a great source for informa-tion on marinas, fuel prices, anchorages and navigational alerts as you make the journey. www.waterwayguide.com

- Never take locks for granted. We planned to cross Florida in two days, staying in Clewiston on the west side of Lake Okeechobee. That changed when the lock keeper at the St. Lucie lock (first of five to cross the state) told us that the Ortona Lock (second of three on the west side of the lake) would start maintenance the next morning and might have

very restricted operational times. So, we did five locks and over 160 miles in under ten hours to reach our destination.

-��It’s�nice�to�slow�when�meeting�or�passing�trawlers�or�sailboats, so you don’t rock them with your wake. DO NOT expect the big cruisers and sportfishermen to slow at all, and be very prepared for the large wakes they create.

-��If�you�go�by�boat�in�Florida,�learn�about�Manatee�Zones�and the associ-ated speed restrictions. Read the posted signs carefully.

C-TIME AT HER NEW HOME

Image generated using the NOAA Office for Coastal Management Data Access Viewer

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Visit www.gradyfest.comfor details and register now!

Grady Fest V August 19-20Hingham Shipyard Marina near Boston

Friday, August 19th • Beginning at 6 P.M.For the early birdsBy land or by sea, Friday Night Docktails, sponsored by BoatUS, is the perfect opportunity to meet fellow Grady-White lovers! From 6-8 P.M., enjoy appetizers, cash bar, and live local entertainment! Be sure to let us know you’ll attend when you register!

Saturday, August 20th • Registration begins at 9 A.M.At the helm

Welcome: Kris Carroll, Grady-White President

What Makes a Grady-White: David Neese, VP of Engineering

Better Boat Handling: Eric Sorenson: Taking Your Boat to the Next Level

Boat Detailing: Keeping Your Grady in Showroom Shape

Suddenly in Command: Basic Navigation for Crew & First Mate Duties

Excursion Planning: Setting Agendas, Destinations, and Preparations

Dogs Aboard, Safety & Training: Doris Dill, Petco Unleashed On the Water

Photography: David Stone, Photographer

Ecology and the Environment: Bill Sargent, Author & NOVA Consultant

Salt Water Sports Fishing Clinic

Saturday, August 20thFor the younger crewJr. Captains' Arena:Temporary Tattoos & Facepainting Inflatable Obstacle Course Kids’ Items & Giveaways Sponsored by SeaTow Foundation Kids’ Jam: Music, Dancing, & SingingJr. Captains’ Olympics Arts & Crafts

Saturday, August 20thMarlin Midway & moreAfternoon Clambake, Boating Vendors, Local Food Vendors, Local Live Music, Awards Presentations, Raffles Throughout the Day, and MORE!

Grady-White’s all-new model Freedom 235 has better engineered features, more options and more detail than any other 23-foot dual console out there. Christian Carraway, Grady-White design engineer, comments, “We have pushed the boundary of just how many big boat features could be incorporated into this boat. Fishing, swimming, diving, toy towing, cruising, you name it… this boat is as fully equipped as boats twice as big. The result is a sleek, forward-thinking dual console with timeless, perfectly detailed Grady-White appeal.”

Here’s a list of firsts to appear as features on a Grady:- Standard built-in swim platform extensions port and starboard that double as convenient boarding

platforms, with starboard-side deck level auxiliary anchor storage- Starboard platform features a sturdy, four-step swim ladder - Easy access to the cockpit through the transom door–a bit of a luxury aboard a 23' and it’s standard!- More deck level storage on the port side, forward of the platform. - A super easy-to-use optional ski pylon that tucks quickly into the transom when you’re ready to fish or cruise - Optional wet bar faces inboard with sink, running water, two drink holders and

a removable 35-qt. Yeti® cooler below

For the full list of specifications, take a look online at www.gradywhite.com, and contact your local dealer for even more details!

Beam Amidships: 8'6" (2.59 m)

Center Line Length w/o Engine: 23'7" (7.18 m)

(not including swim platforms)

Cockpit Depth: 25" (0.64 m)

Transom Deadrise: 20 degrees (SeaV2® progression)

Maximum HP: 300 (224 kW)

Fuel Capacity: Standard: 115 gal (435 l)

Passenger Capacity: 10

Introducing Our 23-Foot Dual Console Freedom 235–Full of Grady Firsts!

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The Grady Life: Owners’ Clubs Here are highlights from recent Grady Owners’ Clubs events and outings. If you have Grady club information to share or are interested in information about Grady clubs in your area, email anchorline@gradywhite.com. Go to www.gradywhite.com for links to club websites.

