The Hatteras Advantage: Fishability

When you’ve got a blue marlin on the line on the final day of a high-stakes offshore tournament, the last thing you need is to trip over cockpit clutter or stumble over a cooler. That’s why Hatteras sportfishing convertibles, which range from 45 to 70 feet, are designed to be clutter-free.

“Our cockpits are large and uncluttered; there’s nothing on deck but the fighting chair,” says Capt. Jeff Donahue, Hatteras Yachts’ director of sales. “In addition, all our fishing boats exceed 40 knots and are designed to handle rough offshore seas – unlike many of our competitors. And Seakeeper gyro stabilizers are available on all our models.”

A generous livewell is integrated smoothly into the transoms of the Hatteras GT70, GT63, and the 45 Express (it’s also available on the GT54). In addition, the coaming on all Hatteras sportfishing boats is designed with the angler’s comfort in mind. “The height is ergonomically correct for most people,” Donahue says.

We know how important storage is to tournament anglers, so we’ve incorporated an insulated bait box and tackle cabinet into each model’s mezzanine seating, well out of the way of the action in the cockpit. “The mezzanine seats are designed to ‘pull you in’, making observers or crew watching baits feel more comfortable and secure while underway,” he says.

There’s a lot more storage space just steps away inside each model’s salon; for example, the long salon settee on the GT70 can hold a host of tackle boxes beneath its seat cushions.

Another thing that sets Hatteras Yachts apart from many of our competitors is when and where the towers, half-towers and electronics packages are installed on our sportfishing boats. We have a great relationship with PipeWelders Marine and High Seas Technology, and both companies have set up satellite offices at our factory in New Bern, N.C.

Their on-site teams are dedicated to working on Hatteras boats during the build process – rather than after they are launched. “This way, they don’t have to undo our work when they install the wiring for the tower or the navigation system,” Donahue said. “It makes for a seamless delivery to the owner.”