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Husband and Wife Duo Find Valuable Family Time on Their Grady-White Boat

Bubba and Angie Watson both love connecting with nature, each other, and their children on their new Grady-White Canyon 326.

As a world-famous golfer, you can imagine Bubba Watson and his wife, Angie have to work hard to carve out uninterrupted time. With a little help from their Grady-White boat, they’ve been able to do just that, much to the delight of their two children – nine-year-old Caleb and six-year-old Dakota.

Bubba and Angie are not new to boating. Living in Orlando, Florida, for a number of years, the Watsons spent a lot of time boating on area lakes, enjoying wakeboarding and wake-surfing. The boats they owned then were in the 20 to 23-foot range and were best suited for inland water boating. After moving to the Pensacola area, they purchased a home that came with a tri-toon boat. While it was easy to drive, both Bubba and Angie felt a little anxious navigating the rough bay waters due to storms and busy boat activity. People continually told them they really needed a boat with a deep V hull. That’s how Bubba started his research – looking for a boat with a hull that would allow them to go out more often with Caleb, who loves to fish, and Dakota, who’s most happy anchored by a beach where she can swim and snorkel.

Not only was he looking for a boat with an ocean-going hull, Bubba also wanted the best handling, safest, most solid boat on the market. After test driving several different brands, he and Angie purchased a Grady-White dual console, Freedom 285, in the late summer of 2019. They said nothing compared to the ride of the Grady-White and its unique continuously variable vee SeaV^2® hull. In fact, they said the difference was night and day, and its performance and handling gave them confidence.

Initially hesitant to buy a boat much bigger in size than the boats they were used to using, both Bubba and Angie were surprised and pleased with how quickly they became comfortable handling the 285. Even though Angie was more seasoned on the water, Bubba quickly got accustomed to the boat, which was even more user friendly with the Helm Master® EX controls and joystick. Angie says, “It makes anyone look like a pro.” In fact, the Watsons got so comfortable with the 285, they purchased a Grady-White Canyon 326, an even larger center console, in the summer of 2020.

With Bubba’s travel schedule, Angie often takes the children out when he’s away. If she’s going to be boating along the Intracoastal Waterway, she will take them out herself. If she wants to go into the bay, she usually invites a friend. Offshore treks, she saves for times when Bubba can go too. Caleb wants to be out on the boat fishing 24/7, so they spend a lot of time on the water – even when the temperatures are in the 50s. During quarantine, they were able to spend lots of time on the new boat fishing and anchoring out along the beaches. Usually, a day on the boat incorporates both fishing and fun, so everyone gets to do what they love best. For Bubba and Angie, a day on the water means a day free of distractions, where they can enjoy nature and focus on enjoying time as a family—the perfect escape from the pressures of Bubba’s schedule. “It’s really the perfect break for him,” says Angie, and a great way to have fun all together. While golf may be a hobby for many, it’s boating on a Grady-White that’s the favorite hobby for world-class golfer Bubba Watson and his family.

Even a little chill in the air doesn’t bother the Watson family, who all love to spend quality time together on their Grady-White boat.