Passion for Grady-White boats extends to family and friends
by Grady-White 26 Oct 2023 17:42 BST
Dan Langdon purchased his first Grady-White with his father in 1989. After years of owning other boat brands, they decided they would step it up and buy a higher quality boat together.
As they returned from their first trip out on their new Seafarer 22, his father emphatically exclaimed, "We'll never get another brand of boat - there's such a difference!" That difference started with the ride and overall performance which Dan says felt like a much bigger boat. For the duo that wanted to feel comfortable going farther offshore, the 22 exceeded their expectations.
A few years later when Dan married his wife, Kathy, his father gifted his half of the boat to them as a wedding present. Fortunately, Kathy loved boating, too. While she had never dreamed one of her hobbies would one day be boating and fishing, much less going 80 miles offshore, she found she enjoyed it as much as Dan. All five of their children were raised on the water. Their third child, Chris, had his first offshore fishing excursion at just 6-months old!
In 1996, they purchased a condominium next to Dan's father in Dewey Beach, Delaware, where they had been keeping their boats since the 80's. This allowed them more time on the water with their five children, Matt, Kate, Chris, Marybeth, and Megan. Not only was their family growing, so was the size of their boats as they moved from the Seafarer 22 to a Voyager 24, then a Sailfish 282, to a Express 305, and then to the boat they enjoy today, an Express 330. "Fishing in the North can be tough," says Dan. "If you're going to do what we do, you need a Grady-White."
Some of Dan's most memorable moments have taken place on their Grady-White boats. For three, years Dan and his brother Bob, who now owns a Grady-White too, fished for tuna, but never caught one. The day they finally caught one they almost lost it. Bob was so excited, he wanted to net the fish, but it tore up the net! Scrambling, after the near disaster, they were finally able to gaff the fish and bring it onboard. Other early memories involve his sons, Matt and Chris, as he recalls how they started by catching flounder inshore then later, venturing offshore and catching their first big blue fin tuna and false albacore.
In addition to the Grady-White boat itself, Dan has great things to say about his dealer. "When you live 100 miles away and are weekend warriors like we are, you need a great dealer to take care of your boat," says Dan. "Taylor Marine's service has been nothing short of amazing, and that's another reason our Grady ownership has been so rewarding." Through the years, Dan has enjoyed introducing his friends to the quality of Grady-White boats and to his dealer, Dirk. He's sold more than six Grady-White's to Dan's friends and family. "I've got the 330," says Dan. "My son, daughter, and son-in-law own a Fisherman 236 together, my brother has a Freedom 235, Steve Gable, my neighbor, has a Gulfstream 232, and his two sons each own one too!"
Today, their family has grown with the addition of in-laws and grandchildren who all enjoy boating as much as the first two generations of Langdons. "The boys love to spend their days inshore and offshore fishing," says Dan. "Even if we're not catching anything, they never get bored." The girls love riding in the cabin of the 330, which they call "the cabinet". When they're not fishing, they pile into several boats and caravan together to lunch on the canal off Delaware Bay or anchor out by a sand bar in Indian River Bay. They also enjoy going out into the ocean where the kids can jump off the boat, swim, and watch for dolphins, or the occasional whale. "It's a great way to keep them off the electronics," Dan says.
You know what they say, "A family that plays together, stays together." That sounds especially true for the Langdon family, who are now making fourth generation memories on their Grady-White boats!