OnBoard Magazine - Issue XIII - 2021 Season

updates and routine maintenance on his Viking 61 were completed at the Bluewater Yacht Yard in Hampton, Virginia. Lewis also keeps that convertible tied up at the Bluewater Yachting Center, and speaks highly of the marina and staff. “The whole family, sales, the marina, the yacht yard,” Lewis concludes, “words can't describe how good they are.” Lewis has spent the bulk of his fishing career jumping from boat to boat, and although the Viking 61 may not be his forever tournament battlewagon, he may have found his forever yacht sales and service yard outfit. Bluewater is grateful for Mike Lewis and every customer who becomes a member of our extended family and having the opportunity to boat alongside them for a lifetime. G rowing up, Mark Hayes was introduced to boating on his parent’s Galaxy ski boat. They enjoyed using it on the lakes of central North Carolina, and each year on July 4th used it on vacation near Harker’s Island. That’s where he first noticed larger boats capable of spending the weekend on the hook, and he admired their self-sustained trips spending nights away from the dock Fast forward to adulthood, and Mark and his wife Rosemary bought a small outboard boat of their own. They enjoyed teaching their son to ski on Lake Gaston and the rivers of Eastern North Carolina, and later upgraded to a newer runabout which they still enjoy. But they were also interested in taking longer weekend trips and started to dream of retirement, when they could attempt the Great Loop and other big cruising adventures. As they steadily became more serious about purchasing a bigger boat, they traveled to Florida and Baltimore’s Trawlerfest in 2018 to consider their options. They came away from those trips with a better understanding that trawler life might not be for them—not yet fully retired, they coveted a faster boat that could get them where they wanted to go each weekend and be back home in time for the work week. “It’s always about compromise,” Mark says, and he was now willing to forego the fuel efficiency of a slower trawler for a boat that could do their river runs out to the coast at a much faster pace. Not long after, while at a wedding, Mark struck up a conversation with a Morehead City charter captain who recommended talking to Joe Green from Bluewater’s Beaufort office. The Hayes were ensured that Joe was an honest man who would treat them well while helping with their search. After a year of looking at numerous brokerage listings and researching options, Mark and Rosemary zeroed in on the Back Cove 41’s combination of speed and cruising accommodations. Joe took the Hayes to Virginia Beach to look at two boats Bluewater had to offer—a pre- owned Sabre and an in-stock Back Cove 41. Mark recalls, “When we walked down the dock in Virginia Beach, the 41 was tied up at the end of the dock and she was just beautiful. She had the white hull with light blue bottom paint, and with the gold detail stripe, she was gorgeous.” He explains they had previously decided they’d prefer BACK COVE COUPLE READYING FOR RETIREMENT Just One Look 37 2021 SEASON