The arguments here are all valid. BOATSB...right on. PETE also got the essence of it. PASCAL is right too!
By the way, the last built nice looking 'Flush Aft Deck Motor Yacht' model I'm aware of was the 2005ish Jefferson 60 Marquessa. Jefferson is no longer in business.
I've just been through this shopping adventure with a friend of mine. And while they do exist, we couldn't find a single currently available older Hatteras that met the condition standard we wanted for under $500,000. PERIOD. The only wise option left was the newest, cleanest modern boat we could find.
While I hate the pilothouse design of the 'modern motor yacht', it's the only design recently built these days. We looked at a lot of late model junk too.
After weighing every factor, my buddy bought a Great Lakes since new, inside winter stored since new, 2003 model 57 Carver, with only 700 original hours on Cummins QSM11s. He paid Top Market Price, but it was more than justified for a boat in 'true new boat condition'. Surveys were near flawless. Cummins did find a valve cover seal leak on both engines. But also discovered the repair was under a previous recall and Cummins is correcting the issue for free. How about that for Cummins integrity?
No, it doesn't feel like or handle like an old Hatteras, no modern boat does...or is built like one. But the 57 Carver is a fairly well built US made motor yacht that can do 27 knots, along with an exquisite cherry wood interior and a comfortable 3 stateroom layout with modern electronics and modern everything for 15% of a new boat replacement. A lot of 'Value' there!
Here's an interesting fact. Carver built more than 350 53/57 Voyager models during 11 years of production, VS 349 53 Hatteras Motor Yachts produced over 18 years.