What’s an angler to do when he or she wants a family boat to go along with their Chesapeake Bay fishing machine? Oh, and you say yacht-level comfort and quality is a requirement, too? You could buy three boats to check all three boxes, but checking out the new Grady-White Freedom 345 probably makes a lot more sense.
Grady-White’s dual console fishing boat line is a big one, stretching from a Freedom 215 all the way up to a Freedom 415 that, make no mistake about it, qualifies as a yacht in just about every way. And while bringing the LOA down seven feet from the 415, somehow the builder manages to maintain that yacht-like feeling and quality in a much more manageable package. Consider that on this boat you’ll enjoy such perks as air conditioning in both cabins and at the helm; electrically extending loungers, tables, and berths; a wet bar with a refrigerator, sink, and 1300-watt grill; and the Siren Connected Boat system with remote monitoring and geolocation.
Also make no mistake about the boat’s level of family-friendliness. With a cabin including a settee that converts to a berth, a TV, and a microwave on the port side, the kids will have a place to duck out of the weather and weekending aboard becomes a possibility. What about the head? Grady-White locates it in the helm console, so it’s kept separate from the living quarters and has plenty of elbow room. When it’s sunny out the kids will love hanging in the bow cockpit, which converts between forward facing loungers, a sunpad, or a dinette. But the biggest family asset of all on the Freedom 345 is undoubtedly the boat’s overall dual console design, because it allows you to cruise with the bow closed off and the helm deck completely sealed off from the weather.
Move aft of that helm deck, and you have acres and acres of angling territory. The big lounger retracts out of the way at the press of a button, and the aft seat folds flush up against the transom. Now you can take advantage of the 30-gallon livewell in the transom, four flush-mount rodholders, four hard top pipework rocket launchers, and fore and aft washdowns. With a little luck you’ll also be using one or more of the four integrated fishboxes, which provide a total 143.5 gallons of fish-stowing capacity.
One note about those fishboxes, all of which are insulated and all of which drain overboard: the aft transom box can be turned into a digitally controlled refrigerator/freezer. Grady-Whites are, as a rule, thoroughly outfitted boats that include the vast majority of the items other builders consider optional as standard features. But this is one item that’s left to the choice of the buyer. Anglers who head offshore on a regular basis will probably also want to opt for the 18’ outriggers, and one more very tempting option is the Seakeeper 3 gyroscopic stabilization system.
You’ll also be making a decision about the power choice. The Freedom 345 is available with either twin Yamaha F450 XTO outboards, or triple Yamaha F350s. Performance is quite similar either way with the most efficient cruise coming at around 30 mph and 1.1-ish mpg, but the triple engine rig enjoys a top-end advantage with a wide-open throttle speed of about 56 mph, versus 52 mph for the twins. The other factor to consider, of course, is cost and maintenance, which will be substantially lower going with twins versus triples. Either way, Grady-White includes the Helm Master EX system with a joystick as standard gear.
Fishing boat? Check. Family boat? Double-check. Yacht-level quality and outfitting? Check again. The Grady-White Freedom 345 gives you the freedom to enjoy all of the above—without having to buy three boats.
Grady-White Freedom 345 Specifications
- LOA – 33’6”
- Beam – 11’7”
- Draft (min.) – 2’3”
- Displacement – 12,510 lbs.
- Transom Deadrise – 20 degrees
- Fuel Capacity – 300 gal.
- Max. Power – 1050 hp
For more information visit FishTalk supporter Tri-State Marine in Deale and Annapolis, MD (410) 867-1447.