The Hinckley company in Maine has announced a hybrid upgrade for its Picnic Boat 40 S model, which can now run in full silence with SilentJet technology.
This technology is more practical than pure-electric models such as the Hinckley Dasher, according to CEO Geoff Berger: “The electric Dasher turned heads, as all our new models always do, but the practicality of going any distance on electric, given the best current technology, wasn’t ideal for our clients. With SilentJet, you can travel farther with the hybrid diesel system than with Dasher’s electric platform.
“Furthermore, we learned that electric-powered water jets are much quieter and produce less vibration than traditional propellers,” he added. “To deliver a truly silent cruising experience that feels almost like sailing, we knew our water-jet propulsion system was the best fit.”
Hinckley says it has been working on the hybrid solution since shortly after the Dasher launched in 2017. The new system was developed in collaboration with Twin Disc and integrates Hinckley’s JetStick control system.
With SilentJet engaged, according to the builder, the Picnic Boat 40 S’s cruising speed is 7 knots. Range is at least an hour at 7 knots and as long as 90 minutes at 5.5 knots. The Picnic Boat 40 S also cruises at 35 knots under diesel power.
“With SilentJet, you glide away from the dock and cruise through the harbor in total silence,” Scott Bryant, Hinckley’s vice president of sales and marketing, stated in a press release. “When faster speeds are desired or the battery requires charging, the diesel engine comes on automatically, replenishing the battery in just 30 to 45 minutes.”
Can the battery support all of the Picnic Boat’s electrical loads at anchor? Yes. There’s no need to fire up a noisy generator.
Take the next step: go to hinckleyyachts.com
