Today I drove up to Rockland, Maine – home of Back Cove Yachts. Given it’s my first month at Sabre & Back Cove Yachts, I had never completed a sea trial aboard one of our boats. Needless to say I was very much looking forward it. The day was picturesque – sunny, clear skies and 65 degrees. Being from Maine, I knew there was a chance the weather could turn, so I packed my LL Bean boots….but thankfully I didn’t need them.
When I arrived, the boat was covered with assorted Back Cove employees finishing up their respective projects.
After the associates finish their last minute tasks, the boat gets looked over by the “boat parent” and it’s ready to be lifted onto the trailer. A “boat parent” is an office staff associate who follows the boat through the production process, acting as the “eyes” of the consumer.
Back Cove 37 #49 is out of the building and on the trailer. Before leaving the premises, the boat receives a fresh water “shower” to make sure everything is water-tight.
We’re getting closer to the water! Here we are at Journey’s End Marina where Aaron Cormier (Product Engineer) and Adam Carlson (Senior Designer) are checking the fit of the propeller. While the guys were installing the prop, Kevin Burns (VP of Design & Product Development) filled the boat up with diesel.
The launching is smooth and hull # 49 is in the water and ready for a test drive.
This boat has been special ordered to receive the new Lenco Auto Glide trim tab system which automatically trims the running angle of the boat based on passenger and gear loads, running speed, and fuel efficiency. The auto glide uses engine data and GPS data to drive your boat to the most efficient running angle by adjusting your Lenco trim tabs as needed.
The ride was very smooth in spite of some rollers from incoming weather. I took the wheel for a portion of the test drive and very much enjoyed my first time at the helm of a Back Cove!
