Hinckley just launched its all-new Picnic Boat 40, the largest Picnic Boat yet, with sea trials off Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard on the weekend before the Fourth of July. With a hull designed by the highly acclaimed Michael Peters, the new Picnic Boat retains all the drop-dead iconic Down East looks and waterjet performance that have made the brand famous around the world.
The new layout in the 40 offers a seamless flow from the transom to the helm, with large social areas, a wet bar, overhead protection from Sureshade and great visibility, whether you’re sitting at the helm or aft in the cockpit. It also has a new powered side boarding door that stows completely inside the hull when it’s opened; it doesn’t take up any valuable cockpit space. And you can open it with a remote as you walk down the dock. Below, a convertible settee becomes a queen berth with a filler if you want to use the boat for overnight cruising.
I’ve been a fan of the Picnic Boat since I drove the first one outside the factory in Southwest Harbor, Maine, in 1994. That boat was 36 feet with a single diesel engine and a waterjet drive. The new 40 is powered by two 480-hp Cummins diesels and Hamilton waterjets; it cruises at 30 knots. Hinckley says the 40 will top out at 38 knots with the optional power of twin 550-hp Cummins. But the lines remain true to the original, with a low profile, long sheerline, a beautiful tumblehome and teak (with up to ten coats of varnish) everywhere.
The construction is new and basically state-of-the-art. Hinckley uses Aramid fiber e-glass with carbon fiber and lightweight Corecell M foam as an inner core. The hull is infused and post-cured with epoxy resin for light weight and a fuel-efficient ride.
The new Picnic Boat has a 19-degree deadrise at the transom for a good ride offshore, and its newly redesigned and patented Jetstick makes navigation easy through tight turns and crowded marinas. The waterjet drives and 2’ 2” draft mean you can navigate through thin water or enjoy water sports easily and safely.
Specs.: LOA: 42’0”: Beam: 12’10”; Draft: 2’2”; Disp.: 25,000 lbs.; Fuel: 375 gals.; Water: 80 gals.; Power: 2×480-hp Cummins QSB 6.7 diesels and Hamilton 322 waterjets. For more:
