The history of sailing is replete with examples of boats being repurposed after their initial launch—think of the famed yacht America also doing service as a blockade runner in the Civil War. Rarely, though, has an updated design done half so well as the Hinckley Bermuda 50’s transition into the all-new Hinckley Sou’wester 53.

Design & Construction

Designed by Tripp Design Naval Architecture, the Sou’wester 53 is built-in carbon and epoxy (infused and then post-cured in the company’s “Advanced Composite Center” up in Maine) with a Corecell foam core and an outer layer of Kevlar for puncture resistance.

The basic lines are the same as the 50’s, but the hull has been slightly lengthened to gain an additional 3ft of deck space aft of the twin helms, creating more cockpit space. In a testament to the skill of the Tripp office, this extra bit of length not only blends in seamlessly with the rest of the hull, but the substantial overhang and nearly plumb transom nicely complement the boat’s nearly plumb bow. Same thing with the boat’s not insubstantial pilothouse: the designers not only managed to add it on without ruining the original lines of the Bermuda 50, but they also succeeded in creating a whole new aesthetic.
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https://www.sailmagazine.com/boats/new-boats-hinckley-souwester-53