Hatteras for big family

Hello everyone!

We’re family of 6: 42, 38, 12, 9, 3,5 and baby boy looking for a suitable boat for us to try living aboard.
Because our older kids go to school and we’re not ready for homeschooling yet our plans are going to make weekend passages , but the main aim is to travel the Bahamas and Caribbean for 2-3 mounts in summer vacations. Actually we don’t like just stay at Marina. We prefer to move from place to place exploring new!

Our budget is araund 200-220k and we consider Hatterras 58 , 54, 53 1983-1986Y
The best for options for us to have 3 staterooms, open or semi open aft desk , and possibly offshore passages.

We have some questions for happy Hatteras owners:

Which of this boat more suitable for us?
What do we need to pay attention for choosing the boat?
How match is maintainins cost in Year?
Is it possible for this boats to cruise blue water for 10 hours a day in houl speed around 9knots?What about fuel consumption?
Is it possible to make comfortable long offshore passage from Fort Lauderdale to Caribbean?

We also considering Hatteras LRC. But in our budget we can afford only the boat 10 years older and most likely not bigger then 48”LRC. We understand that probably it would be better for us but we’re not sure if 40 years old downsized boat it worth the money we could spend for newer more comfortable boat.

Thank you in advance for your opinions!

It sounds like a 5 Stateroom 70 Hatteras Motor Yacht would work best for you!

You’ve got a big family and these boats don’t have a lot of storage (even for clothes). What ever you get is going to be 5’ to small after just a short time. I do however agree if you can find one a 70’er it would be a good size for your family. I have a 53’er and have two teenagers living with us and it would be way to small to live aboard. Happy hunting.

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Originally Posted by SEVEN

You’ve got a big family and these boats don’t have a lot of storage (even for clothes). What ever you get is going to be 5’ to small after just a short time. I do however agree if you can find one a 70’er it would be a good size for your family. I have a 53’er and have two teenagers living with us and it would be way to small to live aboard. Happy hunting.

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Thank you! That’s just the idea of living aboard so far. May be we live aboard for half a year and then rent an apartment and keep using the boat only for traveling. Not decided yet. Only we’d like to try it. So we’re looking the boat not bigger then 60.

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Originally Posted by Smart555

Thank you! That’s just the idea of living aboard so far. May be we live aboard for half a year and then rent an apartment and keep using the boat only for traveling. Not decided yet. Only we’d like to try it. So we’re looking the boat not bigger then 60.

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Then go with the 58MY for the most room. Great yacht.

Angela's 58 may be available......Great boat and she always kept it in perfect condition....

Walt

I was on Bill Roots 54 and was impressed. It's wider than the older 58's and has as much room as a 58. More modern and I'd bet a bit less maintenance to catch up on with the newer boats.


I believe Bills is an early version too. Some evolution has occurred since his was built.

Also for room you can't beat the Vikings. Right Jim.

I have a 54 ED and Scott is right about interior volume. The 17'6" makes a real difference. The regullar 54 might be a better layout as although we have 4 cabins, 3 of them have queen berths and the 4th has upper/lower twins. The regular 54 are galley down (our is up) 3 cabins but 2 of them have 2 twins. There is a 1985 54 in my marina and it is a very nice yacht.

BTW have you looked at the model brochures section on the site and viewed different layouts? That was how we decided n the model we bought. It has been perfect for us (2 full time) with 3 adult offspring (just thought adult kids is an oxymoron...) that can all visit at the same time.

What's comfortable for any given person, let alone family , is a very personal decision. Have you folks ever stayed in an extremely small space together for extended periods of time? None of us strangers here really have any idea what would work for you.
Have you all been on any boats together and really visualized the dynamics of everyday life?

I could say, based on having six adults on board for a few days on my 56MY, 18'2" beam, (personally I wouldn't go much narrower) that it was comfortable, but everyone was on vacation and all were experienced sailors.

For us, as a couple living and cruising on board full time, the 56 was wonderful, perfect for us. But we know other couples who did the same thing comfortably for them on 36ft Krogen Manatees or 34 ft Mainships or American Tugs. Or even smaller interior volume sailboats for that matter.

