EHYC Boat-of-the-Month

November 2007

RINCON

1982 Willard 40 Flybridge Sedan

owned by Gregg & Cindy Robinson

     Rincon is a brand new Willard 40, a classic full-displacement trawler.  Wait a minute you say – Willard now builds just for the military and hasn’t built a Willard 40 trawler in at least five years!  OK, OK, but she is often mistaken for new and generates much buzz whenever she arrives at a dock.  Rincon is actually entering her second quarter century!  Credit dedicated owners, Gregg and Cindy Robinson, with the deception.  They came from sailboating and their last boat was a 42’ Hallberg-Rassy sloop which they cruised to Central America and the Caribbean before selling it in Florida.  Three years of being Boatless-on-Bainbridge followed.  But enough was enough!  In July of 2006 they purchased Rincon from her original owners in California and trucked her north for an extensive refit.  While the teak interior showed well, the exterior had suffered 25 years of intense UV exposure.  Gelcoat was beyond polishing, and the caprail needed replacing. Machinery, while uncomplicated and rugged, had already given long service, and while the generator remains onboard, the Robinsons replaced the original Perkins engine with a new turbo-charged 130 hp John Deere. With displacement of 33,000 pounds, this boat carries 7000 pounds of encapsulated ballast. Her very fuel-efficient hull might just go 3000 nm between fill ups, as she carries 600 gallons of fuel!

About that exterior:  Rincon proudly wears a glossy new two-tone coat of AWLCRAFT paint.  She spent over two months in the tent at Pacific Fiberglass last winter, for the paintjob.

Gone are any painted aluminum or plastic fittings.  Gregg has installed stainless hatches, portlights and cowl vents. A unique feature of the Willard 40 are a set of stairs that fold down to the forward deck from the center section of the flybridge helm.

Rincon’s ample interior accommodates 2 heads and a stall shower, with both a V-berth and midships double cabin. 

The galley underwent an extensive refit. Here are "before" and "after" pictures:

After nearly a year of hard work dealing with wiring, plumbing, refinishing woodwork, adding new woodwork, electronics, carpet, upholstery, sewing projects-- the list goes on-- Rincon has become the Robinson's home-away-from-home, just 5 minutes away at Eagledale Moorings.

Gregg is now in the process of installing a Kabola hydronic furnace.  After that, he just might be running short of projects!  Rincon will be cozy, comfortable and seaworthy in any Northwest weather.  Cindy and Gregg have lived on Bainbridge since 2003 and joined Eagle Harbor Yacht Club last January.  Gregg is a noted NW artist and Cindy is our Yacht Club Webmaster.  

Like to know more?  Check out their outfitting story at www.mvrincon.com

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