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2001 Hatteras 63 Raised Pilot House

Discussion in 'Hatteras Yacht' started by gsholz, Jul 15, 2021.

  1. gsholz

    gsholz New Member

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    I'm looking for a 55'+- pilothouse boat capable of making 200 mile runs on the Pacific coast during daylight. This means 15-20 knots cruise. I'd like to avoid night travel since it is just the two of us.

    I have come across a 2001 Hatteras Pilothouse 6300 that might work. This is Hatteras's first foray into Euro designs, how would you rate the boat overall? Construction, equipment, etc? Any issues with early boats?

    The standard power (1400hp, 3412Es) seems a bit overkill for what we'd need. From what I have seen the boat seems to come fully on plane around 16kn (1600rpm). That is where we'd most like cruise it on passages, displacement speeds in the islands.

    Surprisingly, the boat does not have stabilizers. Unusual or common on these boats?

    Appreciate your insight!
  2. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    I recently made a post that Hatteras plotted the wrong course when it entered euro coordinates, but that should not detract from an otherwise well engineered and well built boat. I've been aboard the 63 and thought the euro style encroached on space utilization, but it's still a desirable boat.

    The lack of stabilizers (for me) would not be a deterrent. I see them as drag. Others see them as equipment to limit Linda Blair episodes.
  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Construction, systems, engineering etc you can never go wrong with a Hatteras. Head and shoulders... and torso, above the rest.

    the 3412Es are fantastic. They don’t have the later cats aftercooler issues. I ran a 2033 johnson 70 from 2008 to 2016 with 3412Es. Started at 1600 hours and they had 5500 hours when the boat sold. Passed survey and oil analysis with flying colors.

    As long as they fit in the ER with a bough space to work on them and other things, having the bigger engines mean they never have to be pushed. The 70 was cruising at 20 kts on about 50% load and could cruise all day at 25 kts and 70%

    as to the layout I think Hatteras sacrificed some space on the altar of euro design ... but if you like the layout the it s fine.

    I ve never run one of these but I can’t imagine not having stabs especially on the left coast. Should be fairly easy to retrofit and the price should reflect this
  4. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    They're great boats, everything Pascal said I'd agree with. You're going to want to run it 20 knots or above to stay on plane........why not just run it at cruise, fuel burn per mile is about the same once you're on plane. The Euro designs actually add a lot of room on some of them. Stabilizers weren't as common on planing hulls when that boat was built, you could always add them, but they run pretty good the way they are. They are a little wet on plane......hull speeds extremely stable and dry.
  5. gsholz

    gsholz New Member

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    Good to hear that there are no aftercooler issues with the 3412Es. I believe they are jacket water cooled which would cut down on typical aftercooler maintenance quite a bit. There seems to be a good amount of space to work on the engines.

    Given the 2001 year, I'd need the EIAPP certificates for the engines when travelling to Canada/Mexico. Correct?

    The prior owners made some "interesting" changes. The typical U shaped settee in the saloon was replaced with free standing chrome and leather couch, chair and tables. These would get launched across the boat in anything but flat seas (particularly without stabs). They would have to be replaced with built-ins again.

    Appreciate the comments!
  6. LuvBigBoats

    LuvBigBoats Member

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    I looked hard at these. Love the engine room; probably my favorite aspect of this boat. That and the great spaces and seating on the flybridge. Fiberglass fuel tanks, extremely well built, paint instead of gel coat, nice two-seater pilothouse, overall great quality. What I didn't like was the lack of a real side deck for walking around. You can do it but it's tight, and for mooring at Catalina I preferred having a stable, high side walkway (which means less interior space). And no real area for a table and chairs or other seating on the bow (just an area for pads). Also wasn't thrilled with the master and guest bed configurations (sideways and bunks, respectively), but those weren't deal breakers and the boat I'm under contract for now has those same configurations. And the swim step is small, but again that's not a deal killer.

    Really like the 3412s, not from personal experience but from everything I've read they are great engines.

    Re the stabilizers, it's a tradeoff since you're less likely to need them when cruising at 20+ knots, but would be nice to have when going hull speed for long distances. It's a tough call. Of course you can always install them.

    Best of luck.
  7. Todder

    Todder New Member

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    These are very nice,well built vessels. Did you decide to go ahead with the Hatteras ? If not then why? Weight and Fuel consumption?
  8. gsholz

    gsholz New Member

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    Couple of reasons for holding back. Not too concerned about weight or fuel usage but 3412Es with a combined 2800 hp do seem overkill for our use. There is too much debris in PNW waters to cruise at 20 knots for any length of time (or at night). 3406Es might be more appropriate for us but they are not common in this boat. I like to do my own maintenance whenever possible. Just more of everything on two 12 cylinder engines (e.g. 70 gallons of oil).
    The other reasons are more cosmetics. The wood paneling in the saloon/galley has faded inconsistently (light and dark panels right next to each other). Seems the factory used random veneers vs matched ones. One of the previous owners removed the standard, built-in settee and replaced it with free standing modern couches. Not appropriate going up and down the Pacific coast.
  9. Todder

    Todder New Member

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    We are newbies to yachting (40 years in boating) and considering the purchase our first large boat and love everything about the Hatteras 6300 except for the the fact it is so heavy pushing close to 100,000 lbs and requiring 2800 hp to get up and go. Lots of HP with these big powerplants but I must agree that this more than we need. My concerns are a bit different in that from what I read here to keep on plane at 16.5 -20 knots is between 70-94 gallons per hour (according to the fuel curve I have) of this particular vessel and power. Where I live we pay close to $6.00/gal. which would work out to aprox. $500.00 hr in fuel consumption up on plane at 1800-2000 rpm.
    Does anyone know if these findings are within reason?
    Any idea of hull speed for this spec?
    Also,
    we would likely be cruising around 8-10 knots @ 800-1,000 rpm 90 % of the time I would expect. We would run them up to 1800 - 2000 rpm time to time to clean them out of course.

    Would cruising at these low rmp's 90% of the time be damaging to these big engines?

    I have heard that many of the Hatteras pilothouse boats do not have heating systems required for the PNW as they are an east coat purpose built boat. Is installing a heating system doable/reasonable here? Thanks for any help on these items, much appreciated.
  10. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    1000 rpms will get you 10-11.2 knots. I ran one that had C18's in it and was a great combination. One of the last ones they built. You should be able to stay on plane in that boat around 1650-1700 rpms with 3412's and tabs down, which works out to 18-20 knots.
  11. Todder

    Todder New Member

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    Thanks for the info Captain J.
    Do you recall how was she was sitting while slow cruising at 800-1000 rpm? Is the stern drop and bow rise significant at this speed and rpm? or is the boat relatively level?
    Interested in the hull speed but I guess one could do the measurements and the math.
  12. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Hull speed on a 63 is about 9.8 to 9.9kts. At that speed you should burn around 16/18gph (combined) Go 11kts and that will double ... at hull speed the boat should be fairly level, bow down.

    yes the big V12s are heavier but on the plus side they will barely break a sweat. On the down side you will loose space in the ER. I can’t comment on the ER volume for that specific boat
  13. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Pretty level. It's hull speed.
  14. Todder

    Todder New Member

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    Roger thanks!
    Thank you Pascal I should be around 1050-1100 rpms at 9.8kts in that case. Do you know if it is ok to run at this rpm all the time with a little juice to ride on plane from time to time?. It would be tuff to resist the urge to feed those big engines fuel.
  15. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Yes it's plenty fine, but you're best running 1000 rpms and then cruise every 6 hours for 40 or 45 minutes instead of 30 to make up for the speed difference........If you do the math. 1050 isn't much more fuel usually than 1000, but 1100+ is........
  16. Todder

    Todder New Member

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    Well noted,
    If I could run it at 1000 rpms at hull speed I would certainly choose to do that for the economy. Yes, I noticed the huge increase of fuel consumption over minimal speed increases as the rpm's go up and there appears to be certain sweet spots along the climb in rpm where the fuel curve shows better economy.
  17. Todder

    Todder New Member

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    I am looking for some comparisons in fuel consumption and performance with similar length boats in Ocean Alexander or Son Ship etc with much less weight and power. I assume there will be some compromises and trade offs.