With small children you really need to give consideration to safety. We live in Florida and kids drowning in pools and falling off docks and bulkheads is a daily occurrence. You can say they will wear life jackets 24/7 but fat chance. The saying "familiarity breeds contempt " holds true especially for us who live and work around water. I've lost more than my share of friends to the watery grave. Happens all the time even to experienced people. There was just a highly experienced captain died upon NC when he fell in the water and was found days later.
With small kids you will need to be on a 24/7 vigil
Boating can be dangerous for even experienced people but a lot of the blowhards on here will say no. Their cavalier attitude towards safety only shows their limited length and depth of experience.
It ain't a Disney ride!

Please take rsmith's cautions to heart. We raised our four kids on the water and typically had them out on small boats when they were just a few months old. But you have to watch them carefully and train them in being safe on the boat and water. It can be a wonderful experience for both parents and kids, but you will need to take some extra precautions and get some training for the kids and perhaps your self. A life jacket is a minimum but doesn't help when a fall is stoppped by something hard like a wharf, deck or swim platform.

Storage can be a problem when you come from a spacious dirt home. You will need to become 'minimalists' with limited wardrobes. Out of season stuff and tools can be stored ashore in a locker. Consider also that the school age kids will need some quiet areas for studies and homework. Hopefully you are all very compatible. Good luck with your dream.

Bobk
Chateau de Mer
Series I 48' motor yacht

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Originally Posted by PeterK

I have a 54 ED and Scott is right about interior volume. The 17'6" makes a real difference. The regullar 54 might be a better layout as although we have 4 cabins, 3 of them have queen berths and the 4th has upper/lower twins. The regular 54 are galley down (our is up) 3 cabins but 2 of them have 2 twins. There is a 1985 54 in my marina and it is a very nice yacht.BTW have you looked at the model brochures section on the site and viewed different layouts? That was how we decided n the model we bought. It has been perfect for us (2 full time) with 3 adult offspring (just thought adult kids is an oxymoron...) that can all visit at the same time.

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Thank you!
We already looked at the brochure and found that 54 layouts suits us well.
But the big question is how comfortable is it for relatively long offshore cruising to Bahamas and Caribbean in “Trawler mode”?

Stabilized is a must. Even better than the 1510 boats for ride and probably a bit faster on plane.

We agree that the safety is very important. This boat is going to be our third. Before we had experience of cruising with 3 kids for couple years. Last boat was 32" Regal Express with full safety equipment including EPIRB, life jackets, flares and so on, and so force! We cruised on this boat from Fort Lauderdale to Key West and Dry Tortuga and Bimini Bahamas.
We also teach children safety on the water.

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Originally Posted by Boatsb

Stabilized is a must. Even better than the 1510 boats for ride and probably a bit faster on plane.

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Thank you !

How much do you think Yearly maintenance may cost for 1983-1986 Hatteras 54-58 "?
Of course we understand its very approximately and depends on condition of the boat .

That’s a question you can get 100’s of different answers for. Depending on how handy you are. Are you going to do all the work on the boat or hire it out? I do a lot of my own work and my boat was in very good shape when I bought her. I’ve spend 40k in the last three years. Salt water or fresh? Makes a big difference. Do you need paint? New equipment needed?

Maintenance costs are gonna depend a lot on how much you are able to do yourself vs hiring a professional. I have a 55 convertible and the labor would put me out of the market if I had to pay someone to do all of my repairs & maintenance. I have quite a bit of training and experience with various systems so I have been able to eliminate the labor from the equation on many items. But remember time is money so if working on the boat is keeping you from making money at your other job you may be better off to pay someone. Also your dependance on the newest and most advanced electronics, tv's, phones, etc can make your maintenance costs be minimal or over the top. I can pretty much navigate anywhere with my iPad, a couple apps, a VHF radio, working radar and some form of a depth finder. Others won't leave the dock with out FLIR, satellite TV, Sirius radio, hard wired maps overlaid with the latest weather, AIS info, autopilot and a satellite phone system. All these items plug into maintenance costs so its kind of hard to say without knowing your expectations.

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Originally Posted by SEVEN

That’s a question you can get 100’s of different answers for. Depending on how handy you are. Are you going to do all the work on the boat or hire it out? I do a lot of my own work and my boat was in very good shape when I bought her. I’ve spend 40k in the last three years. Salt water or fresh? Makes a big difference. Do you need paint? New equipment needed?

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Thank you!Salt water.I don’t have much experience in maintenance so far and likely we have to hire a professional marine mechanic. I understand every situation is individual. That’s why I want to hear different opinions. What basically for you had to spend 40k?

