Hinckley Yachts Sport Boat 40x (2020-)

Brief Summary

Hinckley is now building outboard-powered 40-footers with all of the Downeast characteristics that it pioneered in its famous Picnic Boats introduced 25 years ago. Craftsmanship and amenities are just what one would expect to find in a Hinckley, arguably America’s premier boat brand. The carbon fiber and Kevlar hulls are epoxy infused which produces a hull that is remarkably light, strong, and because of several processes, unique. Hinckley says the hull is 30% lighter than conventional builds, and with a 23-degree deadrise at the transom, it provides the best of both worlds, riding comfort and efficient performance. The Kevlar hull provides protection from the rocky Maine environment.

Key Features

• Triple/Twin outboard power
• Downeast-inspired styling
• Hunt-designed deep-V hull
• 50+ mph speeds
• Sleeps 4

 

Specifications

Length Overall	41'4'
Beam	12'5"
Dry Weight	20,000
Draft	3'1"
Fuel Capacity	450 gal.
Water Capacity	98 gal.

Captain's Report

Editor's Report by Peter d'Anjou 

Brief Summary

The Hinckley Yachts 40x deep-V hull was designed by the Hunt design studio as a modern update of the deep-V hull that this firm pioneered in the early 1960s. Purpose-built for a rugged offshore environment from epoxy infused carbon-fiber and Kevlar, the 40x was designed specifically for outboard power and is not a warmed-over sterndrive or inboard boat. She comes standard with three 300-hp Mercury Verado outboards but can be upgraded to higher horsepower and even twin Seven Marine outboards.

Key Features

• Triple/Twin outboard power
• Downeast-inspired styling
• Hunt-designed deep-V hull
• 50+ mph speeds
• Sleeps 4

Mission

The mission of the 40x is to deliver performance, comfort, and style for entertaining friends and family in what is arguably the most prestigious brand name built in America.

Distinguishing Features

• Carbon fiber and Kevlar construction with epoxy infusion
• Integral stringer system in the hull bottom
• Ultra-light hull
• The Hinckley name

Major Features

• Awlgrip finished hull
• 36 sq. ft. single-piece windshield
• Hull side door
• Stidd helm chair
• Oversized head
• Queen or single berths forward
• Sleeps 4

Design

The designers at Hunt Design Studios have given the 40x a modern deep-V hull with a 23-degree deadrise at the transom. They have designed that is both comfortable as well as being fast in an offshore-capable boat that can exceed 50 mph, according to the builder. Hinckley also wanted to make maintenance simple for their time-pressed customers with an optional 10-year service package described below.

Construction

The 40x is built to order in Maine out of carbon fiber, Kevlar, Corecell M foam core and epoxy. Hinckley was an early adopter of fiberglass construction and progressed to use the Seaman Composite Resin Infusion Molding Process or SCRIMP.  SCRIMP uses a vacuum to pull the resin into the mold and evenly distribute it so the cloth is completely wetted out, with no voids or weak points. Now, the builder has moved away from fiberglass and into modern materials that offer many advantages over fiberglass.

Moving from fiberglass cloth to stronger, lighter, more durable carbon fiber and Kevlar materials made sense in a performance boat so Hinckley capitalized on their construction capability and married the SCRIMP resin infusion process with an integrated primary bond of carbon, Kevlar, and epoxy. This system produces a remarkably stiff hull that costs more, of course, the cost has never been a barrier for Hinckley.

Hinckley has refined the construction of the stringer system. In traditional fiberglass boat building, the hull is molded, then the integral stringer system is typically tabbed into place. Hinckley’s process includes the stringer backbone in the original infusion so all of it is chemically bonded to the bottom making it a one-piece molding. So, the hull and its structural backbone are one from the beginning, not glued together later.

Epoxy is stronger than polyester or vinyl ester resins and Hinkley pioneered a way to lay up the entire boat, stringers and all, with the strength of carbon fiber and epoxy, along with the bulletproof puncture resistance of Kevlar. The result is a boat that Hinckley backs with a lifetime hull and deck warranty.

 

Cockpit

Both the deck and the interior of the boat were designed by the Hinckley in-house design team, drawing on experience in the luxury market going back decades.  They understand ergonomics, what is practical and not, as well as the features and amenities its clientele wants as well, or better than anyone in the business. 

Once aboard, a stern settee faces forward - it has an optional pedestal table. Raised mezzanine seating with recliners face aft. The non-skid deck has in-deck fish boxes and options for faux or real teak decking. There is a refreshment center that contains a cooler. A transom door opens onto the swim platform. A powered Supershade awning can deploy from the pilothouse top to provide shade over the cockpit.

Pilothouse

Helm

Standard electronics include a custom engine instrument cluster, along with a single Garmin 8616xsv MFD with sonar, Garmin radar, bow thruster, and an ICOM VHF radio, along with phone storage and charging ports. A magnetic compass is centered on the brow.

Facing the helm is a Stidd Slimline chair on a powder-coated manually-adjusted pedestal with a footrest.

The contoured single-pane windshield has Pantograph wipers with freshwater washers. The large powered side windows open.

Accommodations

The Hinckley Sport Boat 40x cabin includes a v-settee forward with teak pedestal table that electrically lowers when converting to a berth. The settee is on a raised platform two steps up from the gleaming teak and holly sole. There are three hatches over the settee for natural light and ventilation.

