Hinckley Sport Boat 40x
Hinckley launched their Sport Boat line last year following the same stringent build process as all their models. The Ray Hunt Design 40x hull veers from their jet drive boats most notably in that she’s designed for outboard propulsion.
The 40x does retain the meticulous, tailor-made approach that will separate it from a field of 40-something-footers with beefy outboards on their transoms. “[It] hasn’t evolved from fish boats like so many of the outboard-platform boats,” Chief Marketing Officer Pete Saladino told me from the pilothouse. With over 7 feet of headroom, wide, electric windows to port and starboard and a pair of big, roof-mounted hatches, it at once felt airy and open.
The massive, one-piece windshield certainly helped: the contoured glass reduces glare for virtually unmitigated sightlines. When it was my turn at the helm, I ran the 40x throughout the rpm range, banking turns with a fine turn of speed and confidence. Mission accomplished.
With optional triple 425-hp Yamaha XTOs (engine packages come in triple configurations from Merc’s Verado and Racing platforms as well as twin 627-hp Seven Marines; triple Verado 300s are standard), she made an average top sprint of 46.6 knots with 10 people on board, a hundred pounds of equipment and full water and fuel. She settled in at a fast cruise of 39.3 knots and 5000 rpm. This was a well-balanced, all-day cruiser.
She’s set for overnighting, with a big double berth beneath the helm and forward V-berth that converts into a queen at the push of a button. A glossy teak-and-holly sole set off the teak wood trim and the head’s teak bulk-heads and door.
The 40x takes design cues out of the Hinckley playbook that will separate it from the pack. She’s more wash-and-wear and unfussy than the Picnic line, but upgrades like faux teak soles abovedecks allow her to be as bespoke as you want her to be. —Jeff Moser
This article originally appeared in Outboard magazine.
