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Trying to decide 58 LRC or 58/61 Motoryacht.

  • Thread starter Thread starter zigzag930
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zigzag930

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  1. OWNER - I own a Hatteras Yacht
Hatteras Model
58' LRC (1975 - 1981)
I fell in love with the 58 LRC layout and performance. I'm wanting a displacement speed cruiser, so this model really appeals to us on so many levels.

I have not been able to see one in person yet, but expect to remedy that next week.

In the meantime I did come across a 61 motor yacht that may be a great deal. This one has had it's engines replaced (and downsized) to the 671 normally aspirated engines found in the LRC.

So I'm trying to think this through and hoping to get some opinions from the experience on this forum.

First, between the two hull styles - the LRC has a deeper draft and I believe a more rounded bottom than the MY. How does this translate into ride, roll, economy, etc?

The keel on the LRC is a nice feature to protect the running gear, but does require another 8-10" of water under the bottom. I'm wondering if the keel benefit are outweighed by the extra draft.

I've read that the 471's in the LRC may be slightly underpowered and the 671 would be preferable. I would add a thruster for docking to any of these boats if they didn't already have one.

What is the opinion of the lower HP (normally aspirated) engines in the 58 or 61 MY? Is this a plus or minus in terms of value/resale? As I don't see the 61 as a fast boat anyway, I'm thinking turning it into a non-planing boat wouldn't be a bad thing.

Here is what I've decided are the +/- of the the LRC vs the MY.

LRC:

Pros- fuel capacity/range, open rear deck area, cockpit area (for fishing, diving, boarding), keel protected running gear, walk-around decks (nice for docking???), but also a con???, Portugese style deck (I like this feature - but is it an advantage)?

Cons- acquisition cost is higher, smaller salon area (due to walk around), deeper draft

MY:

Pros- great interior space, office desk area, extra stateroom, cost is less

Cons- Range is ok with normally aspirated 671's, but lower fuel capacity, no cockpit, shallower draft but no protection of running gear, harder to dock?? (no cockpit or side walk around).

Overall from my reading, I get the feeling the LRC might better suited to blue water work and the MY is more of a coastal boat. Not just because of range, but hull and other features.

A few additional factors I will consider. Boat will be used primarily in SW Florida, the Bahamas. Secondary use will be East coast cruising, possibly Bermuda, but north to New England.

Layout must be galley up so that does rule out several other models.

Thanks to all who offer any assistance....

J
 
I'd say the 671s in the motoryacht will be a huge loss of value. It wasn't designed to be powered with such small engines.

The LRC shafts, transmissions and running gear were made to work as a package. Everyone thinks they are smarter than the engineer who made their boat until the find the problems they created.
 
If you want an LRC, buy one. Don't buy a Hatteras MY that has been deliberately underpowered. This is a violation of the original design, and the people who designed it were a lot smarter than any of us here. If you want to buy a MY and run it at displacement speeds, fine, but don't buy one in which the powertrain has been screwed around like that. Sooner or later, you will greatly regret it.
 
As much as I was thinking the engine swap might be interesting, I was afraid it might be mistake on the MY....

I was wondering about running the MY at displacement speeds. Would like cause any problems for the engines over the long term? I would think that babying them with an occasional run-up might help them last a lot longer.

My guess is that the fuel burn at 9 knots (not planing) would be very similar, but probably still less on the LRC as the engines are smaller (less internal friction, etc). Also, I thinking the engines on the LRC will be considerably less expensive from a maintenance perspective (No turbos, etc).

The input from users here is invaluable, so the thanks for the comments so far.
 
It depends on where and how you will use the boat. Do you need the additional sea worthiness of the LRC? If you re going to Stay near shore or trips to the Bahamas then any MY will be fine. SW FL and the keys, the shallow draft is a big plus. If you plan on going beyond the Bahamas and into the Caribbean then the LRC May be a better option. Bermuda? Definitely LRC but picking a boat based on a single trip is a mistake

Same with the draft. I don’t recall the draft on the LRC but for the Bahamas 5 to 5 1/2 fit is ideal. Hit 6’ and you loose some really nice anchorages and / or have to play the tides.

