not a hat but____

[labrador]

Hey all, anyone know anything about Vista yachts. Due to economy have had to scale down my search price. There is a 46' 1987 vista w/ 3208 naturals on the market that looks like it has been well taken care of by the same owner for the last 22 yrs. I'm just looking for something to go up and down the ICW not a bluewater cruiser. Has approx 4000 hours on the mains however as stated they are naturals and the owner has used it like a trawler at 10 kts. Oil analysis has been taken over the years and are available. Teak decks on the bow and side decks have been removed and professionally awlgripped. Minor leaks on some windows have been pro repaired as well as interior teak. Pros? Cons? looking for Y'all to give me some comments. George, want to go look at it with me? Skip

 

[saltshaker]

Don't know much about them other than they were built by Kha Shing in Taiwan, one of the better yards at the time. Layout is similar to a Nova Marine 44, you might want to look at those also. Tom Fexas designed some of the Vistas but not sure which ones. I know there was a SF that is also a Fexas boat.

Prices on these old Hatts have really come down. You should be able to buy a Hatt for the same price. You'll have a boat that you can get parts and support for. When it comes time to sell, the Hatt will always have a following.

 

[SeaEric]

She looks darn good in the photos. I'd much rather have those Cats than some of the GM's that you'd find in the older Hatts. She looks like a lot of boat for the $$. Go for it!

Let us know what she looks like in person.

 

[Capt K]

My father owns a 1986 40' Vista he bought new in Ct. It is a fairly good quality boat but his is a little more trawler-like as far as handling. It is a little "tender" but real seaworthy. He's had her out in a lot of seas over the years and she's held up relatively well.

The 46 is actually the original boat from what we were told. The others of the same vintage were shortened or stretched from that mold. It is one of the best of the bunch. My father keeps thinking of moving up to a 46 (there's one in Greenport, NY), but at 82, he thinks it's kinda silly.

As was already said, they were made in Kha Shing Shipyard. They also used the same hulls on some of the Hi Star motoryachts. The Fexas boat was a sport fish model in 48 and 50ish size that never really took off. It was the late 80's...enough said.

It would be a nice, comfortable boat to do some local cruising in.

Good luck!

Capt K

 

[GJH]

Sure Skip, where is it? No first hand knowledge of Vistas that I can recall. Also look at the Hargrave designed Prairies or Atlantics if there are any available. Nice boats of that ilk.

I'm out of town from this Saturday to the next. I was hoping you guys would get a sailboat, then we would each have the best of both worlds.

 

[fissioneng]

If I'm looking at the right boat, the picture of the CAT is a turbo motor.

 

[bobk]

A neighbor has a 43. Pretty boats! Check the corners of fiberglass components for serious cracks and the hard top for water in the core.

Bob Kassal
Chateau de Mer
1981 43MY

 

[labrador]

Yea you are right about the turbos, says 300 hp however. Cant imagine a 3208 turbo at only 300. Guess the broker doesn't know the boat that well. Was going to go see this weekend however after Nicole went thru I'll be cleaning up the yard and pumping out the crawl space as we must have had 20" since last Sun. Jacksonville, N.C. got 12" in 6 hours and we were close to that. George, it's in Kilmarnock, va. I'll talk to ya when you get back.
Skip

 

[Avenger]

3208Ts started at about 260 HP up to around 320 HP. TAs went from about 355HP up to 485HP. Anything above 375HP tends to have a short life.

 

[Boatsb]

Naturals top out at 210 HP. If memory serves me correctly.