The Chesapeake Bay Grady-White Club honored two of its founders, George and Norma Hussey, with a lifetime member-ship. In his note of thanks, George wrote, “I am in awe how you guys work so hard to nurture the infant we birthed in 2002 into a stellar example of love and dedica-tion for a family activity such as boating that can create a strong bond that par-ents, children, siblings and other family members will always treasure and no doubt pass on down the family tree. My thanks to our sponsors Tri-State Marine (Deale, MD) without whose support we may not have been so successful.”

After careful planning and mental preparation, seven Gradys captained by Fish Tale Grady Club members cruised from Fort Myers Beach, FL, to the Hyatt Regency on lovely Sarasota Bay in January. Club secretary Jenny Barbenara and husband, Bob, report that the cruise to and from, and the fishing, shopping and dining, provided the atmosphere to build camaraderie among the 21 participants. “The great thing about our cruises is the confi-dence we have in our boats. When we leave the dock we know we are in a ves-sel that is built to handle whatever weather we are facing. We can work together, travel together, help each

other in a pinch, and we can laugh together. We now know each other bet-ter and more importantly, we know our Grady-Whites better. Our Grady is the common denominator that brought us together.” And on the fishing front, George Pacharis reports the results of the 2016 Fish Tale Grady Club Kingfish Tournament that wrapped up April 15 are in the history books now! Action got off to a slow start this year, but Greg Boyd gets his name on the plaque for a 39" king mackerel and Marc Jacobs placed second at 38". Third place went unclaimed, but talk about a day late and a dollar short: Fred Franklin went out April 16 on his Canyon 306 and caught a 45" beauty near the Edison Reef.

Great to see all the smiling faces, won-derful weather and flat seas at the Northwest Grady-White Club Ling Cod Derby shindig at Roche Harbor in May. Now three-time champion J'Anna Post posted a 15.2 pounder. Club correspon-dent Jeff Melvin observes, “I have to say that women seem to like the money.” True words from the husband of former champ Tamara Melvin. Second was Adam Chaufty with a 14.8-lb. ling. “When his fish arrived it seemed a bit frozen and questionable at the scale. Adam said ‘Whatever it takes!’” Third prize went to Casey Cain, a guest fisher-

man on Nick Hoffman’s Marlin 300, with a 14.6-lb. catch. Deb and Tom Schadt are thanked for captaining the event and supplying wonderful new club pullovers. Jacobsen’s Marine, Edmonds, WA, is club sponsor.

J’Anna Post topped the board for the third time with a 15.2-lb. fish at the NORTHWEST GRADY-WHITE CLUB LING COD DERBY.

Fifteen Gradys from the GULFSTREAM GRADY GROUP (Mariner Marine, Riviera Beach, FL) headed to Munyon Island in northern Lake Worth Lagoon on May 7. The 40 people in attendance proceeded to take over the docks for a cookout. It was a great Grady day among friends at this Palm Beach County/MacArthur Beach State Park!

Here’s one from our Grady-White Owners’ Clubs scrapbook, circa early 2000s: A founding member of the CHESAPEAKE BAY GRADY-WHITE CLUB, George Hussey, right, visits at the factory with CEO Eddie Smith and Kris Carroll, president. The club recently awarded the Husseys a life membership.

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Florida Clubs cozy up at Pelican Bay! For the third time, folks with the FISH TALE GRADY CLUB out of Fort Myers Beach (Fish-Tale Sales and Service) and Placida/Port Charlotte’s TARPON COAST GRADY-WHITE CLUB (Ingman Marine) met for a raft-up in Pelican Bay, Cayo Costa. Seven boats from Fish Tale and four from Tarpon Coast braved strong winds to make the April 6 trip to this beautiful anchorage, where the weather proved to be splendid. Photographer Steve Lineberry for Isles Life magazine was on hand to capture this moment of good food and conversation.

Jerry and June Johnson, Pompano Beach Marine Center dealers, Pompano Beach, FL, present the SOUTH FLORIDA GRADY-WHITE BOATERS CLUB burgee to Grady-White Sales staff Lorrie Irish, left, and Gwen Edwards, right. It’ll be hanging on the factory’s Club Wall!

The Columbia Restaurant, St. Armans Circle, was a favorite among the FISH TALE GRADY CLUB crew who cruised to Sarasota in January.

About 20 LAKE ERIE GRADY-WHITE CLUB captains were among the 200 in attendance at sponsor South Shore Marine’s Fishing Seminar in March at the dealership’s Huron, MI, showroom.

Club camaraderie! A great time at F.X. McCrory’s, Seattle, WA, with the NORTHWEST GRADY-WHITE CLUB.

MARC JACOBS PLACED SECOND in the Fish Tale Grady Club Kingfish Tournament with a 38" mackerel.

Letters & Photos

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What’s happening? Have an interesting story or photo? Email us at anchorline@gradywhite.com orwrite to Anchorline, P.O. Box 1527, Greenville, NC 27835.