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Originally Posted by Smart555

Thank you!
We already looked at the brochure and found that 54 layouts suits us well.
But the big question is how comfortable is it for relatively long offshore cruising to Bahamas and Caribbean in “Trawler mode”?

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We don't cruise as much as we would like to but first couple of years went up and down east coast from Norfolk to Stuart where we are primarily based a couple times. Stayed in the Bahamas for six months in 2015.

We are stabilized, all new electronics in 2014; fairly large inverter and separate battery bank in late 2014 and water maker in 2013. A few other creature comforts helped as when we travel we try to anchor out as much as possible and have never been uncomfortable.

Regarding safety, EPIRB in 2013, new life raft same year, redundant radios including hand held, ACR ditch bag, dry bag with lots of extra batteries and other goodies including some food and drinks.

As many here will tell you, find the best conditioned boat of the model you want but be prepared for ongoing replacements of anything and everything, often at the least convenient times :rolleyes: I'm not as handy or experienced as many here so minor electric, plumbing and odd jobs (polishing, paint touch up, carpentry) I try to do. Engines, AC, major electric (I don't touch any of the shore power related things) is left for the pros

I replied early in the thread but had mrginal signal in the exumas and it never made it...

You need to set reasonable goals. Going to the bahamas during the sumer is fine bt the caribbean is another story... will never happen in one summer break especially with the risks and delays of hurricane season.

As to the boat, definitely look at the later wider beam models which will offer more storage and living space. I would not pick a boat without side decks with a large group because it funnels everyone thru the saloon... havign kids going thru 20 times an hour will get old fast. And you want a large aft dck... forget balconies as on some EDs

One of the biggest expense maintenance wise assuming the engines and genset ar in good shape is air con. This has been my experience on my 53 and on newer boats i ve run. You cant put a number of maintnwnce as it really depends on the condition of the boat, and luck. I d say anywhere from $10k to $30k a year also depending on how much you can do yourself

Dont overlook the cost of settting uo the boat to your need. If you plan on soending time on the hook while cruising you will need an inverter and a large inverter bank. Otherwise plan on a gallon an hour for th genset and in the bahamas is $4 a gallon... i was just there. Thats basically $800a week in fuel just for the generator. For long trips down there you need two generators for reliability

You also need a water maker, it is a must have in the bahamas if anchored especially with a large family on board.

So make sure you include all that in your initial budget.

Maintenance costs are as hard for a stranger to estimate as to what would be actually comfortable for your family.
It starts with what your standards are for seaworthiness, creature comforts, and cosmetics. Then, what shape is the boat in when you buy it vis a vis those standards.
Then, what does it cost where you live to have repairs and maintenance done to those standards? As for DIY, the first issue is what value you put on your time, a lot of folks apparently value their time at 0. Then of course your capability to do the work in the way that meets your standards.
Lastly, you have to have a reserve fund in place for when Something Really Expensive breaks, like an engine or transmission.

Personally, I think if someone has to ask strangers the answer to these questions, to paraphrase JP Morgan, they can't afford it.

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Originally Posted by Pascal

I replied early in the thread but had mrginal signal in the exumas and it never made it...You need to set reasonable goals. Going to the bahamas during the sumer is fine bt the caribbean is another story... will never happen in one summer break especially with the risks and delays of hurricane season.One of the biggest expense maintenance wise assuming the engines and genset ar in good shape is air con. This has been my experience on my 53 and on newer boats i ve run. You cant put a number of maintnwnce as it really depends on the condition of the boat, and luck. I d say anywhere from $10k to $30k a year also depending on how much you can do yourself Dont overlook the cost of settting uo the boat to your need. If you plan on soending time on the hook while cruising you will need an inverter and a large inverter bank. Otherwise plan on a gallon an hour for th genset and in the bahamas is $4 a gallon... i was just there. Thats basically $800a week in fuel just for the generator. For long trips down there you need two generators for reliability You also need a water maker, it is a must have in the bahamas if anchored especially with a large family on board. So make sure you include all that in your initial budget.

