[mariog]

Hello everybody,

My name is Mario Gonzalez, I live in Coral Gables, Fl. I'm a long time boater currently looking for a 58' Hatteras Yachtfish. my cruising grounds are mostly all of Biscayne Bay and the some of the Keys. our family has had a few boats in the past, anything from an old 37' (+/-) Johnson woodie to searays, Luhrs.

looking forward to participating in some of the topics.

[YachtForums]

Hi Mariog,

Welcome aboard. I've spent some time in your native waters over the years. Not too much recently, but I still try to attend the Columbus Day Regatta. The 58' Hatteras yachtfish is a great boat. I wish they still made 'em. Might be something for Hatteras to consider... a retro-ride. Seems to be working for other manufacturers, from boats to cars.

We had a 58' for a number of years. It's easy to work on and even easier to handle. In my opinion, it's still one of the best outer deck lay-outs to be found... full walk around access, covered aft-deck and a cockpit to get busy offshore. My only gripe was... the galley-down of that era and the lack of a real dining. The dinette was akin to the booth at McDonalds. Matter of fact, that was the best of use of that galley... fast food!

If you come across a good deal on one, and you're not gonna make an offer... let me know. I've got a friend looking for one.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by mariog

Hello everybody,

My name is Mario Gonzalez, I live in Coral Gables, Fl. I'm a long time boater currently looking for a 58' Hatteras Yachtfish. my cruising grounds are mostly all of Biscayne Bay and the some of the Keys. our family has had a few boats in the past, anything from an old 37' (+/-) Johnson woodie to searays, Luhrs.

looking forward to participating in some of the topics.

I ran a '58 Hatteras YF that was in great condition. It had 350hrs since complete overhaul by a Detroit Deisel dealer. I agree that it is a great boat and the cockpit really makes the boat compared to the '53 MY. It came in so handy at very many marinas where the finger piers were not long enough to ever use the side boarding ladder. It was also very roomy and handled very well.

[admiralty58]

Here's mine

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...43&slim=quick&

I am looking to move down to something smaller...but I still like talking about these old things..so if you have any questions or comments on any of the years ask away...

It is currently on the east end/north fork of Long Island, not a bad place to visit this time of year

[YachtForums]

Welcome aboard Admiralty58! She's a beauty. Brings back lots of good memories.

I see new stainless appliances throughout the galley. How did you get the new refrigerator and stove in? That must have been a HECK of a job!

[admiralty58]

you know...it was not as bad as I was expecting. Once you measured everything 15 times and removed all the old stuff, and of course, while you are in there, do the fixtures, countertops and floor!!(of course) it went pretty smoothly. These boats really are put together to rebuild, and that makes many projects go well. 5 big guys makes the fridge seem pretty light, and thoroghly prepping the salon and stairs into a "chute" to slide them right down made a difference. 1/8" to spare!!

Whole key was measurement, prep, and GO SLOW

[YachtForums]

Let me extend an invitation to you...

I can see your Hatteras is listed on YachtWorld (with about another 1000 Hatt's). For some reason, yacht brokers have been asleep at the helm, because YachtForums has a large number of people looking for yachts.

Although we have very few listings, a couple of used boats have sold through YachtForums. I'll make a deal with you, if you post a short list of tips based on your ownership experience with the yachtfish, I'll waive the charge for a classified ad. It will run until you sell the boat.

[admiralty58]

I would be happy to do that just for others general info...That would be great!

I will help however I can, but I can offer only info from my experiences, I certainly would not/should not be regarded as the final word!. What about this..if you can give some idea of a framework, I can fill in what I know, and others with more expertise (or differing experiences) can fill in those areas...just something to start with and see if it gains a life of its own....

[LanaLane]

Hello All,

I've had a 54' and a 70' Hatteras. Now I have a Westship. My Hatt's were great, but outgrew them. I'll try to answer questions, but family and business don't leave much time to log on. Until next time...

Lanalane

[YachtForums]

Originally Posted by admiralty58

I would be happy to do that just for others general info...That would be great!

