EmeraldPrincess 4 sale

After 1500 flawless hours cruising about 10,000 miles, our Swan Song, a 1981 Hatteras Long Range Cruiser is for sale, ready to begin another loop.

Why this Boat?

First, there is Hatteras quality. The Long Range Cruiser was Hatteras’ answer to the last fuel crisis, and these boats are powered by the economical and “bulletproof” Detroit Diesel 4-53s, which run for thousands of hours. “Use it or lose it” applies to engines, and Swan Song’s engines have averaged about 200 hours annual use, running at about 1800 rpm, at hull speed of 8 knots, with each engine sipping only 2 gals an hour; not exactly Prius mileage but excellent for twin engines powerboat. Though a lot has been written about the fuel economy of a single engine, twin engines provide a comfort factor. With twin engines you can sidle up to a lock wall with great control, center the wheel, and use only the two clutches. A single engine, on the other hand, even with bow thruster, might be overpowered by wind, by debris disabling the bow thruster, or limited by RH or LH prop rotation. There is also the redundancy factor. A second engine is the ultimate “get-home”

A 1981 Hatteras probably offers a lot more quality and marine integrity than any current production boat, and a Hatteras that has been cruised, maintained, and upgraded over the years is probably better value than one that has sat at a dock.

25 years ago, Hatteras overbuilt its boats, not knowing how much it could trust fiberglass strength. It used fiberglass for the fuel and water tanks which added unibody strength – like a Saab -- to the hull, in addition to 750 gals fuel capacity and 250 gals water. The horror stories that we heard about rusted black iron tanks in “Taiwan boats” convinced us that fiberglass tanks were the only way to go.

Our practice has been to refuel every 100 hours, approximately 800 miles. That means that you can fill-up where fuel is cheapest or not worry about running out on the Mississippi or on Lake Superior or even in costly Canada.

In the course of the last 1500 hours, almost all the systems have performed flawlessly, and those that haven’t have been replaced or repaired. Before we set out on our 10,000 miles odyssey, the mast was hinged so that we could to go under the famous Chicago bridges as well as the 15’6” bridges on the western end of the Erie Barge Canal, and we discovered that it made a dandy clothesline!

Both transmissions and seawater and coolant water pumps were rebuilt and engine hoses replaced. At intervals over the past 2 ½ years, the Kidde 4213 CO2 engine room fire extinguisher was recertified and a fully enclosed Bimini top (providing 15 ½ clearance) was custom made. We put in a new Westebeke 7.6 generator, replaced the port engine alternator, exchanged wet cell batteries for 3 AGM 8Ds and 1 AGM 4D, and replaced the original LaMarche wet battery charger with a solid state Xantrex 40 amp True Charge to partner with the Freedom 20 battery charger-inverter. There are Spurs on the shafts, Glendinning synchronizers on the Detroits and Algae X fuel filters and three Racors on the fuel lines.

On the upper helm there is a Furuno Color Sounder FCV 667, Furuno 821 radar, Garmin 2010 GPS, Garmin 492 chartplotter (USA loaded charts) linked with new Furuno 511/Nav Autopilot. Bridge VHFs are a Standard-Horizon GX1250S and Standard-Horizon HX270S handheld, whereas at the lower helm there is an ICOM M127 VHF, Garmin 492 chartplotter, a Datamarine depth sounder, EPIRB, and Furuno 511/Nav AP The lower helm also has a ICOM M700 SSB, pretty nice for Bahamas cruising, even if cell phone is all you need to stay in touch in the US. The best piece of “sleep soundly at night” equipment aboard Swan Song is the oversized Galley Maid twin capstan Windlass BBHW with about 200’ of 3/8” chain attached to a 66 pounds Bruce anchor. It is a “set it and forget it” anchoring system; we have never dragged in sand, grass, or rock, in all winds, in all weather, and in all depths. Additionally, there is a Fortress anchor with about 200’ of nylon rode/chain. We paired a new Caribe 8’ inflatable with a new BF2D Honda 4 cycle outboard, a light weight combo easy to hoist aboard.

