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Page 14. MAINE COASTAL NEWS May 2009
What is Going on at The Hinckley Company?
pure entertainment and which ones are actu- to clear my head and do something different and I to move to Maine. He added, “We had
Continued from Page 14.
ally economically worthwhile. So we pick and for six months maybe I should. So I took the always wanted to live in Maine so in 1989 we
a sailboat, they got x-number of hours so they
chose. We’ve found that the world has got- job in 1971 and 13 years later I left Hood moved up here. I had known the Hinckley
typically are getting into powerboats and
ten an awful lot smaller in terms of buying.” Sailmakers.” Company, because the Hinckley Company
really enjoying it.”
Bennett has had an interesting career in During his time there he ran the loft at the had been one of my accounts at Hoods.”
What also has changed is how the boat
boats, but that is not where it started. He grew 1974 America’s Cup for Ted Hood, which he He began in sales and is now head of the
business is marketed, looking for those po-
up between Mystic and Stonington, Con- won. He also did all kinds of ocean racing. sales department, however he is quick to
tential customers. Bennett explained, “Those
necticut. His grandfather was an engineer on Bennett added, “Loved sailmaking and loved point out that this it is a team effort. Bennett
printed pieces are not going away there may
a 300-foot yacht owned by the Dodge Corpo- the selling aspect of it. When I left I was vice also serves on the board of Maine Built
be fewer of them, yet people do typically go
ration of Detroit. His grandfather was always president of sales for both sails and hard- Boats, where he offers a lot of insight into
much more to websites to find information. I
involved in boats and engines, but when he ware. Ted had sold the business and I de- marketing and in today’s world it is all about.
don’t know of anybody in the business world
got married his wife said it was time to come cided I needed to go do something different.” marketing.
today that isn’t using print media to drive
ashore. He worked for a car company, loving After nine months of improving his
people to their website. What I like is that we
things that went fast. In fact he held the windsurfing and bluefishing Bennett went to
still talk to people. What we like to do is listen
world’s land speed record for one day down work for Sailboats Northeast in Marblehead.
and figure out what it is they are trying to do
at Daytona. Then he went to work at Cape He worked with him for about five years and
on the water. Once you figure out that you
Cod Shipbuilding in Wareham. He did every- then eventually he said it was time for my wife
can give advice that’s helpful. So we tend to
thing in the yard and worked there until he
do an awful lot more consulting work in terms
died. Bennett’s father was an aeronautics
of selling. We also do a strategic number of
engineer, but loved boats too. On the side he
Saco River Rowing Buys
boat shows as well as some private events.
sold boats for Cape Cod Shipbuilding.
Boat show are entertainment and what we
Bennett added, “My father told me I had to teams, colleges, universities, prep schools,
need to do, is figure out which ones are just
get an education, so I went off went to college
Continued from Page 4.
high schools and rowing clubs. There are
and then into graduate school. I really wanted testing on that. We’ll then incorporate those also quite a few rowing clubs popping up all
to teach college, however I realized that all the changes and then take the boat up to the over the place. Tarpey said that there is one
good teachers were getting forced to do Yarmouth Rowing Club and let them try it out in Massachusetts on the Connecticut River
research. So took some time off and thought and see how it goes. Incorporate those and it is for unwed mothers. So what started
about it. I decided to take a leave of absence changes and that will be the first boat we go out as an elite person’s sports has filter down
and went out to do something mindless. I was to market with.” to the point where it is becoming accessible
on my way to a job interview in New Hamp- Parts for these boats come from all over to almost everyone.
shire and got lost, ending up in Marblehead. the world. A lot of the parts have to be made There biggest competition comes from
I thought Marblehead…ha Hood Sailmakers. by local fabricators. The seats were once Vespoli and Resolute. There is also a com-
So I went into Hood Sailmakers and asked for wooden, made by a farmer in Vermont, but pany on the West Coast, one or two in
a tour. I never had been to a sail loft before and now they are carbon fibre. Originally there Canada and the biggest in European is
figured it would be kind of fun. Then I asked were 170 parts per oar and with the recent Empacher. There is also a Chinese company
do you ever hire anybody here? Yeah, they modifications there will be 70 percent less that is exporting an introductory boat.
start over there in the washroom, washing parts. Tarpey added, “I am not taking credit Already there are potential customers
sails. I thought that didn’t sound very excit- for doing all of this, because Charlie Dibble asking for Dirigo racing shells. However,
ing. I went back and I thought if I am just going had started making what he called the TR3, Tarpey said that he was going to be cautious,
which was a one piece deck mould, instead of but once he was certain that they had the best
may be 40 little pieces. We are going to take possible boat they will begin selling them. He
that a few steps further and every place we said, “We are going to start off aiming at the
can eliminate a part and still maintain or im- novice crews of colleges and universities. As
prove on the structural integrity, that’s what we gain more experience, and as we make
we are going to do.” more improvements to the boat then we will
The market for top-of-the-line racing go after the elite squads. I think that will take
shells is good. There are about 1,100 rowing about five years.”
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