Here’s a first look at the brand-new Back Cove 34O running with twin 350-hp Suzukis. The first outboard Back Cove (and the first twin-engine Back Cove), this new made-in-Maine cruiser topped out at a rapid pace of 39 knots right out of the box. It is still being tweaked, and will make its first public appearance at the Newport International Boat Show starting Sept. 13.
The boat represents a major breakthrough for Back Cove, which has been building single-engine, diesel-powered cruisers since 2003. It is based on the Back Cove 32, a classic Down East couple’s boat, which was named Best New Powerboat Under 35 Feet at the Newport show in 2016. I tested that boat before the show when it was still up in Maine and it topped out at 28 knots with its optional 435-hp Volvo D6 diesel.
The Back Cove 34O (and that’s the letter “o” for outboards, not a zero) is the latest in a series of other Down East boats to opt for outboard performance. In the past few years buyers have increasingly asked for outboards for their performance, ease of maintenance and access, and for the fact that they open up space in the boat previously taken up by an inboard engine.
Back Cove’s performance stands up well here. After the Newport show last year George Day, my Cruising Odyssey partner, and I tested the new MJM 35Z with MJM founder Bob Johnstone and we hit an average top speed of 38.6 knots in choppy conditions in Narragansett Bay. It was powered by twin 300-hp Mercury Verado outboards. Hinckley says its new carbon-fiber 40-foot Sport Boat tops out at 43 knots with three 300-hp Mercury Verados. (A Hinckley with outboards would have been unthinkable not that long ago; times – and outboards’ quiet, efficient performance – change.)
This video of the Back Cove 34O in action is arresting because of the boat’s superb running attitude, in addition to its speed. This is a major tribute to the Back Cove designers, particularly Kevin Burns, the company’s VP of design and product development, who started with the original 32 hull meant for a single diesel. Take a look for yourself, and for more go to http://backcoveyachts.com
