Latest Local Hatteras Gossip

[GJH]

I just ran into a guy I know but haven't seen for awhile, who works in production at Hatteras.

• They are up to hull #5 on the 100My
• They are building the fourth of the new Express. It is indeed a Cabo mold but they are making several changes to systems, engine room design and interior construction.
• They are no longer building Cabos in New Bern, this fellow didn't know what was to become of Cabo.
• They are building the first 70MY and have an order for it. Probably won't be ready until Miami show.
• They are also building a 70SF and have a few other SFs on order.
• They have been hiring at a fairly brisk pace and continuing to do so.

Rumor is that Bertram is done; I do know they are shut down at their Merritt island facility and another company is planning to build 60-90' Ocean Alexander MYs there.

 

[Dan Mapes]

After what they did to the Bertram brand this is no surprise.

 

[Glory]

The Betram guys must be Mopie

 

[worldsaway]

The new 70GT is scheduled to be at the Lauderdale show along with the new 45EX and the 60MY. (Among others) Hatteras is going to be coming on strong

 

[Boatsb]

Bertram had a bunch going on or so it seemed and then all of a sudden gone the way of the middle class.

 

[lumina]

Hi All,

I thought it odd that Hatteras was not represented at the Newport RI boat show this past weekend.

That show is a pretty big deal up this way.

 

[Dan Mapes]

Geo looking at your signature I am wondering where you are in the queue...

 

[capttonyf]

I heard Hatteras got approval, and is in design stages of an 80 to 90ft GT Convertible. I was told they think it's an leaning toward being a GT 84' but until design is finished that could change a bit.
From what I've heard it's pretty common a builder won't have a set size until they figure out how to squeeze in everything they want. I remember reading an article in the mid 1990's when Viking was building their at the time "Flag Ship" Convertible the 72C, that it started as a 68C. As it was being built they said the dimensions just didn't seem right in person compared to on paper and decided to add the 4 ft to the original drawings. It ended up being a nice looking Big Convertible.
If Hatteras ends up building this GT 84, I feel that will be one more way to cement in the minds of the consumer that they're here to stay, and commited to taking back some of the market share. I'm excited to see the new GT70 in Ft. Lauderdale and also very anxious to see the line drawings for the New GT 84.

Tony

 

[GJH]

Geo looking at your signature I am wondering where you are in the queue...

They tell me I have the Bob Uecker position... I guess I must be in the front !

 

[saltshaker]

I heard Hatteras got approval, and is in design stages of an 80 to 90ft GT Convertible. I was told they think it's an leaning toward being a GT 84' but until design is finished that could change a bit.
From what I've heard it's pretty common a builder won't have a set size until they figure out how to squeeze in everything they want. I remember reading an article in the mid 1990's when Viking was building their at the time "Flag Ship" Convertible the 72C, that it started as a 68C. As it was being built they said the dimensions just didn't seem right in person compared to on paper and decided to add the 4 ft to the original drawings. It ended up being a nice looking Big Convertible.
If Hatteras ends up building this GT 84, I feel that will be one more way to cement in the minds of the consumer that they're here to stay, and commited to taking back some of the market share. I'm excited to see the new GT70 in Ft. Lauderdale and also very anxious to see the line drawings for the New GT 84.

Tony

80-90ft is where the money is right now for SF. Slane said to me a few weeks ago that "80 is the new 55." Seems big to me but that's what's selling and I'm guessing the margins are better for the builders. FYI the 72 Viking was originally the 68 when it debuted in '95. I think they actually built a few before stretching it to 72 late '95 or '96.

 

[capttonyf]

80-90ft is where the money is right now for SF. Slane said to me a few weeks ago that "80 is the new 55." Seems big to me but that's what's selling and I'm guessing the margins are better for the builders. FYI the 72 Viking was originally the 68 when it debuted in '95. I think they actually built a few before stretching it to 72 late '95 or '96.

Jack the more I think about it, I think your correct. I think they had hull 1 or 2 finished at 68 ft and sea trialed. Healy said it did seem right and then took them back into the factory and added 4 ft to the cockpit. From then on the rest were built at 72. I did day work on and off for a few months on the Viking 72C "Take Time" while it was at the Rybovich yard when it was new. A couple of close friends of mine then worked on that boat through the years for the same owner Mr. G. He now owns a Hatteras 77C called the "Take Time".

Wow! I just realized something,,, The two friends I mentioned, both Great Captains and Great Guys, they had both Passed away in the last couple Years. I never realized they both worked on that boat. They both diagnosed about a year apart with Stage 4 Cancer, one had Colon, the other had Stomach Cancer. They both were only a couple years apart in age and both worked on that boat for an extended period of time. I can't believe I never put that together.

Captain Mike Nelson was from Ft. Lauderdale, born and raised. He was a very accomplished fish boat Captain. His brother Pat Nelson who traveled with me a good bit was on the Custom boat that won Triple Crown in Bermuda a few Years ago.

