Hinckley Bermuda 40-1 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Charter four-cabin arrangements are the more common on the used market, but both standard and charter layouts are available, and ex-charter examples are common. Because Hinckley let owners specify layout, finishes, and furnishings, no two interiors are identical, so a buyer should judge each boat on its own configuration rather than assume a standard plan. The cockpit is large and comfortable with wide, uncluttered decks regardless of interior choice.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, chartplotter, air conditioning, dodger, inverter, autopilot, cockpit shower, radar, heating, asymmetric spinnaker, and bimini are commonly fitted, meaning a buyer can expect modern navigation and comfort gear as standard brokerage inventory. Often-seen additions include lithium batteries, spinnaker, solar, and hot water, which together point to boats with augmented energy and sailing range. Less common but possible owner upgrades are teak decks, life raft, and AIS. For a cruising buyer the consequential clusters are power and energy—lithium and solar with inverter—plus canvas and sail handling such as dodger, bimini, and asymmetric spinnaker, and navigation through chartplotter, radar, and autopilot.

What to Inspect

The hull of most B-40s is a solid laminate of fiberglass cloth and resin, with newer boats reportedly using some Kevlar fabric, and the hull and deck are joined on an inward flange with a flange nearly twice as thick and twice as wide as comparably sized boats. Fastener holes were drilled slightly undersized and then tapped for machine screws, so check that fastener sealant and flange integrity have been maintained. Originally the decks were solid fiberglass and resin laminates, while later Mark III decks used balsa then PVC foam core; early 40-1 decks lack that core, so assess deck condition appropriate to solid laminate. Until 1992 these boats used Westerbeke diesels of 35 to 46 hp, so confirm the specific engine and its service history on a 40-1.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These boats are typically found in the United States. For a buyer, the practical checklist is: confirm the hull is the solid-laminate 40-1 rather than a later cored deck model; verify the centerboard pivot and trunk; inspect the oversized hull flange and tapped fasteners for corrosion or sealant failure; confirm the Westerbeke diesel’s records; and evaluate the custom interior for condition rather than conformity. A careful survey turns up a shoal-draft cruiser with structural margin and a comfortable off-wind personality.