50' Hatteras Experiences

I delivered one a 2004 (was new) with C18's back in 2004. The boat had the optional 200 gallon bow tank. With all fuel tanks full, it rode heavy and felt heavy......and the ride was ok......with the bow tank empty, it rode 20% better, the main held 1150 gallons I believe. It cruised at a touch over 30 knots, was stable, and pretty dry. It had a little station wagon effect at cruise and the cockpit would have a light wetness to it......after running at cruise for a while. When the boat got down to half a tank of fuel it rode pretty nice. I don't remember the engine room being too tight.....but it's been a while. I don't know about prop pockets.......

In comparison, the later 54's have a phenominal ride, I would say best in class and that would be my choice if you could swing it with the C30's.

As far as I know, the 50C was produced until late 2005, beginning 2006 and prop pockets have been introduced on this model, only after the new 54 Convertible was launched in 2003.
Definitely the best engine configuration is the most used C18 (1015 HP). The 1400 CATs are too heavy and too large as well. The result is a boat running seated on her stern, a lot of fuel burned and not that much faster.
As far as the wet cockpit, I actually noticed that the older models without the prop pockets are drier, even though a lot of the sprays are given by possible sun-shade tops.
If I was in the market for a 2000 model year, I also would investigate for a boat equipped with the less used MTU 1150HP. These are 8 cylinders and at the same RPM range, they offer a higher speed, almost with the same fuel consumption.
Just to give you an example with the CATs C18 at 2000 RPM the 50C runs @ 27 knots while with the MTUs, in between 30 and 31 knots.
Hope this helps

francesco

The 2004 I delivered From New Bern, NC to Fort Lauderdale FL, with C-18's ran a solid 30 knots at 2000. It had a hardtop and small sun shade, was new and had no personal items on board but was full fuel and full water.

If you're talking about the MTU 12v183's I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole in this boat or any sportfish. They are way too stinky, smoky at fishing speeds. They lack torque, and of the 4 sets I've run in other yachts were expensive to maintain and not the easiest to find service/parts for.

You mentioned 8 cylinder MTU's, which model are you talking about that produces 1150 hp? As far as I know the Series 60's don't put out near that much power...... and the older 8v92's DDEC's didn't put that much power out either.

Hi,

IIRC the old 8V396 TB 93 would have been able to crank that out pretty easily.

I've never seen or heard of one. But it sounds like an 8 cylinder version of the 12v183. The only thing is, the 12v183's I've run were all I think 1100 or 1150hp.......I ran 3 different azimut's with them 2-68's and 1-70 seajet and some sportfish that had them.......

Hi,

It wasn't anything lik the 183's they were realy Mercedes Truck Engines that had been marinized.

The 396 Series MTU came in 8, 12 and 16 Cylinder variants whacking out up to 3520 hp.

If you had been around Sth Florida and NYC between 1989 and 1991 you might have seen a yacht called G Whiz. It ran a pair of the Hi Output 16's in a 33m Hull. It used to use around 1200 Lts Fuel at WOT/Hr.

Here are the Specs on a TE Series one: http://www.mtu-online.com/mtu/produ...and-fpbs/detail/product/499/cHash/2b15d5bf50/

tgm395

Why do you suggest the C30's......are they just as heavy as the 3412E's.....please advise, thank you. tgm

what years do you consider the later years for 54's?

what years are you refering to? any thoughts on the 52's?

The 2003 and newer 54's with the C30's run very well 32-33knots at cruise and they are a very good engine. Again C18s would still make for a nice boat and are my favorite engine. The 54' is a hell of a lot better boat than the 50', it was their best riding hull in that era. Not that the 50' rides bad, but the 54' is amazing.

The 2000-2005' 50's do run well with C18's and think c30's are overkill for that size.

The 52' Hatteras was a nice boat back then and just an upgrade from the 53' it replaced. I guess it all depends on what you want to spend and how new you want to go.

Does anybody know the actual cockpit size for an early 1980s 50C. The later models have 135 sqft, but I'm not sure if that is true with the vintage version.

Thanks,

John

http://www.hatterasowners.com/Brochures/50CII/Motor Boating & Sailing 1980.pdf

I didn't read through the whole article, but I found it is very exhaustive and you can at latest deduce the cockpit actual size, from the drawing you find on article's last very page.

Cheers,

Thanks guys

Interesting that the Powerboat Guide says the 50C cockpit is 90 or 93 sq ft. That can't possibly be right. If the 52C added 2 more feet of cockpit to get 150 sq ft, the 2 ft X 16 ft (generous guesstimate for beam at cockpit) addition represents 32 sq ft tops. This would suggest the 120-130 sq ft is more like it. I have been on a 50C, the cockpit may be smallish but it's not that small. It is still useable...

The 50C cockpit is 125 sq feet......that extra 2' does wonders for being able to fit a fighting chair. The width is the same, the extra 2' is in depth.

I have an 06 50c, plenty of cockpit , great ride , true does ride better with bow tank empty, c18s are imo a better package .... we sea trailed 2 with 30s and defiantly not as nice handling and not much speed gained maybe a 2 int difference ,,,,, I thought it to be a piggy boat to fuelish

Yeah, you don't gain a whole lot in that boat with C30's besides 3 knots or so and a heck of a lot more fuel burn..... Yours probably rides better than a C30 boat. I delivered one of those new and it didn't start riding good until bow tank empty and fuel tank 1/2 empty.........guessing that's about the same weight as a C18 boat with full fuel.

To be honest, when bow tank is full ride is not great ,once its empty great , as you get to 3/4 tank in main tank rides awesome .... I was told that its the small sixe of trim tabs... they really don't trim boat efficiently. We are gonna probably move up soon to something larger with enclosed bridge so any mods Im gonna put off
My next issue is deciding what to get probably a hatteras in 60-65 range but as of now who knows kicked around buying a cruiser and maybe a little express or cc for me to fish on, Im a striper fisherman more than an offshore guy... but don't really love goin 18knts ... or the look of M.Y