Friday, March 29

Hinckley Launches New Hybrid SilentJet

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Hinckley just introduced its new SilentJet technology, a hybrid system it developed with Twin Disc that combines diesel and electric power. With the trademarked SilentJet system, you can cruise under electric power without any noise or diesel fumes at about 7 knots, or you can seamlessly transition to diesel power and cruise at 35 knots.

Hinckley introduced the new system on its Picnic Boat 40 S, the only boat available with SilentJet so far.

It’s not that Hinckley’s were exactly noisy to start with. Indeed, Hinckleys are among the most solid, well-built and exquisite boats made in the United States, and the Picnic Boat is an icon recognized around the world for its graceful lines and its beauty.

But the 95-year-old company has always positioned itself at the forefront of new technology, most recently introducing the first fully electric luxury yacht Dasher (named after the original Picnic Boat) in 2017. Now, after two years of testing and tweaking with Twin Disc, it has launched the SilentJet as a hybrid upgrade.

“We know our clients want what’s next, and they also want common-sense solutions,” says Geoff Berger, CEO Hinckley Company.

 “With SilentJet you can travel farther with the hybrid diesel system than with Dasher’s electric platform,” he said. “Furthermore, we learned that electric-powered water jets are much quieter and produce less vibration than traditional propellers. To deliver a truly silent cruising experience that feels almost like sailing, we knew our water jet propulsion system was the best fit.”

Working with Twin Disc, Hinckley integrated the new technology with Hinckley’s trademarked JetStick control and built new automated components for a complete hybrid system.

 “We advanced our development with a proven builder who embraces electric and hybrid technology,” said Mike Gee, VP of Vice President of Hybrid Technology at Twin Disc. He said that Twin Disc “tailored our technology and software to provide an automatic mode that seamlessly manages diesel/electric operation.”

If you engage SilentJet, the Picnic Boat 40 S has a cruising speed of 7 knots with a one-hour range. Drop down to 5.5 knots, and the range jumps to 90 minutes.

“With SilentJet, you glide away from the dock and cruise through the harbor in total silence,” says Scott Bryant, Hinckley’s VP of sales and marketing. “When faster speeds are desired, or the battery requires charging, the diesel engine comes on automatically, replenishing the battery in just 30-45 minutes. Since all the electrical loads on the Picnic Boat can be supported by the battery while at anchor, there’s no need for a noisy generator.”

The SilentJet system uses two 90 kW electric motors, two 550-hp Cummins diesels, and an 80 kWh battery that can be charged manually or under diesel power. The battery can support air conditioning and other systems at anchor overnight (without a genset) or longer, depending on loading. You can recharge the battery in eight to ten hours on shorepower. Read more at http://hinckleyyachts.com and see the video below:

 

 

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