Best liveaboard Hatteras?

[brettportzer]

This is kind of a dreamer sort of post, in a sense...

When I was a kid, we had a boat on a local lake and spent our summers there.

Fast forward to adulthood, after toying around with some smaller boats, we bought a Trojan F-32.

Had a lot of fun, decided we needed something with better accommodations, and moved up to a 43DC.

This boat is great, it is really has enough room for two of us, and all that, but, looking towards the future, there are a couple of shortcomings in this boat that I'd like to solve, moving up a little bit in size:

1) I would like to have a real inside helm. We are sort of inside, but not really. Better than canvas though!

2) I would like less stairs, at least between areas that are frequently accessed.

Overall, I like the boat, I like the flush deck outside, would rather have a boat with a real inside helm, galley up, and then berths downstairs.

Seems like the dream boat in many ways is the 58LRC, and since there are not as many of those as other boats.

Interested in 50-60ft, nothing huge, and a 53 is certainly a strong possibility. It doesn't have the galley up, but it is popular and available, and certainly a great boat.

Kind of just curious what people think?

[ian w]

Best value for money and living aboard would be a 53
Have lived on a 48 LRC Expensive to buy and too small

[Timeless72]

Man, I hear you on the stairs. We joke the boat should be named StairMaster. 53 or 58' would be my choice for liveaboard.

[Pascal]

I ve been living aboard my 53 for almost 20 years now, the layout is great with ton of storage and a big aft deck. Nothing beat a flush deck!

Only downside is the galley down which I have fixed by moving it up and aft. Not a project for everyone obviously I ll take the galley down over other designs like smaller aft deck or balcony, lack of side decks etc.

Depending on budget and availability, the wide beam 53 as well as the 56 is probably the ideal boat in that size range.

[brettportzer]

Yea, it is always said that boats are a bunch of compromises or whatever, but, it is interesting looking through the lineup more carefully now that I have a better idea of things...

53MY is nice, and a Hargrave design, early ones had the weird split shower that I don't like, but plenty of later ones.

58LRC is amazing, in part because I am not looking to stay at the dock with the boat.

58MY Series 1 optional layout with galley up seems great, but then you realize no side decks.

58MY Series 2 is better with the side decks, but, seems like no room for a galley up then.

ETC...

Anyway, I do like the flush deck design over the raised pilot house design that has taken over.

[jim rosenthal]

I'd also look at 54s if they are within your budget. I would also make up a list of your preferences, and your family's, and consult a yacht broker. A good one will know about the different models of boats that would fulfill your needs. Many of them will be Hatteras yachts.

I'd message SeaEric on this forum, if you're in the Chesapeake area. There is hardly a boat he doesn't know about.

[RonNP]

I lived aboard for 6 years on my 63 CPMY. I loved every moment of it. 18 foot beam was wonderful. I'm looking to buy another one in the new few years.

[bigbill]

58 yachtfish is the same as a 53 but with the added cockpit. it has the galley down also

[zigzag930]

Can't go wrong with 58LRC. We own one and it's perfect for us in terms of living space. My only complaint about this boat is the access to the FB could be better laid out (but not sure how)

[brettportzer]

There was a 58LRC local to me in 2018 called Tahawus, I believe, and looking into that boat led me to this site, and eventually to our 43DC.

That is definitely the dream boat for me, but, again, not as many around as the 53, obviously.

Well, maybe in 5 or so years I’ll get lucky!