Full Refit Case Study

Hatteras 58 Full Refit
Stainless Brightwork & Structural

Complete brightwork replacement + structural aluminum fabrication — ABS sign-off, showroom finish

ABS Sign-Off 316L Marine Stainless Full Vessel Scope 15-Year Material Warranty
Hatteras 58 full refit stainless brightwork structural aluminum Fort Lauderdale

Project Overview

The owner of a Hatteras 58 motoryacht brought us the full scope — corroded stainless brightwork throughout the vessel, aging structural aluminum components below deck, and an engine room that hadn't been touched in years. Rather than patch and paint, the owner elected a complete metal refresh: all brightwork stripped and replaced with 316L marine stainless, structural components rebuilt to current standards, and ABS sign-off obtained on every system we touched. The result was a vessel that looked and performed like a new build.

The Challenge

Full-vessel brightwork replacement requires methodical sequencing — you can't pull handrails while the vessel is in the water, remove davits while crew gear is aboard, or disassemble structural components without temporary supports. The owner also wanted everything logged and ABS-certified so the vessel could be insured and surveyed as a refit rather than a repair. Coordinating a full scope across a live vessel over 8 weeks required careful scheduling and no shortcuts.

The Solution

DolFab broke the refit into four sequential zones — cockpit and aft deck first, then flybridge and electronics arch, then forward deck and bow rails, then engine room and below-deck structural. Each zone was fully signed off before the next began. All 316L stainless components were fabricated in-house, passivated, and polished to a #4 brushed finish matching the OEM hardware. The engine room structural additions were documented and submitted for ABS classification review. The surveyor commented it was the cleanest Hatteras metal refit he had inspected in years.

Scope of Work

Stainless Brightwork

  • Full handrail replacement — bow to stern
  • Cockpit and flybridge rails — 316L tube
  • Davit arms — custom bent + welded
  • Electronics arch — full replacement
  • All hardware fittings — 316L throughout
  • Passivated + #4 brushed finish

Structural & Engine Room

  • Engine room aluminum panel replacement
  • Structural gussets and mounts — added 3×
  • Engine bed inspection + frame additions
  • Diamond plate flooring — engine room
  • All welds — full-penetration TIG
  • ABS documentation and sign-off

Project Timeline

1
Weeks 1–2 — Full Vessel Survey & Material Order

Complete measurement and condition survey of all brightwork and structural components. Every fitting catalogued. 316L stainless and 6061 aluminum ordered to spec.

2
Weeks 3–4 — Cockpit, Aft Deck, Davits

Aft deck rails, cockpit hardware, and davit arms fabricated, installed, polished. Cockpit zone signed off before moving forward.

3
Weeks 5–6 — Flybridge, Arch, Forward Deck

Flybridge rails and electronics arch replacement. Forward deck handrails and bow rails installed. All fitment checked against original mounting holes — zero redrilling.

4
Weeks 7–8 — Engine Room & ABS Survey

Engine room structural additions, diamond plate flooring, all welds inspected. ABS surveyor walked the full vessel — signed off without a punchlist item. Owner took delivery on schedule.

Services Performed

Project Details

Vessel
Hatteras 58 Motoryacht
Brightwork Material
316L Marine Stainless
Structural Material
6061-T6 Aluminum
Process
TIG Welding, Passivation, Polish
Finish
#4 Brushed Stainless
Scope
Full Vessel — Bow to Engine Room
Timeline
8 Weeks
Certification
ABS Sign-Off, First Inspection
Warranty
15-Year Material Warranty

"I've done two refits with other shops and they always left punchlist items, always ran over on time. DolFab finished every zone before moving to the next, ABS surveyor was happy, and the brightwork looks better than factory. The 316L they used is the real thing — no cheap substitutions."

H
Owner, Hatteras 58
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Planning a Full Vessel Refit?

We scope the whole job, sequence the work properly, and get ABS sign-off on everything structural. One shop, one conversation, no subcontractors on the metal work.