Hatteras at Ft Lauderdale Boat Show

You call a few years a long time??? Is the 50' and 54' Hatteras and the 52' Cabo FB the same size class?

The Hatteras 45 EX IS the Cabo 44'. EVERYTHING from the rubrail down is exactly the Cabo 44, it is the Cabo 44, therefore it should drive exactly the same don't ya think???????

The only thing they changed to make the 45 EX was the superstructre and interior trim. It's a rebadged Cabo. Since that is the same, I'm specifically talking about the fit and finish. I inspected some of the first Cabo's (and a few others) once they became Hatterfied and there was a big difference......now nothing major and nothing an owner would notice......but a perfect example would be......Cabo's didn't used to have all of those jigsaw cut access panels in the clothing closets and behind cabinets and such......that were literally cut with a jigsaw with rough lines and openings.....In today's day and age you can't figure out how to cut the piece with a CNC machine before you put it in the boat???? Cabo's interior finish work was closer to a custom boats than a production boats, when they were based in Adelanto.

The Michael Peters tank tested hull designs Cabo used were far superior to the Donald Blount wet Hatteras hull designs. All of the Cabo employees fought long and hard for them not to use Blount on the Cabo 44' when it was designed. I could tell you all sorts of stories and things I've seen of good old boy engineering on finished Hatteras boats to get them to ride right and all sorts of after the fact hull and mold additions to correct ride/running problems up until at least last year that I know of and have seen, but quite honestly it would take hours and pages of writing.......

Hatteras builds a good production boat as does Viking for that matter, but Cabo was built to a higher standard than both in fit and finish......just inspect the wiring runs of each to give you an example. You can take photographs of Cabo's wiring and they'd make a nice picture to hang on your wall.

Amen J, Nuff said, I still contend Cabo made a mistake selling their Company in the first place.

Yes, they certainly did...and look what happened to one of the best boat companies to exist in many years...mothballed. I don't think that's something to laugh about. IMO Cabo built a better open boat than Viking ever did, or anyone else for that matter. Cabo owned the open market from 35-50 ft. I'd be willing to bet that both Henry and Michael get sick to their stomachs watching all their efforts and passion go to crap.

If you're committed to your Brand (see Viking Ownership), why then you sell it if not for $$$ to a huge Group as Brunswick was at that time?

What is really sad to me, is watching all these Idols getting to the end or merged into money makers.
In 2005, when Hatteras launched the 68, there was a healthy competition between them and Viking (Bertram was already under Zuccon's pencil).
What now if you can't stay in the market for a custom boat; you only have one choice and hoping Hatteras will resume to be the big brand they were.
Not to mention for people involved in the supply chain like PipeWelders (250 employs in Bertram's plant and many others in New Bern)

Yes, I'm sure as much as they'd like to have the line back they don't regret selling. Make more in one day than they would have in all these years. When you get that "offer you can't refuse" and sell, it's the financial reward for all you've built. Plus I imagine they enjoyed the time away from the daily stress for a while. Then the Howarth's missed building boats and decided it was time to do so again. Rest assured if somehow they did buy Cabo back it would be for only a very small percent of what they sold it for. Actually a quite common business scenario where long time owners sell to large corporation, things flounder a bit, they buy back for far less. Would be nice if this was the Cabo outcome.

Actually there are a TON of differences between the Cabo 44 and the new Hatteras 45EX...Capt J have you been to the factory in New Bern to see the new 45EX?? I don't think so.

Just wait until you see it at the Ft. Lauderdale boat show...I am very familiar with the Cabo 44 and it was/is a great boat, but Hatteras took that hull and is greatly improving on it...it will be quieter, faster, better laid out, have cleaner lines and a MUCH updated interior from the teak that has been in the Cabo lines since the 1980's.

Cabo does have excellent wiring characteristics, but Hatteras does too...the biggest difference is that they do not have a panel that swings open so that you can see it behind the power distribution panel.

Just wait till you see it at Lauderdale before making negative generalizations

The hull and everything from the rubrail down, is the Cabo 44. Hatteras changed the superstructure and interior only. Nothing has been changed on the hull mold and the 44' Cabo hull is a Michael Peters hull and rides very very good. So please tell me how the hull can be faster and ride better? As for the teak interior, the interior on the Cabo 44' is very nice to begin with and most people would rather see teak than some cost cutting material.

Neither Hatteras, nor Viking have ever been successful at building a SF express in their entire careers. The closest Viking has ever has is with their latest IPS boat and that should tell you something.

The hull is now resin infused, an advanced process in which the entire hull is vacuum bagged with the resin run through the entire hull in one sitting vs. old school hand applying resin with each fiberglass layer...this creates one uniform bond that is stronger and lighter because much less resin is used. The resin to fiberglass ratio is 40%resin to 60% fiberglass with resin infusion...it is around 60%resin and 40% fiberglass when hulls are hand laid.

