Introduced in 1976 as the Hinckley Hood 43, it remained in production until 1981, with approximately 17 hulls completed. It was later marketed simply as the Hinckley 43, before the arrival of the follow-on 1979 Hinckley 43 (Hood)-2.
Design and Construction
The Hinckley 43 (Hood) is a fiberglass monohull with wood trim, a raked stem, and a raised counter ending in a reverse transom. It measures 42.83 feet overall, with a 33.83-foot waterline and a 12.33-foot beam.
A fixed fin keel carries a retractable centerboard. Draft is 4'4" with the board up and 11'6" with it down, allowing the boat to enter shallow anchorages while still standing up to windward offshore. A skeg-mounted rudder and wheel provide steering.
Displacement is 25,500 pounds, including 11,500 pounds of lead ballast. That gives the design a ballast-displacement ratio near 45 percent, while period summaries describe its comfort ratio as high.
Henry R. Hinckley sold the boatbuilding business in 1979, midway through this design’s production run.
Rig and Handling
The Hinckley 43 (Hood) has a masthead sloop configuration and a Bermuda rig intended for both racing and long-distance cruising. Its sail plan is generous for the boat’s length: a 374-square-foot mainsail, a 483-square-foot jib at 115 percent, a 748-square-foot genoa at 150 percent, and a spinnaker of roughly 1,527 square feet for downwind sailing.
The I dimension is 58 feet, and P is 51.50 feet. Hull speed works out to about 7.8 knots.
With its high ballast ratio and low capsize number, the boat excels in heavy weather. That suited its original brief as a cruiser-racer capable of making offshore passages without being overpowered.
Accommodations
Below, the Hinckley 43 (Hood) has a spacious teak interior with berths for up to eight. The bow cabin contains a double V-berth. In the main cabin, two straight settee berths are joined by two pilot berths, while two aft cabins each provide a single berth.
The galley occupies both sides of the boat just forward of the companionway ladder. It includes a three-burner stove, an ice box, and a double sink. The navigation station is to port, and the head is also on the port side, just aft of the bow cabin.
It’s a straightforward eight-berth cruising layout typical of its era, with teak joinery contributing to the cabin’s noted elegant lines.
Machinery, Maintenance, and Ownership
The fitted engine is a 40-horsepower, fresh-water-cooled Vire W-40 diesel.
With only about 17 hulls built during a six-year production run, the Hinckley 43 (Hood) is scarce. Owners tend to keep and refine these boats rather than flip them.
On a hull built between 1976 and 1981, the centerboard trunk and its seals are the areas most likely to need attention simply because of the centerboard configuration. The wood trim also requires ongoing maintenance to prevent degradation where it meets the fiberglass. These are inherent features of the design rather than reported failures, so buyers should treat them as routine survey points rather than red flags.
The Verdict
The Hinckley 43 (Hood) is a low-volume, well-conceived Ted Hood cruiser-racer. It combines a shoal-draft centerboard hull with offshore-capable stability and a roomy, eight-berth teak interior. Its rarity and Hood lineage reward a careful owner, while the centerboard and wood trim demand disciplined maintenance.
Pros
- High ballast ratio and low capsize number for confidence in heavy weather
- Retractable centerboard provides a 4'4" shoal draft and an 11'6" deep draft
- Spacious teak interior sleeps eight, with two aft cabins and pilot berths
- Classic Hood design intent, elegant lines, and a racing-cruising rig
Cons
- Only about 17 hulls were built, limiting spares and comparable sales
- Centerboard trunk and wood trim require consistent upkeep
- Original 40 hp Vire diesel is dated and may require repowering
