Yacht

Sam’s Marine stocks hard-to-find parts
for classic Hatteras yachts and convertibles
in their North Carolina (below) and Florida (right) locations
ing plant in New Bern, NC. Along
with this move came the decision to
outsource its parts functions for older
models, allowing their own personnel
to concentrate on new product. This
would streamline operations and
eliminate the positions of several
people who had been with the
company for decades. Steve McPherson
and Doug Langley were two of
those people.
Both Steve and Doug went to work at
Hatteras as teenagers back in the early
seventies. Steve started out in the
stockroom and Doug was a third shift
computer operator while finishing
college. “I think I heard rumors about
them closing the High Point plant and
consolidating everything to New Bern
the second week I worked there”,
laughed Langley. Steve worked his
way up to the company’s parts
manager and Doug eventually
became the head of Hatteras’ computer
and IT department.
Both Steve and Doug strongly
considered relocating to New Bern
but in the end decided against it.
“One morning during our last days as
employees, Doug asked me what I
planned to do” said Steve. “I told
him that I didn’t know how to do
much of anything other than help
Hatteras owners with parts for their
boats. It was pretty much all I had
ever done!”
With change comes opportunity,
which was also realized not only by
Steven and Doug but by Hatteras
management.
“Steve and I sat down over breakfast
one morning and decided that it
would be in everyone’s best interest if
we started a company that specialized
in the older models. All we had to do
was sell Hatteras on the idea”, said
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