My first mate and I are looking forward to "living aboard" in the future. At least for now it's a lifetime goal.I thought we would be looking at 40' to 50' trawlers. Since TC Joe was looking at a 53' Hatt. I started looking at them also, and thought that this maybe a better way to go. I even mentioned it to my wife. I like the range a trawler has to offer, but I think the emenities may be nicer on the Hatt. I have alot of research to do, one is to learn how to spell Hatteress! Any way , are the smaller 40' to 50'class of Hatt. as well built and popular as the 53 Classic. Just some small talk. Thanks for the info!
Pascals 53'
- Thread starter Tiki Time
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those are nice boats but dont let the name trawler influence your decision. Trawler is mostly a meaningless marketing name. In fact I dont think Hatteras ever made a trawler though they did make a number of long range cruisers. Decent economy is available on many boats from many makers at displacement speeds. personal experience with my 44' Carver is 2-3 NMpg. It is an aft cabin a 900 hp boat, far from the type typically named trawler.
You have a beautiful boat! This is one of the things that is puzzling to me. Do you enjoy the optional power and speed of the 900 hp, or go with say a Grand Banks with cruising speeds of 6 to 8 knots? I guess if you were to cruise at 8 knots with the Carver the fuel consumtion would not be that much of a difference. Does that sound right to you? I have to admit I really don't find my self cruising alot faster than that now. I guess I like the extra power. But once I go on Island Time I'm not going to be in a big hurry.
Thanks, no reason it couldn’t be a good liveabord, plenty of room.
We go at 8 kts or so a lot of the time but if i want to go fast to avoid storms or because I dont want to spend a long day crossing to Key West or to get somewhere before the afternoon wind picks up we have that ability. It handles very well at slow speed too.
The amount of fuel the boat uses depends on speed not engine size so I can get good or lousy mileage depending on what I want to do. I really like having the option to speed up and not be limited by small engines and somebody’s idea of a trawler. You really can have a choice.
We go at 8 kts or so a lot of the time but if i want to go fast to avoid storms or because I dont want to spend a long day crossing to Key West or to get somewhere before the afternoon wind picks up we have that ability. It handles very well at slow speed too.
The amount of fuel the boat uses depends on speed not engine size so I can get good or lousy mileage depending on what I want to do. I really like having the option to speed up and not be limited by small engines and somebody’s idea of a trawler. You really can have a choice.
Not to put a pall on larger boats BUT after joining the Power Squadron up in Palm Beach some years ago, I had asked why those senior members who had "really BIG yachts" gave them up for smaller boats... One older member approached me and smiled
then said, "Soon enough you will notice that your limbs will prevent you from jumping down into the engine room and doing tasks that you always handled yourself"
Being a snippy pup at that time, I remarked that "you have aboard ample crew to preform those tasks and more". Well that prophecy has come to fruition, now I'am
the one who is looking for a smaller diesel boat to enjoy with one deck.
So now I'm looking for another boat.
True, big is Better And Beautiful!
then said, "Soon enough you will notice that your limbs will prevent you from jumping down into the engine room and doing tasks that you always handled yourself"
Being a snippy pup at that time, I remarked that "you have aboard ample crew to preform those tasks and more". Well that prophecy has come to fruition, now I'am
the one who is looking for a smaller diesel boat to enjoy with one deck.
So now I'm looking for another boat.
True, big is Better And Beautiful!
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well... I never jump in my engine room, i walk in thru the door... come and think of it, I woudlnt' want a boat where i need to lift saloon hatches to get in the ER, a door is much more conveninent!
Bruce is right, Trawler is for the most part a marketing word... and how about those "fast trawlers" or "Swift Trawlers"... makes no sense!
slow down below hull speed and most diesel boats will be reasonably efficient, although not as economical as a true displacement hull. On my 53 I get about 1 NMPG at 9kts, if i slow down by a knot, i cut down fuel burn to 6 or 7gph. If i try to push at 10kts, it jumps up to 13gph... or 30% more fuel for 10% more speed...
as bruce said, engine size is doens't affect fuel burn that much, speed does.
what i love about the 53, beside the hatteras built quality, is the flush deck design with the HUGE aft deck, saloon and lower helm all on the same level as the side decks. No steps... The aft deck is where we spend the most time... and even in summer, there is a lot of ventilation thanks to the side doors, windows and aft deck doors which means we dont 'need to run the air during the day.
