I
f ever there was a
vessel that gathered
together the traditional
and the modern,
the laidback and the
vibrant, then Back Cove
would be that boat. The lines
of the Maine lobster boat or
Down East cruiser define the
time-honoured look, while
the latest tech makes driving
easy, brings economical
ownership, and construction
that’s equally up to date.
Back Cove is American and
was established in 2003 to
deliver simple, single-engine
shaftdrives in a classic design
capable of extended coastal
cruising. Its first 29-footer
was joined by versions to
37ft and has evolved into the
latest incarnation, the Back
Cove 41.
Local importer Jed
Elderkin spent his youth
around Maine and under
his direction the 41 was
smooth and obliging too, as
we manoeuvred our way out
of the tricky pen with bow
and stern thrusters working
with the single prop for anuneventful exit.
Calling the boat a 41 is a
bit misleading. Waterline
length is 41ft7in (12.7m)
but add in the bowsprit and
swimplatform and the boat
takes up 46ft4in (14.1m) of
dock space. The new Back
Cove makes the most of the
room available by offering
two cabins, two heads and
a well-designed saloon with
galley serving inside and out.
The cockpit is fully covered
by an awning and fitted with
U-shaped corner lounges.
There’s another rear-facing
lounge against the cabin to
starboard. For full engine
access the rear section of the
saloon sole lifts on hydraulic
rams.
Cherry timberwork and a
teak-style laminate flooring
mix with white moulded
walls, cream roof inserts
and cream upholstery for
an enduring interior. But
for my money the
outstanding feature inside
the saloon are the twin Stidd
chairs at the helm. This is a
boat for long voyages, not ahomebound pretender.
A long U-shaped lounge
surrounding a table is set
to starboard and converts
to a double bed. The galley
opposite is built into a long
countertop and is handy to
both the saloon and outside
dining.
The helm's Dutch door
opens out to the non-slip
sidedeck with high siderails
and handholds concealed
under the hardtop. Up
front is seating on the cabin
roof, but you need to take a
cushion.
Tucked into the bow, the
master cabin with en suite
positions the raised queen
bed over the centreline. The
queen berth guest cabin
shares its bathroom with day
guests.
Noise levels from the
Cummins were surprisingly
low as we idled along. At
6kts we were consuming
less than 4lt/h, for well over
2000nm from the 1500lt
tank. At 1500rpm and 10kts
in displacement mode the
range is more than 750nmand it wasn’t until hitting
planing speed at 13kts that
fuel usage jumped to 40lt/h
where destinations within
450nmwere in reach. WOT
saw 26kts and 3000rpm, but
everything felt more pleasant
at around 21kts where fuel
burn is just under 100lt/h.
Couples looking for a
practical long-distance
cruiser will appreciate
the simplicity and ease of
handling of the new Back
Cove 41. Its mix of traditional
and contemporary works
well and the boat has
timeless appeal that will keep
it looking fresh for years.BackCove 41
BACK TO THE FUTUREquick specs
Back Cove 41
PRICED AS TESTED
$965,000
MATERIAL GRP
TYPE Planing monohull
LENGTH 14.1m (overall)
BEAM 4.27m
ENGINE 600hp Cummins
QSC8.3 turbo-diesel
FUEL 1514lt
WATER 600lt
FOR MORE INFO
WEB emarine.com.auSTORY& PHOTO
JOHN FORD82 tradeaboat.com.au