Pack In, Pack Out: Our Everglades Exploration - Grady

The New Freedom 375
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IN THIS ISSUE: Grady Fest IV | 2013 Grady Palooza | Owners’ Club News | Letters & Photos | Grady Buddies
Pack In, Pack Out: Our Everglades Exploration
By Dan Clark and Rick Riordan
In February, the Tarpon Coast Grady-White Boat Club, based around Charlotte Harbor on the southwest coast of
Florida and sponsored by Ingman Marine, took a trip back in time traveling into the depths of the Everglades.
Eleven Grady-Whites ranging from 23' to 33' trekked up the Shark River to overnight in an area that is both pristine
and historic. Member Steve Shaddix and his son Adam led the flotilla to an area where cell phone signals don’t get
in and VHF radios don’t get out.
Steve Shaddix and his Sailfish 282, Quarter Bet, had ventured into the
Everglades several times, and when his family joined our club last year he
proposed to lead a group and provide all the necessary survival tips. Steve
and his family also have taken Quarter Bet on a three-week cruise to Alaska
(see the Spring 2011 edition of Anchorline for that story) as well as several
trips to the Bahamas and journeys up the Northeast Coast.
Steve was adamant that the trip be planned for late winter in order to beat
the reported massive mosquito population, and as it turned out the timing
was right. Even though everyone was well prepared with huge quantities of
DEET, mosquito net suits and hats, and even portable screened rooms,
mosquitoes never bothered us. (“No-see-ums” coming out of the mangroves
at dusk were another story!)
The group headed down the Florida coast, overnighting in Marco Island
and then heading onto the Shark River. Frank and Linda Muller commented,
“We in southwest Florida are used to mangroves that may be 15-20 feet tall
along the waterways. The Shark River is bordered by mangroves that look
like a hardwood forest, with some up to 50 feet. Very impressive.” Cat and
Doug Cox spotted a very large sea turtle way up the river, unusual perhaps
continued on page 2…
AN OYSTER BAY CHICKEE served as the dock.
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Everglades …continued from page 1
but as they observed, “There must have been plenty to eat–it was
not lost!”
We were able to spend the first night tied up to an Oyster Bay
“chickee,” a dock built by the Park Service that takes its name
from the Seminole for “house on poles.” This was a terrific base
for socializing between the boats.
Although fishing turned out to be disappointing overall on
this trip, one boat hooked up with a 30" grouper and another
landed a 40" cobia. There was no shortage of other things to do
and see. On the second day, when most boats needed to head for
home, Quarter Bet and Rick and Michelle Riordan’s Tide Pirate
continued further into the Glades, fishing and overnighting on
the hook in Tarpon Bay, before exiting via the Little Shark River.
This remote location is very special. It is untouched and as
much of a wilderness as you can get. No marinas, no restaurants,
no civilization. There is an absolute quietness and no ambient
light. With a complete absence of light pollution, the star shows
are amazing. There are numerous creeks and streams to explore and fish–but
trim up! You could really lose yourself (literally) in there. It’s easy to forget the
outside world. You get a real respect for the Calusa Indians that had survived
there for thousands of years. Wildlife is abundant and this area is the home of
the endangered American crocodile. Unfortunately,
there were no sightings.
What adventure is your club planning?
A MAP OF THE TARPON COAST
GRADY-WHITE BOAT CLUB’S route
through the Florida Everglades.
August 15-18 • Knapps Narrows
Sign Up Now for the 2013 Grady Palooza!
Anchorline readers have followed their fun the past five years, and now the
Chesapeake Bay Grady-White Club is hosting the 6th Annual Grady Palooza at
Knapps Narrows Marina, Tilghman Island, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, August
15-18. The entire hotel and floating dock are blocked for the event until June 1 so
make your reservations now! Any Grady-White Owners’ Club member is welcome
to participate. Call the Knapps Narrows Inn 410-886-2720 for reservations and say
you are “with a Grady-White club.” Rooms range from $120-$170 and dock fees
are $2 per foot dropping to $1 per foot if a room is booked.
From the Friday night dock party and sundown skipjack cruise, Saturday pool
time or tours of area sites of interest, to Saturday evening’s dinner and all the
Grady Life camaraderie throughout, this is an event you’ll want to be in on–so
contact [email protected] for more details.