Mine has naturals, so it will not get up on plane... those with Turbos can get on plane (just) and hold a 17kts cruise when needed. that's nice to have ...
Bruce is right, Trawler is for the most part a marketing word... and how about those "fast trawlers" or "Swift Trawlers"... makes no sense!
slow down below hull speed and most diesel boats will be reasonably efficient, although not as economical as a true displacement hull. On my 53 I get about 1 NMPG at 9kts, if i slow down by a knot, i cut down fuel burn to 6 or 7gph. If i try to push at 10kts, it jumps up to 13gph... or 30% more fuel for 10% more speed...
as bruce said, engine size is doens't affect fuel burn that much, speed does.
what i love about the 53, beside the hatteras built quality, is the flush deck design with the HUGE aft deck, saloon and lower helm all on the same level as the side decks. No steps... The aft deck is where we spend the most time... and even in summer, there is a lot of ventilation thanks to the side doors, windows and aft deck doors which means we dont 'need to run the air during the day.
Mine has naturals, so it will not get up on plane... those with Turbos can get on plane (just) and hold a 17kts cruise when needed. that's nice to have ...
I think that Pascal has the best of both worlds in living aboard his 53' Hatteras. The quality of construction is of the highest calibre and its livability is fabulous. I must admit to a bias that I have for the 53, and I would really love to own and live on one myself.
Let me see, I've got at least 6-more years of college before I could get serious about it, but one never knows.
As a general comment, yes, the 40' to 50' range Hatterases are all of high quality construction, however, none with the same degree of livability of the 53. Do not allow age to frighten you as you look for the best of what is available.
Pascal is the resident 53' Hatteras expert here and he has a wealth of information available just for the asking (I think
).
Let me see, I've got at least 6-more years of college before I could get serious about it, but one never knows.
As a general comment, yes, the 40' to 50' range Hatterases are all of high quality construction, however, none with the same degree of livability of the 53. Do not allow age to frighten you as you look for the best of what is available.
Pascal is the resident 53' Hatteras expert here and he has a wealth of information available just for the asking (I think
).
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you rarely go to a large marina on the east coast and not see at least one old hatt flush deck... 50, 53, 58, 61... or the wider beam 56 and later models like the 54, etc.... The fact that the basic designe remained in production into the 80s with very few changes says a lot about what Jack Hargrave came up with in 66.
the smaller Hatts (43-48) are good boats (build just as well) but as Bill said do not give you the livability of the flush decks. And the flush decks, although a little longer, are much easier to handle due to the pilot house doors. no running down from the FB when docking.
the smaller Hatts (43-48) are good boats (build just as well) but as Bill said do not give you the livability of the flush decks. And the flush decks, although a little longer, are much easier to handle due to the pilot house doors. no running down from the FB when docking.
Yes, there are many flavors as Pascal mentioned. My 56 is a bloated version of Pascal's 53. We live aboard full time and cruise the boat up and down the east coast. For our purposes, coming from larger houses, the extra 2'4" of beam makes a huge difference. We too love the big aft deck; it is the most used area of the boat. 360 degree visibility from the lower helm with post and starboard doors to the walk around decks are among the many ergonomic features that make using the boat a pleasure. We have cruised over 6000 miles on this boat since August 2007.
The walk-in engine rooms were a must for me and I bless them every day. I am not particularly handy, and a kind of big and clumsy guy, so the access to all systems aboard is very important to me, for instance the nice big generator/utility room on my boat is a wonderful feature. This aspect has saved me a lot of money, primarily in that it is easy for me to do most of the work on the boat myself, but when I do call in a specialist, they can work much faster and comfortably, cutting down those hourly costs.
We have friends with 43-ish aft cabin Hatts, including Dan ("boatbum") on this forum, and they are very liveable boats. Too small for us, but probably just right for more sensible people. The 42 and 48 LRCs are also great boats in this size range. I cruised on a buddy's 42LRC from New Brunswick through PEI and Nova Scotia a couple of years ago for a few weeks. I think that sold me on focusing on Hatts.
There is an online Hatteras Owner's forum that offers a wealth of information from a cadre of very experienced members.
George
Hatteras 56MY
The walk-in engine rooms were a must for me and I bless them every day. I am not particularly handy, and a kind of big and clumsy guy, so the access to all systems aboard is very important to me, for instance the nice big generator/utility room on my boat is a wonderful feature. This aspect has saved me a lot of money, primarily in that it is easy for me to do most of the work on the boat myself, but when I do call in a specialist, they can work much faster and comfortably, cutting down those hourly costs.
We have friends with 43-ish aft cabin Hatts, including Dan ("boatbum") on this forum, and they are very liveable boats. Too small for us, but probably just right for more sensible people. The 42 and 48 LRCs are also great boats in this size range. I cruised on a buddy's 42LRC from New Brunswick through PEI and Nova Scotia a couple of years ago for a few weeks. I think that sold me on focusing on Hatts.
There is an online Hatteras Owner's forum that offers a wealth of information from a cadre of very experienced members.
George
Hatteras 56MY
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well said George... Detroits will get you home when others send you scrambling for a new injector pump. heck, you dont' even need to bleed a Detroit!!!
Phil, flush deck is not an official designation... in fact some people use that word for other models. my definition of a flush deck is when the aft deck, side deck, saloon and pilot house doors (or helm doors on those without a wall separating the helm from saloon) are all on the same level with no step.
those boats come in the following flavors
- classic: basic 50/53 with the walk around deck
- extended deckhouse: 53 without walk around deck (you come in at the pilot house door to get to the aft deck)
- Yachtfish : 58 which is a 53 with a cockpit added
- motoryacht: 58 which has the galley up, behind the pilot house, and the extended deck house, plus 4 stateroom
all of those are on the original 15'10" hull.
then you have the 56MY, like Georges', which has the wider beam. There was also a 53 wide beam and 58 ( I think...) plus the late 90s 54 MY. That one has no aft deck (it's more like a balcony) but a huge saloon, with galley up and 4 staterooms. by then, hatteras had replaced the original exotic veneer and wood interior but what i think is the less desirable white wood.
the hatteras owners website has a whole collection of scanned brochures which cover all these boats.
Phil, flush deck is not an official designation... in fact some people use that word for other models. my definition of a flush deck is when the aft deck, side deck, saloon and pilot house doors (or helm doors on those without a wall separating the helm from saloon) are all on the same level with no step.
those boats come in the following flavors
- classic: basic 50/53 with the walk around deck
- extended deckhouse: 53 without walk around deck (you come in at the pilot house door to get to the aft deck)
- Yachtfish : 58 which is a 53 with a cockpit added
- motoryacht: 58 which has the galley up, behind the pilot house, and the extended deck house, plus 4 stateroom
all of those are on the original 15'10" hull.
then you have the 56MY, like Georges', which has the wider beam. There was also a 53 wide beam and 58 ( I think...) plus the late 90s 54 MY. That one has no aft deck (it's more like a balcony) but a huge saloon, with galley up and 4 staterooms. by then, hatteras had replaced the original exotic veneer and wood interior but what i think is the less desirable white wood.
the hatteras owners website has a whole collection of scanned brochures which cover all these boats.
Pascal,
In my mind's eye, I can just picture you sitting at your computer in the saloon with an ice cold frosty nearby as you talk about what is clearly your 1st love, your 53' Hatteras.
I am sitting at my computer here on the Cod smiling at my perceived sight of this. [:-thumbu]
In my mind's eye, I can just picture you sitting at your computer in the saloon with an ice cold frosty nearby as you talk about what is clearly your 1st love, your 53' Hatteras.
I am sitting at my computer here on the Cod smiling at my perceived sight of this. [:-thumbu]
I agree with Bill, This man is in Love! Thats great info. There was a previous thread, It was about a surveyer who rights articles about older boats good and bad. Do any of you know what his name is and his web site etc.
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yachtsurvey.com very opiniated, site is a little outdated but he tells it how he sees it.
because the site is a few years old now, keep in mind that things that are said about one boat/model/brand usually doens't apply to waht that builder produces now.
because the site is a few years old now, keep in mind that things that are said about one boat/model/brand usually doens't apply to waht that builder produces now.