United Brokers Get Factory Training At The Hatteras Yachts University

Hatteras Yachts are well-known for going above and beyond with the construction of their hulls by using solid fiberglass. In fact, lucky visitors to the factory in New Bern, North Carolina are sometimes treated to a simulation of how a Hatteras hull would stand up against hitting a log while cruising at 20 knots. As you might expect, Hatteras overachieves in every aspect of its business from building world-class Sportfish and Motor Yachts to making sure that their dealer network is knowledgeable and fully trained. That's why every year, the team from Hatteras Yachts invites all of its dealers to attend Hatteras University, a multi-day educational program that goes through multiple stations right on the factory floor with experts on each boat building process.

"Amazing experience!," said United broker Albert DiBenedetto. "Hatteras University really helps you become a better adviser for your customers through the product knowledge you gain. Not only do we get to spend time on the a lot of the newest models, but you spend real time learning from different teams in the factory about how the boats are constructed. It really helps us be able to explain the differences that go into making a Hatteras and a Cabo what they are today."

(Below: A short video at the end of the sea trials that have the Hatteras GT59, M60 Panacera, and Cabo 41 together.)

United broker and Hatteras Brand Manager Scott White attended the two day event again for the 6th time. "Every time I come to Hatteras University I learn about something new they've done to improve the customer experience," said Scott. "Hatteras is constantly listening to customer feedback and incorporating it into their models. I especially like spending time with the product experts from each vendor."

READ: Hatteras Yachts On Display At The Fort Lauderdale Boat Show

The two-day event hosts many of the Hatteras dealers across the country. The first day begins with four 1-hour sessions focused on the product which leads to discussion among the dealers and factory representatives. "Gregory Poole Caterpillar and Western Branch Diesel led off the seminars with a great presentation," continued Scott. "There was really good information given to us on their new CAT's, MTU's, and Volvo products. We got to ask questions about service, performance, warranties, and a lot more."

"The most beneficial part of the Hatteras University was spending time with the team talking about how Hatteras stacks up against competitors," said Albert. "It really makes it easy on us when we can compare specific models to their counterparts from other builders. We learn about the differences and what the competition is doing. Hatteras builds an absolutely amazing yacht and the quality really holds up well on both the sportfish and motor yacht sides."

One of the highlights in spending time on the floor was meeting some of the workforce that has been a part of the Hatteras team for years. "I couldn't believe that many of the same team members had been there for decades," continued Scott. "I met these two wonderful ladies that have been building all of the breaker boxes and electric components, wire harnesses, etc. for years. Thelma has been doing this for 41 years and is an expert at what she does."

(Seen below: The United team learns about the lamination process that makes a Hatteras hull so incredibly strong and durable.)

The first "station" the team visited was the lamination station where the hull, superstructure, flybridge, and hardtop all are laminated. The building is 62,000 square feet and 6 stories high. Amazing! It consists of four 10-ton and two 15-ton overhead cranes. The lamination and resin-infusion process adds strength to all structures, but it also saves a tremendous amount of weight on the boat. Even the bulkheads are laminated for structural integrity.

Day two of Hatteras University focused on sea trials of all of the available models at the factory. "Hatteras had a lot of models to sea trial this year," said Scott. "Being historically more of a Sportfish guy, it was nice to spend some time on the different motor yachts. Hatteras had the M75, M60, GT59, GT45, and the Cabo Yachts 41 all available for us to sea trial. We had our choice of which models to focus on."

United broker Frank Wise recently sold the very first Cabo 41 Express in the United States.

For more information on Hatteras Yachts, we invite you to contact our Hatteras trained team by calling (609) 884-5881. Our team will be at the upcoming Fort Lauderdale Boat Show at the Hatteras display located on F-Dock, Slips 610-622.

Below are a few more photos of the recent Hatteras University!

(Seen below: The Main Assembly area at the Hatteras factory. Here the interior decks are set and installed on hull stringers. Additionally, the engine room soundproofing is installed, the installation of the bulkheads are completed, the flybridge superstructure is set, the shower stalls and tubes are set, and so much more!)

hatteras yachts main assembly area

(Seen below: The second area on the main assembly line at the Hatteras factory includes carpentry, mechanical, and electrical overviews. All head cabinets are installed here along with the interior joinery, mirrors in the staterooms, headliner beams, patterns for the interior living spaces, and electrical outlets are installed throughout.)

hatteras factory assembly carpentry electrical

(Seen below: United broker Scott White tours Hatteras University station number 6 which is part of the main assembly. In this area, all electrical wiring and plumbing is completed along with the pre-fit and installation of the cabin flooring. Galley equipment is also installed here along with bathroom hardware, side windows, windshields, and exterior hardware.)

hatteras university main assembly installations

(Seen below: An unfinished Hatteras awaits the installation of new cabinets. The Hatteras cabinet shop includes the fabrication of all cabinets, drawers, and berths. There are separate work cells for each of the production lines. Hatteras uses special CNC machines and several different types of wood species to create an exceptional interior.)

Cabinet Shop At Hatteras Factory

(Seen below: The Hatteras factory prop shop is where the propellers are custom designed by Hatteras and Michigan Wheels. Hatteras uses either 5-blade or 8-blade props made out of nickel, bronze, and aluminum alloy. Propellers are tuned here to optimize performance.)

propeller shop at hatteras yachts factory