60 Hatteras Motoryacht 2009

Source: Power & Motoryacht Magazine

At one time Hatteras built more production motoryachts than any other company in the world. Today it is merely the largest builder of big motoryachts on U.S. soil. For 50 years, through changes in ownership and top management, Hatteras has stayed faithful to core principals of solid boat building, and has always produced top-quality yachts no matter who owned and ran the company. Its legacy has been jealously guarded by a dedicated cadre of engineers, factory managers, shop-floor foremen and craftsmen who have worked at Hatteras for most of their careers, through thick and thin. We will investigate the details of the new Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht model in the Captain’s Report that follows, but make no mistake about what is the most important aspect of this boat – the fact that she was built by people who know what they are doing when it comes to large, seaworthy, practical yachts.

The Mission

The Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht is intended to be the smallest size motoryacht that is realistically possible to build that has the sea-keeping parameters for adventuresome cruising offshore, yet still have most of the amenities of a large conventional flush-deck motoryacht. That means you can take it nearly anywhere you can get fuel for her, yet also have a first-class entertainment platform for more sedate cruising.

Secondly, the Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht was designed to be an owner/operator vessel. That fact goes to the core of what Hatteras is all about – boats built for seasoned, knowledgeable yachtsmen who understand the complexities of large yachts and also know how to pilot them. The boat is set-up so that it is easy to operate for people moving up from smaller boats, yet is large enough so that people moving down from larger motoryachts still can do most of the things they enjoyed on the bigger boat.

Easy to Dock
If you own a small boat, whether single or twin, you will be amazed at how easy it is to dock and handle a larger motoryacht, one such as the Hatteras 60. The basic reason why boats this size are actually easier to dock than boats far smaller is because they are so heavy. They move slowly giving the skipper time to see what is happening and make the adjustment required. Secondly, the props on these large yachts are huge and usually all one has to do it to “bump” one engine into gear for a second or two, then take it out of gear and let momentum do the rest of the work. With the gears in opposite directions they will turn slowly on a dime.

Next time you see people on the dock break out into applause when an owner puts a large motoryacht to rest 3 inches from the dock, now you know his little secret – it was really a piece of cake. (Give him your approbation anyway, as it’s good for his ego.)

With the advent of bow thrusters, the boat-handling in a tight slip that most owner/operators fear most is made even less of an issue. These days some owners are even fitting stern thrusters which are not really necessary except in tight spaces with a cross current. The key to big boat docking is simply to go slow.

“Entry Level” Motoryacht
Hatteras calls this model their “entry level” motoryacht because it is the smallest motoryacht boat in its line, but don’t let that fool you. The Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht is a very big boat, indeed, and has pretty much all of the amenities and attributes that her 100’ cousins have. In fact, for most people, a 60’ (18.46 m) motoryacht, if properly equipped, is all they will ever need. Bigger boats just have more room and cost more to buy and operate, so what added utility there is comes at a steep price.

The Galley
The heart of the Hatteras 60 on the main deck is the galley. It is large, bright and unencumbered. Hatteras is using under-counter drawer refer/freezers which open up the boat and creates the “country kitchen” feeling that has been popular in American-built motoryachts for two decades, though Hatteras was slow to adopt the concept. We like this layout with its island counter/sink because it allows two people to actually work in the galley at once, and both chef and sous chef can stay part of the pre-dinner conversation.

An “L”-shaped banquette with a rectangular table creates an elegant dinner venue if that is what you prefer, or a relaxed place to hang out for breakfast. At first blush one might not consider at dinning table next to the galley as having the possibility of “elegance” but we assure that is all in the hands of the host and hostess. We have been in 60′ motoryachts with an open galley and dinning table sharing the same space and felt just as pampered as at a tony, carriage trade restaurant.

Europeans may recoil at the thought of having a galley open for all of their guests to see. They should speak to Hatteras about an alternative layout, or simply buy a larger Hatteras which has a fully enclosed galley. The fact is that Hatteras built motoryachts for years with enclosed galleys and have taken a very practical step forward, in our opinion.

Semi-Displacement
Speed is one the most important aspects one must decide upon when buying a cruising motoryacht. The Hatteras 60 displaces 94,000 lbs. (42,727 kgs.) and it takes a lot of horsepower and fuel to get this boat on plane and make her go fast.

Every time there is a spike in fuel prices, yachtsmen naturally start thinking of going slow, and saving on fuel. But true displacement speeds are glacial in nature to a person coming up through the powerboat ranks. Eight knots takes some getting used to by all but the sailboat crowd. While you can always go slow when you have big engines, the converse is never true.

Heavy boats ride better (particularly when they have a 18’2”/5.53 m beam like the Hatteras 60 MY) and roll less than do light boats, all things being equal. So the question now is do you want to go displacement speeds (8 to 9 knots) or 15 to 20 knots, or even faster? If you buy a displacement boat, you are stuck going slow. On the other hand, if you put huge engines in the boat so that you can go 35 knots or faster you really aren’t looking for a cruising motoryacht, but rather something all together different. (Forget the fact that you can only go those speeds in relatively calm conditions.)

That’s why many people who buy motoryachts find one that will cruise comfortably from 15 to 22 knots a very practical compromise. It is for that reason that Hatteras has wisely, we think, decided to offer two engines that give both a good turn of speed, but also the option to go slow.

Engine Room
The standard engines on the Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht are 705-hp twin QSM-11 engines by CMD. We have not tested this boat so we don’t know how fast those engines will push the boat, but our guess is that it will perform in the high teens. Optional engines are twin C18 CATs at 1000-hp which we think should be able to drive the boat at 20 to 22 knots and have a WOT in the mid to upper 20s. Either way you can go 8 knots and burn something like 11 gallons (41.8 L) per hour, so the question you have to ask yourself is do you want to cruise at, say, 16-18 knots, or 20-22 knots.

