Models › Hatteras › 37 Convertible
Sea trial and inspection scorecard
Hatteras 37 Convertible · built 1977–1982
Take it on your walk-through, survey day and sea trial, and rate each check as you go. It’s a buyer’s checklist, not a survey: hire an accredited marine surveyor, and a mechanic who knows her engines.
64 checks. Your ratings and notes are kept in this browser only.
Problems reported on her engines
For the engines this model was built with. Rate the ones for the engine she actually has, and mark the others N/A.
Detroit Diesel 6-71 (inline, N / T / TI)
A standard engine on this model.
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Oil leaks
Owners describe 71-series Detroits as habitual oil leakers; chasing leaks with the right gaskets and sealants is a routine topic even on freshly rebuilt engines.
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Noise and smoke
Injector and exhaust noise is loud unless mufflers are well designed, and some smoke is typical of the two-stroke design.
Hull
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Ask whether the bottom has had a barrier coat or blister repair: when, by whom, and with what warranty.
A documented repair with a written warranty is worth more than an unexplained one.
From Hull: blisters, wet core, cracks and old repairs, with its sources
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On the haul-out, look for blisters on the bottom and ask the surveyor how deep they go.
Blisters mostly cost resale value; a lasting repair means peeling, drying and relaminating the bottom.
From Hull: blisters, wet core, cracks and old repairs, with its sources
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If the hull is cored, have the surveyor check around every through-hull, transducer and drive opening.
Water gets into balsa core where hole edges weren't sealed, and core rotted to dust can read dry.
From Hull: blisters, wet core, cracks and old repairs, with its sources
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Look for cracks where the cabin meets the deck, and for patches, fairing or paint that doesn't match.
Cracks can point to a flexing hull and tired stringers; ask what happened and who fixed it.
From Hull: blisters, wet core, cracks and old repairs, with its sources
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Check stringers, bulkheads, the transom and the hull-to-deck joint for softness or separation.
On an older boat, repairing wet or rotten structure can cost more than she'll be worth afterward.
From Hull: blisters, wet core, cracks and old repairs, with its sources
Deck
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Walk the whole deck slowly, feeling for soft or springy spots around cleats, stanchions, hatches, the windlass and chainplates.
Springy, soft or crunchy spots usually mean wet or rotten core.
From Decks: soft spots, fittings and teak, with its sources
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Look under the deck and on bulkheads near fittings and window frames for stains, rust trails or rot.
Leaking fittings let water into the core; resealing early prevents much bigger repairs.
From Decks: soft spots, fittings and teak, with its sources
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On a teak deck, look for loose or missing plugs, failing seams and planks worn thin.
Water follows the screws into the subdeck; renewing or replacing a teak deck runs to tens of thousands.
From Decks: soft spots, fittings and teak, with its sources
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Feel for softness at the deck's lowest point and look at its underside from below.
Water that gets under teak runs to the low point and soaks the subdeck there.
From Decks: soft spots, fittings and teak, with its sources
Engines and generator
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Ask for engine logs and receipts: oil changes, valve adjustments, injector service, heat exchanger cleaning and any overhaul.
Hours, records and condition say more about an engine than its age.
From Engines and generators, with its sources
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Look at the engine room itself: rust and loose junk, or clean, well-kept machinery?
A neglected engine room suggests an owner who rarely went down there.
From Engines and generators, with its sources
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Look closely at exhaust risers, mixing elbows, heat exchangers and raw-water pumps.
When one of these fails it can let water into the engine.
From Engines and generators, with its sources
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Get a repower quote, even if you plan to keep the engines.
So the cost of new engines doesn't catch you by surprise later.
From Engines and generators, with its sources
Fuel tanks
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Use your nose in the engine room and look for diesel in the bilge, especially under the tanks.
Any fuel in the bilge is a problem to trace before you buy; absorbent pads under a tank are a clue.
From Fuel tanks: age, material and leaks, with its sources
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Look at every part of each tank you can reach: tops, fill and vent fittings, seams and supports.
Rust stains and weeping seams are warning signs.
From Fuel tanks: age, material and leaks, with its sources
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Find out what the tanks are made of: aluminum, mild steel (black iron) or polyethylene.
Many older trawlers have mild-steel tanks, and owners report that most of them leak sooner or later.
From Fuel tanks: age, material and leaks, with its sources
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Take a fuel sample from the tank bottom or a filter, and ask for records of tank work or fuel polishing.
