CUSTOM VS PRODUCTION

Ask what is the advantage of contracting to build a custom Huckins yacht verses taking delivery of someone else's production design. The true custom prospect has evolved beyond what the production world can offer.

A true custom yacht offers personalization inclusive of all individualized amenities, comfort, cruising performance and is equipped to serve individual needs to even varying states of disability and let's not rule out pet comfort.

Production boats are designed to serve a multitude of personalities for maximum sales. They are designed to fit the norm and trends. Huckins custom yachts are designed to fit the individual from the boot stripe up. We say this because every Huckins hull bottom strictly maintains the design qualities that have proven superior sea keeping characteristics.

You can lengthen the hull, shorten it, alter the transom or stem for personal appeal. The deck sheer can be sculpted to please your eye. The cabin structure can be styled to suit you; traditional, modern, retro or futuristic. Interior arrangements are designed to suit your desires and needs.

The engine and propulsion choice is yours. The engine size will be dictated by your expected cruise speed. Even the engine room can be designed to owners desires if you are mechanically driven. Huckins designers give personal guidance through the design process and an additional bonus is the feeling of satisfaction that you get throughout the process.

THE CREATION OF A LEGEND. ONE AT A TIME. ONE OF A KIND.

At Huckins Yacht Corporation, we're quick to point out that we are not in the business of creating custom yachts for our owners. What we do; what we have always done — is design and build custom yachts with our owners.

It's a remarkable process, one that involves the considerable talents and experience of world-class designers, engineers and craftsmen. More importantly, it's a process that depends upon close collaboration between the Huckins staff and our clients. A true partnership. As one of the oldest continuously family-owned boat builders in the United States, we understand that such relationships are what separate us from other yachts and other yacht builders.

A Huckins yacht is and has always been custom in every sense of the word. Today, we're one of the few yacht manufacturers that has remained true to its original philosophy of custom craftsmanship. Back in the 1960s, the transition from wooden construction to molded fiberglass gave rise to the production yacht industry which has flourished both in the U.S. and overseas. With this proliferation of "off the shelf" models, the decision to purchase a custom yacht from Huckins or from any other custom builder, for that matter is not for everyone. Far from it.

In fact, the majority of today's yacht buyers are satisfied with the production yacht industry's offerings. It is the knowledgeable few, the seasoned yachtsmen; those who have owned various brands and hull types and logged many sea miles. Those who are unwilling to accept anything short of exceptional. And after more than 95 years, we're happy to say that these individuals, these individualists, still comprise the unique market to which Huckins caters.

Huckins family traits.

Our mission remains the creation of custom motor yachts for those who want a piece of history. People who thrive upon the excitement of the building process and who love the involvement, the planning and the details, all of which are direct extensions of their own personalities. They enjoy visiting the Huckins Yard regularly to follow the construction progress, as their fondest dreams take shape and become reality. Most of all, they appreciate superior craftsmanship and the opportunity to build something special.

So how do these future owners seek out and become members of the Huckins facility? Perhaps it's an eye-catching ad or the unmistakable lines and timeless grace of a Huckins yacht passing by on the waterway. Some come to us as friends of current Huckins owners, happy to provide a wealth of enthusiastic testimonials. Still others may have been inspired by Huckins' rich legacy, years ago instilling from childhood a determination that "one day I'll work my way up to a Huckins." Regardless of the initial spark, they are ultimately driven by their own individuality and by an appreciation of exceptional custom workmanship, which is exactly what Huckins has spent over 95 years providing.

Getting to know you.

When purchasing a Huckins custom yacht, you'll quickly discover that our notion of salesmanship is more than a tad unconventional. Rather than being sold a production vessel, with its inherent limitations and compromises,all prospective Huckins owners become proactive partners from the very beginning, encouraged to take the lead in presenting their preferences and specifications to the Huckins design team.

Early on in the process, the prospective owner is invited to join us at the historic Huckins Yard in Jacksonville, Florida. Here, at this 87-year-old facility on the banks of the Ortega River, we're proud to walk you through the timeline of Huckins' fascinating legacy — from our first=yacht built in 1928 to our PT Boat era of WWII and onward through some of the most advanced yachts of the 21st century.

During your visit, provided that a comparable model Huckins is available, we're happy to offer a demonstration ride. However, our first priority is getting to know one another and establishing a comfortable relationship with our owners.

Tell us what you want.

At this time, the basic parameters of the proposed yacht are discussed and established. These include length, beam, propulsion type, expected cruising range, cabin layout and exterior styling. We also recommend that other amenities be established, along with intended activities (fishing, sunbathing, etc.), anchoring preferences and so forth. Given this information, a general price range can be offered.

From the information gathered an initial drawing is made, including the vessel's profile and cabin arrangement.

Once the drawings are approved by the owner, additional port and starboard onboard profiles can be drawn.

Putting pencil to paper.

As the process continues, a book containing the yacht's detailed specifications is created. This booklet includes the fiberglass schedule and every piece of hardware and equipment pertaining to the vessel.

Upon compiling the necessary information, an actual cost to build can be determined and presented to the prospective owner.

Engineered to perfection.

Once the stage has been set, our design engineers go to work and initial weight estimates and centers of gravity are determined. By applying this data to the predicted performance, we arrive at the correct hydrostatic calculations from which the hull lines can be drawn.

Also, thanks to finite detailing of weights in relation to the hulls' centers of buoyancy and flotation, Huckins custom yachts never need trim tabs (unlike competitive vessels of comparable size). Our hulls are designed to plane at the optimum 3-3½° and achieve full plane at 12-13 knot with little effort. Now that's the kind of engineering language we can all understand.

Positively unique. Just like you.

Once the heavy engineering is completed, our final design process begins.

Detailed working drawings are developed for all phases of construction, beginning with plumbing and electrical systems to determine raceway locations. All systems are now drawn, including potable water, bilge piping and sanitary equipment locations, and this provides a guideline for cabinetry details to ensure proper fit.

Now, whoever first said, "It's what's inside that counts"; was probably a Huckins owner. The meticulous attention to detail that has long been synonymous with our yachts, and which most clearly reflects each owner's individual preferences, can be seen in Huckins' joiner work and cabinetry.

These preferences can encompass virtually anything, from a choice of the finest wood inlays to adjusting the yacht's dimensions to accommodate an owner's physical needs.

One of a kind, indeed.

Speaking of perfection, not all the characteristics of a Huckins yacht are necessarily "custom." Some of the more impressive features are common to all of our yachts and exclusive to the Huckins line. You can compare all the apples you want: Huckins yachts weigh less, draft shallower and require substantially less horsepower to reach the same speed a competitive yachts of comparable size. Lighter and super-efficient Quadraconic® hulls require smaller engines to reach desired speeds, and that translates to greater fuel economy. Of course, while our yachts are lighter in weight, they're hardly lightweights. Every Huckins yacht, whether equipped with propeller or jet-drive propulsion, is designed to be seaworthy and safe while providing outstanding performance and handling in virtually any conditions.

That's what goes into our yachts. And if you're the demanding type, that's what should go into yours.