Any MY can be run at hull speed and get good economy. Not as good as an LRC but still around 1nmpg. Just run up the engines after a slow day. Downsizing engines in a MY doesnt make a lot of sense. You re not going to save any fuel, you ll have less torque when maneuvering and loose the Ability to run from weather. I think most folks downsize engines because they are cheaper to rebuild. I went thru this when planing the repower on my 53. Smaller engines where cheaper in the short run but not worth in buying the time it was all said and done. I don’t regret my choice although had money not been an issue I would have gotten Larger engines. another 100hp would have been nice but since we spend most time cruising at hull speed, it wasn’t worth it
 
A motoryacht is not an LRC replacement. The LRC is build differently. Access for maintenance is better. Systems are easier to service and maintain because it's made to be a passage maker not a floating condo.

I have a customer with a passage maker with twin cummins 330 hp engines. Turning 3 inch shafts and big gears. Twin generators in a huge and easy to work in engine room. Everything is made to be serviced while cruising. Nothing is hard to get to except the 3 inverters for the priority circuits that are 8 or 10 feet in the air. The engines are QSM11s and should last 10,000 plus hours or more between majors. I've never seen a motoryacht even close to as well laid out system wise but the trade off is less living space in some instances.
 
Pascal,

Thank you for that information. Yes, the waters of primary usage will be a key point in my decision making process.

I am curious about your comments regarding the "additional sea worthiness of the LRC".

I have come to think that many (forum members) feel the LRC is more seaworthy, but no one has really specified why. Is it the hull shape, bridge design, center of gravity or something else?

Certainly, range is a plus for a blue water cruiser but there most be other differences that are equally important.

J
 
Well the LRC has a higher bow and and I believe more freeboard. Plus the running gear protection although most MY have a keel. That comes in handy when you hit a submerged wreck and the boat just hops over it. Don’t ask how I know...

The Portuguese flybridge is great if you hit some real nasty weather. The cost? No sunoad up front which a great spot...
 
I believe the weight differences between the 58 my and LRC is 20,000 pounds or about 25%.

Do the math. They are very different boats.
 
The LRC has a very different hull than the MY. Don't have the time to find pictures, but if you browse around on YW you will find shots of the boats out of the water. The aft half of the MY is designed to allow it to get on plane. It's a semi displacement hull. OTOH the LRC is a full displacement hull. More weight low, more wetted surface. Slower but more stable. It's also a lot heavier than the MY of same length. If you're gonna be hit with a rogue wave you want to be in the LRC. But, as Pascal pointed out, if you could do 20 KTS you'd be in the marina having cocktails. Unless you go on big water and then you're not picking your weather anymore.....
 
Not much I can add to this discussion except: do not discount the 63’ MY either. The 61 is a 56’ My with a 5’ extension and the 63 is a 58’ MY with a 5’ extension. The extra 2’ is not going to be noticed in the marina, but it will be in terms of living space.
 
Boatsb said:
A motoryacht is not an LRC replacement. The LRC is build differently. Access for maintenance is better. Systems are easier to service and maintain because it's made to be a passage maker not a floating condo.

I have a customer with a passage maker with twin cummins 330 hp engines. Turning 3 inch shafts and big gears. Twin generators in a huge and easy to work in engine room. Everything is made to be serviced while cruising. Nothing is hard to get to except the 3 inverters for the priority circuits that are 8 or 10 feet in the air. The engines are QSM11s and should last 10,000 plus hours or more between majors. I've never seen a motoryacht even close to as well laid out system wise but the trade off is less living space in some instances.
Click to expand...

Scott, what make of boat is this? Just curious.
 
LRC is overrated. Hard chines, windows that won't survive true blue water encounters, doors that don't seal well enough for major storms. It's a semi-modified hatteras motoryacht with smaller engines and bigger tanks. It is not a Nordhavn.
 
However, a Hatteras LRC completed the Nordhavn Atlantic Rally a few years back. All the way to Gibraltar, if I am not mistaken.

I've seen a 58LRC hauled out. It's been a few years, but I had the impression it was a rounder hull, a displacement design.
 
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Interesting photos. I wouldn't exactly call it a hard chine, it's rounder than a MY or convertible, but it's not as round as I would have thought. So I guess it's a semi-displacement hull but with displacement power. l
 
The flatter aft section makes some sense in terms of reducing roll through form stability vs. a purely rounded hull. As an additional observation, the hulls of most Nordhavn models have flatter aft sections as well.

In terms of their seaworthiness, the only comment I would have is that I have seen a few with US home ports in very distant ports including a 58 LRC that I saw in Fremantle, Western Australia which is about as far away as you can get.
 
Nordhaven in a sling...

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