Back Cove 37 review

Interior of the Back Cove 37

 

 

Ready for the off!

 

 

The Back Cove 37 has been out for a few years now and with hull numbers into the mid fifties has proven to be a steady seller. Currently the 37 heads up a line up that also includes the smaller 34 and 30 footers. Back Cove yachts are made by Northend Composites out of Rockland in Maine which are constructed with foam cored hulls for thermal insulation and noise reduction whilst decks are laminated with end grain balsa with solid fiberglass sections where stanchions, cleats and other fittings are bolted in place. Unlike yachts made by parent company Sabre yachts the back coves are all distinguished by having a single engine driving through a conventional shaft and propeller; Sabre's on the other hand all have twin engine installations with Zeus pod drives in most cases.

The 37 is set up for two couples with an island queen forward and a double guest cabin further aft to starboard, opposite to port is the heads compartment which boasts a separate shower compartment which is much larger than many comparable sub forty foot boats. From the down accommodations one steps up 2 steps to the large galley area which runs along the port side. The galley has an electric two burner cook top, deep stainless sink with hot and cold pressurized water, microwave oven and fridge/freezer. Cabinets are cherry as is all the joinery below this is topped off with Corian counter tops in the vanity and galley. Opposite the galley is the helm position which has two Stidd chairs, one each for helm and mate. The helm features Sea Star hydraulic steering with an adjustable wood rimmed wheel, the usual array of switches for lights, wiper, horn etc and large panel which would accommodate  the owners choice of multi function displays. Up one more step from the galley and helm position there is the main salon seating area which has settees port and starboard with the signature high gloss sole table for dining on the port side. Talking of soles this looks like traditional teak and holly but is in fact a laminate so maintenance is limited to a an occasional wipe over with a sponge to remove marks and spills. In fact this is one of the features of the Back Cove range with easy clean surfaces, a minimum of exterior woodwork to varnish which is limited to a small eyebrow molding and other treatments which mean that the owner will spend more time boating and less time on maintenance.

Speaking of maintenance, as someone who takes care of his own boats and does all his own work access to the engine, generator and associated machinery would be hard to beat. From the aft deck a simple push of a button hinges up the majority of the salon sole to give clear access. In fact if it was necessary to ever remove the engine the sole could be removed entirely fairly easily and a forklift used to remove the engine through the large glass aft salon doors saving time and money. All too often little thought is given to maintenance by manufacturers and it is necessary to actually cut holes in the boat to get tanks, engines and other major parts out.

So having checked out the boat dockside Rita and I were most keen to take the boat for a spin. Accompanied by captain Eli from Dimillo's yacht sales in
Portland we headed out into Casco bay. The air temperature was only just above freezing but with the reverse cycle air conditioner set to 69 we were toasty and warm. Visibility from the helm is excellent and it was possible to see everything around us and I especially liked the view aft when it cam time to dock the boat at the end of our
test. Power on our test boat as I mentioned before was the optional 600 hp Cummins which appears plenty and give lots of get up and go; buyers can also specify a Cummins 480 or a Yanmar 560 although the larger engine will probably make the boat an easier sell when the time comes to move on.  Pushing the electronic throttle forward the boat swiftly accelerated to a maximum just shy of 30 knots and a check of the Mercruiser electronic engine monitoring panel showed that we were burning about a gallon per mile. Throttling back to 2700 rpm the boat felt happier and the fuel consumption dropped to about a mile and quarter per gallon. In fact I tried the boat at all speed ranges and she seems comfortable at 12 knots where she sipped fuel and Rita remarked that at this speed cooking would be far less of a challenge than it might at faster hull speeds. There was a little chop out in the bay and the boat coped with it admirably and I could see that in far tougher conditions the boat would be able to take care of herself and the crew very well. The Back Cove 37 I found to be  well thought out, well constructed and ideal for a couple and a couple of guests to spend an extended time aboard. Seaworthy with good looks she is a boat that both my wife and I like a lot and is high on our list for our next craft although I am not sure how I am going to hold my head up in the yacht club bar when they find out we have gone to the dark side and bought a power boat.

Engine access is excellent.

Comments

[Somac]

Looking great! I had one back in the day and it was my favorite.