With its substantial displacement, lead ballast, and shoal-draft centerboard configuration, the Hinckley 43 belongs firmly among serious bluewater cruisers rather than lightweight racers.
Design and Construction
The Hinckley 43 measures 43.85 feet overall, with a 31.25-foot waterline and a beam of 12.5 feet. It displaces 24,000 pounds and carries 8,500 pounds of lead ballast.
The solid-fiberglass monohull has wood trim, a raked stem, raised counter, and reverse transom. Below the waterline is a fixed fin keel with a retractable centerboard. Draft is 9.10 feet with the board down and 5.00 feet with it raised, allowing the boat to enter anchorages and guts that are closed to fixed-keel sisterships.
An internally mounted spade rudder provides wheel steering. Overall, the design is that of a purposeful cruiser: solid fiberglass rather than a cored laminate, lead ballast on the keel, and a centerboard that provides its defining shallow-water capability.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The boat carries a Bermuda masthead sloop rig with 818 square feet of sail. Its 59-foot mast and moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio suit a boat displacing 24,000 pounds. The stated hull speed is 7.49 knots, an expected figure for the 31.25-foot waterline.
The centerboard is the key handling feature. With the board extended, the boat stands up to its sail like a cruiser drawing 9.10 feet. With it retracted, she can work into shallow water that would stop a fixed-keel 43-footer.
A 46-horsepower Westerbeke diesel handles docking and maneuvering. Fuel capacity is 115 gallons.
Accommodations
The Hinckley 43 sleeps six. A double V-berth fills the forward cabin. In the main cabin, a U-shaped settee surrounds a drop-down table, opposite a straight settee berth. The aft cabin has a single berth to starboard.
The U-shaped galley is to port, just forward of the companionway ladder. It includes a three-burner stove, an ice box, and a double sink. The navigation station faces it to starboard. A head is also to starboard, immediately aft of the forward cabin.
Fresh-water capacity is 148 gallons, supporting the six-berth arrangement on extended cruises without constant conservation. The head is to starboard, immediately aft of the forward cabin.
Known Issues
The centerboard trunk is the design’s one structural feature that invites particular scrutiny. The retractable board passes through the hull on a fin keel that draws 9.10 feet with the board lowered. As on any centerboard cruiser of this era, the trunk and pivot hardware are classic areas for moisture ingress and wear.
Production, Refits, and Ownership
Production began in 1990, and the model is now out of production. Any surviving example has therefore passed through one or more ownership cycles.
The 46-horsepower Westerbeke diesel was the original engine. Solid-fiberglass construction and a straightforward spade rudder make the structure legible to a surveyor, while the centerboard remains the only concealed moving element.
Verdict
The Hinckley 43 (McCurdy & Rhodes) is a thoughtfully developed cruiser based on the proven Sou'wester 42/43 platform. It adds the flexibility of a centerboard without giving up the ballast and displacement that make a 43-foot boat a credible offshore home.
This is a six-berth, 24,000-pound boat built by Hinckley in solid fiberglass. Its centerboard is both its signature advantage and its recurring watchpoint.
Pros
- Retractable centerboard provides 9.10 feet of draft offshore and 5.00 feet in shoal water
- 8,500 pounds of lead ballast and 24,000 pounds of displacement provide a stable cruising platform
- Six-berth interior with a U-shaped galley and opposing navigation station
- Solid-fiberglass construction by Hinckley Yachts
Cons
- Centerboard trunk is a known concentration point for moisture and wear
- No longer in production; parts and factory support are limited to era-appropriate systems
