New build - Hampton Endurance

Greetings fellow TF'ers. My wife and I have had a build underway since last Fall. I wanted to do a blog because I have been helped so much by many boating bloggers out there. And also because I have quite a few friends that want to follow our build that aren't on TF.

Finally got around to putting it together:

www.mvmahalo.com

There are about 15 blog posts with pictures of the build underway. I will be updating it as I get more picture from the factory and we make our next visit to Shanghai.

I can post here when I do updates if people want me to. Of course feel free to comment directly on the blog posts!

JustBob.
M/V Mahalo

Great site. Congratulations.

Wow!!! Thanks for posting and letting us tag a long.

We’ll be eagerly following your blog. Thanks for posting.

Nice boat. When is delivery?

BandB said:

Nice boat. When is delivery?

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Should arrive in May!

Hi Bob,

Thanks so much for sharing your blog. Truley an inspiration, best of luck with your build.

It's always interesting to me to read why one selected the specific boat they did, what went into the choice, and how the winner came out on top. Especially interesting since Hampton is not a builder mentioned much on this site. Also, how you decided what size.

Bob

Have a good friend who had his second Hampton new build completed two years ago. He is one devotee. He keeps his latest in Bellingham. Very fuel efficient at around 9 knots, the beauty of today's larger engines at low RPM. Naturally one can run it much faster. Great boats, lots of dealer support out of Seattle and well represented in the PNW. Congrats.

BandB said:

Especially interesting since Hampton is not a builder mentioned much on this site. .

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The same could be said for OA, Horizon, Outer Reef, Riviera, Maritimo and many others.

sunchaser said:

The same could be said for OA, Horizon, Outer Reef, Riviera, Maritimo and many others.

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Yes, they are not mentioned here much either so if one chooses one of them, then interesting to hear how it came about.

I'm a fan of several of those boats and they merit more consideration. Now many are larger sizes than most here select.

sunchaser said:

Bob

Have a good friend who had his second Hampton new build completed two years ago. He is one devotee. He keeps his latest in Bellingham. Very fuel efficient at around 9 knots, the beauty of today's larger engines at low RPM. Naturally one can run it much faster. Great boats, lots of dealer support out of Seattle and well represented in the PNW. Congrats.

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All this is great to hear! Appreciate these thoughts.

Bob.
M/V Mahalo - Blog

Bob, amazing looking boat. Congrats.

Hard to believe Hampton wasn't in the Miami show... I saw one in the Stuart Boat Show and loved it, even at 10 years old, still looked like it was fresh off the boat. Of course, it sold right after the show...

stubones99 said:

Hard to believe Hampton wasn't in the Miami show... I saw one in the Stuart Boat Show and loved it, even at 10 years old, still looked like it was fresh off the boat. Of course, it sold right after the show...

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Hampton tends to stick to FLIBS.

Congratulations...she’s going to be beautiful.
How exciting!

They will be at the Palm Beach boat show...

BandB said:

It's always interesting to me to read why one selected the specific boat they did, what went into the choice, and how the winner came out on top. Especially interesting since Hampton is not a builder mentioned much on this site..

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My all time favorite boat is the Ocean Alexander 64 but last year my wife and I spent quite a bit of time inspecting a Hampton 658. The attention to detail on scores of little things (previously ignored by me) is eye opening! What a beautiful boat! I just may have to move the OA 64 to second place!

Great blog, beautiful boat, fun times ahead. Thanks for sharing!

Lying Reid Harbor, Stuart Island

JustBob said:

All this is great to hear! Appreciate these thoughts.

Bob.
M/V Mahalo - Blog

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JustBob, I love this boat. I also take your point re the desirability of the midships owner stateroom, to minimise slap, other noises, and less movement generally. However, I have always thought that in addition to that, ideally the king or Queen bed should be athwartships, rather than head to bow, and wonder what your plans re this are.

