Looking for: '80-'90s, 53'-64' MY - Under $250k ?

[Buccaneer]

I've been kissing a LOT of frogs lately, and wonder if my expectations need adjustment.

A stabilized, 2000-3000 hrs on engines, thruster (would be nice, but not needed), 2500-3500 on genny,
room for a DR table for 4-6.

Something I don't have to spend $100k on for a refit.

IS there such a thing, or am I looking for a purple squirrel ?

 

[cww]

They're out there, the really nice ones are just not usually for sale. The best example of a 53' I've ever seen just popped back up on the market, Starfire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_K17E4N28U

 

[rsmith]

Realize these boats are approaching 50 years old now. Everyone is an OLD frog now. At best the semi preserved ones are few far and In between. When I was a kid 10 year old boats looked like the SS Minnow. I’m always amazed how much of the Hatteras fleet is still viable

 

[Captain Ralph]

Does it have to be a Hatterass?
Understanding a post you made a few weeks ago, ,,, Are you in a hurry?

 

[SEVEN]

I've been kissing a LOT of frogs lately, and wonder if my expectations need adjustment.

A stabilized, 2000-3000 hrs on engines, thruster (would be nice, but not needed), 2500-3500 on genny,
room for a DR table for 4-6.

Something I don't have to spend $100k on for a refit.

IS there such a thing, or am I looking for a purple squirrel ?

On the east coast or California?

 

[Buccaneer]

East Coast

 

[Retired1]

They're out there, the really nice ones are just not usually for sale. The best example of a 53' I've ever seen just popped back up on the market, Starfire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_K17E4N28U

Did you actually go lay eyes on it in person? I ask because I’ve done those Film Studio tours, where they have all the props on display, that looked great on film, but in reality look like Disney World styrofoam fish. Videos are especially concealing of defects, because their quality is so poor, and their speed is so fast. I much prefer high resolution photos which can be blown up to full monitor size.

 

[SeaEric]

They're out there, the really nice ones are just not usually for sale. The best example of a 53' I've ever seen just popped back up on the market, Starfire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_K17E4N28U

Her listing broker admits that she isn't quite as crisp as she once was. Still a very nice example.

 

[SeaEric]

I've been kissing a LOT of frogs lately, and wonder if my expectations need adjustment.

A stabilized, 2000-3000 hrs on engines, thruster (would be nice, but not needed), 2500-3500 on genny,
room for a DR table for 4-6.

Something I don't have to spend $100k on for a refit.

IS there such a thing, or am I looking for a purple squirrel ?

1987 Chris-Craft 501 maybe? Not stabilized. Chesapeake Bay location.

 

[edward]

Did you actually go lay eyes on it in person? I ask because I’ve done those Film Studio tours, where they have all the props on display, that looked great on film, but in reality look like Disney World styrofoam fish. Videos are especially concealing of defects, because their quality is so poor, and their speed is so fast. I much prefer high resolution photos which can be blown up to full monitor size.

. I have been onboard STARFIRE it is very nice , certainly with a good look .

 

[rsmith]

Just my 2cents but Hatteras didn’t get their act together on electrical systems until around 1980 some of the factory wiring I’ve seen on 60 and 70’s boats have been horrendous. I’d take a less than pristine 80’s boat over a lipsticked 70’s boat.

 

[jim rosenthal]

They're out there, the really nice ones are just not usually for sale. The best example of a 53' I've ever seen just popped back up on the market, Starfire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_K17E4N28U

Beautiful 53', at least in the video.

 

[cww]

Did you actually go lay eyes on it in person? I ask because I’ve done those Film Studio tours, where they have all the props on display, that looked great on film, but in reality look like Disney World styrofoam fish. Videos are especially concealing of defects, because their quality is so poor, and their speed is so fast. I much prefer high resolution photos which can be blown up to full monitor size.

Yes, I looked at it a few years ago the last time it was on the market. The boat was stunning. I know better than to assume the photos are accurate. I would have bought it but somebody else put an offer in ahead of me. I ended up getting a different one I found not too far down the road from this one in Virginia, they were in about the same condition but Starfire was better because it has stabilizers and mine does not. The one I bought had only gone on the market 1 day prior and was already turning into a multiple offer situation, it was the COVID frenzy when everyone and their grandmother was buying a boat. I had lost 3 boats already. SeaEric provided some really good advice on the whole thing, I still owe him dinner if he ever wants to take me up on it.

That was 4 or 5 years ago and I know boat years are like dog years if the maintenance isn't kept up. But this boat was *so* nice that unless it sank or something in the few years since then I can't imagine it's not worth looking at. It was really nice.

 

[metama]

Starlite (or what ever the one linked below is named) was really nice a few years ago. Looks like it slipped a touch.

Someone on the Facebook Hatteras group just posted on that looked pretty nice cheaper than I would expect. 180k. New paint from the rubrail up, new gen, electronics and recent cruiser all the way up and down the east coast. Look pretty nice. Engine room was a touch dirty but they put work into getting the engines reliable for their last 2 years of cruising. (per comments).