Design and Construction
Where the Pilot 35, Bermuda 40, and Sou’wester 50 had low freeboard, tight volume, and modest payload, the 49 tacked the other way. She is a beamy, shoal-draft centerboard ketch with an un-Hinckley-like broadened stern, which made room for a genuine aft cabin. Her center cockpit also ran against company tradition practical-sailor-used-boat-review. A small owner’s cockpit aft of the cabin house drew praise, although its everyday usefulness was questioned.
The hull is a thick, uncored hand layup combining 24-ounce woven roving with 1.5-ounce chopped-strand mat. Builders described it as thick as a plank, and the additional laminate meant blistering rarely ravaged these bottoms. A massive, inward-turning, mechanically fastened hull-to-deck joint and generally heavy-duty scantlings have stood the test of time.
The stuffing box, rudder stock, and gudgeons on the massive skeg are top-grade silicon-bronze castings. Inside, stick-built mahogany joinery is bonded to the inner hull skin and finished in place. As Practical Sailor noted in its survey, this construction method also keeps conduits and ducting accessible for later systems work practical-sailor-used-boat-review. Hinckley’s trademark elegant and utilitarian rubstrake completes the topside treatment.
Rig, Sailing, and Power
Most Hinckley 49s were masthead ketches with relatively short, single-spreader rigs. The sail plan was deliberately small, significantly reducing drive and heeling moment against the boat’s 38,000-pound displacement.
The boat carries 8,000 pounds of lead ballast, plus a 500-pound centerboard, for a 22-percent ballast ratio. As a result, secondary righting moment suffers, and the limit of positive stability is likely under 110 degrees, though inherent strength and rugged details mitigate.
That heavy hull makes light-air sailing a lesson in patience. The 49 was conceived as an agile motorsailer and develops favorable sailing ability once the breeze reaches 14 knots or more. In less than 10 knots of wind, motorsailing at 1,200–1,500 RPM still produces 7-plus knots. Top speed under power is around 9 knots.
Its 150 PHRF Northeast handicap reflects the boat’s weight and limited sail area. Underway, the slow roll period is comfortable, but it is also tied to the lower ballast and higher center of gravity.
Accommodations and Systems Access
Despite the dark mahogany, well-placed hatches and ports keep the cabin feeling bright. An L-shaped dinette sits opposite a settee that converts to a transom berth, while shelves and cupboards provide a practical balance between open space and storage.
The in-line galley to port initially concerned a tester but proved to offer ample working room. It includes a well-gimbaled LPG stove, 9 cubic feet of refrigerator/freezer capacity, and deep double sinks.
Aft, a dedicated cabin trunk provides full centerline standing headroom and comfortable twin berths. Just forward and to starboard is the owner’s head with a freshwater shower. An aft companionway leads to the small stern cockpit.
Forward of the mast is a traditional twin-berth double cabin—an expanded version of a 40-footer’s layout—with a good-sized second head. For cruisers, however, the pièce de résistance is the proper engine-room access through numerous well-positioned doors and panels.
Maintenance and Known Issues
By any honest measure, the Hinckley 49 is a varnish farm. Teak on deck and varnished mahogany below require constant attention. Coamings, toerails, grabrails, hatches, dorades, and myriad other deck fittings represent an ongoing boatyard commitment.
This is also a large boat with room for systems galore. Every added system brings another maintenance cycle and additional demand on the boat’s power supply.
The Verdict
The Hinckley 49 is a purposeful departure from the leaner Hinckley cruisers that came before it. It’s a family-sized, center-cockpit ketch with a bulletproof solid-glass hull and a layout that still suits long coastal passages.
The boat asks for either wind or watts. It rewards owners willing to maintain extensive brightwork and punishes anyone expecting to sail it light and fast.
Pros
- Thick, solid-glass hull and massive, mechanically fastened hull-to-deck joint
- Stick-built interior that eases systems upgrades and access to ducting
- Proper engine-room access through multiple doors and panels
- Aft and forward cabins, with two heads, for extended cruising
Cons
- Slow in light air
- 22-percent ballast ratio limits righting moment
- Limit of positive stability likely under 110 degrees
- Substantial maintenance burden from exterior brightwork and the varnished interior
- Extensive onboard systems can create significant power demand
