Washington Winter Show 2015

54 This page is sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Paul S. Van Nice consistently the prettiest boats in the harbor. But the boats produced by Hinckley are just part of the story, as none of it would be possible without the men and women who actually build them. In writing my new book, I had the privilege of spending countless hours over several years with the men and women of the Hinckley Company. Their dedication and devotion to their craft is unparalleled. The State of Maine seems to possess some of the most talented boat builders in the world. Hinckley’s location on Mount Desert Island enables the Company to attract the best craftsmen, not only because of the locale’s history of fishing and lobstering, but also because of its long tradition of boatbuilding. What’s more, the Company is able to retain these employees longer than its competitors because of the passion they feel for their work and the devotion they feel for the Hinckley Company. When I first met with the employees upon visiting the plant, their devotion was evident. And the individual years of employment, which were rattled off for my benefit at a roll call, went something like this: twenty-seven years, twenty- three years, eighteen years, twenty-four years, thirty-nine years, twenty-one years, twenty-seven years, thirty-two years, forty years, and so on. It is this sort of employee experience and commitment that enables Hinckley to continue building boats of such outstanding quality. Today, the Company is thriving and in just the past eighteen months three new motorboat models have been introduced and the Company can’t build them fast enough to keep up with the demand. And traditionalists will be pleased to learn that the sailboat, which originally put Hinckley on the map — the Bermuda 40, designed by William Tripp — will soon have a new bigger sister. Tripp’s son, the designer Bill Tripp, has been commissioned to create a brand new model, aptly named the Bermuda 50. This is Hinckley’s first new sailboat model in almost a decade, and a good indicator that the Company is in very good hands indeed. Restoring my Bermuda 40, and then having the privilege of telling the story of the Hinckley Company has truly been an honor. I was very fortunate to meet wonderful people that are devoted to building some of the best boats in the world. My love for renovation and restoration runs deep, and alas, I have since sold my Bermuda 40 and now I’m restoring a seventy-year old farm and market located on Long Island . Kerber’s Farm has been in operation since 1941 and produces a line of homemade jams, pies, and other packaged goods. I am busy growing the label into a national retail brand, but rest assured, once this is accomplished, there will be another Hinckley in my future! Labor Day weekend in Martha’s Vineyard aboard a Talaria 40. Henry Hinckley is seen here looking at the camera aboard a Hinckley Islander, 1938. Nick Voulgaris III is an entrepreneur, writer and avid sailor and is passionate about yacht restoration. He has owned and restored dozens of boats, including two vintage Chris Crafts and a classic Hinckley Bermuda 40 Yawl, which was the inspiration for his book. Nick lives in Manhattan and Oyster Bay with his English Labrador Charlie.