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 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 30
  1. #1

    Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    Is there anything in particular that I should focus on when looking over this boat? By this I mean things that are known problems for this model. Tanks, moisture areas, bulkheads, etc. The engines were rebuilt with roughly 100 or so hours on them now. I love the lines and general appearance of this particular boat. After getting frustrated in trying to find a trawler with good water access, good condition, and affordability, I stumbled on this boat. I would use it at hull speed mostly and blow out the engines every hour or so. Even at that I am told not to expect more than 1-1.5 MPG at hull speed and .5-.75 at cruise. Any advice I might get would be appreciated. Thank you.

  2. #2

    Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    Quote Originally Posted by moparharn View Post
    Is there anything in particular that I should focus on when looking over this boat? By this I mean things that are known problems for this model. Tanks, moisture areas, bulkheads, etc. The engines were rebuilt with roughly 100 or so hours on them now. I love the lines and general appearance of this particular boat. After getting frustrated in trying to find a trawler with good water access, good condition, and affordability, I stumbled on this boat. I would use it at hull speed mostly and blow out the engines every hour or so. Even at that I am told not to expect more than 1-1.5 MPG at hull speed and .5-.75 at cruise. Any advice I might get would be appreciated. Thank you.
    The engines may be happier at hull speed if you shut one down and run the other up 1000ish rpms. Depending on the gears you will need to alternate between engines every so often (will be detailed in your transmission manual).

    I'd be asking for paperwork on the rebuild. If they can't prove it with documentation then it never happened.
    SOUTHPAWS
    1986 52C Hull #391 8v92TI
    PENSACOLA, FL

  3. #3

    Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    I was interested in a GL 43c that looked really clean, but the wife wasn't real keen on the head in the forward berth. I would have been better off to not even have pointed it out. Biggest thing was it was a little small. Broker said there was no paperwork on the rebuilds, but it was written on the battery/hour meter panel. The advice here is, if it's not documented it didn't happen. Which one are you looking at?
    Eddie Clemons Nashville, TN Southern Pride 1988 52CHATCS441K788 2004 Caterpillar 3406e's

  4. #4

    Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    100 hours SMOH sounds good. But it might also be a little too soon to really know. There was a 55C in Charleston back in 2012/14 range that had about same hours. Price went from $200k to $50k OBO. Broker disclosed both 1271s had at least one cylinder per with cracked rings. Previously, the boat had been advertised as owned by local tug company and rebuilt by their in-house mechanics. Lots of ways to go south.
    Semper Siesta
    Robert Clarkson
    ASLAN, 1983 55C #343
    Charleston, SC

  5. #5

    Red face Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    I bought a 1985 43DCMY this past August and love it. Like you I had tons of questions etc. My research showed an 80's Hat is the boat to have (heavy construction methods that over the years have been scaled back due to cost savings.) I also contracted a topnotch surveyor for the 'boat' and a topnotch Detroit diesel mechanic to survey the engines. Their review, comments, findings etc put my mind at easy (well worth the expense) There were some soft spots in the forward deck under the deck boxes I'm sure caused by the 'light' fasteners used for mounting. Easy fix if you're handy.(The mechanic said if I didn't buy the boat he would.... needless to say the engines were in pristine shape) Based on the in depth surveys I don't believe I'll encounter any 'surprises'. I asked the guys to write 'all' findings both good and bad. (zinks need replacing, front windows gaskets are aging and should be replaced, seagrowth in raw water intake etc) I use this as my rehab punch list after having prioritized. Recommendation get the best surveyors you can find.

  6. #6

    Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    I run 6v92's mostly at 1300rpm in a 53MY. Fuel consumption is 1nm/gal at 9.5kts. That boat is lighter but has less waterline length so I would think it would produce about the same burn at that rpm. If you slow it down, you'll do better.
    Sky Cheney
    1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
    ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI

  7. #7

    Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    Since 2003, I've had a '79 43C with 435hp Covington 6v92TA engines. Max rpm is 2300; I run 2150 mostly. Heading offshore fully loaded (3000# ice, dozen flats of butters, 6 big guys, 800 gal diesel, and 160 gal of H2O) I make about 16kts and burn 40gph. If I pull back the throttles to around 1000rpm, speed drops to about 9kts and fuel consumption to around 10 gph. Watch for rot under the windlass and around the rod holders, caused by the commissioning dealership not properly bedding them when they were in installed. Beware also of leaks around the windows in the cabin. Watch out also for heat damage from the two inboard turbochargers to the upright deck supports that they are very close to. I removed the stupid little toilet in the v-berth and capped off the plumbing at the tank. The spot in the V-berth where it had been makes a nice storage area for cases of water on long trips.
    Everyone should believe in something - I believe I will go fishing - Henry David Thoreau

  8. #8

    Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    Thank you all for your responses. I apologize for not replying sooner, but things have been off the rails recently. I see they dropped the price some more and I consider the boat to be a winner in pictures. If there is no documentation for the rebuilds then that would be a complete walk away for me. I will ask. 10 gallons per hour is not to bad if your making over 10 mph. The trawlers I am interested in would do considerably better, but they have not satisfied some of my key needs so far. Thank you again. I will report back after I have been on the boat.

  9. #9

    Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    Quote Originally Posted by moparharn View Post
    Thank you all for your responses. I apologize for not replying sooner, but things have been off the rails recently. I see they dropped the price some more and I consider the boat to be a winner in pictures. If there is no documentation for the rebuilds then that would be a complete walk away for me. I will ask. 10 gallons per hour is not to bad if your making over 10 mph. The trawlers I am interested in would do considerably better, but they have not satisfied some of my key needs so far. Thank you again. I will report back after I have been on the boat.
    It's all about how risk-averse you are. Aslan's PO stated the engine work done, but couldn't provide the documentation. All things being equal, that (along with a trusted survey and favorable sea trial) translated into a greatly reduced offer. The offer was so reduced that my broker had to be compelled to tender it. A mere twenty minutes later, I bought the boat for my price. Five years on has proved it a good decision. Aslan remains the best bad investment I've ever made.
    Semper Siesta
    Robert Clarkson
    ASLAN, 1983 55C #343
    Charleston, SC

  10. #10

    Re: Looking at early 80's Hat 43 Convertible with 6V92's TI

    Quote Originally Posted by Eddieclemons View Post
    I was interested in a GL 43c that looked really clean, but the wife wasn't real keen on the head in the forward berth. I would have been better off to not even have pointed it out. Biggest thing was it was a little small. Broker said there was no paperwork on the rebuilds, but it was written on the battery/hour meter panel. The advice here is, if it's not documented it didn't happen. Which one are you looking at?

    I am looking at the same boat. The pee pot next to your head is reminiscent of the old west or possibly some prison camp. Cannot imagine why Hat would do that. De-install and treat the smell with some bacterial odor eater. So far no records on the rebuild. In my mind either it happened and there are records, or it did not and there are not. Who would do a serious chunk of work like that and and not have a thing to show for it. If it were the original owner who did not pass it along then maybe. Was in salt its first five years then up here where I am. Looks it.

Posting Permissions

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