Whenever I’m reviewing a new boat, I’ve found it’s the small things that tell the much larger story. Sure, a boat can be shiny, fast, and eye-catching. Sure, it can boast an arsenal of fishing gear. But I’m looking for the features that reveal the depth of thought that’s gone into the functionality of its design. It’s rare I see a boat that checks those boxes like Grady-White’s new 321 CE.
The CE stands for “Coastal Explorer.” This model is the latest in a center console lineup that runs from 23 to 32 feet and is meant to be equally at home pounding through waves offshore or posting up in shallow water. Grady accomplishes this by way of a hybrid design whose deep-V hull offers a beautiful sweep of Carolina flare with a transom deadrise of 16 degrees. The average offshore Grady in this size range features a 22-degree deadrise. Thus, the CE has a flatter, more fuel-efficient rear planing area and draws a mere 22 inches with her twin 350-horsepower Yamaha V6s up. Those motors are the only choice for this boat and at a 30-knot cruise, her 220-gallon fuel tank can deliver a range of 330 miles at nearly 2 miles per gallon. Wide-open, she’ll push 49 knots.
Before I even stepped aboard the 321 in Miami, I was immediately impressed with a pair of simple but illustrative features. The 321 features dual watertight cockpit gunwale doors to starboard and port. Driven by a mechanical cylinder, those doors lower to create small but functional beach or dive platforms—and they’re also equipped with solid mounts for a snap-in ladder. Here, Grady wisely acknowledges an inconvenient truth: motorized devices can fail. Should that happen, a simple cotter pin can be removed to raise the door and get you home. Similar release pins are located on the lift support for the rear seat hatch that opens to the bilge, and even for the motor-driven backrests at the bow lounges.
Twin power poles on either side of the engines stay clear of the fold-down sandbar ladders off the stern swimming extensions. Nor do they obstruct twin stern coolers (that double as anchor lockers should you go pole-free). They can be easily reached for a coldie while you’re wading at the sandbar.
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Climbing that stern ladder, you’ll find that the 10-foot, 6-inch beam allows for four-across cockpit seats—with magnetically secured cushions. The two center seats have a backrest that’s removable for fishing and sit above a big storage bin. The outer seats cover a pair of insulated, lighted, raw-water livewells with outboard drains. The backrests of these seats hold my favorite parlor trick: swinging them 90 degrees outward not only opens access to the cockpit, it turns them into perfectly positioned thigh-high bolsters for fishing. Swing them 90 degrees inward and they become perfectly positioned lounge backrests.
Across from those seats is a mezzanine seating area with a pair of super-comfy seats whose bolsters let them double as angling leaning posts. Fold down the backrest and you’ve got a big countertop for fixing lunch, filleting fish or prepping bait—and it’s served by a convenient rinse-down hose. Beneath the mezz seat is a fold-down footrest and a hatch to access the optional Seakeeper 2.
Amidships sits a trio of seats that face a beautifully outfitted helm (with a nifty little hatch below for wallets and keys). Though it’s served by dual 19-inch Garmins, I was just as impressed with illuminated manual pushbutton switches for vital systems. Each of the switches also has its own circuit breaker button. If it pops, reset it. If it pops again, you know you have an issue to address. You’ll also find a Scanstrut charging set-up and Yamaha joystick. The boat I checked out also features Yamaha’s remote joystick control. This game-changing tool lets you lean over the stern for backing down on a sandbar, looking over the bow for coral heads while anchoring, or getting you right alongside the dock.
There’s plenty more to unpack here. The boat is laden with rod holders and recessed rails, and grab points are everywhere. The outrigger-ready hardtop can be connected to a forward pole-supported sunshade and motorized rear shade to shadow the entire boat. Forward are four comfortable lounges. There’s a 134-quart cooler under the console lounge with twin 108-quart insulated fish boxes to starboard and port. A retractable table up front lets you step up to cast, expand the lounging area or have lunch. For the serious angler, the 321 comes pre-wired with a 36-volt lithium power setup for extended running of a forward trolling motor.
And finally, there’s what my Soundings magazine colleague Jeanne Craig called, “The Four Seasons of heads.” Not only does the 321’s console head offer ample stand-up headroom, but a bench, rod holders, a high-end marine toilet and even a make-up mirror. So after a full day of coastal exploring, you can shower, change, and toast the golden hour while tied off at your favorite waterfront watering hole. Now that’s functionality.
Specifications:
LOA: 31’7”
Beam: 10’6”
Draft: 1’10”
Displ. (without engines): 8760 lb.
Fuel: 220 gal.
Water: 23 gal.
Power: 2/350-hp Yamaha V6
This article originally appeared in the October 2026 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