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The Ultimate Transformer: 37' Freedom 375
Dual Console Defines Big Water Boating Versatility
Befitting an unmatched pedigree and 54-year history of building superbly engineered fishing boats,
Grady-White introduces the flagship of boating freedom, the “ultimate transformer,” the dual console Freedom 375.
The 375 features a treasure trove of amenities including
a smart configuration of hideaway sliding seats, berth
and storage units. There’s a pull-out Corian® countertop set behind the companion seating, and a summer
kitchen/wet bar integrated behind the helm seating.
The 32 cubic feet of storage in the floor below the companion seating area allows plenty of stowage for water
toys and gear, meaning quick and easy conversion for
multipurpose use. The Freedom 375 can just as easily
take a crowd to the offshore fishing grounds as it can
accommodate a wreck dive group, grandkids’ tow
sports, or friends on a sunset cruise.
Overhead, Grady-White’s exclusive AV2 ™ “Air View
Squared” hardtop enclosure with sunroof allows unobstructed sightseeing and sun protection. Shade-or-sun
possibilities are augmented by the Freedom 375 standard Sureshade® retractable sunshade. Grady’s AV2™
enclosure creates the feel of a protected porch or lanai,
but allows in the breezes.
From the roomy-for-six-or-more deluxe bow area
with a rounded seating/socializing area sporting two
“half moon” stowable tables, to the magnificent helm,
companion and cockpit seating, and all the way aft to
the sturdy fiberglass fish-swim-or-dive-access transom
door, Grady-White has pleasure built into every inch.
Freedom 375 easy-to-access, stand-up headroom consoles with air conditioning are singular in the industry.
The portside console cabin offers a roomy and comfortable nap zone and entertainment center, and the
starboard console features a sink, shower and
VacuFlush® head system and more.
Just outside the portside console is a deluxe
L-shaped companion bench seat. Behind this there’s an
electronically extendable lounge seat. The starboard
Port and starboard bow deluxe
cushioned surround seating
Anchor locker with push button
power windlass
Two height adjustable,
stowable tables
Two 54-qt. insulated fish boxes/storage
Bow area converts to
two sun platforms
Port console cabin with
bench seat, full length sliding berth,
aft full length berth, TV entertainment
system, closet, bulk storage
32-cubic foot bulk storage
for gear (below)
Wraparound companion
bench seat
Pull-out Corian® countertop
set with storage drawers
Grady-White AV2™ hardtop
enclosure with sunroof, storage,
lighting, and optional TV
Electronically extendable
cockpit bench seat
120-qt. cooler or optional
30-gal. livewell
summer kitchen/wet bar features a 1300W grill,
refrigerator and sink. You can get your fresh catch
cooking right off the hook! Aft of the wet bar is a
patented, extra large foldaway bench seat. You can
opt for a starboard cockpit side door aft of the wet
Starboard console with VacuFlush®
head, stand-up shower, sink, mirror,
storage, microwave
Flush mount electronics area
for two 15" screens
Electronically adjustable helm seat
with dual flip-up bolsters
(integrates with wet bar area)
Wet bar with grill, refrigerator,
sink , storage
Extra large fold away aft bench seat
(or optional aft wraparound lounge seat)
Optional cockpit side door
208-qt. insulated fish box/storage
Available with dual or triple engines
up to 1050 HP. Available with
Yamaha Helm Master™ controls
85-sq. ft. cockpit
bar, and an aft wraparound lounge seat is offered as
an option to the bench seat.
Ask you dealer for complete specifications, and
visit gradywhite.com for photos and more about the
fabulous Freedom 375!
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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 [email protected]. Go to www.gradywhite.com
for links to club websites.
The LONG ISLAND SOUND GRADY-WHITE CLUB held a kick-off so
Chavenello, Kim Bruce and Kevin Catalano were among the attende
Wearers of the Purple, aka faithful Raven fans among the CHESAPEAKE BAY GRAY-WHITE CLUB , kicked off their year celebrating a Super Bowl win.
Chesapeake Bay Grady-White Club
holiday partygoers gathered at the
Ulmstead Barn in Arnold, MD, for one
of the liveliest, noisiest, longest and not
to mention most exciting celebrations
in recent years. After sumptuous appetizers and a buffet meal topped by perfect brownies and baked apples en
croute, the entertainment arranged by
organizer Margie Reedy was absolutely
incredible: at short notice she managed
to convince the Baltimore Ravens to
play one of the best football games in
recorded history, and the Barn was
transformed into a Raven's nest! Other
winter activities included the annual
flea market at sponsoring dealership
Tri-State Marine, Deale, MD, and the
annual membership meeting with officer elections and setting of the year’s
main events: a Memorial Day weekend
cruise to Solomons Island; June’s
Grady Palooza; and a September cruise
to Cape Charles.
