Hatt 36 or 37

[John F.]

I'm going to be looking at a couple of older 36s soon. I 've been on a 36, but never a 37. My basic understanding is that the 37 is considerably bigger than the 36, and takes alot more power to run, which will make the 37 thirstier. I do like that the 37s have a tournament bridge and a set of small bunks. I also see that 37s came with 6-71 or 6-71 tis. Are the 6-71tis good motors? There's a 37 in VA Beach that looks pretty good--anybody know the boat?

Can anybody tell me the basics between the series 1 36s and the 37 that has the real-world experience which I'm lacking.

Thanks-

John F.

 

[Red Hatt]

I saw the 37 at Va. Beach last year before the owner traded her. The engines were in good cond. but the gen didn't work and the rest of the boat was a total redo. The hardtop had been botched badly, windows had all leaked the picture's make her look great. The engine room is realy tight. Good Luck in your search.

 

[tslane]

There is a 37 in Va. Beach has just been repowered with 3126 CATs with 1.77 : 1 gear reduction and cruises @ 24 kts and wot @ 28kts. It also has Slane vents, tackle cabinets & freezer, flush deck fish box, new generator, etc. Although it is not currently on the market, it is possible that the owner may consider selling it as I think he is looking for a larger Hatteras. If you are interested, I can put you in touch with him. Just let me know. Hope this helps. Tom

 

[Red Hatt]

I didn't think the 3126 cats were very good engine's didn't they have there problems.

 

[scottwvyc]

I don't know much about the 36, but I' ve had a a 37 for almost 2 years now and for the most part I am very happy. With 671n's she's not real fast, also there isn't much bow flare so it can be a wet ride on the bridge. It's a big 37 to be sure. Apart what I mentioned above I can recommend the 37,PM me if you have any questions.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I think there are actually three boats to look at here; the Series 1 36C, the Series 2 36, and the 37. The second two are rather similar. There are both sedan and convertible/SF versions of the second series boat.

The second series boats (look at the brochure archives to see them) is considerably larger than the Series 1 36. It has another foot or so of beam, and a tunnel hull. It is not a Hargrave design, although it generically resembles Hatteras yachts of the era. I don't think the hull has the speed potential of the earlier, smaller boats, but with the right engines, it will go reasonably fast. Expect to use more fuel.

There is a lot of material on this forum about Detroit diesels. As for the CATs, well, plenty of people have had reliable service out of them and they sold a lot of them, but they have had their issues, as well. If the 3126s in the boat in question do not have FAP blocks, and they pass a good engine survey, they should be fine.

Maynard Rupp's 37, Unity, is the best looking one of these I've ever seen. If you are in Florida, and he has time, make it a point to see it. It's worth the effort, just to see how beautiful a fresh-water boat that has had conscientious care can look.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

Thanks Jim..I also want to add that I think the series II 36 convertable is an excellent sea boat. Ours handles very well in all situations and, unlike the Hargarve designs, is not a wet riding boat at all. On the speed thought, I think the later 36 may be as fast or faster with a given horsepower than either the early 36 or the 37. The reason is the tunnelled props. This design, which Hatteras uses on their current boats, allows the shafts to have a much shallower angle which allows the props more of a forward thrust vector. In other words they aren't trying to lift the stern as much. Another great feature of those tunnels is that the props are still about a foot above the ground when you run aground. Our boat does need lots of trim tab though. As Jim said, these boats are huge compared to any other 36' convertables. If you desire a larger cabin, and don't mind a smaller cockpit, the "sedan cruiser" is an excellent choice. I think the later design is great and has newer systems than the older boats. Prices are very similar.

 

[dougl33]

The Cat 3116 was the big problem child for Cat. The 3126's are OK. Even then, if you came across a 3116 that was still running I'd think you'd be OK as Cat supposedly dealt with all of the "soft" french blocks.

 

[Scott Mather]

The 37' can be a wet boat for sure, but the ride has always been very good in all conditions. The 37 has a lot more interior room than both the 36's.
We have the 310hp 671's and at 17 knot cruise fuel burn is 25 gph total all day long.

