Boat test for the 2006 Huckins Atlantic 44 with boat pictures, boat specifications, and boat test results. Includes pricing, videos, engine test reviews, and ratings for the 2006 Huckins Atlantic 44.

The cockpit also allows access to the engine room though a hatch in the sole and down a four-step stainless steel ladder. At 4'8", headroom’s at a premium here, but the 2'4"-wide walkway between the 380-hp Cummins QSB5.9 380 diesel inboards allows access to all service points, as does the 1'4" clearance above them. The 9.5-kW Northern Lights diesel genset sits aft, and while it's easy to access and service, I was surprised by its lack of a hushbox. Purcell explained that the company believes that enclosures hinder access and inhibit cooling. I anticipated that the sound-attenuation panels made of fire-resistant, aluminum-face melamine foam on the bulkheads as well as the ER headliner would inhibit transmission of engine and genset noise—and it did, moderately, as I later took a reading of 88 dB-A at the helm (65 dB-A is the level of normal conversation) at the 44’s average top speed of 33.2 mph.

But if anyone has concerns about a tight engine space, they'll soon be quelled by the comfort of the cockpit and below-decks layout. The bridge deck's two L-shape settees—aft, to port and starboard—are each roomy enough for three people and convert into a C-shape settee. Forward-facing seating is available on the comfortable Stidd double companion seat that sits just above the bridge deck's two Sub-Zero drawer-style freezers. The helm is to starboard, complete with a Stidd Admiral 500 helm chair facing a Furuno NavNet chartplotter, a custom six-spoke mahogany wheel, a rosewood-accented instrument panel, and an electronically actuated, forward-facing window directly in front. Large windows to port and starboard provide excellent sightlines and slide open for cross-ventilation.

The top-shelf woodwork I observed in the saloon set the stage for what I found below. The mahogany interior is stunning, its superb joinery a testament to Huckins' 77-year history, as is the cherry-and-ash sole. An L-shape Ultraleather settee is to starboard, directly across from the port-side galley. Down a centerline companionway, the forepeak master&mdash:with 6'5" headroom&mdash:is fitted with a queen island berth and offers two 2'4"x1'6"x3'9" cedar-lined hanging lockers and four roomy drawers below the berth. There's also access here to the head and shower. A second stateroom, aft and to port, has upper and lower single berths and shares head privileges with the master.

Once we were finally off the dock, heavy traffic and 20-knot winds had whipped the ocean into messy three- and four-footers. The 44 was unfazed. She didn't need trim tabs to get on plane in less than ten seconds at 15 mph, with a steady trim reading averaging just above three degrees, only rising above four degrees near WOT. Her fuel-sipping nature was also impressive: she'll cruise at 22.3 mph at 2000 rpm, getting better than one mile per gallon (1.22), with a range of 447 miles.

A big part of the Atlantic's initial appeal will likely be her retro design. But I think her rough-water performance, based on the PT boats that helped win the Asia-Pacific Theater, will ultimately prove to be more compelling. After my time spent aboard, I can certainly say she was well worth the wait.

Huckins Yacht
(904) 389-1125

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