Auxiliary courtesy inspection, the
annual fishing tournament, day trips,
a July 4th raft-up in Rehoboth Bay,
socials and parades. Taylor Marine
Center, Ocean City, MD, sponsors
this club.
Tarpon Coast Gradys traveled 25 miles
from Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte on
an absolutely perfect sunny day. The participants ventured from boat to boat to
sample shrimp cocktail, homemade chocolate chip cookies and everything in
between. Club sponsor Fish Tale Sales &
Service’s Travis Fricke served as aerial
photographer of the event.
The brand new Long Island Sound GradyWhite Club, sponsored by Catalano &
Sons of Greenwich, CT, held a social in
December at Sam's Bar & Grill. Over 30
Mid-February, the Fish Tale Grady
Club joined by the Tarpon Coast
Grady-White Club held a raft-up luncheon in Pelican Bay, on the east side
The Delmarva Grady-White Club set its of Cayo Costa Island, FL. Ten Fish Tale
calendar for 2013 with events includboats made the 40-mile trek up the
ing a spring picnic and Coast Guard
ICW from Ft. Myers Beach and five
NEW YEAR’S WAS RUNG IN BY MEMBERS OF THE TARPON CO
Grande, FL. The crew out of Boca Pass was surrounded by dozens o
dockside dinner, a bonfire and the Boca Grande fireworks display to
Marine, Port Charlotte, FL.
TWO FLORIDA CLUBS, THE FISH TALE GRADY CLUB AND THE TARPON COAST GRADY-WHITE CLUB, met in
Pelican Bay mid-February for a raft-up luncheon. A perfect day! Photo by Travis Fricke
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Clubs Show
ocial in Port Chester, NY last December. (l-r) David Sayles, Doug
ees.
folks met to kick off this new club. Bill
Schneider said he enjoyed meeting so many
other Grady owners, and Kim Bruce considered it a wonderful start to what will be
a fun experience on the water. John
Linsenmeyer added, “I actually won something in the raffle! Life is good…” The
group looks to the future with activities
including fishing seminars, owners' forums
and get-togethers on local waters.
Paralympic silver medalist J.P. Creignou, left, shown with Sue and Dave Staver, spoke at a March meeting of the
TAMPA BAY GRADY-WHITE CLUB .
local St. Petersburg, FL, sailor J.P.
Creignou, who lost his sight due to
retinal degeneration and subsequently
embraced the category Disabled
Sailing. Creignou and quadriplegic
sailing partner Jennifer French won
the silver medal in the 2012 Para-
lympic Games in Weymouth,
England, in a two-person SCUD 18'
keelboat. He previously won a
bronze in the 2004 Athens, Greece,
Paralympics as the jib trimmer for
the U.S.A. Sonar team. Quality Boats
of Clearwater, FL, sponsors this club.
Grady-White Owners’ Club members are
a welcome presence at boat shows, on
hand at their sponsoring dealers’ booths
to showcase the Grady Life and sign up
new members–and they are successful! A
big Thank You to those who volunteered
their time to introduce show attendees to
the wide world of Grady-White. As they
well know, boating with Grady friends
opens up a whole new dimension to fun
on the water!
BAYSIDE’S GRADYS
Bayside Marine
New England
Boat Show
CAPE & ISLAND
GRADY-WHITE CLUB
Cataumet Boats
New England
Boat Show
Tampa Bay Grady-White Club members
were mesmerized by a presentation on
Paralympics training and competition by
DELMARVA
GRADY-WHITE CLUB
Taylor Marine Center
Oceanside Boat Show
LOW COUNTRY
GRADY CLUB
Hilton Head Boathouse
Savannah Internat'l
Boat Show
NORTHEAST
GRADY-WHITE CLUB
Baert Marine
New England
Boat Show
NORTHWEST
GRADY-WHITE CLUB
Jacobsen’s Marine
Seattle Boat Show
FISH TALE GRADY CLUB
New club CAPE LOOKOUT GRADY-WHITE CLUB , sponsored by Radio Island Marine of Beaufort, NC, visited the
Grady-White factory in February to see boats in production and meet the folks who make them.
