Grady-White’s Customers Design New 29’ “Fish & Family”

Grady-White is celebrating its 50th
Anniversary this year and is introducing an all-new 29’ walk around, which we think
is a fitting tribute to the company that made this type of boat famous. With a 9’11”
beam, this 7600-lb. boat has the heft to go offshore fishing or go coastal cruising
with the family. Grady-White was founded in 1959 and was purchased by Eddie Smith
41 years ago. Below is an un-edited press release from Grady-White which describes
the new Chesapeake 290 in detail. 

GREENVILLE, NC : The best way for Grady-White Boats to celebrate 50 years in business
is to do what the company does best: introduce a customer-inspired boat full of
wish book features and amenities! The all-new 2009 model year 29-foot Chesapeake
290 is just that, a terrific cabin boat with Grady-White's signature walkaround
styling, safety and function, with a family-and-fishing-friendly emphasis and a
big boat look and feel. In short, the new Chesapeake pays homage to many
of the hallmarks that make Grady-White a company with a storied past and a very
bright future.

 

 

"What sets the Chesapeake 290 apart from other coastal boats in this size
range is just how enjoyable and easy it is to operate this new boat," says Joey
Weller, Grady-White vice president of sales and marketing. The spacious cockpit,
cabin and helm areas, the very comfortable deluxe helm seating and optional wraparound-style
companion seating, plus great visibility afforded by the large, well-ventilated
protective windshield, will make this a super and safe investment for families who
enjoy spending time together outdoors on the water.

 

 

"We’ve taken much of what we learned in the development and fine-tuning of our highly
successful big outboards, the 33-foot and 36-foot Grady-White Express models,
and transferred this knowledge to fulfill the requests of Grady-White customers
who prefer a walkaround style," explains David Neese, vice president of engineering.
"The fact is, we're the company that pioneered the walkaround 34 years ago and we’ve
put years of refinement into this great new boat." Whether you’re looking for serious
fishing capability that is also family pleasing, or you’re looking for a family-friendly
boat complete with a roomy head and overnight sleeping comfort that can do the job
right when a tuna bite is on, the new Chesapeake 290 has it all.

 

 

Families will be very happy with the transom area featuring a sturdy fiberglass
door with a battleship-strength 316L stainless positive locking device. The transom
door does double duty, opening wide to bring big game fish aboard, and serving as
the family’s swimming and diving access. The Chesapeake also has the biggest
transom fish box of any boat in its class, a cavernous 265-quart insulated box with
overboard drain. The box has a divider so in addition to holding the catch there
is a separate area  for bait or whatever you'd like to keep cool. Grady's patented
folding aft bench seat (the best seat in the house!) is located just in front of
the transom, and when in the up position not only really opens the deck but also
allows ready access to the generator that provides power for air-conditioned cabin
comfort.

 

 

The 56-square foot cockpit also has a starboard-side 132-quart insulated fish box,
and a portside 35-gallon raw water live well that really keeps bait alive with a
powerful 1100 gallon per hour circulating pump, plus a light and a full column distribution
inlet. The live well and all boxes are true self-bailing; everything drains overboard
by the natural force of gravity.

 

 

Take a walk along the roomy walkaround to the foredeck. The Bowmar hatch on the
foredeck offers great ventilation for the cabin below, and at 20 inches wide is
big enough for a teenager to scramble through (try that in other brands of coastal
boats!) The Chesapeake 290 also offers an improved low-profile windlass
system with optional controls at the bow as well as at the helm.

 

 

The helm's all new flush-mounted, easy-to-read gauges are positioned above the big
316L stainless steering wheel. Backlit switches are easier to read in the low light
of dawn or dusk, and instrument screens are right there. A handsome, newly styled
hardtop encloses the helm area and has a radio box, roomy storage nets for PFDs
and other items (an idea pioneered by Grady-White), spreader lights and four side-mounted
rod holders. Hardtop drop, front and side curtains are also standard. AV outlets
to charge your cell phone or power your MP3 player are located right at the cabin
entrance.

 

 

Entering the cabin you immediately sense a big-boat feel accentuated by the use
of handsome teak and holly in the cabin sole classic combination complemented by
the attractive oval-shaped teak dinette table. Standard features of the portside
galley include nice big teak shelving, Corian countertops, a deep stainless sink,
refrigerator, microwave oven, and an electric stove with touchpad flush controls.

 

 

 

One look reveals genuine liveability in the new Chesapeake: the amply sized
head provides plenty of privacy as well as a sink, stand-up shower and lots of space
for toiletries and more. The Chesapeake should be particularly great for
overnights. The starboard berth stretches a full 81 inches, and overnighters or
afternoon nappers can crawl into the aft berth for a very comfortable snooze. Grady
engineers think of everything: the cabin access steps are open-treaded to allow
visibility into the aft berth, so parents can keep an eye on resting children. The
forward low profile hatch and two opening screened windows draw in refreshing breezes.
Cabin air conditioning is optional. There is also a DC television option that is
cleverly fitted into the bow cabin area; a good choice if you have younger ones
to entertain.

 

 

 

Aboard the Chesapeake, there is storage space for everything a family needs
to enjoy a day on the water. The helm area includes roomy compartments beside the
helm and companion seats, deep tackle drawers beneath the helm chair, and a large
compartment beneath companion seating. The cockpit includes horizontal rod racks
and a portside lift-out storage box in addition to the huge insulated ice and fish
boxes. There are caches in nearly every conceivable place in the cabin including
roomy galley shelves, strategically placed nets, three dry compartments under the
forward V-berth, and the aft berth surface area.

 

Grady-White was founded in 1959 and has been continuously owned by the Smith family
for 41 years. Grady-White builds 21 models from 18 to 36 feet at its plant in Greenville,
NC .

 

 

To see boat tests of Grady-White models…