Captain Kevin Glenn, From Cape Cod, MA. He had won and palced in many tounaments in the NE and the BBC's. He had started a company called "Offshore Innovations" and had patents on some really cool gear. He grew up Tuna Fishing and developed a Harpoon and collapsable Dredge that is cuurently used by many boats. His wife and a few friends are trying to get the company back on track since his death by limiting some of the products and focusing on their best selling gear.

These were two Great Guys that Loved what they did. I can't believe until I started to reply on this thread I never put together the fact that they both worked on that boat at one point. Huh.

Tony

 

[jim rosenthal]

I recall when they stopped building smaller boats at Hatteras (anything under 54 feet) I thought it was because it cost them the same amount of money, more or less, to build a smaller boat that it did to build a larger one- but they couldn't sell the smaller boat for as much money as the bigger one. So there was no economic point to building anything less than 54 feet. Except, of course, offering what some customers wanted. But that isn't directly economic.

I hope they don't ditch the Cabo brand. They were always beautifully built boats and they had an enthusiastic and loyal group of owners. If they can't build them economically here, it would be a shame.

I know Marlow built a yard in China that they own (as much as you can 'own" anything over there, and I am not trying to stir up a fight here) and they are able to build quality boats there, but I would be disappointed if the new owners of Cabo and Hatteras decide to build them out of the country. Cabo started out in the California desert- maybe the plant is still available.

 

[Boatsb]

Any American company moving jobs offshore should be fined 10x the yearly payroll. That would make it less palatable for sure.

 

[fissioneng]

...... but I would be disappointed if the new owners of Cabo and Hatteras decide to build them out of the country. Cabo started out in the California desert- maybe the plant is still available.

Maybe the "old" owners could buy the company back cheap. Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened. Anyone know who the orginators of Cabo are?

 

[saltshaker]

Maybe the "old" owners could buy the company back cheap. Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened. Anyone know who the orginators of Cabo are?

Cabo was started by the owners/founders of Pacific Seacraft a Ca based sailboat builder. I don't know of the two company's operated under the same factory or if Pacific still is in business.

 

[drburke]

Pacific Seacraft is still in business, but after the 2007 bankruptcy production was moved to NC.

Originally their factory was in Fullerton/Santa Ana which is essentially Los Angeles.

Cabo Yachts, on the other hand, was sited in the desert an hour and a half east.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.558655,-117.451096,582m/data=!3m1!1e3

Here is a somewhat sad video describing the now defunct facility in Adelanto, CA. (Still available if you map to 9780 Rancho Rd Adelanto, CA 92301).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBz9nFRcnOI

DAN

 

[Tim Powell]

I recall when they stopped building smaller boats at Hatteras (anything under 54 feet) I thought it was because it cost them the same amount of money, more or less, to build a smaller boat that it did to build a larger one- but they couldn't sell the smaller boat for as much money as the bigger one. So there was no economic point to building anything less than 54 feet. Except, of course, offering what some customers wanted. But that isn't directly economic.

I hope they don't ditch the Cabo brand. They were always beautifully built boats and they had an enthusiastic and loyal group of owners. If they can't build them economically here, it would be a shame.

I know Marlow built a yard in China that they own (as much as you can 'own" anything over there, and I am not trying to stir up a fight here) and they are able to build quality boats there, but I would be disappointed if the new owners of Cabo and Hatteras decide to build them out of the country. Cabo started out in the California desert- maybe the plant is still available.

Jim You talking Taiwan or Mainland China. If you talking Mainland Where is the factory Lockated.

 

[Patoblx1]

I believe customer service is number one. At the boat show last year in Fort Lauderdale, the Hatteras sales staff was just standing on the back of the boats. When I went to the Viking area I was very impressed with the sales staff wanting to show off there boats.

Pat-O
THE ROD FATHER

 

[Hatattack]

I'm surprised to hear Bertram is done, the last few months they have been seriously revamping and getting ready for the shows.

Bertram and Hatteras are solely responsible for letting Viking get as good as they have. If they would have innovated faster and kept service top notch they would have not allowed this monster known as Viking take over the battle wagon market!

 

[jim rosenthal]

Tim, it's mainland China, not Taiwan. But I don't know where it is. There was a long article in Soundings about the factory, not too long ago.

I would buy a boat made in Taiwan, possibly. Or Singapore. I would not buy a boat made in mainland China, no matter how well built it was. Their idea of industrial development is stealing it from someone else, usually in the US. It's difficult enough to avoid buying stuff from mainland China as it is, without deliberately going and buying something built there.

I agree about Viking taking over the large convertible market. They do build a quality boat, although I am not crazy about the styling. And they have made their model range attractive to people who want to start out relatively small and move up. Hatteras moved away from that, and Bertram seems to have gone through too many owners to keep a consistent product line and staff. They have had quality problems, too, it seems to me- weren't there reports of hull delamination not long ago?

Does Bertram still belong to the Ferretti group? I have lost track, honestly.