Avocette III: A 90-Year-Old Huckins Resto‑Mod Reborn in Rockport, Maine

Not many boats reach their 90th birthday and still look exceptional, but Avocette III is an outstanding exception. The oldest-known Huckins in existence, she began life as a Fairform Flyer designed by Frank Pembroke Huckins—the direct predecessor to the PT boat. Recently, this Offshore 48 received a careful and creative makeover at Yachting Solutions in Rockport, Maine. Founder and CEO William Morong is careful to distinguish the work as a “resto‑mod,” a blend of restoration and modernization that preserves historic character while upgrading performance and systems for contemporary use.

Historic Provenance

Avocette III first appeared publicly at the New York Boat Show in 1931 and was soon purchased by Fred Voges for $17,000. Voges, who later served as Commodore of the Port Washington Yacht Club on Long Island, owned the boat for decades. In 1980 she changed hands for $20,000 and subsequently endured hard times, including damage from a storage fire on City Island, New York. In the late 1980s Jerry Bass of New Jersey rescued and restored her, but after another period of neglect she was again abandoned. In 2016 William Morong brought Avocette III to Yachting Solutions to begin the lengthy process of returning the Huckins to life, collaborating with Wisconsin-based designer Bill Prince and working with Cindy Purcell, owner of Huckins, who provided original line drawings.

The Resto‑Mod Approach

Morong and his team combined modern technology with traditional craftsmanship. They began with 3D scanning to capture the boat’s original geometry and then modified the lines to accept contemporary pod propulsion. The team removed the deck and used CNC-cut forms to rebuild structure within the original hull, then cold-molded a new hull over the restored framework. This process honored the vessel’s heritage while enabling performance and durability that the 1931 design could not have achieved with its original systems.

The work was meticulous and demanding. Rather than attempting a pure restoration that would freeze the boat in a historical snapshot, the resto‑mod approach allowed the integration of modern engineering, materials, and systems so Avocette III could be enjoyed safely and comfortably today. Working with original plans from Huckins ensured the silhouette and lines remained true to the classic design even as internal systems and underwater appendages were brought up to modern standards.

Modern Performance and Systems

Under the understated, vintage exterior, Avocette III now runs on Volvo Penta D6‑IPS power, giving her a top speed of around 37 knots—significantly faster than the original configuration. Modern systems were integrated to improve safety, comfort, and ease of operation. She is equipped with a Seakeeper stabilizer for significantly reduced roll at anchor or while underway and a CZone digital switching system for centralized control of electrical functions. These upgrades make the yacht far more livable and manageable by a small crew or owner-operator, while maintaining the classic lines that define a Huckins Fairform Flyer.

Interior and Styling

The interior was reimagined with sensitivity to period aesthetics and contemporary comfort. The salon features an elegant Art Deco–inspired fireplace and finished surfaces that reflect the vessel’s 1930s lineage while offering modern amenities and layout improvements. Attention to detail extended to exterior finishing: instead of a traditional gold cove stripe below the sheer, the design team chose a bold red stripe hand-painted against a glossy black hull. That stripe was entrusted to Ray Drea, vice president and chief stylist at Harley‑Davidson, a world-class painter whose work provided a striking, bespoke accent to the restored vessel.

Legacy and Significance

Avocette III is an example of how historic yachts can be sensitively updated for modern use without losing their identity. The project illustrates the value of combining archival documentation, meticulous craftsmanship, modern engineering, and artistic detail to extend a boat’s life for future generations. As a resto‑mod, Avocette III preserves the hull lines and spirit of a 1931 Huckins while delivering contemporary performance, systems, and onboard comfort.

This article was originally published in the April 2021 issue.