Hinckley Talaria 48
The Talaria 48 is what a lobster boat wants to be when it dies, goes to heaven and returns to fulfill the longings of a yachtsman — all elegance, grace and charm. Although her Down East heritage shows in the sweet, springy sheer line (say that three times in a row) and moderately raked two-panel windshield, the rest of the T48 is all Hinckley — drawing more from the original Picnic Boat than from working lobster boats.
Like the Picnic Boat, the T48 gets her exceptionally good looks from simple lines and complex shapes, which by design, play well together. Some of these shapes are the result of tradeoffs dictated by the general arrangement plan. Although her bow stands proud, the sweep of the sheer line, combined with the fine entry of her bottom — which raises the cabin sole — compromises headroom belowdecks. A relatively tall trunk cabin is the most sensible way to regain that loss, but the stylists have to get the proportions right and find ways to disguise the height. On the T48, the oval portlights, teak eyebrow and teak handrails trick the observer into seeing a lower profile than actually exists.
Another very subtle detail — one that often goes unnoticed but influences our perception of beauty — is the shape of the trunk cabin, especially in the forward sections. Tumblehome in the sides reduces bulk, literally and visually, and aboard the T48, it increases gradually from the windshield forward. Then, as the sides bend into the curve of the front fascia, they roll inward even more, like the hunched shoulders of a shy teenager. These elements together soften the overall look, reinforcing the yacht’s mission as a pleasure boat. Adding to the harmony of this design, the front of the trunk cabin and the windshield rake aft at the same angle.
Hinckley wanted the T48 to serve a variety of masters equally well, but its primary mission is to accommodate a small family or a cruising couple and their guests comfortably. The general arrangement plan has two staterooms, two heads and the galley in the forward half of the hull. The design team has dedicated the after half of the yacht to lounging, dining and socializing, and to balance the exterior’s proportions, it shifted the pilothouse slightly aft. Had it lengthened the house or placed it farther forward, the foredeck and trunk cabin would have been unattractively short. To gain space inside the house and help bring the outdoors inside, the designers drew a curved-glass partition, almost a phantom to anyone who sees the yacht from a distance, and curved-glass doors. When the weather’s warm and sunny, opening the doors and the power-operated side windows, plus the hatches in the overhead, ought to make the house feel as airy as an express-bridge yacht equipped with a soft enclosure.
Among the many carefully considered details aboard the T48, one of my favorites is the interplay of lines at the after end of the house. Altering the slope of the side windows or the shape of Hinckley’s signature curved support panel, which is crooked like a forefinger that gestures “come hither,” would upset the design’s harmony. So would shortening the overhangs or flattening the crown of the pilothouse roof. As drawn, the roof appears to lengthen the house and make it seem lower than it is.
The T48 has its maximum beam forward of amidships, and the topsides narrow and the tumblehome increases dramatically as they near the curved transom. Slimming the hull this way puts the finishing touch on the T48’s elegant shape.
A deep-V bottom by Michael Peters Yacht Design guarantees predictable and easy handling and enough speed to satisfy most cruising yachtsmen. The T48’s fine lines and sculpted shapes ought to please her owners long after the new wears off.
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LOA:** 48’7″
Beam: 15’3″
Draft: 2’8″
Displ.: 39,000 lb.
Fuel: 600 gal.
Water: 150 gal.
Power: 2 x 715-hp Cummins QSM11 diesels with Hamilton HJ364 water jets
Hinckley Yachts, 401-683-7005; www.hinckleyyachts.com