The standup headroom is 6’6” (1.98 m).

The V-settee forward converts to a berth. The table drops down electrically and the settee cushions automatically swing in over the table - no need to mess with filler cushions.

Galley

The 40x galley has DC refrigeration, a cooktop, sink with a cutting board, microwave, Nespresso coffee maker and both drawer and locker storage. There is a non-opening portlight over the solid surface countertop.

Mid Cabin

While it is open to the main cabin, Hinckley refers to the queen-sized berth and two-person settee as the “aft cabin.” It is behind the companionway ladder and below the pilothouse, and affords a dedicated berth out of the line of traffic in the cabin.

Head

A non-opening portlight in the shower stall lets in natural light.

A freshwater toilet with a Y-valve fronts a vanity with Corian countertop and molded sink. A bi-fold Lexan door separates the shower stall from the rest.  There is hot and cold water, a sump pump for the shower, towel rack and clothes hooks, storage and a mirror over the vanity as well as a full-length mirror on the inside of the head door.

Performance

BoatTEST hasn’t had the opportunity to test the 40x, but Hinckley has. The numbers below are from Hinckley.

The Hinckley Sport Boat 40x has an LOA of 42’7” (12.97 m), a beam of 12’5” (3.78 m) and a draft of 3’1” (0.93 m).  Tests were conducted with a cruising weight of 24,000 lbs. (10,886.22 kg), according to the builder.

With upgrades to triple 425-hp Yamaha engines powering the 40x, a top speed of 55 mph at 6800 RPM was reported by the company. At WOT speed the 0.6 m/gal and 113.0 GPH fuel burn provided a range of 197 sm.  Best cruise was at 4000 rpm and a speed of 37 mph, the company says. That translated to a range of 341 sm, 0.8 m/gal, and a GPH of 44.0, all with a 10% reserve of the 40x fuel capacity of 450 gallons (1703.43 L), according to Hinckley.

Equipment

Hulls are available in a choice of Awlgrip colors with single bootstripe, standard.

The standard engine package is triple Mercury Verado 300-hp outboards. Upgrades to 350-hp, or 400-hp Mercurys or Yamaha XTO 425-hp are available.

If the optional SeaKeeper 3 gyro is included, it requires the optional Cummins Onan 7.5 kW genset to power it.  Optional A/C in the pilothouse also requires the genset while underway.

Standard Equipment

• Side power DC bow thruster
• 50 Amp shorepower inlet with AC panel
• 35 Amp and 75 Amp battery chargers
• Touchscreen control of DC systems
• Fusion Apollo 770 stereo with 8 speakers
• Interior cabin A/C
• Power assist steering
• Trim tabs
• Windlass with 35 lbs. Delta anchor
• Inverter and outlets
• 21-gallon waste tank
• 82-gallon water tank
• 3 bilge pumps
• 6 12v marine-grade AGM batteries
• Galvanic Isolator
• 12v air horn

Optional Equipment to Consider

• Faux teak in cockpit and pilothouse                  $14,500
• Teak toe rail                                                        $13,550
• Bow rail                                                               $5,950
• Teak cockpit pedestal table                               $4,800
• Powered pilothouse hatches                             $10,650
• Rod holder in transom (4)                                  $740
• Big game rod storage                                         $1,390
• Stidd 500W in lieu of standard Stidd Slimline   $6,880
• Stidd 1200 double-wide in lieu of Slimline        $11,820
• Cummins Onan 7.5 kW genset                          $21,000
• SeaKeeper 3 Gyro stabilizer                              $54,700
• Pilothouse A/C (requires genset underway)     $16,750
• Icemaker for pilothouse                                      $3,450
• Live well and bait prep (in lieu of grill)               $5,450
• Premium sound (Fusion Signature Series)       $2,825
• Mooring cover                                                     $3,750
• Custom painted outboards                                $12,370

Engine Options

• Triple Mercury Verado 350-hp 3-yr warranty    $21,000
• Triple Mercury Verado 400-hp 3-yr warranty    $35,900
• Mercury JPO for Mercury outboards                 $31,100
• Triple Yamaha XTO 425-hp 5-yr warranty        $77,500
• Triple Yamaha XTO 425-hp with Helm Master $94,500
• Dual Seven Marine 627-hp                                TBD

Price

We expect the boat to be priced between $1 million and $1.5 million, depending on a number of factors.

Observations

Hinckley Yachts recognizes that high performance and elegant simplicity are needed in our busy lives. They’ve taken advantage of the leap in outboard performance and reliability, their own advances in carbon fiber construction, the talents of Hunt Design, and the expansion of 10 Hinckley yacht care centers along the eastern seaboard.     

Hinckley offers a 10-Year “Service Package” that provides complete year-round maintenance, including concierge pick-up from and return to an owner’s dock. This is a remarkable offering and is the kind of service that Hinckley customers are used to getting with their luxury cars and corporate jets. There are 10 Hinckley YachtCare Centers around the country.

The lightweight strength of the carbon fiber and bulletproof nature of the Kevlar hull bodes well for performance advantages. Lead time for a new boat is currently next summer and the Seven Marine engine option would be beyond that.

Hinckley knows a few things about comfort and style from their long history and experience with picnic boats. We look forward to testing the performance of this boat and giving it the first-hand inspection report that it deserves.