BACCARA - Hinckley FOR SALE

BACCARA is a 50’ Hinckley Sou’wester yawl launched in 1977 and crafted to uncompromising standards. This broker guided her current owners through the purchase in Seattle in December 2009. After a season exploring the Pacific Northwest, she was transported overland to New England, where she has been sailed seasonally and laid up each winter in heated indoor storage. Her overall presentation defies her vintage, a tribute to Hinckley’s original build quality and the meticulous stewardship she has received, especially under the present ownership. In 2014, Hodgdon Yachts stripped, faired, and Awlgripped her topsides. From 2019 to 2021, all hardware on the waterways, trunk cabin, and cockpit was removed for fresh Awlgrip and carefully re-bedded. A true classic yacht and luxury sailboat, she stands out as a heritage bluewater cruiser.

She is slated to launch shortly and is equipped for an ambitious cruising agenda, whether coastal wandering or ocean crossing. This broker has extensive sea time on a sistership over numerous offshore passages. The Sou’wester 50 is celebrated for seaworthiness and a gentle motion. Her shoal-draft, solid bronze centerboard—driven by bronze worm gears instead of the usual pendant—and ICW-friendly rig let her slip down the Intracoastal when heading south. The yawl rig lends itself to easy sail handling by a single skipper or cruising couple. Her rugged, naturally aspirated Ford Lehman diesel remains a stalwart power plant, delivering a dependable range of roughly 1,400 NM. A genuine offshore sailing yacht and bluewater passagemaker, she blends performance and comfort with the versatility of a centerboard cruising yacht optimized for shorthanded sailing.

BACCARA carries the sought-after B General Arrangement with three cabins and two heads. The owner’s stateroom features a double berth and an ensuite head, with abundant storage suited to a liveaboard lifestyle. The L-shaped navigation station, complete with swivel chair, doubles as a capable ship’s office for passage planning and onboard management. Ventilation is a standout, with multiple Dorade vents and opening hatches promoting excellent airflow, complemented by reverse-cycle air conditioning powered by an 8 kW genset for all-season comfort. Her cockpit is generous enough for a lively gathering of friends, while the deep cockpit lockers absorb a full sail wardrobe and all the equipment required for extended cruising without intruding on interior space. Equal parts family cruising yacht and performance cruiser, BACCARA epitomizes the elegance, durability, and seakindliness that define the Hinckley Sou’wester 50 lineage.

Interior

Accommodations on board welcome up to seven in three staterooms, complemented by an excellent sea berth in the main saloon. In the owner’s stateroom, an outboard‑aft Pullman berth with a lee cloth is attended by two reading lamps and an overhead light, with a bookshelf above the berth and another at the foot; a full‑length shelf, two stereo speakers, and six large drawers beneath the berth add thoughtful utility. A tall, vented hanging locker and two hooks for foul‑weather gear keep passagewear at the ready, while a fixed port, a medium‑size overhead hatch, and a Dorade vent promote light and airflow beneath an overhead handsomely trimmed with mahogany battens. The adjoining head, accessible privately from the owner’s stateroom or via the passageway, includes a shower, a sliding‑door locker, shelf space, a medicine cabinet, a sink, and additional storage. Forward, the large V‑berth with infill cushion forms a spacious retreat with a reading lamp, an overhead light, shelves running the length of the berth, a large locker with shelves, four drawers, a mirrored locker with three drawers and a locker below, a tall vented hanging locker, and a large overhead hatch; here too, the overhead is finished with classic mahogany battens. The starboard stateroom offers two secure bunks fitted with lee cloths, served by a reading lamp and an overhead light, two sliding‑door lockers (one with shelves), a fixed port, an overhead hatch, and a Dorade vent, all under an overhead trimmed in mahogany battens.

The bright, social saloon benefits from five windows for full visibility and 6'6" headroom. An inviting L‑shaped settee wraps a solid mahogany drop‑leaf table that folds in four sections to suit dining, chart work, or cocktails; there is storage beneath a cutout at the center of the table, plus a drawer and a full‑length shelf along its side. Two large sliding‑door lockers keep the space tidy—the aft locker provides open storage with a wine‑glass rack, while the forward locker is fitted with two shelves. A bookshelf, two lamps, dedicated storage for four fishing rods, and saloon cushions and upholstery renewed in 2014 underscore both comfort and practicality. A convenient day head serves this area with a shower, a locker with shelves, a sink, a medicine cabinet, and ample storage.

The L‑shaped navigation station with a fixed leather chair operates as an efficient command center and ship’s office. Equipment includes a Raymarine E‑80 radar/chart plotter, a Heart Interface Link 2000‑R battery monitor/inverter control, a Furuno GPS, a water‑temperature gauge, and a Sony CD stereo receiver, with organized storage for CDs, folded charts, and cruising guides. A full suite of communications and control elements includes an EPIRB, an Icom VHF, a SEA SSB radio, a handheld VHF with a Ram mic, and a Wood Freeman autopilot control panel. Finishing details—bookshelf, binocular holder, Chelsea clock, and barometer—complete a navigator’s ideal brief.

The galley is arranged for serious cruising with an L‑shaped counter, a tall hanging storage locker with a shelf above, a spice rack, and a Shipmate three‑burner gimbaled stove and oven. A stainless‑steel sink, Whale hand pumps, four drawers, a top‑opening refrigerator, an Emerson microwave, a mug rack, and generous storage ensure easy provisioning and effortless hospitality at sea.

Construction, on deck, sails & rigging

The build is resolutely Hinckley: a one‑piece fiberglass hull mated to a deck, deckhouse, and cockpit molded in one piece with integral fiberglass stiffeners. A lead keel is fastened externally with bronze bolts, complemented by a cast‑bronze 500 lb foil‑shaped centerboard operating on a Hinckley‑type worm lift to deliver shoal‑draft versatility with offshore authority. Teak decks were renewed in 2006, while waterways, the trunk cabin, and the cockpit were Awlgripped between 2018 and 2020. Ground tackle is seamanlike: a stainless‑steel single bow roller carries a stainless 45 lb CQR on 150' of 5/16" BB chain connected to 150' of rode, all handled by an Ideal electric windlass rebuilt in 2006. A Danforth “lunch hook” lives in a custom bracket on the cabin top, and a spare Bruce anchor with ground tackle stands ready. Teak caprails are kept bright under Sunbrella covers, and large stainless bow, stern, and midship cleats with custom stainless chocks make short work of docklines. Fresh‑water washdown is fitted at the bow, with hot and cold fresh‑water washdown amidships. A custom teak storage box forward of the main mast—finished bright with a Sunbrella cover—features a top surfaced with crushed walnuts for secure nonskid, doubling as a mast step. Stainless bow and stern pulpits, with vinyl‑covered double lifelines running from bow to stern and lifeline gates to port and starboard, encircle the deck. Ventilation and handling are assured by two large stainless Dorade vents and a powerful winch suite: two Barient #28 self‑tailing primaries, two Barient #23 self‑tailing secondaries, two Barient #22 winches on the main mast, one Barient wire main‑halyard winch on the mast, one Barient #22 on the mizzen, and an Andersen #12 self‑tailing mizzen‑sheet winch on the mizzen mast. Boarding and entertaining are made easy with a custom varnished folding ladder, a Magma propane BBQ mounted on the stern pulpit, an outboard motor bracket built into the stern rail, and a teak cockpit table with drop leaves beside the Danforth binnacle and compass. The top decks were painted in 2008, the Hinckley Cove stripe logo is rendered in gold leaf, cockpit cushions date from 2008, and a full canvas regimen—covers for caprails, Dorade boxes, handrails, and winches—keeps exterior wood pristine. A dodger and a full enclosure/bimini were added in 2008, the bottom received four coats of Interlux 2000 epoxy barrier in 2008, and Trinidad Blue bottom paint was applied in May 2024.

The spars and sails speak to care and capability. In 2008 the main and mizzen masts and booms were pulled, inspected, stripped to bare aluminum, and repainted in white Awlgrip; a tri‑lense radar reflector was added atop the mizzen along with a new 4 kW Raymarine radome. The rig features an aluminum single‑spreader mast with manual Hood in‑mast furling (painted 2008), an aluminum mizzen mast (painted 2008), and an aluminum spinnaker pole mounted on deck. The sail wardrobe includes a Doyle furling mainsail (2017), a Doyle 130% genoa (2017), a Hood roller‑furling mainsail in good condition, a Mack mizzen sail from 2005 in excellent condition, and a spare Hood mizzen sail. Heavy‑weather options include a storm trysail and a storm jib. Headsail handling is via a Harken roller furler on the forestay; a Hood 130% jib on the furler is in very good condition, with a Hood 130% spare furling genoa and a Sobstad gennaker with sock in good condition. A Sunbrella cover protects the RF genoa, and all running rigging has been recently renewed in Dyneema.

Electronics and navigation

BACARRA carries a comprehensive suite for offshore voyaging. At the helm and at the nav station are Raymarine E‑80 radar/chart plotters (2008), fed by a Raymarine 4 kW, 24‑mile radar radome mounted on the mizzen (2008) and a Raymarine Raystar 120 GPS antenna on the stern; a Furuno GP‑70 GPS navigator serves as a standalone reference at the nav station. Raymarine ST‑60 instruments for boat speed, wind, and depth (2005) are mounted on the bulkhead, and Navionic electronic charts cover Seattle to the north end of Vancouver Island. Long‑range and local communications are handled by a SEA 223 SSB radio, an Icom M‑502 VHF, an Icom remote VHF Ram mic, and an Icom M‑34 handheld VHF (2008). Steering assistance comes via a Wood Freeman AP‑500 autopilot with remote, with a tri‑lense radar reflector at the top of the mizzen and an LED tri‑colored sealed‑beam masthead light new in 2009 to enhance conspicuity. Entertainment afloat is provided by a Sony AM/FM/CD stereo with speakers both in the cockpit and below, complemented by an Insignia flat‑screen TV and a Magnavox DVD player in the master suite.

Mechanical systems

Power comes from a Ford Lehman 90 hp four‑cylinder auxiliary diesel showing approximately 4,000 hours as of April 2024, swinging a three‑blade Max‑Prop rebuilt by PYI in 2008. Close‑quarters control is assured by a Lewmar 11 hp bow thruster installed new in April 2008. Domestic systems are cruising‑ready: a Shipmate three‑burner stove with oven and an Emmerson microwave serve the galley; two LectraSan heads (new 2005) pair with hot/cold pressure water and a 27‑gallon water heater (new 2006). Climate control is via a 19,000 BTU air conditioner with reverse‑cycle heat (new 2005). Refrigeration is Technautics DC (2006) with a top‑load refrigerator/freezer. Plumbing throughout the yacht was renewed in 2005. On deck, the Ideal windlass was rebuilt in 2006, and both salt and fresh‑water Whale hand pumps were fitted new in October 2008.

Electrical systems

The yacht’s AC/DC backbone is robust and redundant, with 12V DC/120V AC and breaker panels fed by a Westerbeke four‑cylinder 8 kW AC diesel generator showing approximately 965 hours as of April 2024. The 110 VAC wiring was renewed in 2006. Shore power arrives via two Marinco 30 amp inlets and a pair of 30 amp, 50' shore‑power cords, with a Marinco TV/phone inlet for added convenience. Corrosion protection is by a Pro Mariner galvanic isolator (2008). House energy storage comprises three 8D Lifeline AGM batteries totaling 800 ah, supported by a lead‑acid engine start battery, a lead‑acid generator start battery, and two dedicated batteries for the bow thruster. Charging and management are equally comprehensive: a Link 2000R battery monitor with a three‑stage voltage regulator; a Xantrex Freedom SW3012 12V, 3000 watt inverter/charger (2012); a 40 amp Charles C‑Charger battery charger serving the house and genset banks (2007); and a 25 amp charger for the bow‑thruster batteries (2008). Two engine‑mounted alternators—one 150 amp and one 70 amp—provide underway replenishment, and interior light fixtures were renewed in 2005.

Additional information

Well‑found for extended cruising, the yacht is supplied with routine safety gear, dishes and flatware, and a six‑person Zodiac valise life raft stored in a deck canister (new 2008). An EPIRB McMurdo Smartfind 406 GPS (new 2008) adds a vital layer of safety. On deck, a stainless‑steel BBQ mounts to the stern rail beside the outboard motor bracket integrated into the same rail. Canvas protection is comprehensive: a dodger, a bimini, and a full canvas cockpit with enclosure were added new in September 2008, as were canvas winch covers, sheet bags, and toerail covers. For tropical lay days, a full‑boat awning keeps the yacht cool and shaded.

Overview

BACCARA is a 50' Hinckley Sou’wester yawl built in 1977 to the yard’s exacting standards. This broker assisted her current owners in purchasing her in Seattle in December 2009; after a season cruising the Pacific Northwest, she was trucked to New England where she has sailed seasonally ever since, wintering in heated indoor storage. Her condition in every respect belies her age, a testament to the quality of the original construction and the exceptional stewardship she has enjoyed—particularly with these owners. Her topsides were stripped, faired, and Awlgripped by Hodgdon Yachts in 2014, and between 2019 and 2021 all hardware on the waterways, trunk cabin, and cockpit was removed for Awlgrip refinishing and then re‑bedded.

Launching shortly, she will be ready for the most ambitious program, coastal or trans‑oceanic. This broker has substantial personal experience sailing a sistership on numerous offshore passages; Hinckley Sou’wester 50s are renowned for their seaworthiness and seakindliness. With shoal draft delivered by a solid bronze centerboard adjusted via bronze worm gears—rather than a typical pendant—and with an ICW rig, she can transit the ditch with ease when heading south. Her yawl rig is easily managed singlehanded or by a cruising couple, and her bulletproof, naturally aspirated mechanical Ford Lehman diesel will push her reliably for 1,400 NM.

BACCARA carries the desirable B General Arrangement with three cabins and two heads. The owner’s stateroom features a double berth and an ensuite head; storage throughout is generous enough for liveaboards. The L‑shaped navigation station with a swivel chair readily doubles as a ship’s office. Natural ventilation is unusually effective via multiple Dorade vents and opening hatches, supplemented by reverse‑cycle air‑conditioning powered by her 8 kW genset. Her cockpit welcomes a gang of friends in comfort, and the cockpit lockers swallow the sail inventory and all gear required for extended cruising without intruding on accommodations.