This is one of the many things that Hatteras is bringing to the table with this model that Cabo could not do in California.

I also liked the teak for the traditional look...but just wait to see the new interior, it will be really nice.

And yes Viking has been trying for years to create a successful Express and they have been very boxy looking until the 42 Express they have out now. It is a Zeus pod drive boat which gives it unique docking features and the "skyhook" position holding feature which is great when you have to wait for a bridge.

But I maintain that pods are just too sensitive and prone to failure when used in a sportfish application that requires heavy strain be put on the drivetrain at times, additionally I would much rather have the reliability of the shaft drives when running out far offshore fishing all day.

As far as performance, I think we are going to see top speeds in excess of 40 knots in the new 45 Hatteras EX...blowing past the 42 Viking.

It was said earlier in this post that Cabo had some of the most successful express boats in the 32-52ft. size range...so who better for Hatteras work with when creating an express boat? I am telling you the merging of the Cabo and Hatteras DNA when creating this new Hatteras 45EX is going to be impressive

I tend to disagree. Cabo put over 400 hours on their Zues boat testing it and quite honestly beating the hell out of it and there were no failures. I've run Zues (and some IPS) boats 1,000's of miles with no failures and no issues. Are they a little more complicated than a shaft boat, yes. Considering you sound like a salesman and not a Captain, most of what you're going by is heresay and dock talk.

If it takes Hatteras 10,800 man hours to build a 40' Cabo express, when it only took Cabo 7200 man hours to build the same exact boat at a slightly better build quality, I really cannot see what benefit Hatteras brings to the table. Hatteras hasn't been able to build an express boat on their own in the last 50 years that was successful, so what exactly would make me think otherwise? The only thing that will make this boat successful is that they're using a 44' Cabo to do it with.

Perhaps you should stick to yacht sales.

Wow TBY, you're just a one man promotion band. Your mug has been removed from your avatar because it's against our rules. Your URL has also been removed from your bio because you're obviously here to promote yourself, hence the refresher on lamination schedules. If you have something to add besides rhetoric from a Hatteras sales brochure, then you're welcome to join the discussion. Short of that, we don't appreciate brokers who have never contributed anything to our community attempting to make a name for themselves.

Pretty interesting that one broker started this thread, then another jumped in. Neither having otherwise contributed to the forum. Wonder if they did this on their own or if their employer encouraged it. Regardless I'd suggest to uncle Tom if he happens to read this that it doesn't reflect well on his firm.

TBY, I'm beginning to feel about you the same way olderboater feels about me! You really need to consider a career at QVC, or HSN. You'd be great!

Hi wac45, sorry to tell you but here at YF, most brokers are considered the Anti-Christ (no offense Judy). Brokers usually have a ulterior motive, and really aren't interested in anything but self promotion. Most of the people here are seasoned professionals, and like the T.V. Show "Shark Tank" they can smell blood in the water, so to speak. I know several brokers who have been banned from this site for trying to self promote. I'm sure that if you take out whatever motives you have engrained in you and use this as a strictly learning platform...you could probably survive. But if you have the knowledge base, and can offer "real information" I'd be willing to bet you've got a 50/50 shot staying here. I'm all for giving people a second chance, and so are the Administrators, but when you visit here, please take off your broker hat, and put on your "I love boats, and boating" hat.

I don't share the views expressed by Neo, as if that's a surprise. I like brokers and there are many here who never cross the line. But brokers, builders, and all others in the industry who come to promote their business are not well received. There have been those who have been here and contributed a long time ever asked by the owner to describe the product they developed, but they didn't do so until the request was openly made.

There have also been people to come here and try to promote their businesses by private messages and by email even. And some of those businesses nothing to do with boats. Things like insurance, investment opportunities, new businesses.

One other thing you'll find is build credibility here and people will find out your business and might seek you out. I'm sure many of the captains here pick up business without ever directly promoting themselves. I know others here who I would turn to in their various businesses if needed.

And when two show up to promote Hatteras, co-workers, then it is more problematic. Yes, Hatteras will be at the show and many will be excited to see their new boats, but there are dozens of brands there.

But Anti-Christ and all evil is not a sentiment that is shared on brokers or any other profession.

And I think you will agree Jimmy's posts on top of yours took it a bit over the top. Both members for a while, both posting their first posts in this thread.

Now, hopefully all is over. You'll find the board helpful and I'm sure you have much to offer in other situations. Now, it would be my hope that you'd find other ways to participate here as I'm certain your long time knowledge could benefit the forum.

Oh and understand neither Neo nor I have any power here or official role. The owner and moderators are the only ones with that.

Well said olderboater...I'm actually considering putting you back on my Wine of the Month club.