Electrical Problem on a Hatteras 54 Convertible

Check the galley and heads. This may be on a line with a GFCI although the lights being on it would be a surprise. I assume you're talking about 110v lights, not 12v dc. Although I'm not familiar with the layout on this boat most would have a main breaker box in the engineroom or laz. and then the pannel. On the VSC I used to work there was another breaker pannel at the helm, and to have a GFCI/surge protector in the line with TV's is not unusual.

ground fault circuit interuptor. It's an outlet with a test and a reset button between the plugs. If it's been tripped the rest button will click into place when you push in. They're usually found where you might be using electric near water.

certainly no fuse box! i'm not familiar with that specific boat and it's hard to guess without more detail.

ASSuming the lights that dont' work are AC and not DC,
ASSuming that the saloon lights and the TV outlet is the only thing that doesn't work,

find the actual breaker for those circuits and check it. Get a meter and check that you have power on both side of the breaker.

if you do, then you're going to have to trace that circuit, see what's on it and go down the line checking for power at each outlet. The breaker should have protected that cirtuit but you never know...

Your boat should have the wiring diagram and all blue prints. If you dont' have them, call hatteras they can get them to you (they can supply them for almost every boat they built in the past 50 years). that will be a big help.

If everything else works you can eliminate main breakers near the shore power inlet, etc...

and indeed check for a trip GFCI. If one of the oulet on this circuit is near a wet bar or sink, the GFCI probalby popped. usually they are daisy chained with the first outlet in the circuit providing protection for the rest of them. Again the diagram woudl be a big help.

and as suggested, if you dont' really know what you're doing when it comes to electrical systems, play it safe...

GFCI......betcha...

Most Hatteras sportfishes have sub-breaker panels located both at the front engine room bulkhead (usually DC), and AC breaker panels located at the front of the salon in the attic. Usually accessible by small hatches on both sides of the stairs going down to the foward staterooms. I would check there, as this is where all of the ac breakers usually are found. There will also be another sub-breaker panel (dc) either under the flybridge helm or at the front of the flybridge brow and this usually handles all of the electronics. Occassionally they will put a sub-breaker panel under the salon sofa but not usually.

1992 Hatteras

looking at a 1992 54 Hatteras. how do u like the 98? besides fuel, what kind of yearly maintenance cost do u have?

Dockage, oil changes, wash, wax, bottom paint, bottom cleaning, canvas replacement, zincs, and the list goes on and on.

i understand your point. Money I have.
on another subject. I have read a lot of your advice on other items NYCAP. which would u buy. a 1998 53 Ocean or a 1992 54 Hatteras. given that both are in good shape. plan to cruise mostly and maybe some Chesapeake bay fishing. Hatteras is a 1' longer and 1' wider. does that account for the 20000 lb difference in weight or is the Hatteras THAT much of a heavier built boat?

I wouldn't own a boat. That said, RU talking about FBMYs or SF (SS)? Pascal would probably be able to give you a better opinion on the FBMYs. My Ocean experience is on the SF. They are very light boats, fast and easy on fuel with the Yanmars. They're great in calm water, but keep you busy at the wheel in a big following sea (the narrow, light transom gets pushed around in a quartering sea) and a 2' chop on the bow will slow you right down because it slams under the belly due to the light weight. I've had a 43SF in 14'+ seas. Thought I would die, but obviously didn't. A 2' chop on the bow had me down from 29 kts. to 14. Hatts have always been a heavy boat with a good reputation. There were also several changes in hull construction between 92 & 98 with a push toward lighter & faster with most manufacturers. The early 90's saw a lot of blister problems, but most of those have been corrected since then, and fixing blisters is not considered as big a deal now anyway. Given equal condition, $ and hours I'd be partial to Hatteras every time. IMHO they hold their value better and are just of better quality all around. Then there is the ego thing. It's always fun to see the dock faces when you pull in with Hatteras your the side.
The bottom line though is the individual boat and your planned usage. The Ocean will burn far less fuel, but in heavy seas give me weight. Every boat has its purpose. If I were bay, near coastal & ICW cruising/fishing I'd lean toward the fuel savings & speed. If I here heading where I'd have to take what comes I'd want the weight.