Hi All -
I was riding my bike near the Napa Valley Marina and spotted a Hatteras MY in drydock. Kept riding by it and Six months later I have convinced my wife to live aboard one summers in a few years once my teen leaves the nest.
When I was young my parents had at Tollycraft 44 I think it was and we spent the summers on the CA delta and coast. I always wanted my dad to sell that boat and get Hat but it was more $ and his second wife if you get the challenge.
I have been looking at 50-58 foot late 80's - 90's MY and wonder if they are a smart choice to locate on the east coast or gulf for a few years or longer? I am very handy with engines and built several houses but worry about the age(hours) of engines and reliability. I would get as clean and solid I could find but that said they are long in the years. Understand probably no insurance that old.
1. Should I focus on one that had a recent rebuild?
2. Would less than 3,000 hours with excellent maintenance be a reasonable cutoff point?
3. Get one with high hours at a discount and take the time and $100,000 to rebuild?
4. Targeting a 54 ED, 58 MY II, 53 ED, stand up engine rooms and late 80’s – 90’s production. Any to avoid with poor histories?
5. Love these boats but better to get newer to avoid being Mr. fix it everyday?
Thank you for your thoughts. - Dan