Water in the fuel needs explaining.
From Fuel tanks: age, material and leaks, with its sources
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Find out how each tank would come out if it had to.
Some tanks can only come out by cutting a deck or bulkhead, or removing an engine.
From Fuel tanks: age, material and leaks, with its sources
Running gear, steering and rudder
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On the haul-out, look at props, shafts, cutless bearings, struts, anodes, thrusters and trim tabs.
Worn cutless and rudder bearings are common survey findings.
From Running gear, steering and rudder, with its sources
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Look at the stuffing box or shaft seal, its hose and its clamps, and ask when they were last replaced.
Stuffing boxes top the list of underwater fittings behind boats sinking at the dock.
From Running gear, steering and rudder, with its sources
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With the boat hauled, push the bottom of the rudder side to side.
It should feel firm, with no clunk or free play in the bearings.
From Running gear, steering and rudder, with its sources
Electrical
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Look at the shore power inlet and cord for heat damage or corrosion.
Most AC fires start between the dock pedestal and the inlet; BoatUS suggests inspecting or replacing inlets over 10 years old.
From Electrical: DC, AC, shore power and corrosion, with its sources
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Look for green, corroded wire and tangled, unlabeled add-ons.
It tells you whether you face a cleanup or a rewire.
From Electrical: DC, AC, shore power and corrosion, with its sources
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Check that batteries can't shift, terminals are covered and each circuit is fused near its power source.
Wiring that could start a fire is a top survey item, and insurers often insist it's fixed.
From Electrical: DC, AC, shore power and corrosion, with its sources
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Ask whether she has a galvanic isolator and a whole-boat ground-fault breaker (ELCI).
Many older boats have no ELCI; one can usually be added if the AC system is free of faults.
From Electrical: DC, AC, shore power and corrosion, with its sources
Plumbing, heads and seacocks
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Work every seacock and valve below the waterline.
A seized valve needs attention, and gate valves can fail inside without showing it.
From Plumbing, heads, holding tanks and seacocks, with its sources
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Look for proper flanged seacocks, not in-line ball valves screwed onto through-hulls.
Their threads don't match, so the joint is weak.
From Plumbing, heads, holding tanks and seacocks, with its sources
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Check hoses below the waterline: reinforced, double-clamped with stainless clamps, and not stiff, cracked or soft.
Half of dockside sinkings in BoatUS claims started at leaking underwater fittings, hoses and clamps.
From Plumbing, heads, holding tanks and seacocks, with its sources
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Trace the head plumbing: holding tank, deck pump-out, and any Y-valve overboard.
Every installed toilet needs a working, certified marine sanitation device.
From Plumbing, heads, holding tanks and seacocks, with its sources
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Check raw-water strainers, the air-conditioning and generator intakes, and the fresh-water pump, tanks and water heater.
Ice can bend a strainer, and every intake is another hole below the waterline.
From Plumbing, heads, holding tanks and seacocks, with its sources
Electronics
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Check the VHF radio has DSC, and that the previous owner's MMSI number will be transferred or replaced.
An older radio may have no DSC, and two boats must never share an MMSI.
From Electronics on an older boat, with its sources
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Ask whether the makers still support the plotter, radar and autopilot with parts, software and charts.
Budget to replace anything you depend on that is no longer supported.
From Electronics on an older boat, with its sources
Sea trial: before you leave the dock
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Agree that the seller or their hired captain runs the boat, especially leaving and returning to the dock.
If you or your broker drive and something goes wrong, you may carry the liability for a boat you don't own yet.
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Have your surveyor aboard and, where engines are a big share of the value, a mechanic who knows that engine make.
A general surveyor is not an engine specialist; without a mechanic and test gear, costly engine faults can slip through.
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Before the trial, get the engine maker's rated full-throttle RPM from the engine plate or manual, so there is a target.
Without the maker's figure nobody can say whether the top RPM reached on the trial is healthy or a warning sign.
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Ask the seller not to run the engines for at least 24 hours beforehand, so the surveyor sees a true cold start.
A warmed-up engine can hide hard starting, weak batteries and the smoke a tired engine makes when cold.
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Before starting, look in the bilge and under the engines and note how much water, oil or staining is already there.
Without a starting picture you can't tell whether water or oil found after the run is new, which would point to a live leak.
