What's a Hatteras?

[spartonboat1]

Conversation with 30-40 somethings, two married couples, last week (Sept 2017), who were both Cruisers, Inc owners: about 33' but 39' overall.

Boats came up in the conversation and I was asked what I had: "a Hatteras, a 43' MY", says I. "What's a Hatteras?", they responded; "...how do you spell that?" So some time on the Internet and YachtWorld later, "oh, those are nice!" But I was honestly a little startled that they had no clue. But what was the last year that Hatt made a 40'-46' boat, this year excepted? So could not blame them...

 

[Pascal]

The name should sound famiilar if just for cape hatteras but geography takes a second seat to divesity training and transgende appreciation schools...

 

[SEVEN]

They must have lived a sheltered life.

 

[Sharon Jean]

You should see the looks I get when I tell people I have a Uniflite.
It's kind of like the way a dog tilts his head when he hears a high pitched sound ;-)

 

[krush]

This is the failure of Hatteras leadership over the last 20 years. Even if Hatt made a 25-30foot boat with lower margins, it would pay off many times over to get the brand recognition back where it was in the 70's, 80's and 90's.

 

[Finalee]

They likely never heard of a Plymouth either. I have seen maybe 2 Desoto's.

 

[Westfield 11]

If young people today have never heard of a Hatteras, who's fault is that? Certainly not theirs, I would not expect them to know about Hispano-Suiza motor cars either: it's just not part of their world. Yachting and car collecting seem to be two similar pastimes that are slowly dying as the participants age out. There are going to be an awful lot of cars coming on the market in the next decade as the guys with 15 to 30 car collections have to liquidate.

Probably the same thing is happening in the yacht market too. The rarest and the very, very best will hold value and everything else will see an acellerated decline as more stock hits the market.

 

[oscarvan]

I've met mid teenagers that have never heard of the Beatles.

 

[SEVEN]

If young people today have never heard of a Hatteras, who's fault is that? Certainly not theirs, I would not expect them to know about Hispano-Suiza motor cars either: it's just not part of their world. Yachting and car collecting seem to be two similar pastimes that are slowly dying as the participants age out. There are going to be an awful lot of cars coming on the market in the next decade as the guys with 15 to 30 car collections have to liquidate.

Probably the same thing is happening in the yacht market too. The rarest and the very, very best will hold value and everything else will see an acellerated decline as more stock hits the market.

However if you say the name Chris Craft I bet they would know that name. More youngsters can afford smaller boats but not ready to move into larger yachts. But you're right.

 

[Glory]

Ask most people who won last nights game and they know who pitched, who hit a home run and how much they are paid.

Ask how long the Battle of the Buldge was or how many Americans lost their lives in it you get silence.

The answers three weeks and 19,000. Not to mention how important that was.

While I'm fond of the Hatteras product, I'm not surprised people can't identify one or even the Hatteras name.

Many can't tell you what a Beachcraft, a seacock, a minute of latitude, a halyard, or what the second amendment is.

Many people live day in and day out ignoring the real world around them, I don't get it?

 

[Pete]

I have had similar experiences with non power boat people. I do not find it strange, as small airplane names in my vocabulary start and end pretty quick, like Cessna and Lear.

Pete

 

[Walter P]

Great examples of "Ignorance is Bliss". Many years ago the popular boats had names like Owens, Cruise Along, Chris Craft, Trojan, Aristocraft and many others. Things change and interests change. Young people will eventually embrace some of our history and their interests will change as well. It's normal human behavior. Many Hatteras owners probably don't remember famous boats or boaters like Gar Wood or Hacker from the first half of the last century. We love our Hatteras' and sometimes we can't understand why other boaters lack our passion. I have loved all four of my Hatteras' but I also know that there are some other pretty good boats being built today as well. BTW we used to laugh at our parents generation dancing the Charleston while we did the Lindy and "Jitterbug". To be sure...everything and everyone evolves....

Walt

 

[spartonboat1]

This much I will say- there are 43' DCFB Hatt's around early '70's in my case, but try to find them for sale, esp. on the Great Lakes; all the other sizes as well. I think ownership lasts a long time for these craft. In my case, both my sons, now late 40's, early 50's, are starting to develop a taste for this vessel. One secretly. Has told his wife he would like to buy it, but has not mentioned it to me.

 

[krush]

Lots of young people boat. But they buy searays, chaparall, regal, etc. Plus, the lowest price new hatteras is 2mil! Average boater isn't buying that.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

The previous examples of boats such as Trojan or Owens don't really make a good argument. Those manufacturers no longer exist and have not been around for many, many years. You can't draw any similarities between those almost forgotten names and Hatteras. Hatteras still exists and still produces some amazing boats. The main reason some young boaters may not recognize the name is because the focus of their business has been mega-yachts and large sport fishers.

 

[Walter P]

Point well taken Sky. But there are lots of companies making 70 - 130 ft boats currently that most young boaters are not familiar with. They are simply not in their range, therefore no interest. My point in using old names, some of which are no longer in business is that they were in the 60's and 70's when Hatteras was flying high. Even then Hatteras was a premium brand and just as lots of folks today buy SeaRay and Carver now most boat buyers bought Owens, Trojan or ChrisCraft back in the day. I think that if Hatteras offered boats in the size ranges that they did 40 or 50 years ago, their original linage would be better known by new boaters today. Oh well, I feel privileged to have owned and enjoyed all of my Hatteras' and if young folks today are not familiar with them, it's their loss.

Walt