Back Cove just announced that it’s building a new 390 Down East cruiser with twin 425-hp Yamaha outboards. The boat is expected to have a top speed of 37 knots, and a cruising range of more than 300 nm at its cruising speed. The Maine company says that it will offer optional outboard power that will push the Back Cove 390 up to the 40-knot range.
The announcement came on the opening day of the Newport International Boat Show, where Back Cove is displaying, among other boats, its popular Back Cove 340, its first outboard-powered boat. That boat was named the People’s Choice at a previous Newport show. Back Cove says the new 390 is being built on the success of the 340.
The new 390, with Back Cove’s traditional low profile, long sheer and classic design, also adds to the growing list of outboard-powered cruising boats, even among the most traditional builders, including Hinckley, MJM and Wilbur. It also will build on Back Cove’s easy-to-use and easy-to-enjoy cruising philosophy, which has made the brand, a sister company to Sabre Yachts, increasingly popular.
You can walk on the new 390 through twin transom gates, port and starboard. The cockpit has a U-shaped settee and table for al fresco entertaining. Because of the outboards, there’s lots of space under the cockpit, accessed via an actuated hatch, for water toys or other storage.
The helm deck has a hard back, an unusual feature in boats of this size, so that the area is totally climate-controlled for year-round comfort. The galley is up, and the helm has side-by-side captain and mate seats, opposite a U-shaped settee. Below, you can watch TV in a lounge, while the owner’s cabin is forward with a queen-sized island berth and private access to the shower and head. There are two single beds in the guest cabin.
The new Back Cove 390 is scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2020 and then will be displayed at the fall boat shows. Read more