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Put clean absorbent pads under the engine and generator, note oil, coolant and gear-oil levels, and write down the hour meters.
Stained pads or falling fluid levels afterward reveal leaks, and an hour meter that doesn't advance can't be trusted.
practical-sailor.com · passagemaker.com · themarinesurveyors.com
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Turn the key to on before cranking and confirm every warning light and buzzer works, at each helm station.
A dead alarm means overheating or low oil pressure could ruin the engine without anyone noticing in time.
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Unplug shore power or switch off the battery charger before the first start, so the engine starts on its own batteries.
A charger can hide a weak battery; if the engine won't crank briskly on batteries alone, expect battery or starter work.
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Watch the cold start: it should fire promptly and settle into a steady idle while someone watches the exhaust for smoke.
Slow cranking, a rough idle, or heavy or lingering smoke can signal engine wear or fuel-system trouble worth a mechanic's closer look.
boatus.com · themarinesurveyors.com · sistershiptraining.com
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Right after starting, confirm cooling water is coming out with the exhaust and that oil pressure and charging voltage show.
No water at the exhaust means the raw-water cooling isn't working, and the engine and wet exhaust will overheat if run on.
Sea trial: under way
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Watch each shift into forward and reverse: it should engage cleanly, without long delay, grinding or a hard clunk.
Slipping, slow or harsh engagement points to transmission or control problems that can be expensive to put right.
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Turn the wheel fully from one stop to the other at each helm station; it should move smoothly without binding or slack.
Stiff, uneven or sloppy steering is a safety problem and usually means worn or leaking steering parts that need repair.
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If fitted, run the bow and stern thrusters in both directions during the trial and note any weak, noisy or dead unit.
A thruster that fails is costly to repair and leaves you without the docking help you were counting on.
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Warm the engine, then raise RPM in steps, logging RPM, speed, temperatures, oil pressure and charging voltage at each step.
A step-by-step log shows where trouble starts and gives you a baseline to compare with the maker's figures and later trips.
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At cruise and full throttle, coolant temperature and oil pressure should stay steady inside the engine maker's normal range, with no alarms.
An engine that creeps hot or loses oil pressure under load has a cooling, exhaust or internal problem, even if it idled fine.
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At wide-open throttle the engine should reach the maker's rated maximum RPM, or its stated range; write down the actual figure.
Too low points to a wrong propeller or a fuel, air or drivetrain fault and an overloaded engine; well over the rating suggests too small a propeller.
passagemaker.com · proboat.com · practical-sailor.com · jondieselmarine.com
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Hold full throttle for several minutes while the mechanic looks over the running engine, exhaust and cooling hoses for leaks.
Some fuel, oil, water and exhaust leaks only show up under heavy load and heat, so a dockside look can miss them.
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Ask the mechanic to compare the helm tachometer and temperature gauges with a handheld tachometer and infrared thermometer.
Boat gauges are often wrong; a tachometer that reads high can make an engine that misses its rated RPM look healthy.
passagemaker.com · jondieselmarine.com · gladdingmarinesurvey.com
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At each speed, watch the exhaust for smoke and feel and listen for vibration, knocking or new noises through the boat.
Smoke under load, or vibration from the shaft or propeller, can mean engine wear, a bent shaft, a damaged propeller or misalignment.
passagemaker.com · myrtlebeachmarinesurveyor.com · practical-sailor.com
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Do a back-down test: from slow ahead, pause in neutral, then go astern and add power while someone watches the engine mounts.
An engine that lifts or shifts on its mounts has worn or loose mounts, which pull the shaft out of line.
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Make tight turns both ways at cruise, then run straight; she should turn about equally each way and hold a course easily.
Uneven turning, or constant correction just to run straight, makes the boat tiring to drive and is worth raising with your surveyor.
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On a planing hull, note how readily she gets on plane, how high the bow rises, and her slowest planing speed.
Struggling to plane, a steep bow-up ride or an odd list can point to weight, propeller, trim or engine problems needing investigation.
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Run the trim tabs, and drive or outboard trim if fitted, through their range under way and watch the boat respond.
Tabs or trim that don't move, work on one side only, or don't change how the boat sits need repair.
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Under way, test the autopilot (set, hold and change course), GPS, speed log against GPS, depth sounder and radar.
Electronics can pass a dockside power-up yet fail while moving, and replacing an autopilot, transducer or radar is a real cost.
themarinesurveyors.com · boatingmag.com · sistershiptraining.com
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With the shaft turning, check the stuffing box or shaft seal; a packed gland should drip only a few drops a minute.
