refurbed 53' sportfish

[MDUNLAVY]

I thought some of you may like to see a 53' sportfish we redid. We repowered it with CAT 3406E 800hp engines, glassed in the front, replaced the side windows, and did a complete paint job with hull side vents - Due to Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina that affected this area the paint and windows part ended up being a joint project between us and Marathon Boatyard in the keys. Here is a before and after pic (Same boat I promise!). We have finished the boat since the newer pic with hardtop and outriggers, i'll have dig around and see if I can find one of the completed boat.

[SKYCHENEY]

Looks nice, but I still like the OEM look in the first pic best. I'm sorry, but the second boat just doesn't look like a Hatteras to me.

[BUSTER]

I like the Palm Beach look that you've achieved. I did the same to my own boat also redid the interior in afromosia,but all the fabrics,carpet and upholstery in white,as I can't stand a stodgy busy looking boat. JMO.

By the way if you are still in Marathon Boatyard stop by and say hello to my brother Greg on the 42C "CRUSHER". Tony

[Avenger]

MDUNLAVY, don't mind Sky. He's such a traditionalist that if he could get himself painted Hatteras Off White (The early color, not the post 1990 one) he probably would. I have no problem with the classic look, especially in motoryachts, but convertibles can look good either way. First of all, there's no hiding that Hatteras bow, and sometimes cleaning up the clutter shows off the lines much better. And Tom Slane's vents look positively HOT! :cool:

I'll give it my endorsement. Would love to see a pic with the rest of the rigging on it. Did you put a bowrail on it?

[SKYCHENEY]

MDUNLAVY, don't mind Sky. He's such a traditionalist that if he could get himself painted Hatteras Off White (The early color, not the post 1990 one) he probably would.

LOL, I would only do that if I could also get the Hatteras Blue stripes.

I'm not saying that it doesn't look nice, it just looks alot like everything else out there today. And don't don't get me started on the lack of bow rails ;)

[Top Shelf]

Nice, what engines did you replace? Speed/GPH before and after, I notice the tower is gone, how much weight did you shed? Thx.

[BUSTER]

I like the no-bowrail look,but I don't have the heart to to send anyone forward without one. My worst nightmare would be to either lose someone or have someone injured because there wasn't a bowrail or grabhandle. A lot of my friends have done it,the look is fabulous,but I i won't be doing it on BUSTER. Tony.

[surfdancer45]

Great looking Hatt, so much nicer than the Euro look boats Hatteras is putting out now. Nice color scheme and very clean looking from stem to stern. Pretty work. Bob

[drburke]

Nice looking boat! I look forward to seeing the updated pics as well.

What is the name of those colors, may I ask? (Sorry Sky...)

DAN

[jlightonjr]

Nice Job! I hear nothing but GREAT things about the CAT 3406E's

[BUSTER]

They are a good engine,but not as reliable as the 12V-71's were. I hate to say that,but it is true.I've owned dozens of 3406's from A's "bad" right on up to the E's "pretty good" we own now. I have never had one that made it out of warranty without a major failure or made it untouched to 1 million miles "25,000 hrs".From failed camshafts to engine blocks cracked right in half,with only the crank and head holding it together,I've seen it all. We mix them into our fleet only because they are 1/2 an mpg better than the N-14 Cummins and over the course of 100,000 miles a year the savings are significant.However,the downtime is another issue!

[MDUNLAVY]

Here are some more pics of the finished boat - we did leave the bow rail off.

[SKYCHENEY]

They are a good engine,but not as reliable as the 12V-71's were. I hate to say that,but it is true.I've owned dozens of 3406's from A's "bad" right on up to the E's "pretty good" we own now. I have never had one that made it out of warranty without a major failure or made it untouched to 1 million miles "25,000 hrs".From failed camshafts to engine blocks cracked right in half,with only the crank and head holding it together,I've seen it all. We mix them into our fleet only because they are 1/2 an mpg better than the N-14 Cummins and over the course of 100,000 miles a year the savings are significant.However,the downtime is another issue!

Wow, so we're not the only ones with these problems in trucks. I got rid of the last 3406 in a Freightliner a few years ago. At that time we went back to Cummins. I really like the N-14's. Too bad they don't meet all of the new emmissions stuff. What are running now?

[BUSTER]

Wow, so we're not the only ones with these problems in trucks. I got rid of the last 3406 in a Freightliner a few years ago. At that time we went back to Cummins. I really like the N-14's. Too bad they don't meet all of the new emmissions stuff. What are running now?