Going on 7 years for ours and have been very satisfied, have upgraded a lot of systems and the interior. Motors are very simple to maintain.

 

[hcalmar]

We (wife three kids 12-9) have the 37C as well. I know people say (including Pascoe -who thinks it is one of the best boats of all time) that the 36s are just as big. I just don't buy it. The 37C has a huge flybridge, as big as the 42's, and the interior is bigger than the 36II. It is wet but very stable in all sea conditions. I travel at 17-19 knts with 671ti but I have a tower. I can not imagine a bigger 37' boat. It is relatively easy to handle and maintain. My only issue is the vberth. I would like a double which I understand they had the last year. I have a new NL gen -see the pics- which really opens up the engine room. Happy to chat
Hal

 

[ADaily3224]

Both good choices, actually all three:

I have owned a 1979 37C and presently I own a 1988 36 Sedan.
Others on the forum can talk about the 36 series 1 which seems to be the most popular of the three models in question.
The 37 is the heaviest of the three by far, has the widest beam and the biggest cockpit. It's wet, noisy, very solid, easy to maneuver, and fun to own. There is some teak to maintain but for the most part it's an easy keeper. It requires a great deal of power and in the 671 N configuration it's just plain slow, but you can go when others can't. The interior is nicely laid out, all are galley up, but the main salon is tight. On the other hand the two state rooms are spacious as is the head. Engine room access is poor for a normal sized human, it's really tight. I had the worst time trying to get to the outside of the engines, battery and A/C service is a real issue. As mentioned the bridge is quite spacious, has a bench in front of the helm and one to the starboard side. I really liked mine had it for 5 years and everywhere you went people thought it was at least a 42. I wouldn't hesitate to own one again. It would be nice to find a 1981 with the queen berth in the master, but they are rare.
The 36 is quite a bit different. It's much quieter, both the engines and the hull. The 36 has cored hull sides where the 37 is solid glass, they sound and feel different. The 36 is a true deep V where the 37 isn't. You can't get the 36 to pound no matter what, it always lands softly, and it's much dryer than the 37. The engine room is easier to access and there are three really big hatches that allow you to gain access easily, although the battery outboard of the starboard engine is hard to get to but not as hard as the 37. My 36 is noticeably faster than my 37 although I have modern diesels with 40 more hp each. The old onan in the 37 will wake the dead and there is no room for a sound shield. My 36 is the model with a very small cockpit, I'm up north and it works great for my application. The series II has three available layouts, you can check them out in the brochure archives, I have the biggest interior and it's actually somewhat bigger than the 37. But in all fairness to the 37 mine is a single state room, galley down, dinette model, it's very open, and because Hatteras moved the cabin house back on this model it really stretched the main salon. The actual dimensions are 36 7' with a 13' 7" beam, I think the 37 was just that 37' with a 14' beam. If you want to fish or do a lot of entertaining in the cockpit my boat is the wrong one. If you cruise, and there are just two of you it's ideal. The 36 has more angular lines, a few differences but unmistakably a Hatteras. With a good set of diesels both the 37 and 36 are worth similar dollars. In my opinion for a very fair price you get a super boat that will never let you down. Mine is fresh water too, stored indoors in the winter and out in the summer for 4 months, I wish I lived in FL, just not in the cards yet?

Tony D

 

[Nick]

We have a 1979 37 with 671TIs and echo the above 37 owners' comments. We have a soft half top find that the cruise speed is similar to hcalimar. If I lightened up on fuel and misc stuff I cruise at closer 20 kt. The boat exudes confidence in the ride in most sea conditions and close quarter handling is excellent. Yes, lots of spray hits the bridge enclosure. Keeps you cool in the summer. I spend a great deal of time on the boat with my wife, two teenagers, an almost teenager and small dog. We have a center piece suppport and cushion in the v berth and it makes for a huge berth used cross wise, port to starboard.

I am on Long Island in NY. Let me know if you want me to peek locally at a boat for sale.

