[Roadrage]

I have had an obsession with sportfish yachts since i was around 15.
Growing up on the west coast of Florida I had a friend whos father had a 44ft sportfish that they took me out on in the Gulf and from that day on i was hooked.

Im 44 now and currently residing in Europe but longing to move back to FL.to look after my folks in there older years and to liveaboard a sportfish,after all i wont have nothing but a suitcase with me when i return to Florida and just about any size sportfish is alot bigger than these tiny European appartments!.I have between 85 and 100k to work with is this enough for a decent vessel?
Tips from you pro's who are living the dream are greatly appreciated.

[Capt Buddy]

Should be more than enough,,

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1985.../United-States

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1966.../United-States

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1990.../United-States

[Bayside Bert28]

44 yrs old and now he cannot sleep at night ... dreaming of a Hatteras sportfish with lots of beautiful wood in the cabin!

Good news is that a bunch of boats can be had for 1/2 (or less) of their asking price these days ... the bad news is that while the price of boats these days is definitely good, the price to fix them is holding firm. Big bucks for parts and labor. The key is to spend so much time on the prepurchase that the seller is ready to send you packing ... and then spend more time. Identify EVERY squawk and get a firm estimate for repair. Then decide whether the price works or not.

(From someone who spent MUCH more fixing them than he paid for them).

Mike

[Capt J]

It is definately possible and in your price range. The 36' Hatteras can be had in your price range is a stout boat and roomy in size and can be found with diesels in your price range. Another one to look at are the 43'. What are your intentions with the boat aside from living on it?

Another thing I would research before making the plunge, is the cost of dockage for live-aboard marinas in the area you're planning on living in, as well as annual maintanence costs.

[chesapeake46]

Hi,

I share your passion for a sport fish.
A Hatteras motor yacht is more practical but can't compare to the look of a Sporty, says I.

For living aboard, I would like a boat with a galley & dinnette down and the saloon up. The galley down gives the illusion of a much bigger boat inside.

Like this boat

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...oat_id=1542795

The boat pictured is a Post but Viking also has a nice layout with the galley and dinnette down, again, giving the appearance of more space and less confining.

Also dual heads is a good thing to have especially if you have a lady friend or three.

A stand up, stand alone shower is a necessity also. One of those combination heads with a shower curtain you wrap around you just does not cut it unless you have a fetish of some sort.

A washer/dryer unit is pretty nice to have but I never saw one on a boat smaller than a 46.

my .02

[Hattsoff]

Originally Posted by chesapeake46

Hi,

A stand up, stand alone shower is a necessity also. One of those combination heads with a shower curtain you wrap around you just does not cut it unless you have a fetish of some sort.

Well said and I agree 100%. What you describe are called "wetheads" and I would never buy a boat with one. They are ridiculous to use and just plain gross.

[Bayside Bert28]

I was surprised to find one on the v-birth head of my Bertram 54 ... I removed the waterworks from the wall and repaired the wall. Now it's just a head.

I also removed it on the Bertram 28 and that was the only shower on that boat. I would just rather have a towel bath than sit on the head while having a shower and then having soap and water all over my bathroom. Crazy design.

[Roadrage]

Thanks fellas for the good info.
As far as what i want to do with the boat,Im going to Love it with all my heart and soul!!!as well as work it and give it a purpose.
Would really like to start or become a part of building inshore reefs,i know there are lots of offshore reef projects going down and i follow there progress but the west cost of FL.from ST.Pete to the glades needs Inshore reefs as well,Simply put i want to give back to society in some way and help our waters and marine life so it does not end up like the Baltic sea!

Bump this thread
I would love to know more about how people view the Hatteras SportFish both as live-aboards and as cruisers?
Seems if you can discipline yourself to run them at trolling speed, you can eek out similar efficiency as one might in a trawler, at nearly same speed no?


Drawback for cruiser- no place for runabout, dinghy, tender, srry not sure which in terminology......?

[JWY]

Originally Posted by gccolvin

Seems...you can eek out similar efficiency as one might in a trawler, at nearly same speed no?

Operative words: eek (vs eke) and no.

Thanks JWY,
I'm still sold on the trawlers for the most part, so I expect to pose many questions to you in the future, but I'm keeping an open mind at this point as well, want LOTS of info before i buy, or even charter!
BTW- I actually contacted a charter service about the "Commander" which is on the east coast, seems that there are not alot of trawler charters out there are there?

[JWY]

There are several issues related to running a sportfisher at trawler speeds. Aside from the engine life and requisites for not depleting it, and aside from range, and fuel consumption, there is the hull shape. A sportfisherman has a hull that is designed for speed; running at displacement speed is not going to give you the ride for which it was designed.

You're correct in that there aren't many charter companies offering trawler charters, but there are a few. If you want the feel of a displacement hull, be careful not to mistake some of the semi-displacement charter offerings such as Grand Banks - "fast trawlers" are not displacement hulls, although that might be a different option to meet your needs.

Judy

[FISHTIGUA]

Beneteau and Mainship make a sort of half & half trawler/yacht. I've not been out on one yet but may be worth a look.

Swift Trawler / Motorboats - BENETEAU

Originally Posted by gccolvin

I think I have come to understand what I should have already--- Purchase a boat that is designed for your needs!!
I love the layouts, looks, and available speeds of the sportfish, but, it makes perfect sense that it is designed for sportfishing, not long term cruising, so, for me, its back to the trawlers!
In reality, looking through photos of both, my Sportfish obsession ends when I get to the engine room, and as JWY pointed out to me, 1-engine 1-genny= simple(er) maintenance...
One more bit of insight from my perspective- I have 8 1200hp CATs sitting on the deck of this vessel, and I know from experiences, that they will certainly run at idle or low power for hours, if not days, but they are designed to run at power, otherwise, they soot up, etc., etc., I imagine a sportfish engines would be comparable at 8-10 knots?
Here is another comparison though, when looking at the Hatts, I found many, MANY, older models, that apparently are still being used, maintained, etc. What types of full displacement trawlers would i be looking at that have longevity such as that?

Just wanted to post this here as well

[YachtForums]

Originally Posted by FISHTIGUA

Beneteau and Mainship make a sort of half & half trawler/yacht. I've not been out on one yet but may be worth a look.
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Next time you're at a show, you may want to take a closer look at Beneteau's Swift trawler. At that point, I'm reasonably sure you will step back. This is one of those run, don't walk, moments in life. Mainship isn't much better. Both of these boats are ideal trawlers for lakes, but not the Great Lakes!