In June of 2023 our sister company, the Annapolis School of Seamanship, took delivery of three brand new Grady-White Fisherman 180 center consoles sponsored by Tri-State Marine. Throughout the summer and into the early fall, the boats were used extensively as the primary training boats for the Junior Captains youth program, as well as various adult training courses.
Captain Matt Benhoff, Vice President of Annapolis School of Seamanship, told us his thoughts after more than three months of test drives. “We put these boats to work literally every day throughout the summer, in every type of weather from flat calm to windy and choppy conditions. So long as there was no lightning, we were out, so we need very capable and reliable boats to do our jobs. We have used many different boats over the last six years of this program, and I can tell you that the Grady 180’s are the best we have ever had.”
The Fisherman 180’s materials and build construction are exceptional. From the bow cleats to the transom D-rings, the hardware throughout the boat is high quality stainless. The layout is versatile, straightforward, and functional for everything from family cruising to fishing, and even for watersports. “Everything is where it should be”, said Benhoff. “I never had to look for anything. When I needed something, it was right where you would reach for it. It all just works really well.”
In addition to exceptional build quality, Grady-Whites are known for their design. The deep V at the transom combined with the stepped-up sheer line and bow flare make for a boat capable of taking on punishing conditions while protecting the crew. While most Chesapeake Bay boaters feel like an offshore-capable boat may be overkill for a typical summer day cruise, the Bay is also well known for offering boaters sudden squall conditions that can turn a benign run home into a choppy, spine-compressing ordeal. While the Fisherman 180 is a fast, fun, and sporty boat in calm conditions, it really shines when the sun doesn’t. The 19-degree deadrise at the transom makes for soft landing in waves while the flare forward sheds the water away from the crew when the bow punches into a wave.
When conditions are calm, a single 150 horsepower Yamaha outboard pushes the boat at a maximum speed of about 45 mph. “The Gradys were way faster than we needed, but having the 150s on the back made it easy to pop right up on plane even when we had six adults onboard,” said Benhoff. “You really get a lot of boat with this 18-footer. It feels more like a 22- or 23-foot center console. There was plenty of room and it is more capable than many larger boats.”
The Grady-White Fisherman 180 is a simple, affordable, seaworthy boat with a reputation for maintaining a high resale value. As this article is posted, Tri-State Marine lists a new Fisherman 180 for $62,090 and a used 2023 Fisherman 180 with roughly 250 hours for $52,995. Whether you want a sturdy starter boat for your teenager, or you’re a grizzled fisherman looking for a seaworthy center console to take fishing on days when you should be thinking twice, the Grady-White 180 Fisherman does it all…and well.
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LOA (Hull Only): 17’10”
Beam: 7’5”
Draft (Hull Only): 1’ 3”
Transom Deadrise: 19 degrees
Weight (without outboard): 2,150 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 54 gal.
Max Horsepower: 150
Capacity: 7 persons
