New Captain at Hatteras

[Boatsb]

First off, if we're talking about the same boat it wasn't a Hatteras project, it was Cummins Mercruiser that built a demonstrator on a Hatteras hull. Although it looks like Hatteras changed the window on the convertibles based on that. Also, I thought the Quad Zeus was four pods, and that's exactly the problem. I'm not aware of a practical pod package in a boat over 50 ft. To me practical means twin engines, not three or four. As boatsb said, pods aren't there yet, and that's probably a major reason why Hatteras hasn't done them yet, since their smallest offering is 54 ft.

High tech all sounds good, but one thing I've liked about Hatteras is a conservative approach to innovation. I'll take proven reliable over gee-whiz bang any day, and that's where Hatt's reputation lies.

4 holes the size of manholes is a lot of redesign. Yes the boat was a test bed for the culminating mercruiser /zf solution and they are a sister company to Hatteras.

 

[Pascal]

I just don't see the benefits of triple or quad configurations, the only reason for it is that current pods can't take the kind of power most high end big new SF buyers want.

I think Hatteras is pretty competitive in the SF market and holding its own with Viking and Ferreti-Bertram

Where they have lost their edge is in the mid size MY market ( 60 to 90). Below 60, Brunswick is clearly pushing Sea Ray and meridian, but above 60 should be where Hatteras dominates, and they don't. Looking around from where i am right now I see Mutts, Ferrettis, Lazzaras, Fairlines, carver-marquis and Princess/Vikings. Not a single late model Hatt MY.

Pretty sad for the builder who created the modern MY back in the 60s...

 

[fissioneng]

Grand Banks came out with a new 53 RPH recently, Fleming makes the very successful 55, and Marlow makes the Explorer 53, all traditional RPH designs. Granted these are all Asian, but they're not cheap and they seem to sell. Marlow in particular has some very innovative features. Seems to me there's a market here that Hatteras has chosen to ignore. Instead we have the very curvaceous Hatteras 60 MY of which I've never seen except on the web.

Then again, I can't afford any of these new, or even used, so the marketing folks probably don't care about my opinion. LOL

 

[TopHattandTails]

Pods work and are in big SF's. Check out the Volvo Penta Spencer build ("Pentagone"). It moves, it handles, and it catches fish.

 

[Boatsb]

remember the zeus pod drives only go up to 600 HP at the moment. The volvos go go to about 1000. That makes for a big difference in HP.

By the way a new Hatt is probably one and a half times the weight of the Spencer. The hatt 77 is 175K lbs while the 76 spencer is 115K.

 

[Avenger]

Pods work and are in big SF's. Check out the Volvo Penta Spencer build ("Pentagone"). It moves, it handles, and it catches fish.

And it has three engines.

 

[Boatsb]

And it has three engines.

And it weighs less than the Hatt 60 convertible.

 

[Avenger]

'zactly.

I'm not saying it's never going to happen, but the technology is not ready for Hatteras yet.

 

[Boatsb]

'zactly.

I'm not saying it's never going to happen, but the technology is not ready for Hatteras yet.

Hatt will probably develop a hull for the Zeus pod when it makes sense. Today the fact that the volvo is just 900 HP means they would need 3 in any of the boats AFTER they cut the weight down.

Now here is the big question. When you have a 70 footer that runs at 30 MPH its great. When it weighs 40,000 lbs less than another one that runs a bit slower you have to think which one will be better in bad weather.

 

[TopHattandTails]

I love Hatteras, but the reason it's not ready for Hatt is only because they have taken a 10 year break from R&D and sat on their shirt tails.

 

[Boatsb]

I love Hatteras, but the reason it's not ready for Hatt is only because they have taken a 10 year break from R&D and sat on their shirt tails.

Ok riddle me this. What does Hatteras make that can be powered with a pair of 600 HP pods?

Their smallest boat is 75000 lbs and a SF. No one I know wants a brand new multi million dollar Sportfish/ trawler


There are some huge engineering changes needed for the pods. Structurally and hull design wise. If there is not an available power plant to put in why design a hull for the vapor drive?

 

[nor'easter]

I think a 2014 39 sx or convertible would be a wicked pisser hull to pair with the qsc 600 zeus. Likely not gonna happen.

 

[GJH]

I think a 2014 39 sx or convertible would be a wicked pisser hull to pair with the qsc 600 zeus. Likely not gonna happen.

They have Cabo, now also made at the New Bern plant, for boats like that. Viking has a 42 Convertible available with pods.

 

[nor'easter]

They have Cabo, now also made at the New Bern plant, for boats like that. Viking has a 42 Convertible available with pods.

