Researching the purchase of a 54' hat motor yacht. Detroit 8v92's. Any experience with this boat? What to look for, any info would be appreciated.
Which late 80s? The one with the large saloon and galley at an angle? Well build, runs well although a bit slow by today's standards. Personally I don't like the very 80s whitewashed interior but some donas it is lighter No aftdeck and no side deck is a drawback, just a balcony making line handling a little more difficult. But if you use the boat in colder climates where you don't spend much time swimming etc. the bigger saloon is a plus The 8v92s are good but very sensitive to over heating. They work hard to push a boat that size. But if mostly ran at 9.5kts hull speed they are economical (10gph combined) and would last a long time As to the boat itself, solid glass hull, very strong very well built with good systems. Fiberglass tanks a huge plus. Like all balsa cored decks watch for soft spots where people may have drilled holes to add things
The 54MY I am familiar with has a large aft deck, unlike the later ED. When I first looked at my 56, one was docked in the next slip, the owner was nice enough to give me a tour for comparison. Very similar to the 56 in many ways. http://www.hatterasowners.com/Brochures/54MY/54MYArchives.htm
Thanks everybody. I have been out of town. There are a number of things to consider. I thank you all for your responses. I agree that this is a heavy boat for the 8-92's. If you run this at hull speed I believe the engines will treat you well. Anything this heavy was not designed to run hard for extended periods of time. I will keep you updated as the search continues.