My reasoning is that if one ends up in an anchorage with some swell rocking the boat, the movement is then just a gentle head to toe, (rock you to sleep), instead of rolly-polly sideways, which means uncomfortable sleep with frequent involuntary muscle responses, in attempts to stop the roll. Unless one has stabilisers that work at anchor, which can be done, but good if not needed most times, I have often thought the beam to beam orientation if there is room for it, would be good. Some vessels achieve this. What are your thoughts on this..?
I hope I'm not throwing a late spanner in the works, but it seems to me it is just considered de rigueur to have bunks/beds orientated fore or aft because in most of our boats there's no room to do otherwise.

Bob, wonderful Blog explaining you, boating, and your boat selection. The Hampton sounds wonderful. It would be great to meet up with you after you take delivery someplace on a weekend. Where are you going to keep her?

We are SOOOOO jealous! Congrats...

Codger2 said:

My all time favorite boat is the Ocean Alexander 64 but last year my wife and I spent quite a bit of time inspecting a Hampton 658. The attention to detail on scores of little things (previously ignored by me) is eye opening! What a beautiful boat! I just may have to move the OA 64 to second place!

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That's what happened to us. We had just got off a two hour cruise on another make and then happened upon the Endurance 658 at a Trawlerfest. Moved into first place in about 30 minutes. Seems to happen to everyone

Peter B said:

JustBob, I love this boat. I also take your point re the desirability of the midships owner stateroom, to minimise slap, other noises, and less movement generally. However, I have always thought that in addition to that, ideally the king or Queen bed should be athwartships, rather than head to bow, and wonder what your plans re this are.

My reasoning is that if one ends up in an anchorage with some swell rocking the boat, the movement is then just a gentle head to toe, (rock you to sleep), instead of rolly-polly sideways, which means uncomfortable sleep with frequent involuntary muscle responses, in attempts to stop the roll...

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Hi Peter, thanks for the thoughts. My own experience, and it's the same speaking with other PNW boaters, is that our anchorages are seldom "rolly."

For example, I have a friend that has the zero speed stabilizers, but in several years he has never had the need to use them at anchor.

Given that it is a king size bed though, they are practically square. So if I find the scenario you describe, I think we can just rotate our bodies 90 degrees and we'll be good!

JustBob
M/V Mahalo - Blog

dhays said:

Bob, wonderful Blog explaining you, boating, and your boat selection. The Hampton sounds wonderful. It would be great to meet up with you after you take delivery someplace on a weekend. Where are you going to keep her?

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Bainbridge Island!

Hi everyone, there are nine new blog posts since I first posted here. Thank you for viewing and any comments...

M/V Mahalo - Blog

Bob Towery

Beautiful boat, Bob. Great idea with the turtles inset in the granite floor. I had a look at the boattest video. Stunning boat. Congrats.

One question and a few observations.

The question is what is the air draft of the boat?

Just a few random observations.
-Having the boat's seaworthiness but still a decent cruising speed is great for those wanting trawler capabilities and cruiser capabilities in the same boat.
-5'2" draft is great. On boats this size built for seakeeping, it's so common for draft to creep up and that so lessens the normal usability of the boat.
-We did the loop in a boat basically the same length. Now we had more speed. However, the use of the space in the Endurance 658 is incredible. I love the Portuguese Bridge for a boat like it. The flybridge is a good size too, not like many smaller ones. Love the dual helms, love the galley and the outdoor kitchen on the bridge.
-Sleeping quarters. Even the third stateroom is still very comfortable. Even more, like the crew cabin. Even for a boat not with a crew, there are just those rare times everyone comes and you have comfortable space. Many European boats in this and larger sizes have crew cabins that are unfit for anyone to actually have to spend several nights in.
-So many smart little things. Look at the stairs to the flybridge. Very nice. Good doors to both side decks.

I just think it's an extremely well designed boat.

JustBob said:

Hi everyone, there are nine new blog posts since I first posted here. Thank you for viewing and any comments...

M/V Mahalo - Blog

Bob Towery

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Nice thanks for sharing Bob.

Question: Saw the toasty floors. Why cooper and not Pex?

JustBob said:

Hi everyone, there are nine new blog posts since I first posted here. Thank you for viewing and any comments...

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Thanks, Bob! I have read every word on your blog and am really impressed with the build quality. The Hampton 658 has just replaced my all time favorite, the Ocean Alexander 64.