45 C versus 46 C

[C. Edmund]

I am a bit unclear as to how the production of the 45 and 46 convertibles over lapped -- or not -- in the 80's.

Could someone clear this up for me, and explain the differences between the two? I have seen one place where the 46 was called a drier ride -- and another with the opposite information.

HELP! Thanks.

[rsmith]

asuming your talking about the gen1 45 ,both were made in '74. production for the 45 was 68-74 46 was 74-83mabe 84 46 has the newer style large bridge and a was lot dryer 8/ti's were factory in 73/74 and because the performance increase was so dramatic many of the older 45's were repowered. the 45 is supposed to be 1900lbs lighter than the 46 so it should be faster but its not unless it has full length spray/lifting rails. The 46 was the primo offshore canyon fishing boat of its day. Both boats have fairly hi freeboard that makes billing a marlin or sail a dangeling over the side experience But the 46 has the full opening transom door that makes handleing fish a little easier. Ive tournement fished on both of these boats in the day and they are both great sea boats. when I fished out of CapeMay the NJ state record blue marlin 751lbs was caught on a 46 hatt called the Glass machine on 50lb test no less, that will tell you something about the manuverability of the boat.

[C. Edmund]

Thanks tons for info. The 45 in question here is a 1985, which came back in 84 after the 46 was discontinued in 83 or so (according to a review of the 1984 45C I found).

I believe this boat -- the 84 and later 45 C -- does have the lifting strakes I guess I would want to know how the 1985 45 compares with 46.

[rsmith]

Sorry I kind of thought that after I wrote the post. I did see the first production gen 2 45 in Cape May I think in 84 It was one of the "Hatterascals" Ray Meyers was on it and gave me the tour.They were campaining the boat in a # of east coast tournaments and were there for one of Dick Webbers tournaments. We were going thru a oil shortage at the time and Ray told me that the 45 was designed to be more fuel efficient than the 46 I believe it had 6/92/s in it which DDA at the time called "fuel squeezers" Ray was the end all be all guy at Hatteras my dad bought a new 34 in 1965 and we were invited to the plant in High Point Ray gave us the tour and we got to see the mold for the new 50c (which is what I have today vintage 1967) But he was a great guy and had personal knoledge of every hull. It was a real loss when he passed. Anyway thats all i know about the gen2 45 I'm sure its a great boat

[saltshaker]

They are both great boats. The 46C is a bit bigger with 2 heads and a much bigger ER. I have a 46C that I repowered with 6V92's and she seems to run a bit faster than what others say their 45C's run at. I like the ride of the 46 over that of the 45 but the 46 can be wetter, but it is not a wet boat. If I were buying right now, I would go with a 46C with 8V92's over the 45C. Try a few out before you decide. There are a lot of great deals out there and boats are tough to sell right now. Make sure you buy the one that best suits your needs and you wont grow out or tire of too soon.

[REBrueckner]

rs smith..great overview.

I still remember the first 50 foot Hatt SF I ever saw. My Mom, Dad and I took our first and only trip to Florida to look at boats. Late '60s or early '70's I guess. Stayed aboard a houseboat style "hotel" instead of a shore for three or four days....what fun...

I only remember two of the many boats we saw, most with a broker: 47 foot McKenzie Gray Sportfish, glass over wood which was AWSOME...likely a 17 foot beam or so, hardchine and where the bottom and sides meet at a
4" x 4" ..I think she had Cummins.

We walked some marinas in Ft Lauderdale and that's where I saw my favorite of that trip: a 50 ft Hatt with natural 12's....a captain was aboard as we walked by, I asked him how he liked the boat, he saw us all in boat shoes so invited us aboard to look....I never saw such large engines in my life!!...their sheer physical size intimidated me at the time as I think we had gas engines in our boat at the time...all I could think of was "what happens if one of those ever needs a rebuild"....since we did most of our own work, but never diesels.....we ended up buyig a 42 foot Matthews with 6V53's in NJ...those engines were more approachable for us...and I found nothing sang like a 53 series DD...those friggin things were a lot noiser than the 8V71TI's in my latter Hatteras....

