Original Hull Specs?

[Play'N Hooky Too]

New to the forum but hoping to become a regular here soon.

I'm currently looking at a Hatteras 46C Series I that's for sale here locally and was wanting to find out if it is possible to get the original specs for the boat based on the hull number. It appears to be in really good shape but it looks like there have been a few modifications over the years. I wanted to get an idea of what has been changed and some details on the construction.

Thanks

[saltshaker]

New to the forum but hoping to become a regular here soon.

I'm currently looking at a Hatteras 46C Series I that's for sale here locally and was wanting to find out if it is possible to get the original specs for the boat based on the hull number. It appears to be in really good shape but it looks like there have been a few modifications over the years. I wanted to get an idea of what has been changed and some details on the construction.

Thanks

Hatteras won't give out too much info unless you are the owner. Post some details and you'll get a fair amount of info. If you have a link to the boat or can post some pictures, we can probably answer most of your questions.

[Play'N Hooky Too]

Thanks for the response Jack.

The boat is a 1975 46C.

The primary question I had was related to the hull construction. In the center of the cockpit there is a spot about 2 ft square that is soft/ flexes. I can't tell if this is because the core(?) is rotted in this area or if there is just not enough structural support. Looking underneath I can see where it appears that someone had glassed-on some pieces of aluminum angle to the underside of the deck in this area. Maybe the deck was cut out and repaired in this area and they just didn't get it back to the original thickness? Assuming the deck is cored, I can see where it could be a water intrusion issue because this area is directly forward of where the fighting chair stanchion use to be mounted. The mounting holes are still visible and appear to have been patched with 5200.

Is it reasonable to assume that the cockpit deck is wood cored? What other areas would be cored?

Thanks

[saltshaker]

The deck is cored. Is there a hatch in the area you're talking about? There should be one just aft of the salon door. There should be a livewell there. That well was glassed into the hull and went to the deck. If it has been removed the deck would need additional support in the center. The deck is cored with balsa.

[Avenger]

Any possibility there was a fighting chair there at one time?

[Play'N Hooky Too]

There are two hatches, one just aft of the salon door and one aft(?) (or maybe astern) of where the fighting chair was located. The one astern has been sealed with 5200. There is no live well in the cockpit that I have seen unless it is under the sealed hatch.

It looks like there was a fighting chair at one time. The mounting holes are still visible but have been filled with 5200 sealant.

[saltshaker]

The second hatch that is sealed would give you access to the sight gauges for the fuel tanks and to the rudder hardware. How do you access it now?

[Play'N Hooky Too]

Not really sure.

It's a boat that I had been considering for about a month or so. I live about an hour away from where it is currently located and I've only had one good opportunity to give it a once-over to look for obvious problems.

I've got a contract on this one now and am in the process of getting a survey lined up. I should have an opportunity to give it a better look this weekend. I'm just trying to get an idea of some areas that I should focus on.

A few soft spots on a boat this age doesn't scare me too much as long as they are small and in areas that I can easily get at. I've looked at several other brands of boats of similar age that were like walking around on a sponge.

[Avenger]

5200 is a great sealant, but it doesn't work so good filling holes. That probably explains where the water got in to make the deck spongy.

I can't see it from here, but what you describe shouldn't be a deal breaker by itself.

[saltshaker]

is the deck spongy or is it flexing due to lack of support? check the forward deck around the pulpit area. Electrical systems are the weak spot in these older boats but if maintained and not butchered they can be fine. See if the dual 50A/125V inlets have been updated to a single 50/250. You should have 2 200gl fuel tanks in the cockpit, one 250gl tank in the ER and forward and a 180gl water tank aft of that. A hatch in the ER just aft of the door will show these. There's also another tank forward that can be either water fuel or holding. The hatch in the companion way near the master stateroom or galley will show you the top of that tank.