WHETHER DESIRING A CUSTOM REFIT, STORAGE, STORM PROTECTION, OR MAINTENANCE, HINCKLEY YACHT SERVICES IS POISED TO UPLEVEL THE LIFE AQUATIC
WHILE THE SAYING “LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE” may ring true for most, it was not the case for Tom Potter and Bella Vita. Lightning struck their Beneteau Oceanius 48 sailboat once in 2020 and then again in late 2022, both times on the water in Stuart, Florida. Fortunately, Tom and and his wife were not aboard during the storms, which occurred just six miles from each other.
Given the devastating 2024 aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton, plus Ian, Michael, and Irma before them, there’s no talk of boating these days without the topics of safety, storage, and repair. Enter Hinckley Yacht Services, which plays an integral role in relieving worries of lightning damage and storm repair.
“The next best thing to actually owning a Hinckley is having your boat serviced by the Hinckley organization,” says VP of Marketing Scott Bryant. “Owners of other boat brands will come to Hinckley because of our reputation, and because they desire the most premium, responsive, and in-season service experience possible, including the option of indoor heated storage and protection from hurricanes.”
Yes, hurricane protection is top of mind, but equally paramount are continuous service needs and upkeep, and, for some, a complete makeover of an existing vessel. Here’s how Hinckley is taking service and repair to the next level, while maintaining a reputation hyper-focused on detail.
HINCKLEY YARDS: SERVICE & STORAGE
Put simply, it is now, more than ever, critical to be prepared if a hurricane batters your boat or if lightning strikes. In the Potters’ case, the silver lining of the first lightning incident allowed them to be well-informed for the second.
Both storms resulted in extensive damage to Bella Vita. The first was apparent with structural damage, but the second time, lightning wasn’t suspected until after the fact, when the boat’s electricals began to fail. Turns out, diagnosing a lightning incident can be half the battle. “It can be a long process,” says Stephanie Robertson, General Manager of Hinckley Yacht Services Stuart. “Keeping your insurance claim open for a longer period is important, because there might be additional items to go back to. To get reimbursement from the insurance company, we assess every system to see if it’s functioning properly.”
Among its significant repairs, Bella Vita required highly specialized, top-of-the-line equipment, including a new electrical panel from France and a Vitrifigo marine refrigeration system from Italy. The process took time, but was worth the wait. “With Hinckley and the Stuart yard,” Potter says, “we found a team we can trust, one that’s highly communicative and has been through this exercise many times before. One big takeaway: It’s important to have a sole service provider. You need someone who functions as that general contractor.”
That’s exactly how the Hinckley Stuart team operates during the aftermath of a lightning or hurricane event — as a liaison and general contractor for clients as they navigate the claims and repair process with insurance carriers.
“Our industry-leading team dedicated to providing an unrivaled level of care for owners of all makes and models is what sets Hinckley service apart,” says Gavin McClintock, CEO of The Hinckley Yacht Company. “We essentially remove all the worry, hassle, and planning out of maintaining your boat. In the event of a pending hurricane, you can elect to have the boat picked up. And then we can give it back to you as new and you’re set up for a season of carefree boating. Every detail is addressed, from steam-cleaning the cushions to cosmetic fixes, plus the systems and mechanical care it needs. All of it is done, so it literally is like starting fresh every year.”
THE LONG GAME: GROWTH & EXPANSION
As Hinckley prepares for each boating season, yacht owners can utilize ten yards and marinas up and down the East Coast. “For nearly 100 years, Hinckley has built handcrafted yachts for extraordinary people—and cared for them along with owners all fine yachts, regardless of make or model,” says McClintock. “That’s what we’ve been doing ever since.”
Hinckley’s service locations have expanded to key markets in the U.S., including Fort Myers, Florida with Hinckley Sweetwater, Bay Bridge Marina in Stevensville, Maryland and Hinckley Bachelor Point in Oxford, Maryland Hinckley’s most recent service acquisitions.
According to Hinckley Sweetwater General Manager Scott Cooper, “During the recent double whammy of Hurricane Helene and Milton, we had no damage during either storm, which speaks to the facility and our people. We’re located upriver, about 20 miles away from coastal waters, so we’re far enough away that we don’t take the main storm surge and typically don’t take the heaviest winds, but it’s convenient access for day boats to get out into coastal waters.”
As Hinckley is expanding service, additional storage facilities in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and a 45,000-square-foot, Cat-5 storage building in Stuart, Florida just opened in this month.
“We’re expanding into storage, because we’re going into markets where we’re caring for the customer and their asset,” says McClintock. “It’s 12 months of care, high-touch, and high-level, with a meticulous focus to detail.