Great!

Short of a pre-determined outline, maybe you could touch on some of the areas a buyer might inspect prior to purchase, such as items prone to fatigue, replacement or maintenance. Certainly, these issues are standard with any boat and become more evident with time, as each one has its own nuances.

The 53' to 58' Hatteras of the 1970's and 80's was a popular boat. As a used boat, it's also one of the best values in the market... and there's a good number of them around.

If you can put together a few short paragraghs on your experience, it could really be helpful to others that are interested in buying one... maybe yours!

[admiralty58]

1 -Restore, do not Renovate
2- On a Hatteras or other reputable manufacturer almost Alway making changes to the boat and/or systems from the factory specs will be more costly and and/or have unanticipated and unwanted consequences.
3- Unless you REALLY plan on keeping the boat forever, this goes for cosmetics also. The next owner may not appreciate the 70,000 you spent on your marble galley, silk salon drapes or mirrored aft enclosure. Put the money into the existing systems and machinery instead.
4- Find the original hardware from Sams Marine or similar suppliers. It fits exactly, and it has already made it 20 or 30 years so you know it will do it again.
5-With guages, wiring, alarms, etc. Simpler is better, always find the simplest way to do something. It is easier for You to track what You did when You forget years down the road, and easier for someone else to do it for you, or for a new owner. -
-Re Read 1-5.
It won't have the Gee whiz appeal, but it will be reliable, and it will be repairable down the road without paying a Yard 100/hr to just to figure out someone elses "Good Idea".
-Don't look for bargains. Smart purchases are always good, but dealing with a series of "lowest bidders" will end up in heartache, unreliablilty and a general mess. Do your research and Use reputable contractors or yards, using known quanitity materials/equipment and swallow the charges. The cost will be long forgotten 4 or 5 (or 10 or 15) years down the road when the equipment is still purring along or the paint is still glittering. Just do (logical)sections perfectly and pay as you go if doing the entire job at once is cost prohibitive. Use the factory blueprints and put it back the way it was when there is a question.
-Keep the outside clean. Wash it, (or have it washed) every week if you do not have a covered slip. Keeping the paint and exterior metal clean of contaminants will keep the finish looking good for years. Weepholes and drains can clog and cause water damage and rot.
-Keep the inside clean. Bilge and machinery areas on these boats are frequently neglected. Get in there and clean them out, thoroughly. Paint all machinery area walls and make sure all lights are working and bright. This may enable you to see a problem Developing, as opposed to one that has already happened. Do it at least 2x a year. It makes you look around and monitor all the systems in there, it keeps rot from standing water developing, and it will get rid of the "old hatteras" smell (after repeated cleanings). Don't forget the bow areas and aft areas as well.
-Re Read 1-5.
-Well maintained and Old LOOKS GOOD. Don't attempt to hide how old it is, instead be proud of how well it has withstood the test of time. These are old boats. They are a classic design. They are supposed to look the way they do. Keep the exterior uncluttered and free of "new looking" (or old junky looking) stuff to enhance that look. How will that 2005 Carver 560 next to you look in 2035?
-Make lists. Write down all the stuff you see that needs to be done. Check them off as they are accomplished. Keep them on the fridge with a magnet to remind you, and to add stuff to when you see it. It doesn't matter what it is, I had an early list that said "major engines" right under "change lightbulb in crews quarters" ( Some "check offs" are much more gratifying than others!). Try and do One Thing every day till the list is gone, (then start another :-/ ) Before you know it the lists are very short, and you will be suprised how this little step gets things Organized and eventually Done.
-Re Read 1-5

ok- I will add more when I think of them.....who else wants to add to this list?

[admiralty58]

Prepurchase...Hmm

The best advice? Buy the Nicest One You Can Find..

Even if you feel it is overpriced, it will be Cheap after losing the time and money on some hellacious "project". "Needs TLC" can translate to Big Dollars quickly in something that is as old and large as one of these.

