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Thread: 43DC Attitude

  1. #1

    43DC Attitude

    So, we took the plunge and removed the flybridge from our 1972 43DC, and I don't have any regrets about doing so. The hardtop core will need some further attention and we never ran from up there really anyway, etc...

    That said, one issue with the 43DC that the removal of the flybridge has exacerbated somewhat is the tendency of the boat to sit bow down in the water at rest.

    All of the water that hits the deck when it rains, etc, has to run off the back where the cleats are and while it wasn't great in that regard with the flybridge on, it has gotten a little bit worse.

    I have looked into putting some drains in the deck and stuff like that, but I'd like to do something less invasive if possible.

    So, basically, every bit of tankage is forward on the boat, except that fuel tanks. It the water and waste tanks are empty and the fuel is full, it is not too bad, but once we fill the water tank, the bow drops and inch or so and the stern comes up an inch or so.

    There isn't really room for much in the back AND I also currently have an empty anchor locker, so, I have been thinking that the best thing to do might be to add some lead ballast somewhere in the rear of the boat.

    No room for extra tanks or anything like that back there.

    Any thoughts on that from anyone?

    It doesn't seem that the non flybridge boats have any extra ballast in the stern, and if not for the water runoff issue, I guess I would just think that maybe they painted the waterline differently on those boats, because that is really the only other thing that you notice.

    I am attaching a pic of it sitting fairly level, there is about 2" of blue bottom paint showing beneath the bootstripe. When I fill up the water tank that disappears at the bow and is doubled at the stern.

    SuperNova.jpg
    Brett Portzer 1972 Hatteras 43DC331
    2019- SUPERNOVA Waterford, NY
    1977-2019 CAROL-SUE Baltimore, MD
    1972-1977 C.VALPRISANN IV Boston, MA

  2. #2

    Re: 43DC Attitude

    Our 1973 43DC flat top drains well to the rear. Hang a davit and dinghy off the back!
    Robert
    MANCHIONEAL
    1973 43DC #365
    Mattox Creek, VA

  3. #3

    Re: 43DC Attitude

    Well, you are the person that I checked with to find that others don't have ballast in the back.

    The dinghy/davit thing is an option...
    Brett Portzer 1972 Hatteras 43DC331
    2019- SUPERNOVA Waterford, NY
    1977-2019 CAROL-SUE Baltimore, MD
    1972-1977 C.VALPRISANN IV Boston, MA

  4. #4

    Re: 43DC Attitude

    Any side shots pics prior to removal.
    ENUFF. 1983 53MY.Hull #617 Barnegat Light Nj.

  5. #5

    Re: 43DC Attitude

    Same shot! Probably no water in the water tank and no waste in the waste tank in this shot.
    Attached Images
    Brett Portzer 1972 Hatteras 43DC331
    2019- SUPERNOVA Waterford, NY
    1977-2019 CAROL-SUE Baltimore, MD
    1972-1977 C.VALPRISANN IV Boston, MA

  6. #6

    Re: 43DC Attitude

    What about fuel? We had the '85 43' MY and the aft end would be a couple of inches higher at the dock without a full tank. I believe the hulls are the same between the two boats. Ours had a queen aft with a 285 gallon tank under it. The other tank was 100 gallons between the engines under the bilge floor.
    Last edited by Dan Mapes; 09-15-2021 at 07:32 AM.
    Regards
    Dan

  7. #7

    Re: 43DC Attitude

    A little beside the point, but all of these 43DC's are listed with 375 of fuel capacity. I have two tanks aft and they have the original tags that state 200 gallons each.
    Robert
    MANCHIONEAL
    1973 43DC #365
    Mattox Creek, VA

  8. #8

    Re: 43DC Attitude

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Mapes View Post
    What about fuel? We had the '85 43' MY and the aft end would be a couple of inches higher at the dock without a full tank. I believe the hulls are the same between the two boats. Ours had a queen aft with a 285 gallon tank under it. The other tank was 100 gallons between the engines under the bilge floor.
    We have the twins aft, and they are 180 or 200 gals each. We keep it pretty full, each time I have fuel this year has been at about 100gal. Can't really keep them completely topped off all the time of course.

    However, our setup is that the waste tank is located in the forward tank, water is the middle tank, and that rear tank that is an extra fuel tank for the centerline aft berth boats is not used. So, as an experiment I filled that with what I estimate to be 60 or so gal of water to see if that helped.

    It didn't really, it is too far forward, being between the engines.

    I also realized that I use the V berth for storage and so I am going to rearrange that and see how much weight I can redistribute aft, maybe it is more than I think.

    Probably will still need some ballast, IMO.
    Brett Portzer 1972 Hatteras 43DC331
    2019- SUPERNOVA Waterford, NY
    1977-2019 CAROL-SUE Baltimore, MD
    1972-1977 C.VALPRISANN IV Boston, MA

  9. #9

    Re: 43DC Attitude

    Where are your batteries? Any you can move astern?

    Room for a bladder water tank anywhere aft? Not necessarily for potable use, just to hold ballast water and easily adjustable.

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