The galley has a Sharp Carousel II microwave oven, Princess stovetop with 4 Hobbes, a Tundra T80 AC/DC. Refrigerator-freezer, and an onboard Frigidaire washer-dryer make for domestic self sufficiency. The varnished floors are underlain with Sounddown and the L-shaped settee is covered with cream colored naugahide.

For condo-like comfort, there are two Crusaire 16 Air Conditioners, two SeaLand Vacuflush heads (50 gal holding tank), two hanging closets, and many drawers. Stereo on the bridge via a Jensen AM-FM-CD player with marine speakers and below a JVC AM-FM-Cassette with master and salon speakers. We installed a KVH Direct TV M10 sattelite antenna, linked to two flat screen TVs, one in the master, another in the salon.

Unusually well equipped with mechanicals, Swan Song also has a fabulous cruising library, shelved in the aft master cabin. Nobeltec Passport and VNS Software (7.1.9 edition which allows free downloads of NOAA charts) as well as guide books and paper charts needed for cruising in the Eastern US via various Looper (Tenn-Tom, Illinois River, Mississippi River, ICW, etc) routes as well as the Bahamas. Also, AAA road and city maps and guides plus separate binders with hundreds of GPS coordinates and SSB data. The four famous Great Lakes Cruising Club binders with their invaluable port and anchorage guides are also on the bookshelf. Hatteras plans and manuals are aboard as well as manuals for almost every piece of equipment from stove to SSB. Presently, Swan Song is “on the hard” at a “spa” in Cleveland, Ohio ready to set off on someone else’s North Channel cruise or Great Circle Loop. If bought now, winter storage is on our “nickel.”

