50 Convertible

Hatteras nailed it in 1991 with the introduction of the 50 Convertible, the third 50-foot convertible produced by Hatteras over the years. Indeed, she turned out to be a proven tournament contender—a sportfishing icon against which other boats in her class were often judged. The Hatteras 50 was heavily built on a low-deadrise, modified-V hull with a wide beam and a fairly deep keel. Her standard three-stateroom, galley-up interior has an amidships master, two full heads, and a low-profile galley with under-counter refrigeration. For those who prefer a more expansive salon, an optional midlevel galley, available after 1997, moved the galley down. The cockpit is among the largest to be found in a 50-foot convertible. No lightweight, huge 12-cylinder diesels were required to deliver the performance expected of a modern 50-foot convertible. Early models with 1,080hp GM 12V92s cruise at 26 knots (30+ knots top). Later models with 1,400hp Cats—huge engines for a boat this size—will cruise at a fast 33 knots (high 30s top). A strong selling boat for Hatteras, in 1999 the styling was updated to keep up with the competition from Viking Yachts.