I. A Very Rare Opportunity –
I used to be known for a particular phrase in this biz (and no, not launch a flare, which I still delight in using). This other phrase had travelled far enough around that boaters I’d never met would quote it to me at boat shows:
You snooze, you lose!
It came from my self-titled snoozeagrams, my leaks that a rare deal – a leftover model, perhaps – was there to be had for the smart and the swift.
I didn’t think I’d have an opportunity to launch any snoozeagrams here at Hinckley Yachts, because Hinckley’s are only built to order. But for a single demo boat every now and again (our 34R, this year) if you want a yacht, we’re happy to build her for you, carefully and efficiently. But there are none, so to speak, sitting on a shelf somewhere, snoozeagram-worthy.
Until now.
Due to a mid-build cancellation, we have a brand new Picnic Boat Mk III splashing in just five weeks at our Maine factory. While you can choose the fabrics (if you hurry) she will look very much like this:
This work of nautical art needs an owner, and it should be you. She is an exceedingly well-equipped model, with upgraded Volvo 435’s (37 knots top end, as opposed to the standard Yanmar 370’s 34 knots) as well as air conditioning and a 9KW generator.
Here I will rely on my old friend Ken Kreisler to take you though the joy and wonder of a MK III:
The specifications and selected options list is lengthy, and I’d be happy to navigate it with you line by line. But as I’ve said, this is a rare opportunity, and I don’t expect her to sit around long.
So, you’ve been warned – You snooze, you lose!
II. A Thing of Beauty
I live in Westhampton Beach and work in Southampton. I keep a flats boat in Noyak, and my trawler in Sag Harbor. I’m very lucky to get around a good bit, exploring every creek, cut and bay over thirty miles of the Hamptons. And because Hinckley shallow draft jet boats can go “where no man has gone before” (that PB MK III mentioned in my snoozeagram floats in just 25″ of water) I often find them tucked away in pristine and beautiful spots.
That’s how I met an owner of another MK III, when I poled up a shallow creek in search of some striped bass earlier this season. He keeps his yacht at his dock, and she is indeed beautiful. I’m happy to say that we’ve become fishing buddies (he can cast a fly halfway to Portugal – it’s a thing of beauty).
He called me from Europe the other day, asking if I could run over to check on his boat, as On Watch advised him that his MK III had lost AC power.
On Watch is Hinckley’s proprietary remote monitoring system. It wirelessly reports to both the owner and our service team, in real time, the status of all mission-critical systems aboard a Hinckley.
You met Scott Bryant a few postings ago – he’s head of New Product Development at Hinckley. Here he is introducing the On Watch phenomenon:
Its a great and useful bit of technology. And my fishing buddy? The boat was fine. But he had lost shorepower, dockside. I flipped the breaker back on, and when he returns home he’ll find his Sancerre still chilled. A thing of beauty, that On Watch!
III. “R” Word
As you’ve been reading, I’ve been running our new Talaria 34R every chance I get. It’s been sometimes mistaken locally for her bigger sister, the 38R (perhaps because there are five 38R’s in Sag Harbor alone).
I’ve been asked a few times to compare the two boats, and this week Hinckley put this great pic up on their Facebook page. It says it much better than I can:
Obviously that’s the 38R up top, with the 34R to starboard. Two Hunt Yacht offerings round out the fleet.
A better understanding of the differences between the 38 and the 34 (their performance envelopes, ergonomics, etc.) are beyond the scope of this posting. Just launch a flare, and we’ll meet on a boat ASAP to discuss.
IV. And Now a Word From our Sponsor
Stay tuned for my next report, entitled “The Gorilla in the Room.” Here’s a hint of things to come:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C-e96m4730
Ciao for now, fellow boaters.
Big Wave Dave
Living the hug