If the prior owner says he just spent 200k on it, thats great, but find out Where he spent it...see prior post regarding mirrored aft enclosure and marble galley.

Starting from the top..

The flybridges on these things were screwed down with 95 screws into a Balsa cored overhead. These screws needed to be rebedded every few years or they will weep, a few years of weeping and the glass will delaminate. A Bouncy area in front of the flybridge wheel is the usual sign. Never seen anyone fall though, but depending on the condition the roof can sag, leak etc. This can be a problem on the decks too, where hardware has been mounted and allowed to leak, but far less prevalent than the bridge.

All these boats are painted. Painting is expensive and tough to do right. Advances have been made in marine epoxys that enable a roll/brush job to come out like spray, but do not fool yourself and think it is something that you can do some weekend. Well, I guess you could..but it will end up looking like a floating barn.
The Hull will be 10-20k , the topsides will be at least double that. Plus the metal, plus the wood, plus, plus ...

Watch for Galley Window leaks, they usually manifest themselves with wood discoloration. Whenever you see the galley and dinette areas painted, that is usually a good sign that there is/was a problem. Fixing this involves removing the frames and rebedding the windows, and is not that horrible a project unless it is Not Done for many years and the walls become a rotting mess.

Interior wood should be original. It is subjective I guess, but boats with painted interiors always seemed a complete shame to me. This was popular in the 80s and early 90s with decorators attempting to "Lighten" the beautiful wood interiors..by using paint and formica. The 1974/1975 (I think) and earlier have the best wood as the supply of the teak in Africa became short after that, due to civil wars and political unrest. Some of the early wood interiors are stunning.

Getting the better wood in the earlier boats will result in sharing a shower in the master and guest (door on either side) and not having a seperate shower in the crews quarters. Other than that, pretty much the same boat was built throughout the entire production run. Appliance locations in the galley were swapped around too.

Engine rooms should be clean, organized, bright and well sorted, Engines will be either 871Ns or 871 Tis, the Tis have turbos, more power, and an additional level of complexity. They are old school 2 stroke detroits, so they have higher emissions, they may leak, and they are not as fuel efficient as your neighbors fancy new Cats, but they are pretty bulletproof if maintained properly. If they are getting fuel and air, and have the proper fluids in them, they can get you home with 25 things wrong with them. Variations of this motor have been in production for almost 50 years, so that says something. Rebuilds will run 12-15,000 per engine. Most people agree the Ns are good for 5000 hrs, the Tis for 2500. Many, many are out there with way more than that, and running fine, especially with regular use.

At this point the generator should be new on almost all of these boats. An old one has the potential to be a headache. Same with A/C, although I have seen the old systems grinding away at 30plus years old..for a while at least. Ditto hot water heater.

Ball valves should all work, hoses should all be new. Those are obvious safety concerns which should not be second-guessed. This stuff can sink your boat. Replaced-it takes the issue out of the equation.

Many bottoms have blisters, have the surveyor determine if its structural, almost assuredly you will find it is not. It is a good tool to beat the owner up for 10 or 15k regardless, As far as fixing them once you own it, I would refer you to David Pascoes (sp) (www.yachtsurvey.com ) article on them. Do your research and you make the call, spend 15k fixing them and/or get beat up for 10 or 15k when you sell it.

[Motoryacht]

Two of the best posts I've seen Yachtforums! You're right on admiralty 58. I've had a couple of the same issues myself and I completely agree with your tips re; don't shop the best deal, buy the right boat. Words of wisdom.

[admiralty58]

Thanks Motoryacht!

Funny though- still have only had TWO people look at it in 6 mos or whatever- and then both went and bought project boats for 200k. Strange.....

Everyone seems drawn to FL to buy these things....hmmmm

[mariog]

Carl, word has it around the Hatteras camp that known blisters are a non issue on a 70's era Hatt. Hulls were over built back then. Dave Pascoe's web site has a pretty good explaination of why the Hatteras hulls are literally bullet proof...

I'm sure you are familiar with his site.

Mario