I agree a houseboat in any wind is a big job to handle, that’s why they call them Delta Destroyers up Rusty’s way in the Calif. Delta. John
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Re: Handling a 60-70 ft Hatteras Motoryacht
Mahalo V
1974 53 Motoryacht
Hull Number 406
San Diego, Ca. Ready 32 Nordic Tug, Brunswick Ga.
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Re: Handling a 60-70 ft Hatteras Motoryacht
I handle my 74 MY myself most of the time. I also have about 45 years experience behind the wheel. My 56 sportfish is harder to handle myself because it is lighter.
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Re: Handling a 60-70 ft Hatteras Motoryacht
My Hatteras hunt started for a twin cabin 53 with a cockpit, quickly moved to a 58 yacht fish.
I ended up getting a 61 CMY. Five years on and I am glad I did, the wide beam makes for so much extra room. I single hand her quite a bit, even if I have a crew, as usually they are more interested in drinking and then think there body parts are fenders. Everyone has different skill / comfort levels. I tend to plan in advance and if good help is not available in unfavorable conditions, I will wait until they improve. If you can manage it without stressing you will enjoy it.Ray
1983 61CY 319
AnnaVal
Jacksonville FL.
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Re: Handling a 60-70 ft Hatteras Motoryacht
Depends on what you're comfortable with. I singlehand my boat quite a bit. I quit counting once I passed 100 single handed lock throughs. I do sometimes call ahead to a marina I'm staying at and ask someone to meet me at the transient slip to catch a line. A boat that size does have limited visibility to the rear and sometimes you just have to know where the back corners are. My last boat had bow and stern thrusters, my current boat weighs 2 1/2 times as much as my last one, and I haven't missed thrusters a bit. If your wallet is big enough, go for a big boat, you'll learn to operate it, just be patient, prudent, and careful.
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Re: Handling a 60-70 ft Hatteras Motoryacht
Pascal
Miami, FL
1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
2007 Sandbarhopper 13
12' Westphal Cat boat
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06-17-2019 01:23 AM #26Senior Member
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Re: Handling a 60-70 ft Hatteras Motoryacht
I think that you are getting some good advise particularly from Pascal.
I have run sailboats in the 55 foot range single screw with one crew my wife who is OK but not an expert water person
and my 82 year old father when the wife was not available. These were on passages within New England
sometimes 50-70 mile runs from Newport to the islands. Thus, I was doing most of the boat handling, navigating
and piloting by myself.
I have done several long runs from Newport to Maine (probably similar to a Florida to Bahamas run in terms
of complexity) and a dozen runs from Newport to Bermuda and down to the BVIs. Again these runs were on
a 42,000 lb displacement sailboat which has pros and cons versus running a power boat (I have crewed on
150 mile deliveries on power boats of similar size to my sailboat).
My recommendation is as follows. First, I can understand why you do not want a full time crew or captain.
I tried this with 3 different individuals; one was pretty good, the second great, the third turned into a disaster
who I threw off my boat in Grenada. And these guys are in your face even on a 60-70 foot power boat.
An alternative for you is to hire a qualified delivery captain with qualifications such as Pascal to do the run from
Florida to Bahamas and return. My reason is that in the Gulf stream an unexpected sea can roll the boat,
you can become injured or incapacitated and now the boat and your wife are in jeopardy. Once you are in the Bahamas
the cruising becomes more day runs in calmer water and you can operate the boat yourself as you can avoid serious weather with some good planning.
The hardest task for me on a big single screw boat with no thruster was docking. Yet with planning and being
careful I never had a serious problem. The boat you are contemplating as a twin screw boat with big engines
with a lot of torque and the thruster would be much easier to dock.
The above being said, there is a danger to over relying on mechanical items such as thrusters as motors burn
out, thruster tunnels become clogged with growth unless cleaned regularly, etc. etc.
Thus, in addition to hiring a delivery captain for offshore runs to accompany you I would consider going to
good hands on boat handling school like the Chapman school up in Stewart, Fl. I sent my wife to this program and
it was well worth the time and modest amount of money. Second, you might consider hiring a really experienced
captain to go with you the first few weeks you operate the boat. Practice docking (without a thruster) and with
this will allow you to gain experience and build your confidence.
Also, I think if you undertake a good hands on training program with an organization like the Chapman School
it will make insurance easier for you to obtain.
Best of luck
Spin
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06-17-2019 10:36 AM #27Registered Member
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06-18-2019 12:52 PM #28Senior Member
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Re: Handling a 60-70 ft Hatteras Motoryacht
Skiff
I do not know the mobility of your wife. But, it might be good if you included her in the boat handling class. Not
only would it improve her skills but also enhance her understanding of the process and she would feel more like
a valuable crew mate not just a passenger or "Sally in the Galley."
One approach that I used with my wife (a trained architect) is let her be more involved in routine maintenance.
such as changing filters (she is half my size so this is helpful) and I insisted that she select the color of the new
diesel engine when we re-powered. Thus, she is the Queen of the engine room as well as the galley. I just navigate
and drive.
Cheers
Spin
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Re: Handling a 60-70 ft Hatteras Motoryacht
One hour in the engine room equals one visit to the jewelry store--BEWARE!
Semper Siesta
Robert Clarkson
ASLAN, 1983 55C #343
Charleston, SC