Back Cove, Rockland
Back Cove Yachts will update their ultra-popular Back Cove 37 inboard Downeast cruising yacht and re-launch as the new Back Cove 372.
The Back Cove 37 was launched in 2009 and has enjoyed an eleven-plus-year uninterrupted run resulting in more than 200 hulls. When the production moulds for the Back Cove 37 finally gave out in 2020 due to boatbuilding wear-and-tear, the Back Cove Design team seized the opportunity to reexamine the 37 with over a decade of owner feedback and recent design advancements in mind. The result was a boat full of fresh details that earned its own designation – enter the newly redesigned Back Cove 372.
Building upon the most popular elements of the Back Cove 37, the Back Cove 372 will feature several large-scale redesigns and upgrades, alongside many smaller options and improvements. The highlights include: – A more efficient 24V DC electrical system with less copper weight, resulting in both a lighter boat and increased run time on the bow and optional stern thrusters. – Cummins QSC 8.3 600hp diesel engine with a 7″ display as standard and a Volvo Penta D8 diesel with a 7″ Garmin display as an option. This adjustment is the direct result of owner preference, with more than 95% of Back Cove 37 owners opting for a larger-than-standard engine since 2009. – Black windshield liner and an upholstered helm pod reduce dangerous and distracting glare at the helm. – Fixed-glazed pilothouse windows replace difficult-to-operate sliding windows, offer enhanced sightlines, and are complemented by a center-opening windshield with opening appliances for smoother operation. – A new aft-facing cockpit seat to starboard, complete with a folding armrest and drink holder, paired with a new salon door to port with a bi-fold window to starboard (above the aft-facing seat). – A reconfigured head with expanded medicine cabinet, sizeable over-sink mirror, and redesigned shower stall. – An upgraded SidePower SE 100 bow thruster will increase control and precision over the original SE 80 series.
The new Back Cove 372 is expected to splash late in the summer of 2021 and make her boat show debut at the United States Powerboat Show (Annapolis, Maryland) in October 2021.
Brooklin Boat Yard, Brooklin
Before getting down to the main yard, Brooklin Boat Yard purchased the former Odd Fellows Hall on the corner and converted it into a woodworking space for small boats or parts for bigger ones.
On the right side they have a 32-foot center console cold moulded hull, which is built with longitudinal and ring frames and then laid up with three layers: Douglas fir and sheathed with Sapele plywood. The center console was built at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast and arrived in Brooklin the first week of April. She is expected to be launched later this spring.
On the left side is a 28-foot Michael Peters design go fast speed boat for Lake Winnipesaukee and Sebago. She also has been built with longitudinal and ring frames and planked with three layers. Eric Blake added, “This one is being made out of one butt log that we got from Africa, 32-inches in diameter and 32-feet long, so all the planking is book matched.” She is scheduled to be over the end of summer.
Down in the main shop they had just rolled over the cold moulded hull of the Matthew Smith 46-foot day boat, which will be powered with twin outboards. The hull and top will soon be shipped to Newport where he interior will be installed.
A second 32-footer, like the one in the Odd Fellow Hall, is under construction in the main shop. Her cold moulded hull was recently rolled over and they are now putting the deck on and the bulkheads in.
The Jim Taylor designed 44-foot sloop is moving right along and will be launched this spring. Eric added, “This is the first one we have done that is completely electric propulsion. The batteries and the management of the power has really advanced over the last several years. The power has been there a while, but it is just how it is managed.
Out in the yard was the 29-foot Aroha, a double-ender powerboat designed by Peter Sewell of New Zealand. She is powered with a 38-hp engine and is trailerable. If you are interested in building one, this boat is offered as a kit for home builders by Hewes & Co. of Blue Hill and Offshore Center Harbor of Brooklin.
By mid-April, all the boats on the main shop floor will be out to make room for a large motorsailer designed by S. & S. for J. P. Morgan, which is coming in for a complete restoration. Presently she is over at Atlantic Boat in Brooklin and will be trucked over when the main shop is empty.
Up in the design office they are putting the final details on an Eggemoggin 47 they tweaked, which will begin building this fall.
Deep Cove Marine Services, Eastport
Last October, Matt Lecasse purchased Moose Island Boat Yard from long-time owner Dean Pike and renamed it Deep Cove Marine Services. Matt then filled the yard with storage customers, serviced the Travelift, and began the work list on some of their storage customers’ boats.
This winter they had 150 boats stored at the yard and across the street in the main building of the former Boat School. This is more than they have ever had and probably is the limit, without renting more space from the School. However, they are talking about a new storage building so they have more inside space.
Since they work with the area commercial fishermen, they are constantly hauling or launching boats no matter what season. That means keeping the boat ramp across the street clear of snow and ice.
The main project this winter was 50-foot trawler yacht MAINE IDEA, designed by Joel White and built at Brooklin Boat Yard in 1981. They repaired rot in the transom; upgraded the CNG system to LPG, new stove, new refrigerators, did some work on the systems and then gave her a complete paint job, as well as brightwork.
They also did some repair work on a 50-foot Huckins. This one also included mechanical work and paint.
A 21-foot mahogany lapstrake Pembroke, built by the Pembroke Boat Company of New York, was in for sister frames, new deck beams, and then they covered the outside with epoxy as this had been done by a previous owner to the inside.
They also did refits on two Boston Whalers, which included paint and brightwork. One of them had all the wood replaced.
They also built a 20-foot Grand Lake canoe out of fiberglass, which they call the ‘Grand Faker.’ They have another one in the mould, but no owner yet.
Before Matt purchased the yard the mechanical work was done downtown at Moose Island Marine, but now it is all done at the yard. They set up a full-blown mechanic shop and they ran all their winterizations, about 200, through.
This is a full-service yard for boats and outboards but will not do major engine work. They are distributors of Northern Docks. Even though they were full for storage customers, additional space will likely be available this coming winter. Matt says that he will not turn anyone away looking for inside space. This is the perfect yard for those that cruise the Maritimes and want to keep their boat on this side of the border.
Greene Marine, Yarmouth
There are several projects underway. They have a 30-year-old fiberglass peapod that they are refurbishing. She is getting new thwarts, repaired the keel, Awlgripped the hull, and replaced the ash rails with ones made out of Sapele.
Next to her is a Flying Scott, which is having her sections of her core replaced where water had gotten into the deck. This project is nearly finished and should be going out soon.
In the centre of the floor is a daggerboard for a catamaran being stored at Portland Yacht Services in Portland. The board was repaired and was now being faired and readied for paint.
A customer had just purchased a Westsail sailboat and wanted a hard dodger put on. The dodger was designed and built and was almost ready to go out the door.
Another project was modifying a Portland yawl boat, designed by Jay Benson, for a customer. They stretched her out to 8½ feet using foam strips and a polypropylene woven. They said people use this instead of carbon fiber, since carbon fiber is $60 a yard and this $12. They added the properties are similar to carbon and better than carbon Kevlar. They did some test samples at Greene Marine and found the is worked well. They next need to turn the dinghy right-side up and cover the inside with glass. If it works well, they may want to take a mould off it, but they want to make sure she performs well in the water.
Outside they have a Newick-Fisher that needs to be finish and have her rig put in. She was built in 1980 and needed some repairs, including a new transom.
Do you have a project you need help doing? They can help you at Greene Marine.
Joe Lowell, Yarmouth
The end of March the 30-foot ROYAL arrived from Vineyard Haven. She was started in 1983 and finished the following year for a customer from Boothbay Harbor. This was the last boat designed by Royal Lowell, who started building her, but she was finished by Bill and Dan Lowell after Royal passed away. The customer from Boothbay owned her for three years when she was sold to her present owner on Martha’s Vineyard. He realized she had some problem (worms in the skeg, leaks under the hauling patch) that needed to be addressed and talk with Joe about seeing just what it was going to take to restore her.
The first thing Joe did was have the hull vapor blasted by Aquaterra, which stripped all the paint off the hull. After a quick going over, Joe said, “I know the keel is not healthy, the stern post is really not healthy. The stem and fore foot needs some serious help. The bottom third of the stem is split vertically and that is not healthy.
A closer look was going to be done and then Joe was going to go over what needed to be done and hoped the owner would do the project. He added, “There is going to be a lot of work involved. To get the keel out I will go in and snip the keel bolts on the timbers and cut the ribs and drop it down and out and take patterns off the old keel. After I will probably do the fore foot and stem.”
Also underway at the shop Joe is finishing off a 22-footer that just needs seats put in. He has a mould for a 22 and 26-footer but will now offer them as a finish boat. Many times, a fiberglass hull goes out as a kit and the finished product leaves a lot to be desired, which comes back on the hull builder even though he did not finish it off.
Once the okay is given, Joe will bring ROYAL inside and begin restoring her and that will keep him busy for several months. Joe said he has been receiving calls about other work. He also said that he would like to build new wooden lobster boats under 40 feet.
Maine Yacht Center, Portland
One of the major projects this past winter has been refitting the interior of the wheelhouse on a Calvin Beal 36. They ripped everything out of the salon, including the electronics, right back to the bare skin. They added a booth-style settee on one side and a galley on the other side with a seat at the helm. The owner wanted an interior that was a little more comfortable and useable. Next year she will be returning and the owner want to redo the forward section and the year after they will redo her exterior.
A Bristol 47-7 is in to be repowered and have her systems upgraded. Her owner is looking to do a transatlantic passage in 2022 and wants everything gone over. Along with the new engine, she got a new generator, refrigeration, and heads.
There are several of the 40-foot racers at the yard. One of these they are getting ready for her owner to do a circumnavigation.
A J-122, which races locally, has been refurbished for the upcoming season.
In the paint shop they are finishing up on an older Alden 43 powerboat, which underwent a complete deck restoration. This was a major job as they took off all the hardware and stripped her back to good glass and then rebuilt the glass and added the non-skid. This was all done for her new owner.
Now it is getting all their storage customers ready for the upcoming season.
Wesmac, Surry
Outside getting her final touches is FINAL WARNING, a new twin screw Wesmac 50 for a customer from New York. A couple of years ago he sold his Wesmac 46 FAIR WARNING and ordered this one. Everything is done and they were doing a yard start-up and then in early April she would go to the shore and be launched. She still needs sea trials to make sure everything is working.
The State of Georgia boat, which is being built for the Department of Marine Resources, is also nearing completion. They still have hydraulics to do and install the crane. Right now, they are fairing out the interior, house, and cockpit. She is powered with a 700-hp Scania.
In the next bay is a Wesmac 46, which was recently sold and the new owner is making several changes to make it more of a sportfisherman.
Next to her is a Wesmac 42, which will be going to Cape Cod as a sportfish/6-pack boat. Her engine, a 1,200-hp MAN is in and they are installing the exhaust and painting out below the platform.
In the next bay is a Wesmac 50 walk-around being built for the City of Bridgeport, CT as a classroom for the aquaculture school. Accommodations are simple with berths, galley, and head. She will be going over this summer.
Last year Linda Greenlaw purchased a 50-foot Wesmac pleasure cruiser powered with twin jets, which was finished off by Johanson Boat Works in Rockport. This boat has been lengthened so she can carry more passengers. Most of the work is finishing the cockpit and upgrading the systems. They expect her to hit the water mid-spring.
In the layup shop they have a Superwide 46 going to a finisher in mid-coast Maine. This will be followed by a 42, 46, 50 and a couple of 54s.
