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Starting with its first yacht in 1960, the groundbreaking 41-foot Knit Wits, Hatteras Yachts has been a trendsetter in the design and construction of sportfishing boats for nearly 50 years. The new Hatteras 77 Convertible continues that tradition by keeping the best of what it has learned and, as always, adding something new.
The new convertible has an overall length just shy of 77 feet and a waterline length of 66 feet. Overall molded beam is 22 feet. The 77 weighs in at some 160,000 pounds, but comes with power options that can push her to top speeds in excess of 35 knots. The deep reduction gearing enables her to maintain those speeds in a blow, so the bow has a convex sectional shape to soften her ride in heavy head seas. The hull lines transition quickly into flatter sections aft, with minimal deadrise at the stern for better calm-water speed and less rolling while trolling. To keep the draft to a respectable 5 feet 3 inches, the large propellers dictated by her weight, power and gearing run in tunnels, and the trim tabs are recessed into the tunnel roofs for better effectiveness.
Hatteras devotees will notice something new in the saloon. Tucked under the winding interior stairway to the standard enclosed bridge is a stand-alone day head, in place of the forward-located crew head that usually served double duty on previous convertibles. Convenient to sweaty fishermen and to dripping children during family outings—there is a reason for the “convertible” moniker—the day head will keep a lot of dirty traffic out of the main accommodation areas.
Opposite the day head and stair, the saloon has a huge L-sofa with copious rod stowage below. It is perfectly situated to view the 50-inch HD plasma screen that lies diagonally across the room on the after side of a corner cabinet in the galley. Also included in the standard entertainment package is a Boston Acoustics 5.1 speaker system.
The galley, separated from the saloon by an open counter with three bar stools, comes with a full range of appliances, including an upright Sub-Zero refrigerator/ freezer. Separate under-counter units are optional, as are a supplemental icemaker and a chilled wine-storage unit. A combination washer/dryer is standard just forward of the galley, and an optional freezer can be added to the adjacent pantry. Twin Onan generators, 27.5kW each, power all those creature comforts.
The accommodations for the new Convertible start with a four-stateroom plan that includes two queen-berth guest cabins, forward and starboard, and a third guest cabin to port, fitted with twin berths that slide to convert to a queen. Each has an en suite head with shower.
The fourth stateroom is a full-beam master suite aft that offers considerable flexibility. The basic configuration has a his-and-hers head aft with a large centrally sited shower and a private foyer/dressing room that’s up one step from the main part of the suite. In optional arrangements, the foyer can be outfitted as an office or owner’s lounge, and the areas outboard of the king berth in the main room can be built as cabinetry, hanging lockers or settees.
In addition, another option converts half of the master head to a small crew cabin with upper and lower bunks. Access to this cabin is normally from the engineroom, but a ladder via the galley is available. It’s a feature, in my recollection, not seen before on a Hatteras, but is fairly common in European boats of this size. In the U.S., boats of this length often carry a captain and sometimes a mate, but some still are owner-operated. The little crew cabin would be handy when the yacht is carrying larger overnight parties, but I suspect many American buyers will opt for the larger owner’s suite and house the crew, if any, in the twin-berth stateroom to starboard.
At the business end of this fishing boat is a 192-square-foot cockpit that includes two 65-inch in-deck fish boxes as standard, with a transom box available as an option. The mezzanine houses a freezer and insulated box, 5 cubic feet each, as well as a tackle center on the upper level, and three storage tubs and a drink box built into the lower level. Options include additional storage tubs, freezers and bait wells.
Fans of Hatteras’ rugged construction will be pleased with the new boat’s basics. She rides on a solid fiberglass bottom stiffened by four fiberglass stringers, which are backed with steel inserts in way of the engine beds. Elsewhere, they serve as nests for the independent fiberglass fuel and water tanks. The superstructure and the hull above the waterline are cored with Divinycell foam for additional stiffness.
Reinforced with multiple plys of biaxial and triaxial glass, the standard isopthalic resin construction is capped by a vinylester resin skin coat below the waterline for blister resistance. Above, the topsides and superstructure are sprayed with a polyurethane finish, with polymeric beads added for nonskid in appropriate deck areas. Cleats, chocks and other exterior fittings are of top-quality 316L stainless steel for longevity in the salt environment, while side rails and ladders are anodized aluminum. Aluminum grab rails on the house side are powder coated to match the adjacent color.
All in all, the Hatteras 77 Convertible is a worthy addition to a well-proven lineup of sportfishing vessels. Enough of the traditional Hatteras convertible has been carried over to encourage upgrades by current owners, while everyone will be pleased with the new features, equipment and options offered for the first time in this model.
Contact: Hatteras Yachts. (252) 633-3101; _www.hatterasyachts.com_
