| Hatteras 100 |  |
This deepwater cove is surrounded on three sides by heights that
cast deep, cool shadows until late in the day when the sun shifts west. It would
be idyllic if the water were Aqua-Velva blue, but it’s not. That’s because the
cove is part of the Hudson River and, like many things in this hustling
metropolis, what New York City lacks in "real" topography it substitutes for
with the man-made, often to effects as equally stunning as Ansel Adams’ Yosemite
black-and-whites.
| Click on the Spec and Design tab at top to see complete list of resources. |
North Cove Marina, with the World Financial Center around it,
is a classic example. A few trees and grassy areas are strewn about, but there
is a lot of concrete—and plenty of boats. Freighters, tour boats, water taxis,
ferries, sailboats, tall ships, go-fasts, powerboats and more all ply the river
outside the stone breakwater. This day, a 100-foot (30.61-meter) Hatteras named
Khaki Blue reigns over North Cove.
 At first glance, Khaki
Blue’s lines evoke golden age–craft such as Harold
S. Vanderbilt’s Vara or Cyrus Curtis’ Lyndonia, a review of which appeared in the July
1920 issue of Yachting magazine. The article, "How a
Millionaire Does It" by George Sutton Jr., just as well could be speaking of
Khaki Blue today. "…the builders were thinking of such material things as comfort,
convenience and good taste instead of simply lavish outlay," wrote Sutton. That
describes Khaki
Blue and this 92- and 100-foot Custom Series motor yacht
line of the North Carolina marque. (Click image to enlarge)
The Hatteras 100 is best described as a custom production
yacht, and depending on how deeply an owner wishes to be involved, it can be
more of one than the other. The boat, barely a week out of the factory, passed
its shakedown cruise from New Bern—including a nor’easter for most of the
way—with nary a problem. "Usually that’s the time you’ll find cabinetry creaking and
whatnot," said Captain Andrew Hutchins. "We had some pretty good seas, but
everything was rock solid." One reason for this A-plus report is that Hatteras
knows how to build the 100—a half-dozen are already at sea—but Khaki Blue was so new
the galley still smelled of fiberglass.
 The dining area aft on the main deck is the place
for intimate meals, and it benefits from the shade created by the extended
flybridge deck, where tenders are stowed. (Click image to enlarge)
This is Hutchins’ third new build—from keel laying to commissioning—and he
attributes Khaki
Blue’s shakedown performance to Hatteras’ construction
manager Cecil Meadows, whom Hutchins calls a "unique guy who can
translate the owner’s desires and ideas into language the engineering
staff can understand." The engineering staff shares a large part of the design’s success as well. "They
listen to the people in the field. I was in touch with the captains of the two
prior hulls, and all that info and experience has gone into Khaki Blue." Hutchins
said the involvement of Dan Robsham, a marine surveyor from Patton Marine
Surveyors, "takes all the stress out of construction. The last survey, he had 95
items on it, and Hatteras corrected all of them. In my opinion, on a project
like this a surveyor is an absolute must." Lastly, Hutchins said the owner’s
experience came into play. "Even though this is a production boat on the
outside, you can pretty well design it your way, and [having owners who
know] what’s what allows you to make it your own." The 100 motor yacht is all fiberglass to the waterline, and
Hatteras places three bulkheads into the mold as it sets; this is where early
owner involvement comes into play. One bulkhead on Khaki Blue was
re-situated a scant two feet, but the move made a difference in the guest
cabins, allowing for walking space where it was previously only sidle-out wide.
A semicircular nine-step wood staircase leads to the amply
sized athwartship master stateroom, where even more customization appears. The
suite features a California-king berth, his-and-hers walk-in cedar closets,
a small office area, a refrigerator and a 42-inch Sony plasma TV. A
glass-enclosed tiled shower splits the interestingly designed his-and-hers head.
Custom marble-tile floors and marble countertops complete the décor.
|
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Email This
Printer Friendly Version
Reprints & Permissions
Most Popular Searches