We spoke to three brokers who each had Hatteras motoryachts listed on BoatQuest.com. Here’s what they each had to say about a proven cruiser that was ahead of her time in comfort and performance. Here’s what they had to say.
Andy Miles, Westport Yacht Sales
www.westportyachtsales.com
The older 63 Hatteras Yachts had saddle tanks in the engine room located outboard of the motors, but the one I have listed is hull 24 and the last one built. She benefited from many 64 model enhancements like glassed-in centerline tankage, which better balances the boat and lowers its center of gravity. The current owner put the hardtop on when he bought her, which adds a whole new dimension to the flybridge, and he recently updated the interior. The other good thing about this 63 that the others don’t have is a crew’s quarter aft with a transom door. This became an option featured in the 64s. We’ve enjoyed many showings and activity since introducing her to the market a few weeks back. The last 63 Hatteras (one year older) that sold went for $1 million flat. This one I’m expecting to bring around $1.1 million. When you take into consideration the amount of yacht for your dollar, buying a well-kept pre-owned yacht of this vintage really starts to make sense. If buyers try to go out and purchase something new in this size and quality range, they’ll end up spending millions more. Add to this the downward trend in building between 2008 to around 2013 means market inventories remain low for clean, later-model boats, which has somewhat bolstered resale values in this sector. Many older yachts have been refit and have enjoyed high levels of upkeep, making a great alternative for buyers who may have been considering a newer, smaller yacht of the same price range. Good-quality, American-built products tend to enjoy the highest resale residual values. If you think about the older Hatteras yachts even at 30 to 40 years of age, those hulls will always be good. It basically comes down to the condition and maintenance. The power, generators, systems, interior and paint condition make or break the marketability and resale value of older product. The hull integrity is rarely ever an issue. A buyer for a 10-plus-year-old yacht is also rewarded from the depreciation standpoint, as the annual value reductions are at a minimum. I believe buyers in this range are smart to seek out 10- to 15-year-old product they can own for two to three years and still retain these high residual values at resale. A good broker should always point out the exit strategy to the prospective buyer. A yacht purchase in many ways can be seen as buying a small business. During acquisition the right “style and fit” for the enjoyment is most important, but the costs over ownership, exit strategy and minimization of residual value loss is often key to whether the owner stays involved in yachting. Keep acquisition cost, operational overhead, and resale residual losses in check and you have a happy boater who will be more likely to remain in the yachting lifestyle.
Tracy Green, Gulf Coast Yacht Group
www.gulfcoastyachtgroup.com
I have a 64 listed, the model that replaced the 63. This is a long-range cruising boat. It’s a stable hull and solid construction—really good seakeeping ability. It’s powered with a pair of Caterpillar C32 1650 so there’s an abundance of power. Between the 63 and the 64 there are some changes in the saloon and galley area, and the 64 does have an optional crew quarters. Buyers for these boats are coming out of Sea Ray and Marquis products, and they’re coming out of a total production boat to a semi-custom boat. Every one of our boats is a little different—they’re tailored around the person who’s ordering the boat. Unlike a Sea Ray or a Marquis or a Silverton, where you just buy the boat the way it comes—you can maybe change the colors. With these Hatteras Yachts, the buyer can actually move bulkheads to change interior spaces, and choose from different granite or other features. I don’t usually see it as a negative, buyers seem to like that they’re a little different. The Hatteras brand has a long legacy of great cruising boats and there are a lot of factors from painted hulls—in fact the whole yacht is painted—to overall quality. It’ll take you anywhere you want to go.
Chuck Meyers, Bluewater Yacht Sales
www.bluewateryachtsales.com
I do a lot of motoryacht business in this size range and frequently deal in Hatteras Yachts. This customer has had four previous Hatteras yachts with me. I think the Hatteras brand, and in particular the motoryachts, appeal to the person who is looking for a high-quality, U.S.-built product. There are not that many high end U.S. motoryacht manufacturers out there and Hatteras is one that always seems to set the bar for that particular market segment. The boats are a combination of good performance and generous accommodations. The owner of this particular boat had a sportfishing boat that they used for cruising and he wanted to switch to a motoryacht without sacrificing performance, so he liked the 25-knot cruise speed and the 30-knot top end. These boats are all powered with Caterpillar 3412s, which have proven a very reliable and well-matched power plant. It’s very hard to find a more well-rounded package in that $800,000 to $1 million range. These boats offer nice accommodations, three staterooms, a usable pilothouse and the performance to go along with it—you really can’t find much in the way of competition especially in a U.S.-built product. They have stood the test of time and are still considered good looking yachts to this day. We’re definitely seeing folks widen their radar sweep of what they’re looking for because there’s an active market and an inventory shortage of good quality yachts because of reduced production from 2008 to 2012. People are looking further back in years and if it’s a quality boat, maintained in the proper condition, they’re finding excellent value there.
Read our used boat review of the Hatteras 6300 RPH on BoatQuest.com
