OnBoard Magazine - Issue XIII - 2021 Season

a white hull over dark blue and that when they first stepped foot on the 41, they felt it was, “big enough, without being too big.” Ultimately, the relative simplicity of the model was a deciding factor. “But the minute we walked down that dock and saw her, we loved her lines.” FAVORITE FEATURES On the way home from picking up the boat in Hampton, they cruised down Albemarle Sound at 24-28 knots and thoroughly approved of the pace. The Back Cove’s speed and performance was a luxury that was extremely easy to get used to. The Hayes also report that the Easy Dock thruster system is a huge positive for their handling of the boat. “It really makes you look like a pro right out of the gate,” says Mark. He recounts their first trip to a marina in Edenton where they were being asked to idle in, turn around and back into a very tight slip. The Easy Dock system helped him turn almost in place and effortlessly into the slip; especially impressive for a single-engine boat. He adds, “it’s really a piece of cake. Easy Dock makes it look like you know what you’re doing and have been doing it forever.” Rosemary loves the Back Cove for its ease of entertaining. “With the galley setup, the cockpit seating is right nearby, so I’m near the activity while preparing a meal or washing up. Guests are right there within a couple feet and everyone feels included,” she says. They find the 41’s layout makes it easy to be accommodating and engage their guests. Mark adds that unlike a galley down design, he can reach right in the door from the cockpit and grab drinks from the fridge—no fumbling up and down a companionway with an armful of refreshments. Even though this build was originally ordered as a stock boat by Bluewater, the Hayes agreed that they wouldn’t have commissioned anything differently. “The boat came with a lot of extras, like the SureShade awning, which we’ve enjoyed,” Mark says. He’s also pleased with the Volvo engine, despite being initially tepid about learning all the ins and outs of his first inboard powered boat. They feel the Back Cove 41 was a perfect step for their boating journey—bigger, but not so big that it is too intimidating to handle or maintain. The 41 features two cabins, each with an en-suite head; additional spaces that benefit from the simpler single engine configuration. “Joe Green was very helpful and patient working to find the ideal boat for us, and he has continued to be there for us as we have returned to Bluewater and Jarrett Bay for service. I have appreciated his knowledge and experience and feel we have made a friend as well.” The Hayes explain Joe even had tips on how to decide on a name for their boat, “this was the hardest part of our process after we picked her out.” Joe suggested drawing inspiration from their favorite type of music or songs. “We didn’t want the name to be cliché, and being beach music lovers and Rolling Stones lovers, we narrowed it down to Just One Look or Satisfaction . Both felt good, but ultimately Just One Look felt right, as we loved her on first sight walking down the dock in Virginia Beach.” With travel and destination uncertainties now clearing up, the couple plans to do more frequent trips in their new Back Cove, including some overnight stays at Cape Lookout. As they get more comfortable, confident—and perhaps fully retired—they’ll be considering trips to the Chesapeake and Charleston. Longer term goals include journeying to New York, Boston, Canada or the Great Loop trip they have always dreamed about. In the meantime, the Hayes are thrilled with their purchase and enjoying all the compliments they receive about their new Back Cove. “I have had boaters riding by my slip in Washington tell me that she is the ‘prettiest boat on the river’, and I have to agree,” concludes Mark. Afterall, just one look—that’s all it took. Guests of all sizes have been enjoying the Hayes' Back Cove 41 38 BLUEWATER