Thankfully, the search for a new boat did not last very long. We knew we wanted a Hatteras Motor Yacht in the 53’ – 58’ range. Three or four staterooms was a must. Spacious exterior entertaining areas was also high on the wishlist. The Search – Part One The search began in April 2024 as …
Encore is a great boat that my Father and I have spent countless hours restoring and maintaining. After a lot of consideration, the tough decision was made to sell Encore. We have spent many nights at Chandeleur, Biloxi Marsh, and The Hurricane Hole onboard Encore. We have also snapper fished offshore in the Gulf and …
Selling a Hatteras Convertible – Encore Is No More! Read More »
Shortly after pulling the anchor to wrap up a trip to Chandeleur, a friend made a dreadful comment. “I noticed the deck around the pulpit is soft and flexing.” Many Hatteras owners of almost all models have run across this issue, rotten balsa coring. I knew this was a definite possibility. There are several penetrations …
Hatteras Yachts – Rotten Balsa Core – Fiberglass Deck Repair Read More »
Encore has two Detroit Diesel 6v92 engines paired to Allison Transmissions. As per the 92 Series user manual, the engine oil is to be changed every 150 hours. I have been changing the transmission oil during every other oil change (300 hours). I never exceed those hour limits, but I will change the oil sooner …
Detroit Diesel 92 Series Engine and Allison Transmission Oil Change Read More »
Part 2 of the paint project was the bulkhead separating the salon from the cockpit. It was similar to Part 1 in that there was very little hardware removal necessary and only basic surface prep required. The fiberglass was in very good condition with no scratches or chips. Part 1 and Part 2 were definitely …
Hatteras Convertible Refit – Awlgrip Paint Part 2 Read More »
Bay Marine Boat Works in Biloxi, Mississippi painted all of the decks of Encore during the first half of 2020. They did an excellent job, and we knew that at some point we would need to paint the flybridge and cabin sides. Due to the length of time the project would require in the boatyard, …
Hatteras Convertible Refit – Awlgrip Paint – Part 1 Read More »
Four of us made a trip to False Mouth Bayou during the beginning of October. We were only able to get away for one night, so we were moving quickly to get off of the dock and out to the marsh to fish the afternoon rising tide. After picking up live shrimp at Roscoe’s, we …
Myself, my Dad, and one of his friends made the trip to Mosquito Bayou in the Biloxi Marsh a few days before Thanksgiving. We only had a short two day window of free time before the holiday season began. The weather was forecasted to be perfect, with temperatures in the 70s and light easterly winds. …
Inshore Fishing in the Biloxi Marsh – November 2021 Read More »
The water heater on Encore was original to the boat. Even at 42 years old, it was working fine, but a separate issue with the fresh water pump caused it to run dry, damaging the heating element. Replacing the element could have possibly been done, but given its age, replacement with a new water heater …
Encore has one Lister Petter three cylinder 10kw generator. This generator has performed extremely well. We have put 700 mostly trouble free hours on it since departing the boatyard in June 2020. Other than the fuel return line issue, which was documented here, the generator has been consistently reliable. After our last stay in the …
Hatteras Convertible – Lister Petter Generator Maintenance Read More »
The northern tip of the Chandeleur Islands lies 20 miles south of Biloxi, MS. They stretch from their northern most point to the south-southwest for roughly 18 miles. I had not fished this area since May 2005, pre-Hurricane Katrina. Needless to say the islands are vastly different and fewer than they were then. I only …
Primary Fuel Filter Encore has one Racor 1000FG Fuel Filter / Water Separator for each of the Detroit Diesel 6V92 main engines. Each is located downstream of its associated fuel tank and upstream of each engine. Both are easily accessible, mounted centerline between the engines, and very simple to maintain. The upper section of each …
Detroit Diesel 92 Series Primary and Secondary Fuel Filter Replacement Read More »
Spending the night on the hook can be a stressful, restless experience for a lot of boat owners. Every sound you hear becomes more pronounced. Most will at some point will wonder: is the anchor dragging, am I visible enough to other vessels, what’s the weather/tide doing, what am I going to do if I …
Anchor with Confidence – Tips for Setting the Hook Read More »
The generator onboard Encore is a 10kW three cylinder Lister Petter. It was not original to the boat and was installed at some point during the mid ’90s. It had 1400 hours on it when Encore was purchased. During the last nine months since the boat has been back in the water, we have put …
Our first two fishing trips with Encore were both inshore to the Biloxi Marsh, with trout and redfish being the primary targets. This is an area that we have fished for many years and has been very productive during the fall and spring months. Encore was used as a mothership, towing a small skiff to …
The goal with Encore’s interior update was to both preserve as much of the classic Hatteras look as possible and to also freshen up some of the finishes and fixtures. We did not want to take away from the classic feel of the boat, but we also did not want the interior to feel like …
Hatteras Convertible Refit – Interior – Blending a New and Classic Look Read More »
After six months in the yard, which included numerous weather and Covid-19 delays, Encore was finally ready to go into the water. From our original punchlist we were able to complete: Paint all exterior decking New electronics New countertops in galley, head, and bow stateroom Bottom job Handrail repairs Replace broken windows in salon Repair …
Encore has a pair of Detroit Diesel 6V92 450hp twin turbo engines. After the boat was purchased, replacing the engine fluids was near the top of the to do list. We began with the coolant in the port engine which was fairly dirty and darker then it should have been. We also wanted to to …
Detroit Diesel 6V92 – Coolant Change – Drain, Flush, Clean, Refill Read More »
The electronics that were on the boat when we purchased it were from the early 90s, when Loran C was still being used for a primary means of navigation. Needless to say, it was definitely time for an upgrade. Equipment Selection All of the major marine electronics manufacturers produce great products. It really comes down …
When we first looked at this boat we knew that one of the main things it needed was paint. Both the smooth and non-skid surfaces of all decks needed to be freshened up. Luckily, the hull was painted in 2009 and was still in very good condition. See the before photos below showing the condition …
Restoring a Classic Hatteras Sportfish – Prep, Prep, Prep, and Paint Read More »
Hurricane preparation is a necessary evil if you keep your boat anywhere on the Atlantic or Gulf Coasts. You should have a plan well in advance of any storm moving into your area. We use boatus.com for our boat insurance and they provide some great tips and information to help your boat’s chances of surviving …
Hurricane Preparation – Finding the Ideal Location Read More »
As you can see the bulkhead separating the cockpit from the salon was in need of some attention. It was a combination of rot and also an active termite colony at some point during the boat’s life. Not all of the bulkhead was damaged, but sections of it had to be replaced across its entire …
Encore is a 1979 Hatteras 43′ convertible powered by Detroit Diesel 6V92TA 450 hp engines. The generator is a 10 kw Lister Petter that was not original and installed at some point in the late ’90s. Beginning around 1985 and ending in 2010, my Father had previously owned a 41′ Hatteras motor yacht, 44′ Hatteras …
The Boat – Bringing a Classic Hatteras Convertible Back to Life Read More »