In the world of high-performance center consoles, HCB Yachts stands tall, literally and figuratively. Their vessels are bold, luxurious, and purpose-built to deliver unforgettable boating experiences. From the mighty 65′ Estrella to their entire custom lineup, HCB has made a name for itself by blending size, power, and elite craftsmanship.

As Dalton from HCB explains in our interview, that high standard extends all the way down to the bilge, a place most boaters rarely look but where details matter the most. That’s where Arid Bilge Systems comes in.

We had the honor of catching up with Dalton aboard the Estrella at the HCB booth to learn more about how our permanently installed system enhances the HCB experience. From keeping bilge areas spotless and rust-free to preserving mechanical components like gyros and generators, Arid Bilge helps boat owners protect what matters most.

See below the video for a transcript of Alfred’s interview with Dalton Teeter of HCB Yachts.

Alfred: Hello, I’m Alfred Baurley here with Arid Bilge Systems, with Dalton at the HCB booth, and he’s going to tell us a little about the Arid Bilge System, his personal experience, and how the Arid Bilge System coexists with his line of boats.

When you take a look at these boats—these HCB boats—they build exquisite boats. They’re massive in size, and they are superbly fast. They have on this boat, Estrella, so much customization. Here at HCB, the customer will have the best boating experience possible.

At Arid Bilge Systems, we keep that boating experience dry, fresh, and clean—just like when it came out of the factory. That’s the point of the Arid Bilge System. That gyro, that generator, all these expensive marine technologies down in your bilges—all that stuff is being kept fresh and clean, as opposed to getting rust and corrosion buildup. No more mold, no more odor.

Dalton, tell me a little about your experience and what you all do here at HCB.

Dalton: First off, welcome aboard the 65′ Estrella, a center console yacht, which is truly amazing. You’re talking about the cockpit area, how wide she is. This is a 16-foot beam, which is massive. I’ve had customers put 14-foot jet boats in here as tenders.

Alfred: I mean, you’ve got a lot of poles too, I can see.

Dalton: Yeah, so funny enough, this one is a 65-foot vessel, top speed of 65, has 65 rod holders, and of course—six 600s. The ‘65 Estrella launched in 2018, and it really launched HCB into the yachting industry. We rebranded into HCB Center Console Yachts in 2018 because of this Estrella, and it put us in a new league. And to be honest, we have rocked that league, I believe.

Alfred: So would you say that the Arid Bilge System really improved your overall quality of boats?

Dalton: Yes. So the dry bilge system—we will not build a vessel without it. It’s too important for the bilge to be dry to not have it in the boat. Having a dry bilge is very important to make sure you’re not only keeping things maintained well, serviced well, and overall cleanliness.

So honestly, on the HCB, which is a high-end center console—it’s a luxury center console, right? We have to have the best of the best, our nature of the beast. We always think, we try to over-engineer things. So the Arid Bilge, for us, is a dry bilge.

A dry bilge is a happy bilge.

We have three sea chests actually in this 65, meaning fewer thru-hulls in the bottom of the boat. Everything’s going into the centralized tank system and feeding it throughout the whole vessel. So, very minimal areas to leak, but if something does get water into the bilge, that dry bilge that you all offer us keeps it a nice, dry bilge.

And it is, like you stated, in three areas: it is in the aft bilge, midship, and right underneath the master stateroom as well—just to keep everyone happy and clean. Honestly, most of the work’s always in the aft bilge pads, and it’s worked really well for us.

Alfred: Would you say that what the Arid Bilge System does—it stops the rust buildup on things like your generator and your gyro?

Dalton: It helps overall maintenance of the vessel—serviceability, things of that nature. You’re keeping the condensation out of the bilge, which is immensely important here in the marine industry. You’ve got a captain, you’ve got someone servicing your vessel—they’re really going to appreciate a dry bilge area.

If I can keep that moisture out of there, I’m going to have less service problems, as well as an overall nicer bilge area.

Alfred: Would you say that it’s a really durable system?

Dalton: I love the serviceability of the system, honestly. It’s easy to work on. It’s easy to clean. You just literally undo the hose, do some air—clean out your hoses if you’ve sucked in some dirt or debris. Because it is more of a pad on the bottom—it is sucking to the bottom of the bilge area, and you do get dirt and dust. The dry bilge system gets all that into a centralizing area, and it might get clogged.

Five minutes, quick air-clean—it’s done. That’s amazing, right? That’ll also help save our bilge pumps in the future, without getting all that dirt in our bilge pumps and having to replace bilge pumps. That Arid Bilge—you’ve pulled it in there to a central location, you’re cleaning it out—your service guys are very happy about that.

Alfred: Dalton, thank you so much for your time. This has been an amazing experience on this boat. I love all your boats, to tell you the truth. 

Dalton: I hope that we’ve educated all boaters that it is important to have a dry bilge. A dry bilge is a happy bilge.

A System Worthy of a Yacht Like HCB

At Arid Bilge Systems, we’re proud to be featured aboard every HCB yacht. Their attention to detail, dedication to performance, and passion for reliability align well with our own mission, which is to protect boats from the inside out.

With a dry, fresh, and protected bilge, maintenance becomes easier, systems last longer, and the boat feels better, year after year.

If you’re building or owning a vessel like an HCB, there’s no better upgrade than an Arid Bilge System.