Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Grady-White Freedom 285 2012 vs Grady-White Tournament 307 2009 — A Close Look at Two Modified Vees
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Grady-White Freedom 285 2012 and the Grady-White Tournament 307 2009 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 Tournament 307 2009 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 206 gallons in the Grady-White Tournament 307 2009. 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 Tournament 307 2009 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 Tournament 307 2009 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Grady-White Tournament 307 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 30,4 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
ModelFreedom 285
ModelTournament 307
Model Year2012
Model Year2009
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam9 ft. 6 in. (2.89 m)
Beam10 ft. 7 in. (3.23 m)
Beam - Meters2.9
Beam - Meters3.23
Beam - Inches114
Beam - Inches127
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: 20 in. (0.51 m)
Draft [max] - DetailHull: 22 in. (0.56 m)
Draft [max] - Meters0.51
Draft [max] - Meters0.56
Draft [max] - Inches2
Draft [max] - Inches22
Width [transom] - Detail9 ft. (2.74 m)
Width [transom] - Detail9 ft. 6 in. (2.90 m)
Length - Feet28
Length - Feet30.42
Length overall - Detail28 ft. (8.53 m)
Length overall - Detail30 ft. 5 in
Length overall - Meters8.53
Length overall - Meters9.27
Length overall - Inches336
Length overall - Inches365
Bridge clearance - Detailnot available
Bridge clearance - Detail6 ft. 11 in. (2.11 m) With Hardtop: 8 ft. 10 in. (2.69 m)
Bridge clearance - Metersnot available
Bridge clearance - Meters2.69
Bridge clearance - Inchesnot available
Bridge clearance - Inches106
Weight - Detailnot available
Weight - DetailWithout Engines: 7,965 lbs. (3,613 kg)
Weight - kgnot available
Weight - kg3612.86
Weight - lbs.not available
Weight - lbs.7965
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull typeModified Vee
Hull typeModified Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Fuel tank capacity - Detail218 gal. (825 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail206 gal. (780 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters825.22
Fuel tank capacity - Liters779.79
Fuel tank capacity - Gal218
Fuel tank capacity - Gal206
Drive typeOutboard
Drive typeOutboard
Engine max600 hp (448 kW)
Engine max700 hp (522 kW)