OnBoard Magazine - Issue XII - 2020 Season

SUNSHINE FOR THE WINTER Exiting the river system in Mobile Bay, Alabama, the Denisons stopped at a marina service yard to have their Back Cove 41 inspected by a diver. Having heard many stories of running gear and prop damage from other "Loopers" due to debris and shoaling in the river systems, Bill and Amy were relieved to find everything was still in great condition. The single shaft and rudder at the centerline of the boat coupled with a draft of just 3’ 9” helped the MAR-KAT make this incredible journey unscathed. Back underway, the Denisons and their Back Cove 41 plotted east along the Florida Panhandle to Carabelle before making the eight hour jump through open Gulf waters to Tarpon Springs. The Denisons were returning to some of their favorite spots in Southwest Florida, where their cruising adventures had begun over twelve years prior. Boca Grande, Charlotte Harbor, Cayo Costa, Pelican Bay, Sanibel and Captiva Islands and downtown Fort Myers are some of their favorite spots along the Florida west coast. “We love running the dinghy through the salt marshes and mangroves and lowlands to visit out of the way places,” Bill explains. They also anchored up near the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island to experience the many birds and marine life. After their long summer adventure Amy and Bill were ready for a little downtime. They spent the winter in Southwest Florida, still enjoying some exploration while based at the Edison Ford Marina in downtown Fort Myers. Their Back Cove 41 and its fully equipped galley even played host to a wonderful Thanksgiving feast with new friends. “We made a full dinner on board with turkey and the fixings,” Amy recalls. After the New Year, they swung further south to Key West and stayed on neighboring Stock Island for a while before beginning the trip back north along the east coast. After a nearly year-long adventure, the Denisons returned to their home port in April of 2019. NEXT BOAT, NEXT ADVENTURE Although Bill tells us the Back Cove 41 was the perfect boat for The Great Loop, they were ready to move up and had their eye on Sabre. Chris Hall Jr. once again helped the couple find their next cruiser: a new Sabre 48 that Bluewater had taken delivery of as a stock boat. "Bluewater did a great job outfitting the boat," Bill exclaims. “Our new 48 came well-loaded with nice equipment including an electric sunroof in the salon and a cockpit Sureshade.” This Sabre 48 also included the Garmin/Volvo Glass Cockpit system with auto pilot. Once delivered, Bluewater Yacht Yards in Hampton managed the installation of AIS, Garmin Radar, Sirius/XM weather and radio and a depth sounder. Once fully outfitted, the Denisons departed the Hampton Yachting Center on January 17, 2020 with the all-new MAR-KAT for a shakedown cruise to Key West, arriving just before the Superbowl in February. They holed up on Stock Island for a month, enjoying the warm Florida Keys winter before heading back home in time for the first day of spring. “Sabre and Back Cove build really solid boats. They’re very reliable and the Maine craftsmanship is like no other.” Bill continues, “Docking with the [Volvo Penta] joystick control on our new Sabre is a breeze!” New adventures planned for their Sabre 48 include the Bluewater Summer Cruise in July followed by a slow cruise up the Potomac River to Alexandria and our nation’s capital. Their bucket list also includes the other two Great Lakes. “We are planning to transit the full Erie Canal to Lake Erie and head West to Lake St. Clair and up into Lake Huron to make it through to Lake Superior,” checking all of them off their list, Bill explains. With a new boat, and the support of Bluewater’s sales and service teams, Amy and Bill Denison can continue living their cruising dreams, while we look forward to hearing about them! BACK COVE 41 LOA: 46' 6" Beam: 14' 0" Draft: 3’ 9” Fuel Capacity: 400 gal. Water Capacity: 160 gal. Holding Tank: 55 gal. Displacement: 29,500 lbs. Power: Single Cummins QSM 11 @ 715 hp Configuration: Conventional Shaft SABRE 48 LOA: 52' 3" Beam: 15' 4" Draft: 4’ 1” Fuel Capacity: 525 gal. Water Capacity: 160 gal. Holding Tank: 70 gal. Displacement: 37,500 lbs. Power: Twin Volvo Penta D8s @ 550 hp ea. Configuration: IPS15-700 pod drives "True cruising" included baking bread and celebrating holidays aboard. 24 BLUEWATER