Welcome to the Hatteras Owners Forum & Gallery. Sign Up or Login

Enter partial or full part description to search the Hatteras/Cabo parts catalog (for example: breaker or gauge)
+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 47
  1. #1

    Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    Hello everyone!

    I am looking to save and resurrect this poor neglected Hatteras. She's a 1985 Hatteras 61 MY with an 11ft cockpit extension added after it was delivered to Ft. Lauderdale after being built. She appears to have solid bones but would need to be practically gutted and restored. When I say gutted I mean all new wiring, plumbing, and mostly new layout construction. I know many will probably say shes too far gone but I am looking to restore her because I hate to see such a beautiful designed Hatteras go to rot. I have a lot to learn fiberglass wise but have a reasonable skill level to be able to tackle the majority of what will be needed. I have a huge passion for the Hatteras brand and family on this forum. I plan on building her to use for my growing family and not for resale purposes. After Irma hit Florida she took on water up to the starter on the stbd engine as she listed over and took on enough water to get into the port engine. The water got in through a portlight that the owner had removed. Both generators are no good i assume and the main Detroit 12v71Ti's were new remans. One engine runs and the other is pickled with diesel and is locked. She has some dock rash but the worse part is that there are several spots of the gunnel that is broken fiberglass. I realize that it will take probably a minimum of $150k to get it where I feel it is mostly complete. The biggest problem I have is there are not many DIY yards anymore and I am located in Myrtle Beach, SC and the boat is in FL, so getting the boat up here will not be an easy task. From the attached picture what kind of damage could I be looking at from it sitting in the mud for a while till the tide was high enough to get it out? The owner told me that it has a crack in the hull near the stbd strut and he made a repair and the boat is now floating at anchor. My fear is that the stabilizers may be damaged and the propshaft may be bent. I just really want to see this boat return to her former glory when someone loved her. I really value and appreciate any an all feedback that everyone offers on here.





  2. #2

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    We may as well start at the beginning , how much are you paying for this cream puff ?

  3. #3

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    I have the same 1984 boat with a 9' cockpit extension. Looks like the same yard did the extension.

    I think $150K is possibly low and would be looking at around $300K. I say this because a PO of my boat allowed the bilge water to rise above the stabiliser internals and they all rusted. Even though I am in the marine business they cost close to $50K to replace.

    The wiring of the gensets and AC circuits, control panels, transformers is daunting and expensive. Miles of heavy gauge tinned copper wire.

    If the engines are ruined, then you could replace them with much smaller John Deeres at say $40K each plus fitting. New shafts? $4K each? Gensets are $20K each

    You could wire the boat with a DC Czone system and this may be more cost effective than the old wiring looms.

    The biggest task for a DIY would be attaining a very high Hatteras standard and bringing the boat back to former glory. I see the teak bow rail is missing too.

    New gauges, seven new aircon units, plus all the woodwork. Upholstery and fibreglassing and painting. This is a very big job for one person.

    Were it me????? I would be very tempted to buy the boat for the right price 50K or less??, spend possibly $150K with a good value yard to do all the "hard" work and the big repairs leaving you with an operating mechanically sound shell that you could sail up the coast to your DIY yard. Or simply enjoy as is while you worked out what to do. We took out the old stabilisers and boarded up the holes for 2 years before replacing them.

    Knowing everything is mechanically sound means you have the right foundations to complete the work in your own time. My gut feeling is the mechanicals and electricals will be the big costs and they are best left to the professionals.

    And if you stripped the boat out and started afresh, what advances in technology could you take advantage of? For me and my boat it would be:

    Simplify everything.
    Smaller 350hp mechanical engines.
    One 20kva genset and 220 volts, not both 110 and 220 volts AC.
    One starter battery bank for both engines. One larger house bank with inverter.
    Solar panels mounted into the hard top
    Wifi instrumentation and displays
    Czone backboane wiring systems to replace all the DC wiring.
    NMEA2000 systems
    Simpler airconditioning system
    One AC control panel, rather than three.

