Hinckley Bermuda 40 Yawl good choice for bluewater cruiser?

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by Paul L

And where are you going to store those lots of sails? This boat will already be full with cruising gear for two.

I don't buy the we-want-a-great-bluewater-boat and then start in with the going to windward doesn't matter when cruising the tradewind routes arguments

Our neighbors have b40s. Quite popular up here in Maine. The downside: no access to the engine. If the engine needs serious work you will have to cut out the cockpit and the aft end of the cabin down below. About $20k.

Secondly, narrow beam means you will sail on your side most of the time. If it has a centerboard, those boards often jam( did several times on us with friend's b40).

Third issue is its drop dead gorgeous boat that you will be loathed to get all messed up with cruising gear.

Not much room down below compared to most 40 footers, more like what a modern 32 footer has. Better to get the 52 southwester model. Be also aware the hull was laid up in two half sections and there have been issues about the glued/tape seam. Check in the aft end for big mounds of glop on the inside of the hull. Means most likely repairs where seams opened.

Otherwise great sailing boat. But for the money, you can get one great buy on a real long distance cruiser rather than a yachty club racer.

[barnakiel]

Sorry, to me talking about Hinckley alternatives is like talking about Leica or Porsche alternatives.

I cannot see any alternatives. Unless one insists on Rum being an alternative to Gin. This happens to people with impaired taste.

You get a Hinckley, you get a name. A name that did not come with building as the owner's partner wants it at the fairs. A name that came with building good designs well, over many years.

Paper boats will be long gone, shredded to tarmac filler. Hinckeys will be re-sold, restored, and sailed.

You never heard of people jumping off the roof for they could not get that pink pokemon card No 5342?

These at least had the guts to admit some things in life have no alternatives.

b.

[DDabs]

well put b

[jalmberg]

Originally Posted by Eleuthera 2014

Hello John,

Welcome!! Good to see you here; I've followed your blog for some time...

My opinion.... a B40 is like having Marilyn Monroe as a spouse. Beautiful but impractical. More bluntly.... "long distance cruising? Not fit for purpose as they say in the UK.

BUT, ultimately, it is your choice. Enjoy the hunt!

I know. 'Impractical' is my middle name ;-)

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Paul L

And where are you going to store those lots of sails? This boat will already be full with cruising gear for two.

I don't buy the we-want-a-great-bluewater-boat and then start in with the going to windward doesn't matter when cruising the tradewind routes arguments

A good long distance cruising boat will have plenty of deck storage.

Windward performance is EXTREMELY important to me, as I sail every year 1500 miles from Finland to the UK against the prevailing winds, and without time to lie in port waiting for a favorable wind. This year I tacked directly upwind across the entire central Baltic Sea.

HOWEVER, it took a great deal of work and expense to get my boat capable of doing that, and I do not think that, realistically, many cruisers or their boats are really able to make miles upwind. I wouldn't say that windward ability "doesn't matter", but realistically, the disadvantages of a ketch rig for going upwind will be drowned out by the multitude of other factors making it hard or impossible to get upwind, on the typical cruising boat, including blown out dacron sails, no traveler, davits and arches and solar panels producing massive windage, too much weight in the bow, overloaded, etc., etc., etc., etc. To put it another way, you can't use the advantages of a sloop rig on 90% of cruising boats because of all of these things.

And there are very, very many advantages of a split rig, for long distance cruising.

[double u]

Originally Posted by Lowcountry

Are you talking about my Mason 44 here with the offset companionway to starboard? ... I plan to cruise mine, ...

Do you think she looks ruined by the davits and electronics on her stern?

"ruined" is a hard word...
you chose the boat by it's aethetics against all utilitarian considerations, which is fine, even for a bluewatercruiser. without having sailed on it of course, (but after 3 rtw, 2 of which on a fairly modern 37'er my opinion is maybe not totally uninformed, if I say so myself...) used as such the only positive point of the boat are it's looks, every other characteristic (heel, speed, motion, volume, "brightwork"...) making it a far less than ideal choice for a rtw cruiser - & then you go & start spoiling the very raison d' etre of the boat (without actually adding very much in the way of practicability, if I may say so)
to stay with the marilyn monroe analogy: you & her, all dressed up to go to the finest ball in town - & wearing gumboots #cause it's raining...