Fish Tale
Sales & Service
Miami Internat'l
Boat Show
SOMERS POINT
GRADY-WHITE CLUB
GULFSTREAM
GRADY GROUP
SOUTHERN
NEW ENGLAND
GRADY-WHITE CLUB
Mariner Marine
Palm Beach Internat’l
Boat Show
LAKE ERIE
GRADY-WHITE CLUB
South Shore Marine
Cleveland Mid-America
Boat Show
OAST GRADY-WHITE CLUB at Three Sisters Island near Boca
of very happy dolphin celebrating with their own ritual! A wonderful
opped off the last night of 2012. The group is sponsored by Ingman
SOMERS POINT GRADY-WHITE CLUB FISHERMEN turned out for a seminar at sponsor Island Marine Center
headquarters in Ocean View, NJ, where Capts. Adam Crouthamel and Tom Daffin covered gear and techniques for
striper, tog, seabass, deep water founder and tuna.
Island Marine Center
Atlantic City Boat Show
Boats, Inc.
Hartford Boat Show
TIDEWATER
GRADY-WHITE CLUB
Norfolk Marine
Virginia Beach
Boat Show
Save the date!
Grady Fest IV
Fort Myers Beach, Florida
March 21-23, 2014
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Letters & Photos
What’s happening? Have an interesting story or photo? Email us at
[email protected] or write to Anchorline, P.O. Box 1527, Greenville, NC 27835.
My Club’s Adventure to Marker 4 By Bill Meyer
It began as a bright and warm summer’s day in January. There wasn’t a
cloud anywhere to mar the beauty of
the clear blue sky. There wasn’t even a
breeze, but more like a soft cool whisper. The tide was low; Laura had anticipated that it would be, and she had me
lower the boat the previous day and tie
it up at the dock.
I had just returned from walking
Macy, Gracie, and Casey. Laura was a
little anxious that we would be late to
our rendezvous with the Suncoast
Grady-White Club for lunch in Venice.
We scurried about and got our Sailfish
ready to go in short order. The ride
was smooth out to the Gulf of Mexico.
We passed only a few fishermen out on
their Saturday morning expedition.
The Gulf was sweet. The water was
clear and clean with only ripples to
point us south. I throttled down on our
five hundred horses and the boat
quickly responded. We were off on an
adventure. I set the auto helm and sat
back for the thirty minutes until
our arrival.
Soon the VHF radio crackled with
the call “LIBERTY, LIBERTY do you
read me”? It was PHARMASEA, right
on time. Actually it was a beautiful new
PHARMASEA. Mike and Susan were
on their new Express 330. Along with
them were Al and Kathy. What a nice
greeting. In a few minutes we were
alongside and snapping pictures. It was
a beautiful day to be on the water.
Not long after the radio again came
to life. “LIBERTY, LIBERTY, this is
CHA CHING calling, do you read me,
over?” Yep, that was Tami hailing us.
Soon CHA CHING was making a tight
U-turn and leaping over its own wake
like an excited dolphin. On board with
Tami were Deanna and Sally–all of
them seasoned sailors.
It didn’t take us long to run along
the coast of Siesta Key down to the
Venice jetties. Waiting for us on the
dock at Marker 4 restaurant were Rob
and Barb. Soon we docked and greeted
one another, and then our Commodore
Rex and his lovely wife Teresa, the club
treasurer, walked up.
As we headed to the restaurant
Anne and George greeted us. They
had just returned from New Hampshire. We were delighted to see them
again. We all gathered around the
tables enjoying sharing stories
with each other.
Too soon it was time to head back to
Bradenton. The Gulf had picked up a
small chop, but it was still a smooth
ride. We had truly enjoyed our GradyWhite adventure, and look forward to
the next.
MICHAEL LEWIS (THEN 14 YEAR OLDS, NOW 15), out of
Ocean View, DE, on his family’s 2005 Sailfish 282, holding an
80-lb. bluefin tuna.
The Suncoast Grady-White Club is sponsored
by Cannons Marina, Longboat Key, FL.
GEORGE STEFANKO favors Adventure 208 Grady-Whites, and
Ned Blennerhassett sends this shot of his Gulfstream 232, taken by his
son John, leaving outer anchorage on the Pacific side of the Panama
Canal, heading to the Perlas. “The Gulfstream is a pocket battleship and
punches way over its weight.” The boat was flying despite being “fully
loaded with ice, 180 gallons of gas, food and drink for three days, and
three large people.”
his cousin made this lead glass rendering as a Christmas gift.
His first Grady was a 1968 17-foot Capri, and he’s now looking
for his sixth.
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JOSEPH ROWE IS HAPPY with the 45-lb. striped bass he caught near Plantation Light in the Chesapeake Bay on
JERRY HERNANDEZ TAKES AN ANNUAL TRIP TO THE BAHAMAS AND CATCHES AMAZING LOBSTER. His new
Christmas Eve. He and wife Anne, along with daughters Tanner and Kennon, are enjoying their new Fisherman 230. The
family also has a Tournament 205 on Smith Mountain Lake, VA.
Canyon 336, AlyMel, makes the trip even more enjoyable! Back (l-r): Jerry Hernandez, Manny Hernandez, Jamie O’Neill
and Jason Richard; front (l-t) nephew Austin, Stephen Wallace and Alyssa Wallace.
LILY DOODY NAVIGATES her family’s 2006 Sailfish
282, Off Doody, in Casco Bay, Maine.
DAVE STEIN RELAXES after a day of wakeboarding on his 1997 Tournament 192, at Ski Island on the Severn River in Maryland.
Who’s Your Grady Buddy?
To share a photo of your furry Grady friends, email us at
[email protected] or write to Anchorline, P.O. Box
1527, Greenville, NC 27835.
RUCCA takes in the fresh air of Tampa Bay as she
MOLLIE is the picture of relaxation as she stretches out on Linda Hausted and Ned
LOU LOU is living the Grady Life on Penobscot Bay, out of Camden, ME, aboard
Buchman’s Fisherman 222, Rhode Show, on the Rhode River in Edgewater, MD.
Olivia and Mike Vande Woude and Nancy D’Alessandro’s Freedom 205.
DEXTER scouts for fish aboard Martin Strasser’s Islander 268, Sweet Karoline. Dexter
BEEMER (or Captain B, as he is fondly called) enjoys a summer day at the islands
helped decorate this Grady that took third place in the 2012 Boca Raton Boat Parade!
off Norwalk, CT, on the Greg Battersby family’s Express 265. Captain B is eleven
years old and has been a boat dog his entire life.
cruises with Ed and Gloria Lunz out of Apollo Beach, FL,
on their Advance 257. Every miniature schnauzer knows
safety first means wearing a PFD while underway!
ANGIE wants to chase the lure when Mike Brandon
casts off his Sportsman 180, and loves to play with
flopping fish as they come aboard. Here she is in
Apalachee Bay, FL, south of Tallahassee.
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Anchorline
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For smartphones
252-752-2111 www.gradywhite.com
Grady-White Boats, P.O. Box 1527, Greenville, NC 27835
GW Owners’ Clubs: share news by Facebook.
Clubs who'd like their own page,
contact [email protected].
Dear Grady-White Owners and Enthusiasts:
Recently we’ve been honored to host visits from many individual Grady-White
fans and families including Grady-White Owners’ Club members, to tour our
plant here in Greenville, NC, and see us in action. Whether you’re by yourself
or part of a group, do come visit with us. Seriously! We promise a great look at
how Grady-Whites are built, and you can meet the team behind our boats.
YOU have a standing invitation. Take advantage! It’s fun. Call 252-752-2111
for arrangements.
When you see for yourself the
EDDIE SMITH AND KRIS CARROLL
care and quality that goes into every
Grady-White, you’ll clearly recognize the value. Inch per inch a given
Grady-White model may cost more than other more basic brands, yet inside
the “Grady-White family” we all know you get more long-term satisfaction.
Once you see our techniques, talk to our craftsmen and women, and meet
our customer support crew, you’ll understand just how special the Grady
ownership experience is and, sooner or later, you will buy a Grady-White!
In the meantime we hope you enjoy this issue of Anchorline. Read about
our latest baby, our precocious flagship Freedom 375 dual console–we call
her a real transformer–and most of all, get out and celebrate the Grady Life
like the folks you’ll see in these pages! See you on the water, very soon!
Kris Carroll, president
Eddie Smith, Jr., chairman, ceo
Michael and Pamela Kearney, with Nathan,
Jennifer and Gillian, visited the plant to see
how their Fisherman 209 is built.