Making a 56 Hatt fit a 56' slip by removing pulpit & swim platform...

[steve940]

Hi Gang,

Thanks in advance for all responses!

My wife and I previously owned a 56' Hatt (at a different marina) which we had to give up in 2016.
We really loved the 56 and are now searching for the largest Hatt we can fit in a 56' slip at a yacht
club I joined where dockage is more affordable than at the local "Safe" harbor alternatives. However,
slip lengths are limited...

I have looked at 53's - and may, in fact, have to go in that direction. However, on a previous post,
someone suggested I stick with a 56' for the wider beam and make the swim platform fold up and
remove the bow pulpit to conform to the club's slip length limitations.

Could the windlass still be used w/o a pulpit and without relocating the windlass? How costly and
reversible would that process be? I don't want to be man-handling anchor chain or anchors - and
still want to maintain the option of using an anchor...

Also, docking at my club is aft-in on floating docks and finger-slips are somewhat narrow
- extending about 16.5' "forward" from the main dock and ending in contact with a piling. As we
have a 70lb Great Pyrenees and older parents, boarding by the transom ladder is a non-starter - and
the ladder will have to be removed with the swim platform...I'm trying to see if I could board people -
and our dog - without hitting the piling (at 17' from the transom) using an aft-facing set of stairs...

On a 56 Hatt, how far forward from the transom (in feet) is the first "cut" one can make in the
handrail and weather board (just forward of the aft salon wing doors) that might permit mounting
a square platform - much like Marquipt's angled sea stair mount - that would permit an
"aft-facing" set of sea stairs - or a detached set of stairs sitting on the finger...

Again, thanks for helping me consider this challenge as I would prefer the 56 to the 53 if at all
possible...

Happy New Year to all,

Steve

 

[SEVEN]

If you need the beam get a 53’ wide body. Great size boat without major removal of bow pulpit and swim step ladder and brackets.

 

[oldawg]

I have been on a 54. Feels significant larger than the 53. Also, I believe they draw a little less water.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Someone once told me to always think about the next owner after me, when making a large purchase- boat, house, etc. As in thinking about the resale value. Getting the swim deck converted would be a major undertaking, but deleting the bow pulpit would be, in my view, a disaster. Better to find a boat that will fit in this slip, if you prefer to stay at that marina.

 

[steve940]

Thanks for the responses!

Seven, the 53 ED has an entry / break in the deck railing too far forward to allow side access from a 16' finger
dock...

Oldawg, I can't manage the 54 because I need stand-up ER's...

JimRosenthal, I hear you and am mindful of overcustomizing any large purchase or turning my boat into
a Franken-Hatt! However, my club may be building 60' slips in the next few years, so I'd like to try to do
the thought experiment as to whether or not I could make the 56 temporarily fit a 56' slip.

I could simply remove the swim platform and replace it at future sale or, if the longer slips are ever built
and just not have a swim platform for a while...

But what I would really need expert advice on is if I can work out the geometry of side access and the relative
cost of un-installing (and likely later re-installing) a bow pulpit while still being able to use the anchor..

I appreciate the feedback so far and welcome any ideas in answering the geometry of side access (any 56 owners out there?) and the cost of pulpit removal and difficulty of anchoring without a bow pulpit...

I trust that there are more answers from the experts on this forum...and thanks again for helping!

Steve

 

[Pascal]

You can make an opening in the rail and weatherboards pretty much anywhere you want, either forward of the wing door or just aft. If you remove the platform, why not set the stairs on the stern where the ladder is ? It would be easier than having to deal with heavy and cumbersome angled side platform

The pulpit is probably going to be tricky. Their are bolted thru and probably epoxied/glued to the deck. You will also have to get a shorter shaft made for the windlass since it installed thru the pulpit

 

[carolinacoast]

I have seen some boats in Stuart with marquip stairs attaching to the center aft as Pascal suggests. Looks fine, and seems to solve that entry challenge. That may be why there were several Jeffersons in that marina. All seemed to use that setup.
A 53 ED has the 15'10" beam, so fits a 20' wide slip comfortably.

 

[steve940]

Thanks, Pascal and CarolinaCoast...appreciate your taking the time to respond...

The club does not want dock boxes, stairs, etc. to extend more than 2' from the edge of the dock
behind the vessel - this way they can protect the "fairway" of the dock which is not that wide...They
will permit stairs with an O.D. of 5' x 2' at the back of the boat running parallel to the transom, but I
don't think I can get the height, from a floating dock, to get onboard a 56' Hatt aft deck in that space.
I think I'll need to use a longer set of stairs (possibly fixed to the finger slip)...to board on the beam
as far aft as I can.

I'll need a measurement from someone with a 56 of the distance between the transom and the first "break"
I can make in the deckrail...

Any ideas, gents, on the cost of a yard doing the pulpit "circumcision" with the shorter shaft for the windlass?

Thanks for all the help,

Steve

 

[Fanfare]

My 1966 50MY was never offered with a bow pulpit and, with our long history of anchoring out, I suppose that shows that one is not necessary. However, launching and recovering the anchor (Danforth) requires two people to prevent scraping the hull while cleaning sand and seaweed off. With just the two of us this means nobody is at the wheel on retrieval. This sometimes limits my choice of anchorage. Not to mention stowing this unwieldy anchor in its chocks on deck.

I sometimes think of the benefits of simply pushing a button to haul up a self-stowing anchor in the pulpit. I could not only use a heavier anchor but also a chain rode instead of my line. Many boats today, especially sailboats, now use chain. These swing very differently from our powerboat on nylon. I have had to radio later arriving boats to request them to keep their distance. Happy to report they always have!

I am sure there are drawbacks to a pulpit which I will never experience but they seem a good idea to me.

My understanding is that bow pulpits and swim platforms are not considered by the USCG in making hull measurements. But if you want to stay in your marina you have to work with them.

 

[Sadey]

Not trying to be a smart… but maybe take the money you’ll have to invest and maybe reinvest if your current club gets longer docks and just pay for the Safe Harbor rates?

 

[jmooney]

A member in our club had a 58 Marlow built with a hydraulic folding pulpit. You could make it hinge forward of the windlass. I will admit that in his case , money was no object. I would not go to such lengths as you are suggesting. I like the 56 and 58 Hatteras. I think you will always be able to find one . I would get a smaller boat until larger slips are available.