Charting Our Course

A specific form was borne of these nautical circumstances, characterized by a strong, well-found hull, sweeping deck lines to quickly shed foaming waters, with overhanging bows and fine counters to lend stability in angry seas. Innovations found only on a Hinckley such as Heading Hold and Dynamic Steering allow the boat to understand your intended course and let you carve turns with ease.

Their speed and stamina were a direct result of Henry’s training and his background studying aeronautical and mechanical engineering at Cornell. Henry insisted on making his boats light yet strong, and was never afraid to innovate. In the 1950s, for instance, Hinckley was one of the first to forego traditional oak frames and planking in favor of fiberglass — according to the pundits, completely unsuited to the construction of a “proper” yacht. But Hinckley saw in fiberglass what the traditionalists had missed — an opportunity to save weight while adding strength, without sacrificing the aesthetic beauty for which Hinckleys were known. This same thinking led to the use of carbon fiber composite from bow to stern in our Picnic Boats and Motor Yachts 25 years ago.

Jets are also considered the best possible mechanical configuration for joystick applications because changing thrust direction on a jet is accomplished by simply changing the direction of water flow. Commercial and military boats that rely on continuous maneuverability select jets for this reason. The US Navy’s newly designed 43-foot PB-X and 85-foot Mark VI patrol boats are each powered by water jets for inshore maneuverability in unknown waters.

Without any appendages below the waterline, our yachts can safely maneuver in very shallow areas or in water with excessive debris, such as lobster pots. Jets also become significantly more efficient than propeller-driven boats at speeds above 25-30 knots since there are no appendages below the waterline. The drag of propellers, pods, and rudders rises exponentially above these speeds. Without these appendages, jets can operate at speeds above 25-30 knots with less drag and fuel consumption.

Our research and development continues to drive innovation. JetStick 4 now brings military-grade GPS hardware and digital processing to a completely redesigned driving experience. Innovations found only on a Hinckley such as Heading Hold and Dynamic Steering allow the boat to understand your intended course and let you carve turns with ease.