Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Grady-White Canyon 306 2013 vs Grady-White Freedom 285 2012 — A Close Look at Two Modified Vees
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Grady-White Canyon 306 2013 and the Grady-White Freedom 285 2012 are modified vee designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 700 hp, the Grady-White Canyon 306 2013 has a 100-hp advantage over the Grady-White Freedom 285 2012's 600-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Grady-White Freedom 285 2012 carries 218 gallons versus 29 gallons in the Grady-White Canyon 306 2013. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Grady-White Canyon 306 2013 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Grady-White Freedom 285 2012 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Grady-White Canyon 306 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Grady-White Canyon 306 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 30,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Grady-White Freedom 285 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeGrady-White
MakeGrady-White
ModelCanyon 306
ModelFreedom 285
Model Year2013
Model Year2012
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam10 ft. 7 in. (3.23 m)
Beam9 ft. 6 in. (2.89 m)
Beam - Meters3.23
Beam - Meters2.9
Beam - Inches127
Beam - Inches114
Bridge clearance - Detail7 ft. 3 in. (2.21 m) With T-top: 9 ft. 4 in. (2.84 m)
Bridge clearance - Detailnot available
Bridge clearance - Meters2.84
Bridge clearance - Metersnot available
Bridge clearance - Inches112
Bridge clearance - Inchesnot available
Depth - DetailCockpit: 27 in. (0.69 m)
Depth - DetailCockpit: 27 in. (0.69 m)
Depth - Centimeters68.58
Depth - Centimeters68.58
Depth - Inches27
Depth - Inches27
Draft [max] - DetailHull: 21 in. (0.53 m)
Draft [max] - DetailHull: 20 in. (0.51 m)
Draft [max] - Meters0.53
Draft [max] - Meters0.51
Draft [max] - Inches21
Draft [max] - Inches2
Weight - DetailWithout Engine: 6,950 lbs. (3,152 kg)
Weight - Detailnot available
Weight - kg3152.46
Weight - kgnot available
Weight - lbs.695
Weight - lbs.not available
Width [transom] - Detail9 ft. 6 in. (2.9 m)
Width [transom] - Detail9 ft. (2.74 m)
Length - Feet30.5
Length - Feet28
Length overall - Detail30 ft. 6 in. (9.3 m)
Length overall - Detail28 ft. (8.53 m)
Length overall - Meters9.3
Length overall - Meters8.53
Length overall - Inches366
Length overall - Inches336
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull typeModified Vee
Hull typeModified Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Fuel tank capacity - Detail290 gal. (1,098 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail218 gal. (825 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters1097.77
Fuel tank capacity - Liters825.22
Fuel tank capacity - Gal29
Fuel tank capacity - Gal218
Drive typeOutboard - Twin
Drive typeOutboard
Engine max700 hp (522 kW)
Engine max600 hp (448 kW)