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Thank you for information!
We’re planing to cruise the Bahamas this summer and the Caribbean the next one.
As for maintenance we thought it would be around 20k a year.
Your info that the cost only for staying at generator is 800$ is honestly upsets... I seriously start to consider the sail boat for long offshore cruising.
Though my wife prefer comfortable power boat:)

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Originally Posted by Smart555

Thank you for information!
We’re planing to cruise the Bahamas this summer and the Caribbean the next one.
As for maintenance we thought it would be around 20k a year.
Your info that the cost only for staying at generator is 800$ is honestly upsets... I seriously start to consider the sail boat for long offshore cruising.
Though my wife prefer comfortable power boat:)

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Why is a sailboat that accommodates 6 people living aboard going to cost any less to run the generator? What percent of the time do you think you would actually be able to sail it vs motor?

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Originally Posted by GJH

Why is a sailboat that accommodates 6 people living aboard going to cost any less to run the generator? What percent of the time do you think you would actually be able to sail it vs motor?

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As I understand usage sail and engine is araund 50/50 Then I’m going to install solar panels, wind generator and run generator only at night for AC when it’s too hot.

My point was that you need to plan and upgrade the boat based on YOUR needs. If you re going to spend most time on the hook you need an inverter.

Properly set up, you can cut down generator use to 4 hours a day to recharge,cook and make water. In summer you may need to run the genset at night but there is enough ventilation to keep the main deck cool during the day

But again th Caribbean in summer isn't really feasible. Starting late June you get into the rainy season with tropical waves moving thru which even if they don't develop into depressions or storms just give you a few days of crappy weather. It s also a long way down beating into open Atlantic... enjoy the Bahamas instead :)

I always owned sailboats and when we lived aboard for five years, 3 of those years were on a sailing catamaran. Lots of space and we motored at hull speed which was 7.5 knots. We consumed on average 3.5 GPH including the generator. Since we were constantly traveling, we were motoring way more than 50% of the time. We picked our weather windows carefully and really tried to use the sails as often as we could. We ended up motoring and motor sailing probably 90% of the time.

I decided that a power boat this time around made more sense for my wife and I based on how we plan to use this boat...coastal cruising in good weather, ICW, Bahamas and the Chesapeake Bay.

Jon

sailboats , unless catamarans, need to be larger than a MY for the same SF. The cost per mile of sail vs power is not that different, according to my 200,000 mile friend on his 5th ocean sailing yacht vs our cost on our Hatteras.
His rule is budget 10% of your basis in the boat, once it is in the condition you like for maintenance and insurance.

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Originally Posted by jrbrein

I always owned sailboats and when we lived aboard for five years, 3 of those years were on a sailing catamaran. Lots of space and we motored at hull speed which was 7.5 knots. We consumed on average 3.5 GPH including the generator. Since we were constantly traveling, we were motoring way more than 50% of the time. We picked our weather windows carefully and really tried to use the sails as often as we could. We ended up motoring and motor sailing probably 90% of the time.I decided that a power boat this time around made more sense for my wife and I based on how we plan to use this boat...coastal cruising in good weather, ICW, Bahamas and the Chesapeake Bay. Jon

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Hello Jon!Thank you for your reply!What size catamaran did you have? We thought that buying catamaran would be the better option for our family. But it’s too difficult to find the good one with 200k-250k budget.Did you live aboard with kids?What pros and cons of this experience you can tell? If you go to the Bahamas what you prefer better with family power or sail boat?

I went thru this same dilemma for a couple of years trying to decide whether we were going to refit the hatt and set it up our way or sell it as is for next to nothing and buy a cat

We were really tempted by a 45/48 cat either leopard or Fontaine Pajot. On the plus side you get a lot of space, shallow draft and economical running costs

On the downside, the systems, comfort and storage are nowhere near what we ll have on the 53 once finished. Small genset, small fuel tank, marginal AC, limited water tankage and batteries. Worst, cats have very limited space to upgrade the systems

In the end we decided to repower and redo the hatt. We ll get our sailing fix while in the Bahamas by carrying our 12' classic catboat as a tender.

