SOUTHWEST HARBOR – The Hinckley Co. is branching out with the launch this week of a new propeller powered sports cruiser boat series, the first of three launchings planned for the next several weeks.

The company on Tuesday launched the first SC42, the 42-foot version of the new power cruiser line, which with the SC38, a smaller counterpart, is Hinckley’s first foray into a propeller driven pleasure boat in more than 15 years.

Hinckley has a history of producing prop-driven boats dating back to the 1930s, but in the last decade or so it has focused on its cruising sailboat and the jet-driven picnic boat lines. Although the company’s popular picnic boat line, which features a jet propulsion system, remains a mainstay for Hinckley, company President Sandy Spaulding said they were missing out on a big market segment.

“We didn’t want to become marginalized as ‘the jet boat company,'” Spaulding said after the launching. “And there is a market out there for a propeller boat. This is more of a blue water sport boat. Sport fishermen will like this boat, people who like to go off shore. We think that’s a big market.”

The SC line, designed by naval architect Michael Peters along with the Hinckley Design Studio, is an open express cruiser (no fixed cabin). The dual propellers on the SC42 are powered by twin 500 horsepower diesel engines that generate a cruising speed of 27 knots and a top speed of 34 knots, according to the company.

Hinckley also said the wide 14-foot beam and open layout on the SC42 provides plenty of room both above deck and below where there is a full galley, shower, master cabin and space for guests.

“We were missing a good part of the market,” Vice President for Sales Ed Roberts said. “We have dominated the jet power market. Now we’ve brought Hinckley quality to the propeller market as well.”

The base price for the boat is $700,000, but there are plenty of options that can be added in all areas of the boat.

It took three years of work to design, develop and build the SC42, but production will move quite a bit faster now that the first hull is in the water, according to Roberts. With Hull No.1 in the water and Hulls 2 and 3 under construction, the company plans to build between 18 and 24 of the SC series boats per year, he said.

Initially, the new line will be produced with the existing production crew, he said.

“This is part of our growth plan,” Roberts said. “We intend to continue to work with the production capacity we have. The new product line is an important part of that.”

The new line, along with two other new boats to be launched within the next few weeks, could require an expansion of the work force in the future.

“There’s a potential there to affect the crew,” Roberts said. “That’s our long-term plan. For now, we’ll fit it into our existing production capabilities.”

The company now employs about 320 employees in Maine at locations in Southwest Harbor and Trenton. Nationwide, the company has about 600 employees overall.

The introduction of the new propeller boat line will not affect the production of the popular picnic boat line. The company has sold about 500 of those jet-powered boats in different sizes during the 10 years it has been in production. In fact, the company plans to introduce a new, larger version of the picnic boat, the Talaria 55, within the next few weeks.

The new jet boat also is a response to consumer demand, Spaulding said.

“People love the jet boats,” he said. “We’ve built 36 footers, 40 footers and 44 footers. We talked to people, and they wanted a bigger boat.”

The new picnic boat is in the water now for trials and will be formally launched within the next few weeks.

Also in the water is the company’s first day sailer. The DS42, also set for formal launching within the next week or so, will provide an option for boaters on a tight time schedule, according to Spaulding.

“Time is important for a lot of people these days,” he said. “A lot of our customers just want a boat they can go out in for the day.”