Hinckley’s new Picnic Boat 39 has arrived in all her glory. Meet the owner of hull no. 1, and discover how this modern classic embodies a legacy of innovation.
When Michael Fisher, the first owner of a Picnic Boat 39, took delivery of Fishbowl, he expected the unmistakable craftsmanship and quiet power that define every Hinckley. What he didn’t anticipate was how quickly the boat would become a thread in his family’s story. “Within a few weeks of enjoying our new boat, our son asked if he could use the boat to propose,” says Fisher. “The newly engaged couple returned to our dock, showered in champagne and smiles from family and close friends. It was an incredibly memorable moment for us!” In that way, Fishbowl became more than a boat — it became a keeper of the moments that matter most.
It’s stories like these that inspire the entire fleet of iconic Picnic Boats.
The Best Seat in the House
Hinckley’s new stunner is the result of nearly three years of thoughtful design, innovation, and conversations. “We’re led by our customers, not driven by the market,” notes Bryant. “And we also take what we’ve learned and ideate aspects to the design that customers didn’t even know they wanted. There’s an old saying that a camel is a horse designed by a committee. We broke that mold by bringing together people with years of Hinckley experience who know exactly what our customers want.”
After speaking with Picnic Boat devotees about their favorite design features and what could potentially be improved, the response was clear: more space for seating and entertaining. “People desire to have the best possible experience on the water,” Bryant says. “With this boat, we wanted every seat to feel like the best seat in the house.” As for Fisher, he was thinking about his family. “Our goal was with our grandchildren in mind — a boat they’d want to jump on and enjoy, and not feel scared to touch anything on Papa’s new boat,” says Fisher. And with his Picnic Boat 39, the slightly updated decor still lives like a Hinckley and resonates with younger generations.
Indeed, the beauty of this boat’s new design lies in subtlety: an easy yet luxurious ride that gracefully maneuvers both choppy seas and a grandchild’s sticky fingers. Still, with Twin Volvo Penta D6-480hp diesel engines and twin Hamilton HTX27s jets, the Picnic Boat 39, quips Bryant, is asking “to be driven like you stole it.”
The Ultimate Entertainer
When concepting the Picnic Boat 39, the Hinckley team knew the boat had to perform — its signature shallow draft allows it to navigate waters most other boats cannot. But the main design mission was centered around an even greater ease of use. After all, entertaining is top of mind for the fortunate owner of a Hinckley Picnic Boat. The Picnic Boat 39 is built to seat eight to 12 people comfortably, with a remarkable forward seating layout that’s the result of a thorough amount of research and development, which included people sitting and moving around in a plywood replica of the new boat.
“Building a full-size mockup added nearly a year to development, but it’s what allowed us to achieve the results we desired,” Bryant explains. “It’s one thing to sit for 10 minutes, but how does it feel after two or three hours? Is it still the best seat? Those are the adjustments we made as a result of the mockup.”
They also looked at the entertaining spaces both together and separately, paying attention to such minute details as the type of foam in every cushion. “We used hybrid foam so it feels soft at first, but gains firmness over time,” says Bryant. “After an hour or more on the water, you still feel supported.” The galley layout was also a specific point of innovation. While aboard the Picnic Boat 39, owners and friends can walk from the cockpit into the foredeck to adjust the tie-off lines. There’s now no need to go around the side decks, which have become narrower to allow for more room elsewhere on the vessel.
This open-bow concept is a feature Fisher thoroughly appreciates. “Having the galley and bar where they are makes it so easy to serve a few glasses of wine or a drink while still being part of the party,” he says. “Everybody that has joined us on the boat says it feels roomier, more open, and so comfortable. We can easily take 12 people out without a problem.”
The Dream Team
Led by naval architect Doug Zurn, the in-house design team for Hinckley’s Picnic Boat 39 is best-in-class, providing generational knowledge mined from customer feedback. Form followed function, right down to concepting how best to keep foredeck guests dry, safe, and part of the party. “We made sure there’s plenty of flare in the hull to knock down any nuisance spray,” Bryant says. “We also made sure the seating was a little higher, so it felt further away from the water itself. If there’s any type of wave disturbance, it’s disrupted by the stem profile.”
A small berth is best positioned for naps or a brief overnight, yet the highlight is an oversized, thoughtfully appointed head. “When I first saw the boat, I was thrilled,” says Fisher. “The design direction was exactly what I’d hoped for — light, elegant, and contemporary, yet unmistakably Hinckley.”
Precise Innovation
While it’s the ultimate entertainer, the Picnic Boat 39 is also an example of Hinckley’s technological innovation. Most notably, the JetStick 4® control system delivers effortless precision in even the most challenging conditions. This advanced technology translates complex mechanics into intuitive command — allowing the captain to drop a virtual anchor at the touch of a button or hold position anywhere in the water. “The user interface with the jet drives is totally simple,” Fisher attests. “Within minutes I was backing it into the slip — smooth, precise, effortless. These jet drives make handling the boat incredibly easy.”
Integrated dynamic steering employs fly-by-wire communication originally engineered for military applications, ensuring precise responsiveness. Meanwhile, the new DockHold feature secures the boat in place so the captain can step away from the helm to easily tie off lines. Enhanced G-Lock maintains position and heading, while Hinckley’s signature Zero Draft jet propulsion system invites quiet exploration in tucked-away coves and waterways. The Picnic Boat 39 moves with equal grace at 36 knots offshore as it does in just 36 inches of water, gliding confidently into places other boats cannot reach. Unlike conventional running gear or IPS drives that extend below the keel, Hinckley’s shallow-draft jet propulsion clears the way — literally and mentally — for pure connection to the water. With nothing protruding beneath the hull, the focus shifts to the deep-V ride and the moment itself, not the mechanics below the surface.
The Iconic Design
“Aesthetically, this boat could have taken a lot of different directions,” Bryant says. But the design team looked deep into Hinckley’s heritage — specifically to the original Picnic Boats designed in the mid-Nineties, and even to Hinckley sailboats, studying every curve and angle that catapulted those models into iconic territory. “We took what was gorgeous from back then and put it into this product, yet modernized it where needed,” Bryant says. The Picnic Boat 39 has a much lower profile than most contemporary boats, so the design team made sure to envision its “dock appeal” from half a mile to five feet away.
Meanwhile, low coamings (a Hinckley signature) contribute to the yacht’s legendary look and craftsmanship, and a springy sheer invites beauty and aesthetic balance. The boat’s spoon bow — sweeping forward and upward like the bowl of a spoon — is one of the most graceful and traditional bow designs in yachtbuilding, synonymous with New England craftsmanship. As for the camber across the back of the transom, it isn’t flat like on many modern powerboats. Rather, it bows slightly outward and downward at the edges, giving the stern a softer, sculpted profile. “All of these things are reminiscent of the early Picnic Boats that truly capture people’s hearts and eyes,” says Bryant. “Put simply, this is a vessel that commands attention.”