[DDabs]

damn, harsh words. the open array radar is a little questionable, but nothing wrong with adding davits, even if it is a Hinckley or a Mason

[double u]

...wasn't meant to hurt!
the blue of the hull, the cove-stripe, the colour of the antifouling, the lines, overhangs, is there a hint of tumblehome? - she's just so, perfect in every way. with these looks practicability does not even come into it - & that is good - & should stay this way...

[LakeSuperior]

There are never any good dingy alternatives but davits on a Mason are like too much make-up on a good looking woman.

As the level of outside claptrap increases the appeal to the senses is reduced proportionately. Davits and solar collectors, for example, change the visual balance and proportion of the Mason.

As an aside, after a side-by-side comparison I was surprised to observe that the Mason 44 has a much sturdier and nicer interior than a Hinckley 40 something.

If cost and age was the same, I would pick the Mason over the Hinckley.

For full disclosure, I owned the second to the last Mason 44 built.

[Matt Johnson]

Perfect time for a car analogy!


So you want a 1969 E-type Jaguar for a transcontinental road/offroad trip? Beautiful car, but not the best choice for such a journey.

Headlights suck- Bolt on a set of huge LED foglamps.
No luggage space- Taule rack gets bolted to the trunk.
Bad stereo- Cut the dash for a new deck.
Seats have no lumbar- rip them out for new Recaros
Spoked wheels- replace with steel wheels to get real rubber on the ride.

Pretty soon, you've made an ugly rally car out of a masterpiece. Instead, leave this in the garage and get a 4Runner.

Matt

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

There are never any good dingy alternatives but davits on a Mason are like too much make-up on a good looking woman.

As the level of outside claptrap increases the appeal to the senses is reduced proportionately. Davits and solar collectors, for example, change the visual balance and proportion of the Mason.

As an aside, after a side-by-side comparison I was surprised to observe that the Mason 44 has a much sturdier and nicer interior than a Hinckley 40 something.

If cost and age was the same, I would pick the Mason over the Hinckley.

For full disclosure, I owned the second to the last Mason 44 built.

I've never been that impressed with Hinkley's interiors either. Everything is plywood and some trim vs the solid hardwood of other brands from the Orient.

Matt

[double u]

...the 2 furlers are stretching it already...

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

There are never any good dingy alternatives but davits on a Mason are like too much make-up on a good looking woman.

As the level of outside claptrap increases the appeal to the senses is reduced proportionately. Davits and solar collectors, for example, change the visual balance and proportion of the Mason.

As an aside, after a side-by-side comparison I was surprised to observe that the Mason 44 has a much sturdier and nicer interior than a Hinckley 40 something.

If cost and age was the same, I would pick the Mason over the Hinckley.

For full disclosure, I owned the second to the last Mason 44 built.

Yes, Hinckley used a variety of local woods for interiors, mostly in a mismatched fashion. But the boat was built for racing, not for world cruising. The larger series like the southwester are more appropriate for long distance cruising. Also agree the Masons are gorgeous yachts. They were designed for cruising in comfort; and they do that very well.

[Lowcountry]

Originally Posted by double u

...wasn't meant to hurt!
the blue of the hull, the cove-stripe, the colour of the antifouling, the lines, overhangs, is there a hint of tumblehome? - she's just so, perfect in every way. with these looks practicability does not even come into it - & that is good - & should stay this way...

Thank you. I think she's a stunner in person. I had an Alerion once that was also a pleasure to behold, whether under sail or all snugged up in her slip. Problem was, she couldn't be made to cruise. The Mason can, though, and even despite the bolted-on cruising gear, she manages to turn my head every single time I walk away from her. I appreciate both the gorgeous lines and the cruising capabilities of the boat. If I could afford different boats for different purposes, then I would have a fleet. I can only afford one, though, so this has to do everything for me. It's still a nice boat.

[jalmberg]

Thanks for all the comments and opinions, particularly those with actual experience with the B40.

Bottom line, it sounds like she'd be up for the adventure, with some compromises.

Chartering one for a week sounds like a great idea, which hadn't occurred to me. I will definitely look into that.

We might end up with a modern/practical boat in the end, but its more likely we'll end up with something even more impractical than a B40 -- a wooden boat!