Click for YF Listing Service Cick to Clean Black Water Click for Nordhavn Click for Westport Click for Walker

It's hard to buy a "Yacht"

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by DAVID WEBB, Feb 23, 2025.

  1. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2013
    Messages:
    939
    Location:
    Chesapeake Bay, USA
    We had a single DD 8.2T -- 220 hp, IIRC -- in a previous boat, worked fine. Wasn't meant to be a fast boat, and the builder's common alternative had been Perkins starting at 165 hp and increasing to about 220 over the life of that boat model.

    There was a significant recall mod, increasing the headbolt size (to IIRC 15mm), otherwise no other issues I was ever aware of. But then again, we didn't flog it...

    They're not held in high regard, these days. And it's probably not like parts are growing on every tree you can see...

    In the boat we had, as they age, a common repower is a Cummins 6BT... of various hp/ratings.

    -Chris
    DAVID WEBB likes this.
  2. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2010
    Messages:
    1,208
    Location:
    In The Bilge
    If I remember correctly the 8.2 had two different HP outputs of either 175 or 300 HP in 1986 or so. I had a couple of the 175 HP units that GM put Stamford alternators on for 75 K.W. A.C. generators on a vessel that the gens survived two years before being removed as one threw a con rod out the side of the block @ 2,ooo hours or so and started a fire and the second one kept having constant cooler failures with either the fuel cooler washing the cylinders with lube oil dilution or the oil cooler polluting the system, either way they were an abject failure as marine generator sets and weren't long on the market in that configuration.
    DAVID WEBB likes this.
  3. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2009
    Messages:
    1,855
    Location:
    Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay & S.Jersey
    The Meridians sort of have a following too which makes resale a little easier
    DAVID WEBB likes this.
  4. DAVID WEBB

    DAVID WEBB New Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2024
    Messages:
    17
    Location:
    Florida
    Is a 1972 Hatteras 44' triple cabin EVER worth $89,000 ? Has 871 naturaals at 318hp, 1200 hours. Westerbeke 12kw gen with 136 hours--new. Two 16k btu and one 24k btu a/c units. The 24 is a mini split for the salon. Runs on 240v. Bottom paint 4/23, cleaned monthly. Windows replaced and rebedded. Recent hull and topside paint. Flybridge has aluminum top. Has upper and lower helms. Thru hulls and seacocks replaced (no date shown). A survey was done and the surveyor said that this was the nicest old Hatteras that he had seen in 19 years. The survey had several things that needed repair. The owner says that everything listed was fixed. States that was not a mechanical survey. What do you guys think? It's in the Pensacola area. About a 7 hour drive for me. Thanks
  5. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    13,945
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    If everything was showroom perfect, maybe.
    Call your insurance agent and ask him.
    Full coverage insurance will be hard to find.

    It is a good boat.
    It is not a fast boat.
    I'm not a WesterBroke fan.
    Possibly an old 32Vdc boat, I would check out any 24/12V conversions very well.
  6. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    13,945
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    I'm not sure how that house a/c system would work on a boat in salt air.
    Inland only may be fine. Maybe others here can update my thoughts on this.

    Cruise at 18 kts?? Wide open throttle, down-hill and with the wind,,, maybe.

    https://downeyyachts.com/used-yachts-for-sale/1972-hatteras-44-44-tri-cabin-paramour_411941/

    https://boats-from-usa.com/hatteras/hatteras-44-12049

    I would give it a price between these two ads if you can get insurance for it.
    I feel that covid induced boat sale madness is over, there should be some room in this price.
    Your going to spend some bux on surveys up front also.
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2025 at 11:10 AM
  7. DAVID WEBB

    DAVID WEBB New Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2024
    Messages:
    17
    Location:
    Florida
    I doubt that I could get full coverage. Liability probably.
    I thought that price was on the high side. How much are surveys approx now?
    There is a 1975 Hatteras 43' double cabin with no flybridge in GA.--I like the looks of that. I don't need a flybridge--all about comfort, plus easier to single hand. Bad thing is that is on Lake Lanier in Georgia---land locked. I don't know if it would be a good idea to transport an old boat over the road to FL. It might identify some problems. I looked at a couple of late 80's Bayliner 4588's but getting owners to answer questions is like pulling teeth. It's like I should have to talk them into selling their own boat. I don't get it. NOBODY says "Hey, do you want to come and see the boat?" Thanks for the responses. It helps a lot!
  8. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    13,945
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Liability insurance on a boat is way different than anything else.
    Marinas are requiring more and more liability level$. Some full coverage.
    Fire and pollution are the main concerns that require a safe boat.

    Call some docks in the hoods you want to stay at and get their insurance requirements, Oh, More for a live-aboard...
    Call your agent and ask for quotes to meet these number$.

    Have a defibrillator nearby when you get these number$.
  9. DAVID WEBB

    DAVID WEBB New Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2024
    Messages:
    17
    Location:
    Florida
    Yeah, Titusville requires 300k if you want to be on a mooring ball. A couple that I called are up to 500k for liability. I haven't called my ins co yet. Even private docks require insurance.
  10. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    13,945
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    We have a 1978, 58' Bertram.
    My wife has to pay the tab behind my back. We don't have a defibrillator,,, yet..
    Some insurance companies require training by another captain.

    I don't mean to keep dumping on you.
    But you do need to ponder these things when shopping for a power boat.
    It is not like purchasing an old Buick station wagon.

    But for some reason folk think it is cheap living on a power boat.
    We did for over 20 years. It was cheaper in a house or two.
  11. DAVID WEBB

    DAVID WEBB New Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2024
    Messages:
    17
    Location:
    Florida
    Hahaha, I get it. As you can see, I have been looking for quite a while, reading, asking questions, etc. Something that I read a couple of days ago about a raw water pump costing $3500 really got me thinking about how much I would be willing to spend to be on the water. I planned on using the boat and not just sitting in one spot, so I would probably find all of the problems on an old used boat.
  12. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2019
    Messages:
    1,855
    Location:
    Vero Beach
    It's a mixed bag, problems of old boats. Many of the problems are predictable and can be forecast into the schedule and budget, such as wiring replacements and plumbing upgrades. Joy of the "older boats" is that quite often they are quite simple to navigate and update. Newer vessels get into complex electronic systems along with plenty of bells and whistles.

    Older boats were often built to a very high standard, perhaps higher than some of the newer options. If it's built well, often times it can be a good path to your desired outcome. But you have to be willing to invest in the work needed by the old that was cut out of the purchase price of the newer.
    DAVID WEBB likes this.