The Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina has some design changes from its GT siblings. The flybridge is pushed back a little, in a design nod to earlier Hatteras sport-fish yachts. There are newly designed side windows, and the engine-room side vents are longer. But the GT65 retains the series’ trademarks, such as generous bow flare, seakeeping ability and fish-raising muscle.
The owner of our test boat, Rascal, is a seasoned yachtsman, angler and family man who considered all of these attributes in his purchase. He worked as a mate on fishing boats when he was younger and has always been around boats with his family. Having owned several Hatteras sport-fish yachts, he decided the GT65 Carolina was the next logical move.
Rascal’s captain, Nick Millsap, has worked with the owner for five years and says the GT65 Carolina exceeded expectations. On the initial cruise to meet the owner, Millsap says, the GT65 had “a great dry ride, even into the head seas. It was rough, but the ride was awesome.”
The GT65 has a 194-square-foot cockpit, and there is room to swivel the combination fighting chair/rocket launcher in any direction on a frenetic marlin. Mezzanine seating to port has air conditioning to keep guests and line watchers cool. A stainless-steel freezer box is under the seat. Beneath the footrests are chilled boxes for refreshments.
To starboard is a tackle center with a prep station and eight drawers. The drawers have stainless-steel bottoms with holes for drainage and ventilation. An electric grill can be installed on top of the unit.
An in-deck ice maker produces not cubes but cylindrical ice, so it lasts longer and can touch more surfaces, keeping the catch fresher. The in-transom livewell can be fitted out with tuna tubes. Teak coaming boards add panache, while the lack of teak in the cockpit eases cleanup and maintenance.
For all its angling focus in the cockpit, the GT65 has yacht-level elegance inside. High-gloss teak is used for the cabinets and furnishings. Complementing the wood are light fabric headliners with teak accents, as well as a vinyl-plank sole for durability. An L-shaped sofa to port is plush and has stowage below each section.
Rascal’s layout has a galley island with two bar stools, a setup that creates multiple ways to move in and around the galley, and that makes more space for several folks to enjoy meals. The standard galley layout is a peninsula form, creating a U-shaped countertop with room for one more bar stool. Either way, the galley has fridge and freezer drawers; a microwave; a four-burner electric cooktop; stowage for pots, pans and dishes; and pantries and cabinets with matching grain. An elevated U-shaped dinette to port has underseat stowage and a teak table.
Belowdecks is a four-stateroom, three-head layout. All spaces have 6-foot-8-inch to 7-foot-1-inch headroom. The amidships en suite stateroom has a queen walk-around berth, nightstands, a full-size closet and drawers. The forward VIP can have a queen-size centerline berth or a 60/40 split berth. The two remaining staterooms have upper and lower berths.
Owners can convert one of the staterooms to a Hatteras Integrated Tackle Storage room, with gear cabinets and rig-prepping counter space. For the competing crew, the washer and dryer in the companionway should come in handy during tournament season.
To minimize maintenance, most all of the high-gloss teak finishes on the exterior can be painted in a faux-teak finish. It looks as close to real as you’ll get, without the need for varnishing.
Sporting a style that blends a little bit of yesterday with a lot of today, the Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina is built for running to blue water—and is designed to look good doing it.
Take the next step: hatterasyachts.com
