Hampton 620
same approach. Twin 80-foot wireless remote reel
control, transom-mounted, 50-amp shore cords can
be used either singly or simultaneously for support of
the vessel’s AC electrical service. This was a special
request to Hampton from Forest, he says 50 feet is
never enough.
Painted aluminum hardware is conspicuous by its
absence aboard the 620. With the exception of the
dinghy crane, most of the deck hardware is mirror-polished 316L stainless steel, including and especially
the twin cockpit sliding doors—they are simply
beautiful. While this costs more initially and weighs
more than aluminum, it is truly maintenance free and
the owner never has to worry about, or pay for, touch
up or painting.
Left: The engine room is spacious, indeed. Excellent access
to the engines, including the outboard sides, makes service
user friendly. Top left: The 620’s cavernous lazarette supports
a variety of gear that works better when located outside the
engine room, including HVAC compressors, batteries, and
battery chargers. Above: In a seaway the 620’s hull form,
deep keel, and three-term stabilization provide cruisers with a
comfortable ride.
CONSTRUCTION AND SYSTEMS
Hull design and construction is important in the
respect that it’s impossible to know what’s beneath the
gelcoat. I’ve cut into my share of otherwise very pretty
hulls only to be horrified at what I found. As such,
buyers must simply have faith in a builder’s expertise to
do the right thing. Hampton’s conservative approach to
this area is evident in the build protocol to which they
adhere. The outer five laminates utilize blister-resistant
and very stiff vinyl ester resin (it shares many similarities
with epoxy). The industry norm calls for two laminates,
referred to as a skin coat, to provide blister protection,
giving Hampton a multifold safety margin. The forward
section of the hull incorporates what Hampton calls a
collision zone, made up of two laminates of Kevlar up
to the toerail and 12 feet back, and 18 feet back below
the waterline. The hull is a solid fiberglass layup, toerail
September 2011
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