For every boat on the water, there seems to be a different hull shape. There are deep-vee hulls, flat-bottom hulls, cathedral hulls, round-bottom hulls, and the list goes on.
What’s important to know is that a boat’s hull affects not just the aesthetic, but also the speed, efficiency and stability of the boat.
This video gives us a close look at the Huckins Quadraconic planing hull. Introduced by Frank Pembroke Huckins in 1928, the hull is designed so the bow will lift out of the water as it speeds up.
A planing hull uses less fuel because it rides on top of the water instead of cutting through, but it tends to have a rougher and more unstable ride. The Quadraconic corrects this with concave sections that increase stability when the boat is at rest and while it is in motion.
Frank Huckins’ granddaughter, Cindy Purcell, now runs Huckins Yacht Corp. alongside her husband, Buddy. You can go to its website to learn more about its boat designs.
Or you can read the Soundings article on the Quadraconic hull.
