Hinckley Yachts broke new ground when it created the iconic, jet-propelled, joystick-driven, SCRIMP-built Picnic Boat 23 years ago, and is doing it again with the all-electric Hinckley Dasher.
The Dasher, named for the first-ever Hinckley Picnic boat, has a Michael Peters-designed modified deep-V hull form. That hull design also features a plumb bow, and the Dasher was created from the get-go to accommodate electric power.
To that end, two 40 Kwh BMW i3 lithium batteries driving twin 80 hp straight-shaft inboards, are the power behind this 28-foot 6-inch runabout. The batteries are reported to last 9 years or about 9,000 cycles, about the same as they would in a BMW i3 automobile.
The silent-running Dasher is expected to have a cruise speed around 8.7 knots (10 mph) with a fast cruise ranging from 15.7 knots to 23.5 knots (18 to 27 mph). Maximum range before recharging is about 40 miles at standard cruise and 20 to 25 miles at her fast cruise.
Her regular shore-power setup is 30 amps, but the vessel accepts dual 50 amps. The dual 50s can recharge the boat’s batteries from zero to full in four hours. Hinckley says Dasher recharges faster than a Tesla Model S or Model X.
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In addition to her modern power setup, Hinckley’s Dasher is one of the first vessels I’ve seen with 3D-printed components, including her titanium hardware and composite helm console. Another advancement is this vessel’s artisanal (hand-painted) teak. There is no organic material on the boat, so all the faux wood rails and helm console is paint that looks like grain-matched teak. It’s durable, saves weight and will fool even the most-discerning eye.
She has a modern build, too. Like all Hinckley yachts, Dasher is constructed using the Seeman Composite Resin Infusion Molding Process (SCRIMP). The hull and deck is epoxy and carbon fiber with synthetic coring, creating a lightweight (6,500 pounds), yet stiff structure.
Hinckley’s Dasher is pushing the boatbuilding envelope with an intriguing concept that blends retro-styling, modern technology, and perhaps a look into the future of yachting. It’s a vessel that may be viewed in digital media terms as an influencer.
And that can only be a good thing.
| Specification | Measurement |
|---|---|
| LOA | 28'6" |
| Beam | 8'7" |
| Draft | 2'4" |
| Displacement | 6,500 lbs |
| Range | 40 miles at std. cruise speed |
| Range | 20-25 miles at fast cruise |
| Power | 2/40 Kwh BMW i3 lithium propulsion batteries; 2/80 hp direct drive inboard motors |