We mostly are still running our 525hp.N-14's with a couple of600hp. ISX's and the 500hp CATS. The N-14 is the most impressive and durable high torque diesel I've ever owned.The cam bushings are as big as the mains on some other engines! The truck market is the proving ground for the amount of abuse an engine can take and the N-14 will take it all.Too bad Cummins is so conservative when it comes to marine HP ratings,because they have dyno-run the N-14 and the ISX to over 1,000hp for over 10,000hrs without failure.

Have you seen Detroit's new DD-15 yet? It sounds like they are finally getting up to speed in both design,durability and torque.They are calling it a 1.2 million mile engine. Tony

[Pete]

Help a non truck literate diesel engine person. How do the 1.0 and 1.2 million mile ratings compare to what was achieved with DD two cycle engines. Also, what was/is the down time experience of the old DD equivalent. Thanks.

Pete

[yachtsmanbill]

We mostly are still running our 525hp.N-14's with a couple of600hp. ISX's and the 500hp CATS. The N-14 is the most impressive and durable high torque diesel I've ever owned.The cam bushings are as big as the mains on some other engines! The truck market is the proving ground for the amount of abuse an engine can take and the N-14 will take it all.Too bad Cummins is so conservative when it comes to marine HP ratings,because they have dyno-run the N-14 and the ISX to over 1,000hp for over 10,000hrs without failure.

Have you seen Detroit's new DD-15 yet? It sounds like they are finally getting up to speed in both design,durability and torque.They are calling it a 1.2 million mile engine. Tony

Just read the DD website about the DD15... 50 free HP, 50K on an oil change, 60K on valve adjust. Supposed to combine the 60 series and Mercedes technology. Downside is the gear train aft for mtce. I dont see the big deal there... at 1.2 million miles, how much service does the G.T. see?? Sounds like a winner; no info on marinized stuff yet. Maybe Daytona Diesel will attempt one?? ws

[BUSTER]

I think if DD can get a marine emmision waiver and lose the EGR it would be quite a good marine engine. Especially considering that it develops full torque at 900,that's right 900 RPM's

[BUSTER]

Help a non truck literate diesel engine person. How do the 1.0 and 1.2 million mile ratings compare to what was achieved with DD two cycle engines. Also, what was/is the down time experience of the old DD equivalent. Thanks.

Pete

Detroit was a pretty good truck engine in it's day,but GM can take all the credit for that because they always kept their HP configs,in a range where the engine would last. I never had one go a million miles,but I had a few 238's "6-71's V's and inlines"and 318's "8-V's" that went 750,000miles.Other than being fuel thirsty and oil leakers,they ran as long as you were willing to pour oil in them.

When the JT's,Covington and the likes realized what they could squeeze out of the 2cycles,their lifespan was severely shortened... Tony

[spartonboat1]

External pics nice, then the ejieene room...very sanitary all!

[Beckytek]

If you didn't tell me, I would think we are looking at pictures of a brand new boat. Great job!

[REBrueckner]

Just great to see a wonderful boat get the deserved attention. BRAVO!!!

I still remember my first visit aboard a 53 Hatt Convertible in Ft Lauderdale. Around mid 1970's...I think it was a 53 footer and what a brawny monster..the 12-71's were just too big for me to embrace at the time...except for locomotive (Electromotive,maybe??) diesels used for emergency power at big AT&T locations, they were the biggest engines I'd ever seen!!

Awsome pictures, thanks for the post....

[jim rosenthal]

I think this boat looks GREAT and that you did a terrific job. Although I would want a bow rail if it were mine, maybe something of welded SS or aluminum, modern looking. It's a safety issue. But the boat looks fantastic either way. Do you have any interior shots?

[MDUNLAVY]

We didn't redo the interior, just cleaned it up a bit. I will dig some pics up.

With all the talk of the bow rail, we did do a custom hand rail to help get to the bow, though really only meant to be used with the boat at rest (anchor) and NOT underway -

[SKYCHENEY]

That edge "rail" is similar to what Hatteras did on many of the later designed MY's (late 70's to early 90's). I think the 58MY series 1 was probably the first to have that edge around all of the upper decks. It not only works as a grab rail, but also as a toe rail if you are working up there. I really like it on our 53ED over that of our 43DC which did not have it. I never thought about adding it to one of the older designs, but it looks like it worked out well.

[34Hatt]

SWEET!!!!!!

I think I had seen pictures of this boat before did it splash around last spring?
Any #s on cruise and burn?

[first big boat]

Great reno! She's sweet!

Any chance you can tell me who built the hardtop and a ballpark on what it cost? I'm thinking of putting a hardtop on my boat.

Thanks!