A stream of water, a drip with the shaft stopped, or a bone-dry hot gland means adjustment, repacking or seal work is due.
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Run the generator with real loads switched on, such as air conditioning and other house loads, and watch that it holds steady.
A generator that runs fine with nothing plugged in can stall, overheat or lose voltage once it actually has to work.
themarinesurveyors.com · jondieselmarine.com · gladdingmarinesurvey.com
Sea trial: back at the dock
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Back at the dock, look in the bilge again and compare it with your starting notes for any new water or oil.
Fresh water or oil after a run points to a live leak from the shaft, rudder, hoses, engine or a fitting.
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Re-check engine and generator after the run: the pads, oil, coolant and gear-oil levels, belts, hoses and exhaust joints.
New drips, falling coolant, belt dust or exhaust soot after a hard run reveal faults a cold engine kept hidden.
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Right after the hard run, have the mechanic scan exhaust, hoses, muffler and engine with an infrared thermometer for hot spots.
A hot exhaust section or uneven heat across the engine can mean restricted cooling water, a clogged elbow or a part about to fail.
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Once the engines have cooled a little, take oil samples from each engine and gearbox, and coolant if possible, for lab analysis.
A lab report can show wear metals, water or coolant in the oil: internal problems that no sea trial can reveal.
What is she worth?
Where to look up values and prices for the Hatteras 37 Convertible, and how to read them.
- J.D. Power Boat Values (formerly NADAguides) book values free and paid
Free book values (low and average retail) for power and sail boats, including 1970s models; choose year, maker and model, enter a ZIP code and equipment.
- BUCValu (the BUC Used Boat Price Guide) book values free and paid
The BUC Book's values online: limited free consumer lookups (registration required) show a retail low-to-high range; the paid BUCValuPro adds condition and region adjustments.
- ABOS Marine Blue Book (Price Digests) book values paid
Book values from the ABOS Marine Blue Book, sold per boat or by subscription, with engine, option and condition adjustments. It covers boats from 1976 on.
- Soldboats.com (Boats Group) sold prices paid
Reported sold prices, open only to Boats Group’s broker and dealer members and to paying lenders and surveyors — so ask your broker or surveyor for sold comparables.
- YachtWorld asking prices free
A mostly broker-listed marketplace; search the make and model to compare current asking prices around the country.
- Boat Trader asking prices free
A US marketplace strong on private-seller listings; search the make and model for current asking prices.
Search them for the Hatteras 37 Convertible and her year. These are other companies’ sites; their figures are theirs, and we don’t receive anything from them.
Reading the prices
- Listing sites show what sellers are asking, not what boats actually sold for, so treat asking prices as the competition rather than the value. boatus.com · oceanmarinesurveyors.com · yachtworld.co.uk
- BoatUS says that in a steady market, asking prices usually run about 6 to 10 percent above what boats sell for. boatus.com
- Recent sold prices for the same model are the best evidence of value, and brokers and surveyors can pull them from industry-only databases, so ask yours for sold comps. boatus.com · wardyachtsales.com · annapolisyachtbroker.com · support.boatwizard.com
- A book value describes a typical boat in ordinary, ready-to-sell condition with normal equipment, so adjust it up or down for the boat in front of you. bucvalupro.com · pricedigests.com · jdpower.com · oceanmarinesurveyors.com
- The price guides calculate values differently and can disagree widely on the same boat, so check more than one and never negotiate on a book number alone. discoverboating.com · boatus.com
- Give credit for real upgrades such as a repower, recent electronics or added air conditioning, but expect them to add less than they cost. boatus.com · oceanmarinesurveyors.com
- On a boat more than about ten years old, condition and maintenance history matter more to value than the year she was built. jdpower.com · oceanmarinesurveyors.com
- Only a marine surveyor who has inspected the boat can give a value that lenders and insurers will use, and rare, custom or heavily modified boats need one most because comparables are scarce. boatus.com · jdpower.com
- Where a boat is located, and the time of year, move the price, so compare boats in similar markets or allow for the cost of moving her. boatus.com · jdpower.com · buc.com
- Kelley Blue Book does not publish boat values, so be wary of sites that borrow the words "blue book" to look official. kbb.com · boatus.com
Problems to price into an offer: see Negotiating after the survey.