Best of both world :)

I second Pascals comments, we sailed halfway around the world on a 43 foot monohull, thought about a cat but in San Diego it is almost impossible to get a slip for a 45 to 48 foot cat so we got the Hatt and I do not regret it a bit. John

The catamaran we owned was a Manta 42 with a 21' beam (3 state rooms and 2 heads with showers) that we (my wife and I and 2 toddler daughters) lived aboard. We cruised the entire east coast from Maine to the dry Tortugas and the Bahamas and I almost never had problems finding space in Marinas! Let me be clear, I prefer sailing a monohaul over a cat. Our catamaran was loaded down for cruising so it performed just like a motorsailer!
- Small engines (Volvo 30 hp X 2) easier maintenance and initial costs. Plenty of power to drive this boat at hull speed.
- It had more storage than my Hatteras 43 DCFB currently does.
- Most systems were 12volt DC...including our water maker and refrigeration. We carried 600 amps using AGM batteries.
- We had the overhead space to install and use regularly (10) 75 watt solar panels which easily powered our refrigeration, water maker as well as lighting, radios and other electronics daily.
- Each engine belted to high output alternators with smart regulation.
-5 kilowatt Nextgen generator which ran our 2 system heat pumps (10000 and 16000 BTU) that more than kept up with demand of heating and cooling the boat while running the battery charger.
-propane stove and I also heat exchanged hot water off of one of our engines.
- We carried a 100 gallon fuel tank (remember, we sipped diesel) and a 100 gallon water tank. We even had 2 fresh water toilets.
- We even had a combo washer and dryer.

My wife would do home school with the kids while I ran the boat with or without sails, we always had a stable platform!!!

Perfect boat? Of course not but...It was the perfect boat for us at the time. It just depends on what your needs are.

Jon

We had a 43' '85 Hatt M/Y and cruised the Bahamas, the ICW etc. and lived aboard 6-8 months at a time. It was just the two of us. I can say without hesitation that if you include dock fees in the maintenance costs, 17K/yr is conservative. In a larger boat you can expect to pay substantially more.
This figure included insurance (with Bahamas) , a hull value under 100K, a haul out and bottom paint (no blister work) every other year, oil filter changes, a diver to scrub the bottom monthly, and some misc. expenses. It did not include new enclosures, engine work, genny work, prop tuning, and electronics.
BTW I did all of the maintenance myself.

Short term dockage rates while you are on the move will be expensive. I would not plan on getting to the caribbean and back in a summer. I don't know what the range of the boats you are looking at is, but it had better be above 500 kmi if you really intend to do the caribbean. Most boats are not adequately equipped IMHO to cruise the Bahamas let alone the caribbean. So figure in additional costs for inverters, solar (kids will consume power), reverse os. water maker, a freezer, and etc.. For a family that large you will certainly want a substantial water maker and you will need a place to put it. I'm thinking no less than 600 gpd and maybe more like 1000 gpd. Where gpd is probably gallons per 24 hours. While that seems high, you have to realize these things make NOISE and you don't want them running all day.

Hi 555! Running a generator burns a gallon an hour. Dockage at a nice marina in South Florida will be at least around $12,000 a year plus electric. Double in the Keys. Triple in the Bahamas. Summer dock for 3 months this past summer in Marsh Harbor cost $7,000 plus $50 electric per day. Maintenance on a 50 footer will probably average out around $2500 a month if you have it done right. Also...Don't buy a fixer upper ANYTHING! You'll be sorry!

Oh here's an idea. Have you considered a week long Bahamas charter of like a 55ft Catamaran? It would certainly give your family a full week of experience living with one another in close quarters.

Another suggestion...keep a land dwelling...but buy a 40 foot aft cabin boat for Weekends and family trips. When weekends on board start extending to Friday thru Monday...you'll be ready for the live aboard step up. Good Luck!

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Originally Posted by pizzazsdaddy

Hi 555! Running a generator burns a gallon an hour. Dockage at a nice marina in South Florida will be at least around $12,000 a year plus electric. Double in the Keys. Triple in the Bahamas. Summer dock for 3 months this past summer in Marsh Harbor cost $7,000 plus $50 electric per day. Maintenance on a 50 footer will probably average out around $2500 a month if you have it done right. Also...Don't buy a fixer upper ANYTHING! You'll be sorry!Oh here's an idea. Have you considered a week long Bahamas charter of like a 55ft Catamaran? It would certainly give your family a full week of experience living with one another in close quarters.Another suggestion...keep a land dwelling...but buy a 40 foot aft cabin boat for Weekends and family trips. When weekends on board start extending to Friday thru Monday...you'll be ready for the live aboard step up. Good Luck!

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Hello!Actually we’ve been in this situation before when we had our brand new weekend cruiser Regal 32” and stayed aboard for 2 week sometimes. And at the same time we chartered couple times catamaran Leopard. The idea now is to change our lifestyle and to try live and travel, get new emotions and see new places, more freedom.