“As she had done hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times before, Cindy Purcell advanced the throttles on a custom-built Huckins, this one the new 45 Sportfisherman called Wombat,” Yachting previously reported. “The 45 SF, built for a south Florida angler, is more than a fishing machine — far more.”
United Yacht Sales has the 2015 Huckins 45 SF, Wombat, listed at $845,000. It’s now also being offered at auction without reserve with Boathouse Auctions. The online auction is live now and bidding will be from June 13th through June 17th, and opening bids are expected to be between $400,000 and $450,000.
“Purcell turned the stainless-steel wheel, which is mounted on a raised wooden base to make it easy for the helmsman to use, sitting high for an excellent view of the waters and weed lines that might be ahead. This yacht banked smoothly and steadily into a turn at 28 knots. We ripped through tall wakes without so much as a thump, and Purcell noted that the bottom remains true to the patented Quadraconic hull her grandfather, the company’s founder, developed in 1928. That same concept helped the PT boats Huckins built for the U.S. Navy during World War II earn the reputation as the only truly “seagoing” planing design in the fleet. During U.S. Navy sea trials, the Huckins-built PT boat exhibited 60 percent less pounding than other competitive designs. That’s enough to make a believer out of most of us, and it’s one reason why Huckins owners prize their experiences in open water.
Twin low-hour (340) 480-horsepower Cummins diesels push this sportfisherman to a 35-knot top hop with a 28-knot fast cruise speed. Slowing to 24 knots allows for a 320-nautical-mile range, while slowing to 17 knots increases range to 350-plus nautical miles with a 10 percent reserve.
“I like to cruise Wombat at 28 knots when the conditions allow,” Purcell said, “but with a top speed of 35 knots, some owners might like to cruise at an even 30 knots.”
Having a high level of fishability was a top priority while designing Wombat. A number of features reinforce this trait, including a Palm Beach Towers custom marlin tower, three flush-deck insulated fish bins with macerators, an Eskimo ice maker, two 28-foot Rupp outriggers, eight rod holders in the gunwales, saltwater and freshwater washdowns and a four-rod rocket launcher.
The all-weather bridge deck is up a few steps from the cockpit with an EZ2CY enclosure, air conditioning, two inboard-facing bench seats, a single-seat helm forward and to starboard, and a forward-facing companion bench seat to port.
Belowdecks, owners and guests will find a salon and galley amidships, The galley’s Corian countertop is to starboard and is equipped with a Sub-Zero double-drawer refrigerator and freezer, a 1.5-cubic-foot convection microwave and a Kenyon Lite-Touch two-burner electric stove. An L-shaped sofa to port has room for five and a loose coffee table. “The interior is understated, a Huckins trademark. Hand-selected, satin-finished mahogany woodwork joins sumptuous fabrics in a tastefully traditional and contemporary execution.”
Sleeping accommodations include two staterooms. The forepeak master has a walkaround centerline queen berth with under-berth stowage and a 22-inch flat-screen TV. The guest space is abaft the master and to starboard with upper and lower berths. To port, the forward head has a separate shower compartment.
Some other notable features on board Wombat include:
- 8 kW Phasor diesel generator (406 hours)
- Twin ZF-2800 pod units, each unit has twin 14×15 counter-rotating propellers
- Joystick
- 2/Simrad NSS12 Evo2 Combo, MFDs with Navionics platinum + US Southeast and N. Bahamas
- Simrad VHF Radio with NEMA 2000
- Simrad 6 kW open-array radar
- Simrad AIS transponder with GPS antenna
- Garmin autopilot
- Simrad weather/radio module
Where is Wombat located? The yacht is currently lying in Coral Gables, Florida.
Take the next step: contact Jorge Cabre with United Yacht Sales , 305-773-2095, or Jack Mahoney with Boathouse Auctions, 203.530.3870
Quick Specifications
- Length Overall: 50’4″
- Maximum Beam: 13’9″
- Fuel Capacity: 419 Gal.
- Draft: 3′