MARK AND DONNA LOUZON TOURED THE FACTORY IN APRIL, and have told many friends how fantastic it was! Here’s a happy Donna on their Sailifsh 272 with a striper caught near Cambridge, MD, on the Chesapeake.

CANYON 376 OWNER BRUNO KOLB, LEFT, AND TOM TOWERS, RIGHT, and their guide are pleased with this sheepshead caught on a trip made off Sarasota, FL, aboard David and Goliath. A giant time!

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE OPENING DAY OF ROCKFISH SEASON! ANTHONY MARKOWSKI AND DAVID LONDON brought in these striped bass out of Baltimore, MD, on London’s Express 360–his family’s fifth Grady, and they love it.

A BEAUTY OF A NEW BOAT! DOUG AND SUSAN MCINTYRE sport a 2016 251 Coastal Explorer that’s tournament ready for the Texas Gulf Coast. Doug writes, “I am extremely excited to be living the Grady-White lifestyle, including meeting fellow owners and joining the Lone Star Grady-White Club!”

WHAT A BEAUTY! RICH ROSSELLI, WIFE HELEN, and their kids Nick and Kate enjoy showing the family’s 1961 Grady-White Hatteras at antique boat shows in Connecticut, and judges have always been kind. We can see why.

THE DAY’S TOUGH CONDITIONS in central Chesapeake Bay were not a problem for STEVE CUNNINGHAM’S Seafarer 228, High Cotton. He caught this 35-lb. rockfish and released another 32-pounder at the mouth of the Potomac River. Nice one, Steve!

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Who’s Your Grady Buddy?To share a photo of your furry Grady friends, email us at anchorline@gradywhite.com or write to Anchorline, P.O. Box 1527, Greenville, NC 27835.

DAVID LOPEZ CAUGHT THIS AMBERJACK aboard his new Fisherman 257, Dream Catcher.

JOE AND JANET SANTULLO are a real fishing couple! This very nice bluefin tuna was caught on their Freedom 375 out of Pirate’s Cove, Manteo, NC. They previously fished a Sailfish 272.

GEARED UP FOR A BLUSTERY SPRING DAY on the Potomac at Coles Point, STEVE CRISTE had great results with Tight Lines, his Seafarer 226. He brought home two stripers that weighed in at 41.5 lb. and 42.5 lb.

BRUTUS sports a mighty fine hat, there. He’s Freedom 285 owner Jeff Kraushaar’s best friend.

Take the bow, SASSY! Sassy rides along with Richy Navarro aboard his Canyon 306, Larissa.

This GRADY is growing up fast in a Fisherman 209! Abby Siau’s beloved boxer was just a little pup this time last year when he was first featured in these pages.

KAISER NAPOLEAN struts the deck! Jeffrey and Norda Hodgson keep him safe in a doggie PFD aboard their Fisherman 180.

Nothing like the wind in your hair! Debbie Redmond's Yorkie, ATHENA, rides on an Express 330.

Grady-White dealer Tim Drummond, Drummond Marine, Holland, MI, has a buddy full of fun and energy. His canine GRADY is being trained to duck hunt. Here he is at seven months on a Freedom 205.

Kris Carroll, president Eddie Smith, Jr., chairman, ceo

Dear Grady-White Owners and Enthusiasts:Summertime! Grab the towels, rods, water toys, drinks and the picnic basket and let’s go out on the Grady! There’s no better time to be living The Grady Life. And speaking of living it up, all Grady-White fans especially those in the Northeast must put August 19-20 on their schedule and sign up now for Grady Fest V–the

greatest gathering of our boat lovers. It’s happening near Boston at the Hingham Shipyard Marinas. Read all about it in this Anchorline and register online at www.gradyfest.com. While you page through this newsletter, be sure to take a look at our latest dual console design–the all-new 23' Freedom 235, full of Grady firsts and superb “big boat” features, sure to excite you and your family, and get you dreaming about the tons of fun you’ll have in and on the water! And just look at all the good times our clubs and owners are reporting! Time to go out and have some yourself. Tell us all about them when we see you in Hingham, Massachusetts! Happy Boating!

EDDIE SMITH AND KRIS CARROLL

252-752-2111 www.gradywhite.comGrady-White Boats, P.O. Box 1527, Greenville, NC 27835

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Roger Muller fishes his Marlin 300 off NY Harbor.

Beautiful skyline, nice striper!

AN EXCITED FATHER AND SON! EDUARDO CRUZ, SR. AND JR., toured the plant to see the family’s Freedom 335 in production. Grady Customer Relations team member Bert Kelly, right, did the honors. The best way to learn how a Grady-White is built is to visit our factory in Greenville, NC. Have you registered for your own tour? http://www.gradywhite.com/the-grady-experience/grady-built/factory-tour/