Good luck

 

[the kuz]

Hi John. All three are great boats - sturdy and seaworthy. The best for you depends on how you will use it and what are your needs/priorities. We love our 77 36C series 1, but it's just the two of us (+cat) on long cruises (weeks/months). Things I see as advantages of 36C series 1 are better speed/fuel economy (24 -25 KNT cruise with 330/370 B series @ better than a mile per gallon, better than 2 miles per Gal. @ 8 KNTS). Boat was slow (14 -15 KNTS) with old diesels and didn't get up out of the water enough. Hull is solid like a rock, and we have no deck, cabin or bridge issues except for port/widow leaks (now fixed) which were common to all three boats I believe. Ride is very good for a boat that size except it will jump/slam if we go too fast (above about 22 KNTS) into the short chop over about 3-4 ft like we sometimes get here on the Chesapeake. Mushes out pretty much everything at 18 -20 KNTS. Open ocean ride is excellent. We also like the large cockpit and functional fish door. Weekend cruises with another couple are close quarters, but family (one or two kids) would be OK. Can fish 5-6, but 4 or less is better. Bridge is smaller, but fine for 2 - 4 though max seating is 5. Would like a second helm seat vs one helm and 2 bench seats. We have the bridge ladder on starboard side over the cockpit sink/tackle locker which I think is better than some earlier years with port side ladder. Interior is "cozy" but not cramped to us - I think all the glass helps. Galley down works fine, counter space is tight, love the full sized 16 CF fridge. Head/shower very large for a 36. We like the interior wood work. Hardly ever use the inside steering station. Engine room access is not bad with the Cummins Bs/Northern Lights gen, but was tough with the big old motors and the Onan.

No doubt, the 36C II and the 37C have more room inside and on the bridge, so if you need/want the space they also are good choices. I don't think you will find a better "convertable" in that size range regardless of make or year. We wouldn't trade ours for anything else we have see under 40'. No regrets about the re-power/refit we did in 2004 - better than a new boat. Find a good one and enjoy. Regards, Bob K

 

[John F.]

Thanks for the input. Very much appreciated.

 

[scottwvyc]

ADaily3224 mentioned in the above post that it would be nice to find a 1981 37 with a queen berth. I wonder has anyone tried to convert an earlier 37 stateroom to a queen berth? I sure would like to that to my 1980.

 

[67hat34c]

Yes they have, ask Wild Bill to post some photos of his

 

[Wild Bill]

ADaily3224 mentioned in the above post that it would be nice to find a 1981 37 with a queen berth. I wonder has anyone tried to convert an earlier 37 stateroom to a queen berth? I sure would like to that to my 1980.

I have a 37C with a queen island berth. I would gladly send photos if I could figure out how. I've seen all the instructions about how to do it but, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Heck it took me a year just to figure out the camera. It's a digital and has more buttons than a 737! Keep watching the gallery. If I get it figured out I'll post them there.

 

[ADaily3224]

Bill,

It is a pain, I gave up and decided to post any pictures I wanted to show on one of the free photo distribution sites, www.shutterfly.com, http://pictures.aol.com/ http://www.flickr.com/ http://s39.photobucket.com/

Take a look, post the link, works fine. Make sure you make the album public when you post, if you don't you'll need a pass word.
Tony D

 

[captadamr]

We have the SERII 36 express and love everybit of it. It has 390 6-71 that are were supposedly rebuilt to take advatages of both JT and Covingtons good aspects (sounds like BS to me). We cruise around 18kt and its an effortless cruise and the boat will max out at 27kt in shallow calm water. In a head sea its very dry, but if you try to quater the sea you will get soaked! It feels allot bigger than 36' and many people believe that its a 40 footer. I personally Love the express, and got to see Maynards boat in Ft. Pierce, and the 2 vessels look nothing alike. We have a 36' that is behind us and I cant believe they are the same hull. I would have to choose the express over the convertible anyday, but unless your a hardcore fisherman then the convertible is great.