Our favorite Grand Banks feature is the top deck. Sitting high above the water with commanding views of everything around. Whether at anchor or out at sea it is where I spend the majority of my time. The helm station gives unobstructed views of every corner of the boat, making docking incredibly easy with the twin engines. Underway, the Simarad autopilot handles the steering, while the Glendenning synchronizer keeps the engine RPMs matched perfectly for maximum performance. Raymarine instruments give you all the info you need, from depth, to speed, to wind.

The Ideal windlass, with its motor rebuilt in 2019, can handle anchoring from a switch at the helm, or from the foot pedals at the locker. The 65# Mantus and 300′ of chain make getting a good bite on the first try easy, every time. A spare anchor is stored conveniently nearby.

The dinghy is stored on deck, and easily put in and taken out of the water by one person using the electric winch (rebuilt motor 2019) on the boom. This is so much better than davits. The dinghy storage was factory designed, so it fits perfectly and is ultra secure. The motor is a brand new (2021) Yamaha 15hp 2-stroke and does not ever have to be removed from the dinghy. At anchor, the dinghy can be lifted up out of the water and left securely hanging off the side of the boat, providing peace of mind that it will be there in the morning.

The living space is what has made the Grand Banks such a perfect home on the water. First off, it’s just beautiful to look at. Nobody steps on this boat without staring in awe at the woodwork. It’s also a huge space, which easily accommodates a family with a ton of seating options. Storage is everywhere you look. There isn’t a space wasted on this boat. And seriously, if you want to really feel like you are a part of nature, the banks of windows all around will do that for you.

When the weather is ugly, there is a full helm station inside to steer from. It’s also an incredibly comfy chair to kick back and watch the miles go by, if you can stay awake. I never could, so I drive from up top.

Again, storage is everywhere. Heck, there’s even a built in, hidden, spice rack that we didn’t find for months. Big sink, three-burner stove, oven, two large refrigerators, and lots of counter space round out a great galley.

The aft stateroom is huge. It has a full and twin bed, a dresser, drawers under the beds, and huge storage spaces behind those drawers underneath the beds. There is also a walk-in closet. It’s seriously that big. Storage continues under the stairs as well. The back door opens for a full-access hatch, accessible via the flip-down ladder. This provides for a ton of through-boat ventilation when at anchor.

The V-berth sleeps two adults super comfortably. Again, there is enough storage for everything, with a big closet, and tons of drawers underneath the bed. A good sized bathroom rounds out the forward berth.

As someone who has owned a number of boats, I can honestly say that this engine room is the number one reason I bought this one. First off, Ford Lehmans are the absolute best engines available. The twin 135hp engines are more than enough power, always work, need hardly any attention, and they don’t cram up the space either.

Both engines are equipped with easy pumps to make changing the oil a clean ten-minute job. I am just a huge fan of the Lehman engines, and of this engine compartment in general.

Three big AGM batteries are practically new (2 are 2/20 and 1 is from 11/20). A 3000W inverter converts all that DC power to AC. The wiring on the Grand Banks is impeccable, as well. All of it is perfectly routed, numbered, and comes with a schematic detailing every wire. If there is ever an electrical issue it is very quickly tracked down and solved.

The Cruise RO watermaker is a flawless piece of hardware cranking out 40 gallons per hour. The boat has 260 gallons of tankage and keeping them topped up with the watermaker is easy. We’re the only boat in the anchorage who pulls in, drops anchor, then gives the boat a long freshwater washdown.

In 2019 we converted the old AC refrigerator compressors with two CoolBlue compressors. They sip 12v DC power and keep everything as cold as you want. Power is never an issue on this boat. In 2019 we stopped using the diesel hog Westerbeke generator when it failed, and instead use a small Honda 2200 for running the watermaker’s high pressure pump. Everything on this boat is easy to get to, and easy to work on.