    Mine is not a huge list which is testimony to a 35 year old Hatteras boat. I'd be interested to learn what enhancements others would put in a "bare boat." In fact now that I've written all this I'd love to buy this boat too, strip it out and start afresh. What fun.
    Last edited by scottinsydney; 08-01-2018 at 05:56 AM.

  4. #4

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    If you have the cash available to buy this boat and do the refit $200k - $300k, and the time 2 years plus then why would you not buy a Hatteras in good condition that is ready to go. Every refit I have ever been involved in as gone over budget by at least 25% and taken longer than expected by 50%.
    If you make a detailed list of the work and materials required, add in the cost of storage and yard fees, and account for your time and then add 50% you will get a starting point of the costs involved.
    A refit of this type is only going to succeed if you have a blank check, and you will never get your money back.

  5. #5

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    Advice from a 50 year boat owner, with no professional credentials to appraise a yacht, RUN DON'T WALK AWAY FROM THIS BOAT. This is a big disposal bill for someone, and you do not want to be that person.

    Costs to bring her back has to be at least 50% of a similar new one today at 2018 prices. With the entire boat interior exposed to salt water and salt mist for an extended period, there is likely nothing worth saving.
    Pete
    1976 Hatteras 48 LRC
    Blue Chip

  6. #6

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    Quote Originally Posted by rourkeh View Post
    If you have the cash available to buy this boat and do the refit $200k - $300k, and the time 2 years plus then why would you not buy a Hatteras in good condition that is ready to go. Every refit I have ever been involved in as gone over budget by at least 25% and taken longer than expected by 50%.
    If you make a detailed list of the work and materials required, add in the cost of storage and yard fees, and account for your time and then add 50% you will get a starting point of the costs involved.
    A refit of this type is only going to succeed if you have a blank check, and you will never get your money back.
    ^This

    $150k almost laughable. Double that estimate, maybe triple depending on the inevitable surprises. Don't forget that while your are fixing stuff, you will also be on the hook for storage and insurance for a year or 2.

    A project like this is nothing like restoring a classic car in your garage.

  7. #7

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    This is a $500k project... if you can afford it, it would be a great opportunity to rebuild her the way you want with new systems, updated layout and interior,etc.. a new 60 is $2M so in the end you d get a fantastic boat for a quarter of the cost

    The cracked hull is a real concern and you wont know what it will take until you get into it. For a hatteras hull to be cracked, you can bet the hull was subject to so serious forces.

    I am up to over 200k on my 53 refit incl factory remans C series cummins 430s, new chiller systems, shafts, props, wiring, stabs. By the time i m done it will be over 300k and she didnt take on water. The only labor i paid was for the repower as i m doing all the work incl chiller system instal, carpentry, wiring, plumbing etc.
    Pascal
    Miami, FL
    1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
    2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
    2007 Sandbarhopper 13
    12' Westphal Cat boat

  8. #8

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    Is this the boat they signed the declaration of independence on?

    Was this the first boat to orbit the moon?

    If it's not a historic landmark it's not worth restoring.

    I hate to see them die but these old boats are not collectors items.



    To do it right you have to do it to modern standards.

    She's not a trawler so no 300 hp little engines.

    Look at a pair of cat c-18 as a cost measure. $150k

    Electronics for both stations with satellite tv $50k

    Add 40k more for shafts and props.

    Redesigning the systems will be another 5 or 10 k before you even turn a wrench.

    Electrical system $30k (wire is not cheap)

    Ac systems $15-20k

    If you put $500k into it it will still be a $300k boat.
    Scott
    41C117 "Hattatude"
    Port Canaveral Florida.


    Marine Electronics and Electrical Products Distributor.

  9. #9

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    and take a good look around at what can be had for under 200K!!!..................Pat

  10. #10

    Re: Saving a Hatteras from a very bleak future

    Don't do it. If you want a boat, buy a boat. This is an enormous project even for a wealthy person in the marine business. You are not buying a boat, here, you are buying financial ruin. Don't do it.

    And we love Hatteras yachts, here, but one is too far gone.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts