Hinckley Yachts Timeline
1928: Benjamin B. Hinckley founds The Hinckley Company as the Manset Boatyard in Southwest Harbor, Maine. The focus is on servicing local lobster boats and yachts of summer residents on Mt. Desert Island. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia, Our History I Company I Hinckley Yachts, Downeast Style Yachts - Hinckley Yacht Company History)
1932: Benjamin's son, Henry R. Hinckley (an engineering graduate from Cornell), takes control of the company. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1933: Henry R. Hinckley builds the company's first boat, Ruthyeolyn, a 36-foot "fisherman motorboat." (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia, Our History I Company I Hinckley Yachts)
1938: Hinckley introduces its first sailing vessel, a 28-foot Sparkman & Stephens sloop. They go on to produce 20 of these, marking their first mass production line. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1940: Henry R. Hinckley opens Manset Marine Supply Company and designs custom hardware. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia, Our History I Company I Hinckley Yachts)
World War II: Hinckley turns to manufacturing war-designed boats. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1942-1943: Hinckley is awarded two Army-Navy "E's" for excellence for its contributions to war boat production in Maine. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
Post-WWII: Production of pleasure boats resumes. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1945: The Sou'wester sailboat is created, becoming the largest fleet of single design cruising boats of its time with 62 original boats built. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1950s: Hinckley begins experimenting with fiberglass for yacht hulls by building small runabouts. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1959: The Bermuda 40, designed by William H. Tripp, Jr., is introduced as Hinckley's first fiberglass sailboat. It is launched in 1960. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1960: The last Hinckley-built wooden boat, the "Osprey," is produced. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1960s: The company provides navigation systems, auto-pilot, and electric-powered furling mainsails. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1979: Henry Hinckley sells the company to Richard Tucker. William Moyer is hired to manage the company. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
Early 1980s: Due to a recession affecting the luxury sailboat market, Richard Tucker decides to sell the company. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1982: Henry's son, Bob Hinckley, and his business partner Shepard McKenney buy the company back. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia, History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Late 1980s: Hinckley builds Duffy and Duffy boats designed by Spencer Lincoln, marking a shift towards powerboats. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
1989: Bob Hinckley and Shepard McKenney release Hinckley's first fiberglass powerboat, christened "Talaria." (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
Early 1990s (Likely 1992 or 1993): The idea for the Picnic Boat is conceived as a personal boat for Shepard McKenney, Bob Hinckley, and Haywood ("Heywood") Hinckley. They initially consider Bass Harbor Marine for the build. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Likely 1992 or 1993: Testing of Hamilton jet drives on commercial fishing boats begins as part of the Picnic Boat development. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Early 1990s: Spencer Lincoln draws a plan for the initial Picnic Boat concept, but it is deemed not distinctive enough. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Early 1990s: Bruce King is hired as the designer for the Picnic Boat, initially having to be convinced to design a smaller boat. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Early 1990s: The first Picnic Boats are developed, with early prototypes having inboard-outboard drives (Volvo and MerCruiser engines with corresponding outdrives) before the focus shifts to jet propulsion. The initial prototypes are nicknamed "YoYo" or "Dasher" due to constant changes. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Likely 1993-1994: The first few Picnic Boats are built, with early hulls experimenting with different propulsion systems and configurations. The first jet-powered boat is built, potentially as the sixth hull. The first boat sold is Dasher, costing $600,000 to build and selling for $250,000. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
1994: Hinckley puts forth the first Picnic Boat, which quickly achieves phenomenal success. It is originally designed with jet propulsion and leads to the development of the JetStick. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1994: Hinckley becomes the first American boat company to use SCRIMP technology and receives the EPA's Environmental Merit Award. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
Likely Mid-1990s: The hull design of the Picnic Boat is slightly adjusted after the sixth hull, and a formal mold is created. Early jet boats lack fins and are difficult to steer straight at low speeds, leading to extensive experimentation with fin designs. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Mid-1990s: The JetStick system is developed to replace the original manual bucket controls, improving docking ease. The first JetStick is analog and uses a modified video game controller. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Mid-1990s: Marketing efforts for the Picnic Boat include demonstrations along the East Coast, driving into yacht clubs and allowing people to experience the boat. The boat's image appears on Chart Kits, further promoting its visibility. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
Mid-1990s: The price of the Picnic Boat begins to increase with each subsequent hull built, motivating buyers. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
1997: The Hinckley Company is purchased by The Bain, Willard Companies for approximately $20 million. William Bain, Ralph Willard, and Alexander Spaulding take over operations. Under new ownership, Hinckley focuses on marketing powerboats with jet drives and developing the "Dual Guard" composite material. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1998: The JetStick, designed by Control Engineering, Inc., is first used. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
1999: Dual Guard technology is created. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
Early 2000s: Picnic Boats are upgraded with features like a bow locker for the anchor. Analog JetSticks are widely upgraded to digital versions by owners. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)
2001: Bain, Willard Companies sell a 51% controlling interest in The Hinckley Company to Monitor Clipper Partners for $40 million in debt and equity. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
Mid-2008 - August 2009: Due to economic factors, the company reduces its workforce to 305. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
2014: Hinckley acquires Hunt Yachts in August. The Talaria 43 is introduced and appears on magazine covers. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
2015: Hinckley acquires Morris Yachts. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
May 2017: The Hinckley Company employs 685 workers across its facilities. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
2016: The company launches OnWatch, a remote monitoring system. (Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
Date of Source Creation (implied 2025): Hinckley Yachts operates nine world-class service yards along the East Coast. The company continues to develop innovative technologies like JetStick 4® and SilentJet hybrid propulsion, debuting on the Picnic 40. The current yacht line includes powerboats ranging from 29 to 55 feet and sailboats from 42 to 50 feet. (Our History I Company I Hinckley Yachts, SilentJet™ I Innovation I Hinckley Yachts, Hinckley Yachts - Wikipedia)
Date of Conversation (implied recent): Discussion about rebuilding Picnic Boat hull number 54, estimated to take six months to a year. Discussions about the continued use and repair costs of JetSticks. Discussion about seaweed issues affecting jet drives in certain areas. Discussion about Martha Stewart's purchase and marketing impact. (History of the Hinckley Picnic Boat)