Boat test for the 2008 Hatteras 72 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 2008 Hatteras 72.

During a boat test, it's always a pleasure to speak with the owners and to hear about the yacht from their point of view. When those opportunities arise, one of my main goals is to understand why the owners chose a particular yacht; what features were the deciding factors? When I put this query to the owners of a new 72-foot Hatteras I recently tested, their reply was precise. Without hesitation, they told me that there were 11 reasons. Noting the somewhat puzzled look on my face, the wife explained that she and her husband like to cruise with their children and grandchildren. That's a family of 11, so they needed sleeping accommodations for 11, and that's exactly what Hatteras was able to provide in the layout of their 72.

The wife thought a moment and then suggested there was a twelfth reason that was perhaps the most important factor in their decision: Their two previous yachts were Hatteras Convertibles, and they were extremely satisfied with the quality and their dealings with the company. So when they made the decision to move up to a larger motoryacht, husband and wife were confident that the design and build process would be enjoyable and that the yacht would turn out just as they wanted. Sincere smiles assured me that their confidence had been justified.

Our conversation then turned to some of the specific details the owners were especially fond of. High on their list were the full walkaround side decks that let the wife handle lines (her choice to do so, I might add) and walk safely from bow to stern without having to negotiate steps. Full side decks, of course, mean less width inside the saloon, but the yacht's interior seemed more than generously proportioned. A plush settee to starboard seats at least four guests, and a circular dining table on the port side accommodates up to six. Also to port is a curved wet bar with a recessed sole, so someone standing behind the bar is closer to eye level with guests perched on the three bar stools. A concealed stairway behind the bar leads beneath the aft deck to a nicely appointed crew stateroom and direct access to the engine room. The stateroom is so spacious, it can be fitted as an aft VIP stateroom if you choose not to have crew. Or, as is, it serves as a nice extra guest stateroom, with a generous head and separate shower.

The owners also pointed out several of the upgraded interior features, like raised-panel doors, handsome wood soffits that conceal the air conditioning outlets, and decorative columns with triple bull-nose moldings between each window in the saloon. Rich tones of genuine African mahogany give the space a traditional, home-like feel.

Providing sleeping accommodations for a family of 11 is one thing, but fixing three meals a day for the whole group is a far more daunting challenge. So I was not surprised to see that the owners had outfitted their galley with a complete complement of household-size appliances: a full-size range with conventional oven, dishwasher, trash compactor, and 24-cubic-foot Sub-Zero side-by-side refrigerator and freezer. Yet with all those appliances, there was still plenty of stowage in the handsome cherry cabinets. Hatteras had even accommodated the owners' favorite serving bowl and cake plate, fashioning special pegs in a cabinet to hold them securely in heavy seas.

In the forward portion of the galley, a dinette provides a perfect spot for youngsters of any age to sit and wait for fresh-baked treats, read, play games, or banter with the chef. Hatteras offers an optional lower helm station on the 72, but the owners preferred the dinette adjoining the galley; however, they did go with the optional day head, with granite sole, tucked between the galley and the saloon.

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