Grady White Boston Whaler vs. SeaSwirl / Proline

I am buying my first boat and have fished in Grady-Whites / Boston Whalers and know they are good options, however they are very expensive. Will I be making a big performance and quality sacrifice to go with a less expensive SeaSwirl or Proline. The model I am looking at is the 20' - 21' cuddy walkaround O/B. Either way I am planning to buy a used boat.

 

Hi blee, you did not specify if you were going with a center console or cuddy cabin model, but if it were me it would be the grady if it were a cuddy,and a regulator 21 if it were a center console, with the regulator getting the nod above all the others.

 

I like the B whalers and G. Whites but the sacrafice wouldn't be too great especially if you really don't need rough weather performance (better built, from what I've seen, means better performance) and if you don't care about how solid the boat feels, but I've heard good and bad about all of those brands. Buying used seems the best option.

 

I had a Seaswirl Striper 21 walkaround, 1996 model w/ 175 Ocean Runner. My only complaints are 1. The boat was too light. Even with 4 or 5 people aboard she would reach for the sky in our 3-5 foot washing machine seas.
2. Not enough fuel capacity. I had 60 gallons and had to carry 12 extra for a 70 mile round trip. Not fun pouring gas while the boat's a-rockin!
3. The gelcoat sucked. After 6 or 7 years it was faded and chalky, and it was kept with a cover 24-7! I also had a gray bottom, which faded worse than the topsides.
4. The hardtop came apart, mostly due to complaint #1.
Other than that, she was a good boat and I beat the crap out of her for 8 years in the Gulf with no major problems. (with marina gas at $2.40 I wish I had her back, my twin 350s are killing my fishing!!)