The search begins...

[Jim_n_Naples]

I have spent the last couple weeks poking around reading practically every post on here and have decided that I need to join and post a question that I bet I will get atleast 12 answers from 10 people. 53Yf or the 53 Flush deck? Boat will be used in South Florida and Bahamas...BVI and extended cruising a few years away.
A little background...I was a broker in Fort Lauderdale for over 10 years and have sold, drove or have been on nearly every style of modern boat going. The problem has been that for the last 6 months I have begun to think what boat I am going to require for my personal boat (since the perks of using customer boats is quickly fading away) and it seems to change weekly sometimes daily as to what I would purchase. Years ago I sold a 53 YF and really liked the layout but never thought it would be a boat I would "own" (actually the thought of "owning" a large boat was ludacris) I have had several small center consoles for running bar to bar and always went with customers on trips and long deliveries. Now with more time on my hands and a 5-7 year full retirement plan, I want to start the process of setting a boat up for serious cruising. I thought I had decided that a 40-50' cat or trawler was going to do it but I have scraped that idea for various reasons and have found myself on yacht world more than when I was a broker! Looking at 20 year old Hats has become an obsession and now I see I am not alone in this thinking. So thanks and welcome any input from owners.




Thanks
Jim

"Hello my name is Jim and I have a Yacht World problem"

[Freebird]

"Hello my name is Jim and I have a Yacht World problem"

Hi Jim, I'm Randy, welcome to HATT BOAT (Have Awful Trading Temptations....Bend Over And Takeit).

I feel your pain, I am an addict as well, but I'm doing better now. I'm down to 10 boats and I have blocked YachtWorld from my computer!!!

Hey, I think I may have a couple of boats for you to consider. I run around a lot and see lots of stuff. Al Scarborough, a member of this forum, has a sweet 53c in FTL. Pat Bustle, another friend, told me about a deal on a 45c he just ran across (he tries to take advantage of my addiction). I'll get details on it later today and let you know if you have an interest.

As for choosing between a motoryacht (assuming it is sans cockpit) and a convertible should be a no brainer. Unfortunately, I can't decide on which I want either, so I'll probably end up with one of each.

Damn, now I have to go to the back of the class again! Good thing Jack Hargrave ain't around any more. Otherwise, I may have to kill him!

[Wild Bill]

[B]GO CONVERTIBLE -- It's all about the fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ThirdHatt]

Jim, you have narrowed it down to two EXCELLENT choices there my friend! I am going to make a suggestion that would seem to solve your dilemma: find a 58YF! That boat is identical to the 53MY, but with a cockpit. This way, you don't have to give up the aft deck or any of the motoryacht accomodations to get the cockpit. You're already over 50', so you'll need a 60' slip wherever you go. The 58YF also holds an extra 250 gallons of fuel and an extra 75 gallons of water.

Granted, I may be a little partial seeing how I own a 58YF myself, but I really do believe that it is the perfect compromise because you get the best of both the convertible and motoryacht worlds together in one excellent boat. Either way, once you have walk-in engine rooms you will NEVER look back!

GOOD LUCK!

[thoward]

For a liveaboard it has to have a cockpit and walk in engine room!

[Bill Allen]

Boy can I feel for you, your post could have been written by me. I'm also in the same boat. I've looked at a bunch of trawlers than I go back to my hatt and think 'm nuts. I'm currently trying to talk myself into a 53 yf, although I had considered the 43 yf as well. When you look at the big picture it's hard to justify not going hatt. I really wanted to stay under 50' (now the justifaction starts) but admiral it's only 3 ft bigger then I wanted. I mean a decent trawlers more money than an old hatt and you know how much you like our hatt, come on it's only 3 more ft. I think she'll buy it. Bill

[Freebird]

For a liveaboard it has to have a cockpit and walk in engine room!

No it doesn't! Bending over ain't no big deal in the engine room. As boat owners, we're already used to that! My 58TC has sufficient hatches in the salon to allow standing room when it's needed. From what I've seen with boats with separate walk-in engine rooms, access to the sides of the engines is very limited. Hell, for that matter, I went onboard the 77c Hatt at FLIBS and had to significantly tilt my head in the "stand-up" engine room!

I've been down this road too, and I'm still going back and forth over whether or not to sell my 58TC and get another Hatt of the CMY variety. I've had it pointed out to me by more than one member that it may be better to keep the 58 and buy a CC for those times when I find myself in a fishing mood. That would be far less expensive than adding a cockpit to the 58 (which I gave up on after seeing the cost! ), or moving to a larger boat that would still give me the same living area in addition to a cockpit.

Somebody told me about a bolt-on extension/swim platform combo that may just be the answer I'm looking for. I just can't remember who it was who told me that! It would not be the perfect fishing platform, but it would beat having to hoist fish up to the aft deck area I have now. I guess it all boils down to how much you fish and how big those fish are!

[Jim_n_Naples]

wow quick response...thanks
A Sportfish would have been my answer a few years ago without a doubt..but with the time I have spent sweating and/or soaking wet from rain/spray I really want a pilothouse. (East coast no wake zones are murder)Also I have done enough tournaments that I dont think I need to enter another one for a long long time. Plus they are designed to be tied to a dock and I am wanting more hook/mooring time in the future. In "designed to be tied to a dock" I refer more to backed into a slip with spreads on, rum flowing having a great time spending a grand a week for a slip. The real problem is in the Yacht Fish layout where does the tender go and with the Flush deck how do you get to the tender? Also has anyone seen cats in a 53? I dont mean to spark a debate but I am kinda partial to cats and to be honest I cant even back that up with why

[Freebird]

Hey Jim,

I guess I should pay better attention as your stage name clearly implies you are in Naples.

Another member and close personal friend, Carl Guzman, also lives in Naples. He has a 67CMY "Reel Estate" aka The GuzCruzer on Isle of Capri. I've had the pleasure of running around on in with "GuzBoy" over the past several months.

We're in the final stages of a fishing trip that is tentatively set for the 17th of this month. You wanna go?

[Paul45c]

Also has anyone seen cats in a 53? I dont mean to spark a debate but I am kinda partial to cats and to be honest I cant even back that up with why

You'll probably see the most Cats in the older and smaller convertibles...some original, some repowers. That, and of course the really new post-Detroit era Hatts. I can't remember seeing Cat power in older mid-sized to med-large convertibles or my's.