'C'mon boys, let me show you how to do it,' says Capt. Billy Knowles to
the group of three anglers aboard a Grady-White 273 Chase, who have all lost their baits on the
first cast. Lobbing a 3/8-ounce chartreuse jig head with a live 'razorbelly' (pilchard), he keeps
the bail open on the light spinning reel and lets the bait fall toward the bottom of a 25-foot-deep
rocky patch reef. Engaging the reel, he feels a solid bump and raises the rod tip up while reeling.
Reloading, Knowles tries again, but this time he hooks up and the rod points to the bottom.
As a 42-year Florida Key guide, Knowles knows the battle is won or lost in the first few feet.
Knowles works hard to keep the fish out of the rocks and muscles up a chunky three-pound mangrove
snapper from the turquoise water. Now that the pump has been primed, each newly educated angler
gets a fresh bait from the 32-gallon livewell, and the bite is on.
The conditions for the six-mile run to a patch reef from Hawk's Cay, near Islamorada, on
Grady-White's newest 27-foot center console are anything but hospitable. One of the cruelest tricks
the Florida Keys plays on visitors planning short getaways is that invariably the wind will be
blowing. Usually one side of the Keys will be in the lee, but unfortunately the wind is from the
northeast and is whistling straight down the length of the chain of islands at 20 mph, making the
Gulf side as rough as the Atlantic. So with four-foot seas off the port bow, the SeaV2 hull gets a
chance to show its stuff. With an ultra-sharp 56-degree entry, the 273 slices through the
corrugated seas like an electric knife through a Thanksgiving turkey. The original plan is to head
offshore for sailfish and dolphin, but since there is another smaller 'buddy' boat going along, the
nearer patch reef will be more pleasant for them.
Settling into
the helm station is like slipping on a pair of broken-in deck shoes. Ergonomic placement of the
stainless-steel tilt steering wheel for the hydraulic system is perfect, as is the positioning of
the excellent Yamaha controls. Keeping the Grady-White on an even keel out to the fishing grounds
is easy due to the placement of the standard hydraulic trim tabs, just to the right of the steering
wheel. Probably the most interesting feature on the 273 is the electronics dash that electronically
tilts up. Not only does this provide security at the dock for expensive electronics, but it also
allows the operator to fine-tune the angle of the screens for an optimal view, whether standing or
sitting. Aside from the practical aspects, it's just plain cool. Idling over the chosen reef, the
fishfinder indicates that there are plenty of fish, so everyone is psyched.
Fishing in rough water at anchor is a real challenge because most of the time the direction
of the waves and the current don't match. The first problem is positioning the boat in the fishing
zone. Even though this reef is not part of Knowle's rotation, he isn't satisfied with the first set
because it puts the boat too far over the reef. The first mate heads to the bow and takes up the
slack in the rode as the Chase idles into the chest-high waves. A nice innovation is the filler
section, which turns the entire bow area into a casting platform. It also makes it safer to throw a
cast net or retrieve an anchor without having to worry about falling into the 'well' in conditions
like this. The second anchor attempt puts the boat on the up-tide edge of the rocky reef, and is
more to Knowles' liking. Tying a chum bag to one of the two stern grab rails, the chum slick is
easily visible because of the calming effect the fish oil has on the waves.
Most fishermen
shorter than 6 feet 2 inches feel vertically challenged when it comes to getting rods out of tall
T-top holders, but Grady-White solves this dilemma by putting a step on either side of the leaning
post. After Knowles gets things started, the three anglers line up on the stern, and the action
begins. In these rough conditions, the prime location is clearly the starboard side alcove formed
where the transom stops to allow a stern walk through. Almost like a racing bolster, this area is
padded on three sides and keeps anglers secure even in the worst conditions. The other fishermen
are still faring well because of the 273's side-to-side stability, even with a relatively narrow
8-foot-6-inch beam, making it one of the longer center console boats that is trailerable without
being classified as a wide load. One of the design features of the SeaV2 hull is the comparatively
flat 20 degrees of deadrise at the stern. When combined with the hefty 3,975 pound hull weight, the
273 resists waddling and is virtually immune from snap rolling. Like all other Grady-Whites, the
273 Chase has toe rails for extra security when leaning over the thigh-high gunwale to land a fish.
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As the fishing heats up, the anglers appreciate the
fact that everything they need is only an arm's reach away. Since fish is on the menu for the
evening meal, the dinner-sized snapper are dropped into the massive 185-quart fishbox at the stern
that has a cutting board built into the lid. Anglers who target wild species such as dolphin will
love the convenience of being able to put a thrashing bull in the box before it explodes on the
deck, despite the fact it reduces fishing space in the cockpit. Although it is more a question of
aesthetics, putting a 32-gallon lighted livewell in the corner of the transom does cause the 273
Chase to list to port when filled. But those who use a lot of live bait can place an auxiliary tank
on the starboard side to act as a counterweight. Occasionally an angler works one of the jigs a
little too deep and gets it hung on the rocks, but re-rigging is easy with the tackle storage
compartment at the back of the leaning post.
In addition to the four rod holders in the optional T-top, four more can be found behind the standard leaning post that also has a pair of holders for filet knives, needle nose pliers and hooks, not to mention a pair of cockpit cupholders above the standard 94-quart Igloo. A really handy feature is the pair of under-gunwale rod racks that hold three apiece with a lockable door. When added to the four in-gunwale holders, fishermen can bring along the full arsenal of rods. So far it's been a mixed bag of red grouper, Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper and even a rainbow runner. By the time the bite slows, there are enough fish in the box for a fish fry, so the anchor is retrieved and put in its cradle, and the Grady-White points toward home. On the way in, the abundance of comfortable seating is a welcome relief. The best rough-water perch is either the flip-up stern bench seat or the couch-like leaning post with a large backrest. Closer to shore and in calmer waters, a good place to sit is the curved seat in front of the console that is close to the casting deck so you can put your feet up and stretch out. Without the casting platform insert, the bow area can be transformed with optional cushions into a lounge area or a great place to catch a quick nap. Underneath the bow seats are dry storage compartments that drain overboard and double as a pair of 104-quart fish boxes. With the casting deck in place, bulky items such as a Coast Guard kit can be placed and held in position with a cargo net. The large center console, which is well-lit and ventilated, is tall enough that occupants of the head compartment can change out of a wet swimming suit without pulling a muscle. Inside, there's a sink with a freshwater spigot/shower, fed by a 20-gallon tank, and also a drawer with more room for storage. As usual, Grady-White uses every nook and cranny for storage, such as the lockable compartment beneath the leaning post seat and a handy helm shelf with a lip to keep loose items from sliding off. Once in calmer water, the pair of 200-hp Yamaha 4-strokes is throttled up, and the 273 Chase accelerates to 30 mph in slightly more than six seconds, reaching a top speed of 47 mph. As is the case with other Yamaha 4-strokes, the F200s are practically inaudible at idle. At a cruise speed of 30 mph, the engines register a quiet 84 decibels. Yamaha's test data indicates that optimum fuel mileage is 2.48 miles per gallon, attained at 3500 rpm and 27 mph, giving the engine a theoretical range of more than 500 miles with the large 205-gallon fuel tank. Pricing with a pair of F200 Yamahas is listed at $89,238, and for the money you get a trailerable 27-foot center console that fishing families will love. Last year, J.D. Power and Associates conducted a survey and found that in the center console category, Grady-White owners had the highest customer satisfaction in the industry. But hey, any Grady-White owner could've told you that. |