By Madison Flager
Prestige. Tradition. Power. The Hinckley Company has become synonymous with these words for the past 85-plus years and is known as an elite craft in the South Florida boating world. On any given day, a number of the company’s classic, wood-paneled yachts can be seen on Florida’s waters.
An exquisite coffee-table book dedicated to the prestigious brand, Hinckley Yachts: An American Icon, was released this past April, showcasing the decades of innovation and craftsmanship that define the company. With an assortment of both jet boats and sailboats, Hinckley yachts are most often used for day boating, but can also be used in races, trips out to the islands and more. One of its newer products, the New Hinckley T34, boasts speeds up to 32 knots, has fingertip JetStick control and, of course, those signature wooden details. Another Florida-friendly product? The ingenious Hinckley T38R Convertible, complete with an automatic rooftop.
The company’s roots lie in Southwest Harbor, Maine, where Henry Hinckley founded the company in 1928. And while prominent in the New England area—the company started out building lobster boats, and its headquarters are in Rhode Island—the largest single state market is Florida. So unsurprisingly, Hinckley has developed a close relationship with Fort Lauderdale—often dubbed the “yachting capital of the world.” In 2011, popular Fort Lauderdale-based brokerage company Outer Reef Yachts began providing its customers with service and leisure destinations at eight East Coast facilities operated by the famed line.
SETTING SAIL: The prestige of owning a Hinckley yacht has not waned since its creation in 1928. A coffee-table book has even been published, documenting the company’s long-standing history.
This summer, Hinckley began working with The Boat Village, a new marina collaborative that aims to promote online service coordination and easy maintenance for local boat owners. And this fall, three eye-catching Hinckley yachts will be featured in the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Last year, two yachts were shown. Before this year, it had been nearly a decade since a new sailboat arrived, as the company shifted gears to focus more on jet boats. Hinckley stepped back into the sailboat game in early 2014 with the New Bermuda 50, designed by Bill Tripp III, son of the designer of Hinckley’s famed Bermuda 40.
Hinckley’s ties to Fort Lauderdale are expected given our community’s affinity toward boating and the brand’s high-quality heritage. The company strives to combine new technology with a traditional look and feel, and its aesthetic of sleek, sculpted lines can be seen in sailing yachts and jet boats alike. Made with materials that minimize weight and maximize performance, including water jets, the yachts are said to be “worry-free boating.” And, of course, like many South Floridians, they are sure to turn heads.
Originally appeared in the Fall 2014 issue.
