Hatteras Yachts is pleased to announce the re-launch of its Hatterascal factory demonstration boat program in April. The new Hatterascal is a Hatteras GT63, the largest platform in the vaunted GT Series. Equipped with twin CAT C-32 ACERTS @ 1900hp, she will have a top speed of 42 knots at full load, and a range of more than 400 nm. She will be christened during a ceremony at Hatteras Yachts home in New Bern, NC, then travel to the Caribbean for her tournament debut on leg one of the Bahamas Billfish Championship.

The Hatterascal will have Capt. Jeff Donahue at the helm during competition. A tournament veteran and former private captain, he is also Hatteras Yachts’ regional sales manager for North America. “We are very excited to see the Hatterascal program back on the water this season, and have scheduled tournaments from the Bahamas to the Gulf of Mexico and back up the East Coast to maximize our exposure on the tournament circuit,” says Donahue. “We will also be hosting numerous events with Hatteras Dealers to support their efforts and to show off the craftsmanship, performance and luxury found aboard a Hatteras.”

The tournament schedule for the 2012 campaign is as follows:

Bahamas Billfish Championship – Leg 1
Guana Cay – April 24-28

35th Annual Memorial Day Tournament
Orange Beach, Alabama – May 25-28

Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic
Sandestin, Florida – June 20-24

Charleston Angler MegaDock Billfishing Tournament
Charleston, South Carolina – July 11-14

White Marlin Open
Ocean City, Maryland – August 6-10

29th Annual Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament
Manteo, North Carolina – August 14-17

21st Annual Mid-Atlantic $500,000
Cape May, New Jersey – August 19-24

The launch of this season’s Hatterascal marks the renewal of a long-standing Hatteras tradition. Hatteras launched its first factory demonstrator early in its history. First christened the Hatteracal, a combination of “Hatteras” and “Rascal,” in the mid-1960’s; she represented Hatteras at fishing tournaments, boat shows, owners’ rendezvous and special events for more than 40 years.

“Hatteras Yachts has enjoyed a reputation for superior design, strength, and sea keeping since the launch of our first boat in 1960,” states John Ward, executive vice-president for global sales and marketing at Hatteras Yachts. “With the introduction of the GT Series last year, we have been able to add ‘performance’ to our list of superlatives. Each boat in the series is capable of at least a 40-knot top end when fully loaded. It is important that folks have an opportunity to see that type of speed first hand, and we feel that the Hatterascal is the perfect ambassador for the brand in the sportfishing community.”

The Hatterascal will not head out into the field alone. For the 2012 season, she will carry with her a dozen sponsors. Their partnership is invaluable.

Our 2012 Hatterascal Fishing Team members include:

• PipeWelders
• High Seas Technologies
• Gregory Poole Power Systems
• ZF Marine
• Alexseal
• P&R Canvas
• C-Worthy Corp.
• Glendinning
• BlueWater Supply
• Release Marine
• Bait Masters
• Sea Recovery