Boat test for the 2005 Hatteras 64 with boat pictures, boat specifications, and boat test results. Includes pricing, videos, engine test reviews, and ratings for the 2005 Hatteras 64.

The 64's expansive flying bridge, like that on the 6300 makes cruising comfort a priority. Access to it is just aft and to port of the lower helm and once you're up top you'll find seating for ten and an optional plotter, autopilot, and VHF, and two standard Pompanette helm chairs. An optional two-burner cooktop, wet bar, 'fridge/freezer, and ice maker aft and to starboard make alfresco dining and entertainment possible, and farther aft there's room for a 14-foot tender and a standard, 1,100-pound hydraulic davit. Our test boat was not equipped with the optional isinglass bridge enclosure, a good thing as this is truly an alfresco gathering area, and on cold or rainy days, piloting can be relegated to the lower helm.

But while both the interior and flying bridge invited loafing, I was craving a wring-out of the 64. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate. With nary a breeze, the water on Lake Michigan's Little Traverse Bay, just outside the hamlet of Harbor Springs, Michigan, was like a sheet of glass, so I can't comment on the boat's seakeeping. I can say she was sportily responsive to the Sea Star hydraulic steering and Cat electronic controls, a combination I've appreciated on other vessels. During the speed trials, she hit an average top speed of 34.8 mph, and her optional twin 1,400-hp Cats got her 60-plus-ton (wet) displacement out of the hole smoothly, at a respectable rate compared to vessels with similar weight and LOA, and with nary a creak or shake. Her smoothness is attributable to a few factors. One of which is Hatteras' use of seven-blade props, which on the 64 are matched to a ZF transmission with deep gear induction ratios—my test boat sported 40"x68" Michigan Wheel props and a 3.519:1 reduction ratio. Hatteras claims the combination distributes load more evenly, compared to props with fewer blades, decreasing vibration. It also claims that larger props and a deeper induction ratio provide smoother acceleration and increased cruising speeds.

Another reason for her smoothness is solid construction, what the New Bern, North Carolina builder refers to as the Hatteras Advantage. This includes a solid fiberglass bottom, non-absorbent PVC foam-cored hull sides, and vacuum-bagged bulkheads and decks. A four-part hull-to-superstructure bonding process consists of adhesive caulking, fiberglass bonding, monel screws every three inches, and a stainless steel rubrail. All-fiberglass stringers and fiberglass-encapsulated engine beds complete the package. A modified-V running surface and relative heaviness compared to similar balsa-cored models produce a solid ride.

Considering the success of the 6300 Raised Pilothouse, Hatteras could've rested on its laurels, but instead decided to make a good cruising boat even better with overhauls to both interior and exterior spaces. For me, that kind of commitment to constant improvement provides the most positive impression of all.

Hatteras Yachts
(252) 634-4895

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