First Look: Redesigned Grady-White Freedom 285 Dual Console

Grady-White Freedom 285

Comfort and Convenience for Families Who Desire the Versatility of a Dual Console

Grady-White has redesigned the Freedom 285–a deluxe 28-foot dual console that has been, and continues to be, a great boat for fishing families who also enjoy water sports, leisure activities, and cruising to dinner on the waterfront. The new 285 incorporates many Grady-White enhancements from the bow to the transom, all with comfort and convenience ranking high on the list of new features.

At first glance, you’ll notice the updated sleek and sporty style. Once onboard, the upgrades start with Grady’s hardtop design and an all-new expanded windshield that’s taller and wider, providing more protection and comfort at the helm. With its redesigned helm station, the 285 offers larger flush mount electronics, switches that are closer to the driver, a top-mounted compass, larger footrest and improved wheel and throttle ergonomics. For added convenience, the driver’s seat incorporates the luxury of electric forward and aft adjustment and is equipped with a flip-up bolster for added comfort.
 

Passengers will appreciate the port and starboard electromechanically extendable aft-facing lounge seats, perfect for relaxing in the sun or shade when the optional SureShade® electrically retractable shade with Sunbrella® canvas is added. The roomy bow sitting area can also be complemented with Grady’s new optional bow shade, an easily deployed screen that offers protection from the sun.

With its standard fiberglass bow table and optional bow insert with filler cushions that create a sun pad, the Freedom 285 is fully outfitted for a day on the water. The optional retractable ski pole, integrated into the deck, can be conveniently put away when skiing and tubing are finished. And, if you’re going from a day on the water straight out to dinner, the roomy, updated head compartment with indirect lighting and sink with pull out faucet makes it easy for an adult to easily change from swimwear to dinner attire without ever leaving the boat. When you arrive, the new patented folding cockpit step makes disembarking effortless.

“The Freedom 285, is designed to provide more than ample space for socializing and fun, offering enough room for the whole family, as well as the gear that goes with on the water adventure. From dive gear to fishing rods, skis and tubes, there’s space for everything on this great all-around boat,” notes Shelley Tubaugh, Grady-White Vice President of Marketing. “We’re really excited to show customers how our forward-thinking engineering team has taken this exceptional boat and made it even better with this redesign.”

Other options for the new 285 include a wet bar with sink and optional refrigerator, bow thruster, and a convenience package with battery charger and dockside power.

While the 285 includes numerous design enhancements, the boat preserves many original nuances that have made it remarkable, including the patented foldaway aft bench seat, freshwater washdown, fiberglass transom door, and integrated outboard mounting system with swim platform and ladder. For the fishermen in the family, the Freedom 285’s standard features are plentiful including dedicated storage for two tackle trays, a 32-gallon aft insulated livewell with light, and two fish/ice boxes, one 118-qt. in the starboard bow and another 185-qt. aft. In addition, an abundance of rod storage has been incorporated with holders for five rods on the deck, four rods integrated into the hardtop frame, horizontal storage for three under the gunnel and lockable storage for three more rods in the head compartment. An optional outrigger kit tops off the fishability of this superbly re-engineered boat.

There’s plenty of storage space from a lockable starboard compartment that’s perfect for towels, tools and miscellaneous gear to the port side bow box that extends up from the head to provide room for lengthy items such as fishing rods and skis. Other conveniences include the aft engine flush system with a hose attachment, hydraulic trim tabs with indicator and retractor, international lighting, hydraulic tilt steering with power assist, and anchor windlass with remote switches at both the helm and windlass.

Grady-White Freedom 285 Main Specifications

• Beam Amidships: 9-feet 6-inches (2.89 m)
• Center Line Length w/o Engines: 28-feet (8.53 m)
• Bridge Clearance: 8-feet 3-inches (2.51 m)
• Cockpit Depth: 27-inches (0.69 m)
• Hull Draft: 22-inches (0.59)
• Transom Deadrise: 19 degrees (SeaV²® progression)
• Maximum HP: 600 (448 kW)
• Fuel Capacity – Standard: 214 gal. (810 l)
• Weight w/o Engines: 6400 lb. (2903 kg)

To see the standard features and a complete list of options that make the Freedom 285 truly a remarkable boat for enjoying the water with family and friends, visit gradywhite.com.

Founded in 1959, Grady-White Boats builds 28 models from 18 to 45 feet at its 500,000 sq. ft. facility in Greenville, NC. The company has been under continuous private ownership since 1968 by Eddie Smith, NMMA Hall of Fame member. Grady-White has been awarded every third-party customer satisfaction award ever presented in the marine industry, including the National Marine Manufacturers Association Customer Satisfaction Index award for all 17 years the recognition has been granted. The company was awarded Highest Ranked Customer Satisfaction in the Coastal Fishing boats segment by J.D. Power Associates for all nine years that studies were conducted in the marine industry.

Grady-White welcomes visitors to the company’s award-winning factory to see first-hand the process they use to create the very best fishing and family-oriented boats, and to meet the dedicated craftspeople that build them.