Re: Thoughts wanted on this 1987 41 Convertible
I’m on the hunt for something much newer, but...DAMN!!! That’s a beautiful boat. The collective wisdom on this forum is priceless, so listen carefully and take it all in. They taught me most of what I know. She is a real beauty. All that woodwork...nice!
Re: Thoughts wanted on this 1987 41 Convertible
Agreeing with others, comparing that boat to a silverton is def not an apples to apples comparison. But as per your concerns....
Both of those boats have a lot of systems that will all require maintenance, upkeep and replacement.
If you want to fish, or you plan on using the boat for fishing, the silverton is definitely out, if you want cheaper, somewhat less maintenance maybe look at Ocean.
The hatt is a tank, it's going to be a more stable ride, but the trade off is it will burn more fuel than a flatter bottom boat, like an ocean, post...etc. It will however probably burn about the same fuel as the silverton with gassers.
But the bottom line comparison is that they will both have:
toilet(s) that will fail
hot water heater
bilge pumps
generator
air conditioners
water pumps
lighting
throttle/shift cables
hydraulic steering system
rudders
shafts
shaft and rudder glands
So no matter what you pick, they will have all (or more) of the above systems to upkeep/maintain/replace. The ONLY real difference is the workmanship/quality of each boat and the engines.
I've maintained Gassers, I've maintained Diesels. Honestly, I prefer to work on the diesels. Bolts rarely break, everything is built beefier and to last longer. Parts are a wash really, maybe if you have a common gasser 350 vortec or something it will be much cheaper, but really parts maintenance seem similar to me.
My advice: Go look at a bunch of boats, heck, just walk around a marina and look and talk to people. Get your feet on the ground, look at all the similar boats around you for sale, crawl around them. I think you need a better feel of what type of boat you really need.
What are your plans for the boat? What do you imagine or dream your weekend on the boat looking like?
Re: Thoughts wanted on this 1987 41 Convertible
Nice boat; I agree with everything said above.
Get a copy of David Pascoe’s book (and website) to educate yourself about quality boats.
Forget the age because Hatteras is made to last.
Folks here are being unusually reticent—any Silverton is like buying a mobile home. Didn’t they get sued for a boat that had it’s to rip off? Floating, cheaply made, dock queens.
Consider a Hatteras precisely because you are new: quality, durability, safe, retains value.
DAN
Re: Thoughts wanted on this 1987 41 Convertible
That 41 looks pretty clean. As others have mentioned you need a good engine survey and I would not be afraid of those engines. Respectfully, I’d forget the Silverton and look for something that will last and retains value like the Hatteras.
If you decide to move forward I would select your Marine surveyor carefully. The 1987 41 Hatteras was cored below the waterline(the only time they used coring below the water line). They probably made a dozen or less and then they quit making them for that model year. Many of these 41s have had issues of one degree or another regarding the core.
I was looking at one a number of years back and the broker turned out to be a bit of a trickster. The vessel was not even currently listed but he took me to Marina to see the boat, I guess he was going to try to bargain with the owner if I was interested. The boat had been prepped for bottom paint by sandblasting and it exposed two really big patch areas on the keel. That’s how I learned about the coring.
Cored hulls are fine, just need a bit of extra care.
Re: Thoughts wanted on this 1987 41 Convertible
I would not own anything other than a Hatteras given my station in life. But that does not mean they are perfect. I have two serious criticisms of Hatteras, pre-AMF ownership boat electrical systems, and their use of coring, especially the treatment of raw edges. I'll add one minor item which was the precision of fiberglass cutouts for window frames and portlights.
My opinion and it is worth no more than you are paying for it, run don't walk from any bottom cored production boat. Just do not run in the direction of a gas fueled Silverton. Find another Hatteras.
Re: Thoughts wanted on this 1987 41 Convertible
A cored bottom would be a deal killer for me. Back then coring was what I would call experimental and Hatteras didn’t do it very long
Yes, boats all similar systems but overall the quality of the hardware and systems used by Hatteras or Bertram or others has been higher than what the average builder used
Take fuel tanks for instance... how long do the aluminum tanks last on the average Silverton or Taiwan trawler? 15 years, 20 at the most? Major job ...
Re: Thoughts wanted on this 1987 41 Convertible
Excellent points all, and especially about the fuel tanks, Pascal!
DAN
Re: Thoughts wanted on this 1987 41 Convertible
Had a Silverton convertible docked across from me a few years ago, and the boat was only a few years old. Got a call from the marina that they needed for me to come down so they could inspect my boat. When I asked why, they said there was a major fuel leak on my dock. I assure them my Hatt wasn't the culprit but agree to head that way.
When I got there, there are already booms in place to help contain the spill. We walked out to my boat, and as expected, it wasn't the problem. As we were walking down the dock, a bilge pump on that Silverton cycled, and it was pure gas coming out. I said "I think we just found your problem boat".
Lucky it didn't go boom, but Silverton would not stand behind the tank. It was a major job to R&R that one, and the guy sold it sometime after that... to a friend of mine who I warned about the previous issue. So far, so good, but Silverton would not be on my short list of boats to consider.