Swan Song Hatteras 42 LRC Jane & Michael Murphy Mobile: (941)284-2713 E-mail: moomoobubby@msn.com After 1500 flawless hours cruising about 10,000 miles, our Swan Song, a 1981 Hatteras Long Range Cruiser is for sale, ready to begin another loop. Why this Boat? First, there is Hatteras quality. *The Long Range Cruiser was Hatteras’ answer to the last* fuel crisis, and these boats are powered by the economical and “bulletproof” Detroit Diesel 4-53s, which run for thousands of hours. “Use it or lose it” applies to engines, and Swan Song’s engines have averaged about 200 hours annual use, running at about 1800 rpm, at hull speed of 8 knots, with each engine sipping only 2 gals an hour; not exactly Prius mileage but excellent for twin engines powerboat. Though a lot has been written about the fuel economy of a single engine, twin engines provide a comfort factor. With twin engines you can sidle up to a lock wall with great control, center the wheel, and use only the two clutches. A single engine, on the other hand, even with bow thruster, might be overpowered by wind, by debris disabling the bow thruster, or limited by RH or LH prop rotation. There is also the redundancy factor. A second engine is the ultimate “get-home” A 1981 Hatteras probably offers a lot more quality and marine integrity than any current production boat, and a Hatteras that has been cruised, maintained, and upgraded over the years is probably better value than one that has sat at a dock. 25 years ago, Hatteras overbuilt its boats, not knowing how much it could trust fiberglass strength. It used fiberglass for the fuel and water tanks which added unibody strength – like a Saab -- to the hull, in addition to 750 gals fuel capacity and 250 gals water. The horror stories that we heard about rusted black iron tanks in “Taiwan boats” convinced us that fiberglass tanks were the only way to go. Our practice has been to refuel every 100 hours, approximately 800 miles. That means that you can fill-up where fuel is cheapest or not worry about running out on the Mississippi or on Lake Superior or even in costly Canada. In the course of the last 1500 hours, almost all the systems have performed flawlessly, and those that haven’t have been replaced or repaired. Before we set out on our 10,000 miles odyssey, the mast was hinged so that we could to go under the famous Chicago bridges as well as the 15’6” bridges on the western end of the Erie Barge Canal, and we discovered that it made a dandy clothesline! Both transmissions and seawater and coolant water pumps were rebuilt and engine hoses replaced. At intervals over the past 2 ½ years, the Kidde 4213 CO2 engine room fire extinguisher was recertified and a fully enclosed Bimini top (providing 15 ½ clearance) was custom made. We put in a new Westebeke 7.6 generator, replaced the port engine alternator, exchanged wet cell batteries for 3 AGM 8Ds and 1 AGM 4D, and replaced the original LaMarche wet battery charger with a solid state Xantrex 40 amp True Charge to partner with the Freedom 20 battery charger-inverter. There are Spurs on the shafts, Glendinning synchronizers on the Detroits and Algae X fuel filters and three Racors on the fuel lines. On the upper helm there is a Furuno Color Sounder FCV 667, Furuno 821 radar, Garmin 2010 GPS, Garmin 492 chartplotter (USA loaded charts) linked with new Furuno 511/Nav Autopilot. Bridge VHFs are a Standard-Horizon GX1250S and Standard-Horizon HX270S handheld, whereas at the lower helm there is an ICOM M127 VHF, Garmin 492 chartplotter, a Datamarine depth sounder, EPIRB, and Furuno 511/Nav AP The lower helm also has a ICOM M700 SSB, pretty nice for Bahamas cruising, even if cell phone is all you need to stay in touch in the US. The best piece of “sleep soundly at night” equipment aboard Swan Song is the oversized Galley Maid twin capstan Windlass BBHW with about 200’ of 3/8” chain attached to a 66 pounds Bruce anchor. It is a “set it and forget it” anchoring system; we have never dragged in sand, grass, or rock, in all winds, in all weather, and in all depths. Additionally, there is a Fortress anchor with about 200’ of nylon rode/chain. We paired a new Caribe 8’ inflatable with a new BF2D Honda 4 cycle outboard,** a light weight combo easy to hoist aboard. The galley has a Sharp Carousel II microwave oven, Princess stovetop with 4 Hobbes, a Tundra T80 AC/DC. Refrigerator-freezer, and an onboard Frigidaire washer-dryer make for domestic self sufficiency. The varnished floors are underlain with Sounddown and the L-shaped settee is covered with cream colored naugahide. For condo-like comfort, there are two Crusaire 16 Air Conditioners, two SeaLand Vacuflush heads (50 gal holding tank), two hanging closets, and many drawers. Stereo on the bridge via a Jensen AM-FM-CD player with marine speakers and below a JVC AM-FM-Cassette with master and salon speakers. We installed a KVH Direct TV M10 sattelite antenna, linked to two flat screen TVs, one in the master, another in the salon. Unusually well equipped with mechanicals, Swan Song also has a fabulous cruising library, shelved in the aft master cabin. Nobeltec Passport and VNS Software (7.1.9 edition which allows free downloads of NOAA charts) as well as guide books and paper charts needed for cruising in the Eastern US via various Looper (Tenn-Tom, Illinois River, Mississippi River, ICW, etc) routes as well as the Bahamas. Also, AAA road and city maps and guides plus separate binders with hundreds of GPS coordinates and SSB data. The four famous Great Lakes Cruising Club binders with their invaluable port and anchorage guides are also on the bookshelf. Hatteras plans and manuals are aboard as well as manuals for almost every piece of equipment from stove to SSB. Presently, Swan Song is “on the hard” at a “spa” in Cleveland, Ohio ready to set off on someone else’s North Channel cruise or Great Circle Loop. If bought now, winter storage is on our “nickel.” Email or call to arrange to talk/see/buy this boat, offered at $219,000. Jane & Michael Murphy Mobile: (941)284-2713 E-mail: moomoobubby@msn.com


Return to For Sale Page
Return to Home Page