58LRC or Tollycraft 61?

[Retired1]

C’Mon man! Like my old man used to say. You think if it’s not a Hinkley or a Hatteras it’s a piece of crap. I’d look at him and say Well?

Disclaimer I’m not responsible for MEME grammar

Speaking of Hinckley, way back in the day when they only built sailboats, and I was just starting out in the business, I owned a 1969 Morgan 38 that was designed to the CCA rule, the same as Hinckley.
At a boat show I asked their salesman the honest question of “my boat looks exactly like your boat minus the chrome dorades. It has the same engine, same brand mast and rigging, same brand sails, same sinks, head, steering wheel, etc., why does your boat cost $200k more?” The guy gave me a answer that totally changed my whole perception about status, and quality. His response was “kid, we don’t build a better boat, we just build a product for those who want to spend a lot of money.”
Years later when blisters started appearing on boat bottoms, the absolute biggest blisters I had ever seen was on the bottom of a big Hinckley Sou’wester. They were literally the size of trash can lids. “Oh look, he’s going to be really happy now, as he’s fixin to spend a lot more money”.
This ties in with my previous comment about “selling” new Tollycrafts. I didn’t start making real money selling boats til I tied (not as an employee but I could advertise the boats at the price the owner was willing to sell them, not at the price what the manufacturer told HIM to advertise) in with the Bayliner dealer in Miami. They didn’t have good reputations, but the pilothouse series sold like hot cakes. No sales pitch needed, as 99% of the buyers were previous customers entirely happy with the product. That’s where I discovered that some people who could afford anything on the planet, would buy “ a tool that got the job done no matter the name on the label” some purely because it’s name did not make them stand out as being famouss or wealthy, and they could come and go without notice, or worry of their children being kidnapped, especially Presidents or Prime Ministers of foreign countries. Even Adolph Coors, and former astronauts, and current Senators at the time. At first I didn’t understand why people who arrived in their own private jets, were buying them.
Carry on.
PS.I wasn’t a rich kid, and no relatives had ever owned a boat, so my learning curve was STEEP and long.

[rsmith]

Seriously? I’m waiting now for people to tell me how great Carvers and Regals are.

[Pascal]

A Morgan is as comparable to a Hinckley like carver is comparable to a Hatteras.

I have yet to see an ugly Hinckley. I ve lost track of the number of time I started drooling over a DDG sailboat and then noticed the small Hinckley logo. Great lines and proportions.

[Retired1]

image.jpg

A Morgan is as comparable to a Hinckley like carver is comparable to a Hatteras.
The Charlie Morgan designs built to the CCA rules -pre-1972. Not the later ones.

I have yet to see an ugly Hinckley. I ve lost track of the number of time I started drooling over a DDG sailboat and then noticed the small Hinckley logo. Great lines and proportions.

This was my 1969 Morgan 38’ designed to the CCA rule, the same rule that Hinckleys were. Not talking about all the models that came afterwards in 1972.The Hinckley salesman understood this, but y’all are totally missing my point about the perception of quality and price. With the chrome dorades on her, and that curved dodger, It was often mistaken for a H-40. Morgan also made a 40’ and a 41’ with the same lines. You know Thunderbirds were pretty good looking cars too -until 1977! When their ugliest car ever became their biggest seller ever!

[jim rosenthal]

We had at least one, maybe more than that, of the Bayliner diesel pilothouse yachts in our boating club. The owners were knowledgeable boaters who had owned vintage yachts, at least one Bertram, wooden boats, FRP boats, etc. Their Bayliner was not elegant, but it was sturdy and got the job done. (Hino or Isuzu diesels, if memory serves).

Given identical quality and capability (which would be hard to judge, I'll admit) I'd pay more for a prettier boat. How much more I don't know. With a Hatteras, I got quality, looks, AND the name, which I'll admit mattered to me a bit. But after thirty years of ownership, I still can't walk back up the dock without getting one last glance at her. Prettier than any girlfriend and a good deal better behaved than some of them.

[Pascal]

Not bad looking for a Morgan but I don’t think you can compare the lines, sheer and cabin proportion to a Hinckley of the same vintage like this 1969 Bermuda 40

[Freeebird]

Seriously? I’m waiting now for people to tell me how great Carvers and Regals are.

Love ya, dude, but I'm still waiting for you to show me any hard proof that the Tolly's are chopper gun material and shoddily made. Please don't break out any drawings you made of them when you were 10. I mean they would be impressive I'm sure, but how about some factual information?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Freeebird]

We had at least one, maybe more than that, of the Bayliner diesel pilothouse yachts in our boating club. The owners were knowledgeable boaters who had owned vintage yachts, at least one Bertram, wooden boats, FRP boats, etc. Their Bayliner was not elegant, but it was sturdy and got the job done. (Hino or Isuzu diesels, if memory serves).

Given identical quality and capability (which would be hard to judge, I'll admit) I'd pay more for a prettier boat. How much more I don't know. With a Hatteras, I got quality, looks, AND the name, which I'll admit mattered to me a bit. But after thirty years of ownership, I still can't walk back up the dock without getting one last glance at her. Prettier than any girlfriend and a good deal better behaved than some of them.

Those would be Hino's in the 80's models, and I too know some knowledgeable boaters who swear by the boats and at the Hino's. They run great until they don't, then it's $$$$$. Hope that wasn't racist or something...

[Boatsb]

What terrible boats to work on. 2x4 lumber and poor planning for wiring.

[Retired1]

Not bad looking for a Morgan but I don’t think you can compare the lines, sheer and cabin proportion to a Hinckley of the same vintage like this 1969 Bermuda 40

C4E780AD-FBB0-4A21-9A25-E82FEFE4385C.jpg
Of course I can. This is a Bill Tripp designed Columbia 40’ built to the CCA rule. They all are similar because the rule dictated it. It’s why the IOR rule boats look alike (ugly, and handle horribly) My POINT being why a Hinckley cost $200k more than all when new, despite same weight, same manufacturer of engines, spars, rigging, sails, etc. It’s because as the Hinckley salesman succinctly stated “we build a product for those wanting to spend a lot of money”. Same could be said of watches and Tollycrafts.. My last related post.