The only other boat I ever saw whose exterior profile I liked more than that old 50 Hatt SF in Fla...was a 57 ft Matthews Sportfish of the very early '70's/ I came across the only one I ever saw in Lloyds Neck Sand Hole, LI Sound....did not get to go aboard and they were probably Florida bound for the winter and were gone very early the following morning...The few that were made had 8V71TI's but gas trubines were available...(if you can believe that!!) I was told no one ever ordered those.

[C. Edmund]

They are both great boats. The 46C is a bit bigger with 2 heads and a much bigger ER. I have a 46C that I repowered with 6V92's and she seems to run a bit faster than what others say their 45C's run at. I like the ride of the 46 over that of the 45 but the 46 can be wetter, but it is not a wet boat. If I were buying right now, I would go with a 46C with 8V92's over the 45C. Try a few out before you decide. There are a lot of great deals out there and boats are tough to sell right now. Make sure you buy the one that best suits your needs and you wont grow out or tire of too soon.

It is incredible buyers market for sure. For some reason, not finding any 46's in our area but a good number of mid 80's vintage 45C's. Our usage, as we anticipate it, would be:
A: in marina entertaining
B: 3-5 hour cruising, eating, beverages
C: some close shore fishing
D: several 2-4 nighters a year down the coast, 2-4 people.
E: one long trip, 2-4 weeks, down the coast a year or so. 4 people.
F: a couple gulf stream fishing trips a year, 40 miles from central NC harbor average.

The 45 seems to work for that. Probably the 46 as well. Comes down to finding an owner who is desperate but a boat that isn't.....

[saltshaker]

Either boat will be fine. Buy the best example you can afford.

[rsmith]

46's are running between 65-100k down here in sunny so fla dont know why anyone would pay 150k for a contender unless you want to park in your back yard. but i do that with my 50

[rsmith]

rs smith..great overview.

I still remember the first 50 foot Hatt SF I ever saw. My Mom, Dad and I took our first and only trip to Florida to look at boats. Late '60s or early '70's I guess. Stayed aboard a houseboat style "hotel" instead of a shore for three or four days....what fun...

I only remember two of the many boats we saw, most with a broker: 47 foot McKenzie Gray Sportfish, glass over wood which was AWSOME...likely a 17 foot beam or so, hardchine and where the bottom and sides meet at a
4" x 4" ..I think she had Cummins.

We walked some marinas in Ft Lauderdale and that's where I saw my favorite of that trip: a 50 ft Hatt with natural 12's....a captain was aboard as we walked by, I asked him how he liked the boat, he saw us all in boat shoes so invited us aboard to look....I never saw such large engines in my life!!...their sheer physical size intimidated me at the time as I think we had gas engines in our boat at the time...all I could think of was "what happens if one of those ever needs a rebuild"....since we did most of our own work, but never diesels.....we ended up buyig a 42 foot Matthews with 6V53's in NJ...those engines were more approachable for us...and I found nothing sang like a 53 series DD...those friggin things were a lot noiser than the 8V71TI's in my latter Hatteras....

The only other boat I ever saw whose exterior profile I liked more than that old 50 Hatt SF in Fla...was a 57 ft Matthews Sportfish of the very early '70's/ I came across the only one I ever saw in Lloyds Neck Sand Hole, LI Sound....did not get to go aboard and they were probably Florida bound for the winter and were gone very early the following morning...The few that were made had 8V71TI's but gas trubines were available...(if you can believe that!!) I was told no one ever ordered those.

Probably walked right buy each other. we were in lauderdale in 71 looking at strikers my dad and I had the hots for the 37 until we took a test ride in the gulfstream it rode like a empty beer can and slower than slow with the volvo diesels. We were staying at pier 66 and there was a 50c hatt in the corner slip called "Bear" yellow stripes owned by bear wheel alignment people. Same deal capt invited us on board we met one of the guests was jean Sheppeard of wor radio fame in Ny later was known for the movie "Christmas Story"
anyway we went home and I talked my father into repowering the 34 with the 3160 cats they were putting in the 36's at the time. turned the boat into a real screamer for the time.Kept that till 1976 when we bought the 50 from Hatteras of Lauderdale.Still miss the old 34.