Yes, I know.

My point was that it would be great if Hatt started building smaller boats again. I know that the alignment with cabo means that it will not happen, but they did build a hell of a smaller boat before.

 

[TopHattandTails]

Ok riddle me this. What does Hatteras make that can be powered with a pair of 600 HP pods?

Their smallest boat is 75000 lbs and a SF. No one I know wants a brand new multi million dollar Sportfish/ trawler


There are some huge engineering changes needed for the pods. Structurally and hull design wise. If there is not an available power plant to put in why design a hull for the vapor drive?

In there lies the rub. They have not invested in R&D to lower the weight requirements (yes, the GT is a start, but its basically a stripped out version of the existing battlewagons) or hull design to allow more efficient, lower weight, newer technology adaptation. Adapting newer technology, in this case pods, but could also include convex hulls, newer materials, newer build process, or even future technologies not even thought of yet, requires continual investment in R&D and possibly the manufacturing process.

In order to have better "used" boats, someone has to buy the "new" boat. In today's marine industry, that means that there will be buyers for new and yes expensive rigs. There are people that buy new boats. Amazing, I know, but they are out there.

 

[Boatsb]

I have to disagree with the idea of lightening the boats being modernization. To a large degree the weight is an integral part of the hulls performance and design and to make it lighter may not give the boat the same seaworthy ride as many expect.

Viking is the other "Big sportfish" builder of high quality production boats. They have a 42 with pods and the rest of the fleet is conventional inboards. I'm not saying there is no place for the newer technologies but to lighten a boat significantly to force it to work with a "new" technology seems a bit short sighted.

I bet when there is a CMD/Zeus 1000 + hp pod we will see it in the Hatts. Until then the cost of redesign and tooling makes it not smart business. The Spenser is a cold molded boat that not only makes it lighter but also easier to re design. The downside of course is durability. They will not last 40 years or real use like a Hatteras.

 

[sandspur1966]

I agree, making changes in design to chase other people's developments is flawed logic. stripping out an old design and cramming three volvos in to it is a perfect example. Perhaps a cool one off anomoly but hardly an industry game changer.

What my earlier point was, if Hatteras had stayed dedicated to their history as an innovator, they would be working in partnership with systems and materials developers to create solutions that meet the forward thinking projected demand of the industry not trying to shoe-horn a hodge podge of technology devlopments into their existing design portfolio.

Start with the big decisions like the size range of the yachts to meet anticipated and well researched market demand and then create improved design and technolgy to bring to that market the most innovative and best performing yachts.

It is simply the difference between being a leader or a follower. Unfortunately, in my opinion, Hatters has become a follower and frankly not even a "fast follower."

The good news I think is they have an opportunity to change that. Nothing like a recession to zero out a lot of old bad habits. If you look at the management doctrine of any succesful company, the time to invest in the future is in a downturn. Everything is cheaper (salaries, capital... everything) and hopefully, just as your investment in next generation products is coming off the line, the economy will be in recovery and the order book will begin to fill up.

 

[GJH]

Yes, I know.

My point was that it would be great if Hatt started building smaller boats again. I know that the alignment with cabo means that it will not happen, but they did build a hell of a smaller boat before.

I think you misunderstood me. Hatteras designs and builds the Cabo line in the same plant they design and build the Hatteras line. So they are indeed building smaller, high quality boats.

 

[Boatsb]

I think you misunderstood me. Hatteras designs and builds the Cabo line in the same plant they design and build the Hatteras line. So they are indeed building smaller, high quality boats.

That's the big difference between their beginnings and their position today. remember they are part of a large organization that has pigeon holed the brand into a certain place and has other brands where we think they need to go. It would not make sense to compete with their sister companies for a market that is already being served.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I understand that a big boat has to have a certain minimum weight to be seaworthy, but I think that if Hatteras was using some of the more modern techniques for designing and building, they'd be building lighter boats which required less power to drive them to planing speeds. Pod drives also take a lot of weight out of the boat, and they require less fuel, which takes weight out of the boat, and they leave more room for living spaces, so a 60' convertible will have another entire stateroom- which means if your need is three staterooms, you can buy a smaller boat, etc etc etc.

Look at the MJM boats- they are very tough, but lightweight, and they have excellent handling, and use very little fuel. Hatteras needs to be looking in that direction not only to be thought of as an industry leader, which they aren't any longer, but to just sell boats.

A 65 or 70 foot motoryacht is appealing to a boat lover in and of itself, but it's more appealing yet if it uses half the fuel you would expect it to use.