Hatteras 65 open vs enclosed bridge

[hyperfishing]

My wife was on Capt. Morgan at the Palm Beach show, and practically begged me to buy that boat.

Plan is to cruise around Carribean for a few years, prefer EB for toughness, open bridge for lounging around up top

Given the plan of use, what are the thoughts here?

 

[Eddieclemons]

Do any of the windows open and or slide?

 

[rsmith]

Haven’t you been looking for a boat on here for 15 years? What ear 65? You going to actually fish the boat or just ride around and use it as a condo

 

[hyperfishing]

Yes I have, REALLY wanted to live aboard. But ended up buying three houses instead. Houses were better investments.

Two houses just sold, last house has 115 feet on the New River in Ft. Lauderdale that we have moved to.

My 20 year old gofast customized for fishing (hyperfishing.com) sits on a custom drydock in front, still room for a 65 footer.

Wifey and I have busted up a bunch of body parts in the last couple of years, told wife to retire and today is her last day of work! I plan to semi retire at end of next year, and cruise around for two years, living aboard the boat.

I think a 65 enclosed bridge is the safest (v-16 speed when outracing a storm/weather window, like we have done numerous times in our gofast) easier to maintain (no canvas), great cockpit for occasional fishing and terrific for siding out kayaks and snorkeling gear. But do like the open bridge patio lounge. Hence my poll question for those who have cruised for years and sitting at docks around the Carribean. Which is better .. enclosed bridge or open?

 

[hyperfishing]

Yes the windows open… critical for sitting at the dock and the breeze blowing thru..,have to clean out the tracks on that boat though..

 

[Eddieclemons]

I am going to vote open unless the EB can really open up and give me the sites, smells, and feel of an flybridge while cruising the Caribbean.

 

[hyperfishing]

Well the wife would likely be driving from the tower, she loves zipping right up tuna towers, similar feeling to flying our old Cherokee Six I guess. Great visibility to spot coral heads too.

 

[hyperfishing]

I forgot to add she is a hell of a navigator also. She found east rockaway inlet dead center, with her backup last/long Etrex and paper charts. No big deal? Well it was in a hurricane Kyle sponsored complete salt spray whiteout, in 10-20 foot seas, that shorted out all our gofast instruments!

 

[Hat52MY]

Enclosed Bridge….I would not have it any other way. After making a 12+ hr run you are not beat up by the wind and elements. Or even a 4hr run in the bahamas you can experience a full gamete of weather - sunshine to rain. Full climate control is exceptional and we can open the windows if we so desire.

 

[hyperfishing]

Thanks, that is exactly as I suspected but was not sure.

Do you anchor out or stay in marinas for long periods?

Wondered about the open bridge lounging comfort and privacy that is not really there in the enclosed bridge.

Travel safety and comfort is the first concern though.

What is your power and do you have stabilizers?

I envision mostly cruising at 10 knots to maximize fuel “Economy” with stabilizers out, but retracting them and cranking up the V-16s to 30 knots to make a weather window, or out race a storm.

Done that many times in our go fast, other slow cruisers/trawlers were stuck in Nantucket etc for days or weeks.

 

[Hat52MY]

Historically, we have been 50/50 between Marinas and Anchor in the Bahamas. But is changing, given we installed a new GenSet and will become more 20/80 (marina/anchor) in the Bahamas.

In addition, if we don’t need the AC’s we can easily run on the inverter with the batteries for up to 24hrs

We have stabilizers and run a good portion of the time at hull speed and easily get up and run at 18knots to avoid any weather.

The boat market is tight with short supply of good boat, if Cpt Morgan fits the bill…..