Some boat designs are meant to last, to have the same appeal many years – or generations – down the road as they did the day they were first launched. That certainly is the case with the new Huckins 36 Sportsman, which the legendary company is calling the 36-36 Sportsman because the original Sportsman 36 was created by Frank Pembroke Huckins, the company’s founder, back in 1936.
Today the Jacksonville builder is run by Huckins’ granddaughter, Cindy Purcell, and her husband, Buddy. They say that with the new 36 that Huckins isn’t jumping on the retro bandwagon – since they invented it to begin with. And that the new boat is just an upgrade on the original – with a more comfortable cabin below (including 6’6” headroom) and new twin 280-hp power options (traditional inboard, pod or jet drives) pushing Huckins’ patented Quadraphonic hull to a 30-knot top speed.
In keeping with many modern designs, the new Huckins 36 is all one level, from the transom to the companionway, and then it’s only one step down to the cabin, with a queen berth and a large head with a fully enclosed shower. The galley is up, opposite the helm. Huckins is a semi-custom builder, so a buyer has a large voice in designing his own boat.
Founded in 1928, Huckins was one of the first builders to develop planing hulls. It built PT boats for the Navy during the Second World War, and developed the Quadraphonic hull, with modest deadrise and concave bottom sections to make the boat perform well as any speed. The company says the new 36 will come up on plane at just 11 knots and cruise at 28 knots, and will provide a stable ride throughout the speed range.
Specs: LOA: 36’4”; Beam: 12’2”; Draft: 2’8”; Disp.: 18,000 lbs.; Fuel: 300 gals.; Water: 60 gals.; Power: 2/280-hp diesels. Contact: http://www.huckinsyacht.com