Incidentally, the engine room has standing headroom and plenty of room around the machinery. This is a very important consideration for an owner/operator boat because you want this space to be as user friendly and be a pleasant place to check the fluids, sea strainers and the like.

Quality of the Build
In our opinion, few companies build a stronger hull than does Hatteras. Below the waterline the Hatteras 60 MY hull is solid fiberglass. That is where a lot of the boat’s weight is, and it is a fine place for it. The hull-to-deck joints in a Hatteras are glassed and bolted which means you are not going to have leaks there. The company has a good reputation when it comes to making sure that all hatches and portlights are water tight. We notice, for example that the door to the side deck forward of the galley in the Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht dogs down. That is very good because lots of water can easily hit that area if you are punching through a nasty sea.

The quality of the electrical systems and plumbing in Hatteras yachts has been well-known in the boating industry for decades and is second to none. Again, this is important since it is an owner/operator boat. The last thing that an owner needs to be doing is trying to figure out why a circuit isn’t working or an appliance won’t work. It goes without saying that Hatteras strictly follows ABYC standards, and, in fact, Hatteras personnel over the years have been instrumental in writing many of those standards.

Accommodations
At 18’2” (5.53 m) the Hatteras 60 MY is one of the beamiest vessels in class, two feet (.61 m) more than a couple of them, in fact. Those two feet translate into a lot of extra living space below, on the main deck, and even on the flying bridge. When buying any boat pay careful attention to its beam, and in no boat is it more important than in a motoryacht.

The Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht has three staterooms with two heads. This is pretty much standard on yachts of this size, although some boats in class, and even smaller, have three en suite heads. Also, some yachts this size have just two staterooms and use the space of a third cabin for an office, or storage. We would say that if you like everything else about the Hatteras 60 except its accommodations layout, you should talk to the folks at Hatteras. They aim to please.

Typically, European boats have small crew quarters. If you are an owner/operator, you may not need, nor want crew quarters, because obviously that space must be taken from something else on the ship. However, it would be nice to have a place for a mate who can wash down the boat at night and handle the fenders. Hatteras gives you the option of crew quarters.

The Flying Bridge
Here is another place that we think the Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht excels. The basic reason for that is because all Hatteras flying bridges, no matter what model, are made for Americans. That means everything is big and robust, including the helm console, seats and bulwarks. The bridge cowling and instrument console are relatively high. It is here that the traditional American motoryacht build and the Italian and European approach to flying bridges part company in a profound way.

The typical Italian designs (and that includes many UK boats as well) insist that flying bridges should be low-slung and sleek, in keeping with the rest of the boat. There is nothing new about this approach as they have been designing flying bridges like this for over 40 years. Helm seats tend to be low and small, sometimes reminding us of toad stools. Helm consoles are typically low, small and sometimes retract into a fiberglass case, making them even less user friendly.

Windshields on Euro flying bridges are usually small strips of plastic or plexy. When being on Italian-style designs (which can mean on boats built anywhere), we feel like we are sitting on the coach roof, rather than sitting in the flying bridge. It’s cultural. Italy is the land of Ferrari and Lamborghini. (But motoryachts aren’t sports cars, guys.)

Some European motoryachts in the 60’ range are designed low in order that they may get under the bridges of Europe’s incredible system of navigable rivers and canals. If it is your intention to do that sort of cruising then find out what your height limitations are and buy accordingly. Chances are that will eliminate most American-built motoryachts.

The Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht flying bridge has two husky seats forward for the skipper and navigator. The instrument console is large, which is as it should be, big enough for several screens and all of the other electronic equipment necessary. Abaft the helm is a large settee with table. Two optional layouts are available, one for an athwartship tender, the other with a second sunning lounge.

Comparing Motoryachts
Of four motoryachts in class built by the four major brands selling this size boat in the U.S., the Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht is the heaviest at 94,000 lbs. She is just 1,000 lbs. heavier than her nearest competitor, but 40% heavier than two other flying bridge motoryachts in class. That’s a huge difference. With equal power these boats will go a lot faster than the Hatteras 60 Motor Yacht, of course. Likewise, at the same speed they will burn less fuel than the Hatteras because they are easier to push. But they won’t ride better either at rest or underway.

Both of these fast competitors, incidentally, have a beam that is nearly 2’ less than the Hatteras 60’s beam which is 18’2” (5.53 m). Beam is another important factor when it comes to comfort.

Recommendation
Depending on which engines you pick and how much gear you put on the boat, we are talking somewhere north of $2.5 million for the Hatteras 60 MY. Depending on where you go and the price of your dock rentals and insurance, this owner/operator yacht could cost as little as $50,000 a year to operate. Of course, some people will park their boat behind their house and have even lower expenses.

If you want to do some serious cruising the Hatteras 60 MY will be as comfortable as any boat in class on the market, and better than many. In terms of reliability, both in terms of the hull and the ship’s systems, again Hatteras is as good as any production boat built anywhere in the world, and better than many. Remember that Hatteras did not discover motoryacht building yesterday, it has been doing this for 50 years and has long since learned how things must be built to be reliable in the marine environment.

Boat Specifications: 60 Hatteras Motoryacht 2009

Length Overall            61′ 5” 18.72 m

Dry Weight                 94,000 lbs.42,638 kg

Beam                           18′ 2” 5.53 m

Fuel Cap                      1,175 gal. 4,448 L

Draft                           4′ 6” 1.37 m

Water Cap                   250 gal.946 L

Deadrise/Transom       N/A

Bridge Clearance        N/A

Max Headroom           6′ 8”2.03 m