Boat test for the 2007 Hatteras 77 Convertible including boat specifications, photo galleries, boat videos, boat layout diagrams, boat test numbers, boat test results, and boat speed graphs. Also includes pricing, engine test reviews, ratings, standard features, and gear for the 2007 Hatteras 77 Convertible.

These MTUs are rated at 2450 rpm, and while the ones in my test boat managed only 2365 rpm during some of our testing (the suspected reason being a delay in engagement of the engines’ third turbos), range at WOT still measured 422 miles at 37.5 mph and 240 gph. It’s worth noting that that top speed is an average, and during the second half of the two-part run, the turbos functioned properly, albeit briefly, and the 77’s top one-way WOT measured 39 mph. According to Hatteras, this single-run speed is more in line with the boat’s expected performance.

The 77 achieved these numbers in four- to six-foot chop-topped seas, and I can say that she made her 34-mph cruise into the sea effortlessly and, moreover, smoothly. The boat didn’t—wouldn’t—pound. During my wheel time, her easy-to-shift Sturdy electronic controls and Sea Star power-assisted steering enabled me to drive her with confidence.

I quickly put the wheel hard over, and the 77 beat into the seas with her shoulders knocking the spray away. She was also quite agile for a boat of this size, making tight U-turns of about two and a half boat lengths without excessive heel. After seeing her smack down a head sea, I concluded the 77’s not only well-balanced but tough.

Part of that toughness comes from Hatteras’ belief that a solid-fiberglass hull bottom is the best foundation for an offshore boat. That’s one reason this battlewagon possesses a wave-smashing 157,500-pound displacement. But the builder did try to shave off pounds where possible without sacrificing strength. The 77 has PVC foam core in her hull sides and superstructure. In addition, the 77 sports beefy fiberglass stringers with steel laminated into them where the engine-mount bolts are placed. Hatteras also uses resin infusion with the PVC foam core to construct the boat’s engine-room bulkheads and decks, a technology the company says will be used more often and in more places in the near future.

The brute build of this boat contrasts with her sleek and seamless exterior appearance, which is helped by hull vents that are under the gunwales instead of in the hull and an air-induction system that provides combustion air to the hungry MTUs. Her hull shape is equally seamless, a convex form that transitions from a fine entry to a variable-deadrise bottom. Deadrise is around 22 degrees amidships and flattens out to just two degrees at the transom. These flat aft sections provide added lift and transverse stability underway. In addition, Hatteras employs four strakes that both deflect spray and enhance lift. Seeing how she ate up the ocean on test day, I’d say it’s a design that works.

The 77’s lines are as graceful as the high-gloss cherrywood interior is warm; an interior that is customizable as long as you don’t move any bulkheads, which would involve altering plumbing and/or wiring. My test boat featured four staterooms with an office in the master. Standard wood choices include cherry, mahogany, and maple, and granite is an available for the countertops. To help you in the decision-making process, Hatteras has a full-time, custom-design coordinator.

With her tough build, considerable speed, generous range, and solid fishability, the Hatteras 77 Convertible makes a strong case for adventurous anglers to take her for a ride. Be prepared, however, if you do, since you’ll probably want to buy her. I know I did.

For more information on Hatteras Yachts, including contact information, click here.

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