First Impressions of the Back Cove 372
In Spring of last year, we featured timely reporting on the upcoming Back Cove 372—the revitalization of the Back Cove 37, which enjoyed over a decade of success before undergoing design updates to the molds. After more than 200 hulls of the original 37, Bluewater was excited to be a part of the debut for the reborn 372 at the Annapolis Boat Show in the Fall of 2021.
Annapolis Debut
Bluewater Sales Professional and self-proclaimed ‘Blue Boat Guy,’ Chris Hall Jr. was at the Annapolis Boat Show for the 372 debut and shares his first thoughts, “A newly redesigned version of the most popular Back Cove ever produced, she did not disappoint!” He continues, “The all-new frameless windows were the first thing I noticed. It really cleans up the outside flow of the boat, along with the black windshield liner which helps with glare while running the boat.” Hall also gives high marks to the redesigned dash which affords plenty of space for dual Garmin GPS units, along with the overhead salon TV that is now trimmed in cherry, providing a highly finished look.
Hull 1 was ordered with the 600 hp Volvo Penta D8 engine option, and performance results of this configuration exceeded the Back Cove team’s expectations. The cruising speed posts 25 knots with the Volvo turning 2,700 RPM and sipping 23 gallons per hour. This is good for 300 miles of range and a better than one nautical mile per gallon average. When making haste is required, the new 372 can hit 30 knots with a resulting fuel burn of 32.5 gallons per hour. Expect very similar performance from the Cummins QSC 8.3 600hp diesel engine once tested.
Big Upgrades
The upgraded 24-volt DC electrical system allowed Back Cove to offer the Volvo Penta D8 engine package while providing greater efficiency for many components aboard the boat including the bow and optional stern thrusters. The reconfigured cockpit with aft facing seat and expansive glass opening between the salon and cockpit is a result of owner input. Owner input also allowed the interior layout to go largely unchanged, and the familiar half-up galley and two stateroom arrangement prevails in the new 372.
Kevin Burns, VP of Design and Product Development for Back Cove Yachts explains, “The biggest motivator for updating the successful 37 was that we had all these owner’s thoughts and feedback filed away and archived for the moment that presented itself with the development of the 372.” Burns and his team sat down and went through all the owner’s feedback and tried to incorporate as much of that into the 372.
The People’s Boat
The bulkhead door system changes and addition of an aft facing seat in the cockpit was the most requested improvement by owners of the 37. Burns jests, “The 372 became ‘The People’s Boat’ because of all the feedback we incorporated into her design updates.” The Downeast charm of the original Back Cove 37 has been lovingly built into every component of the new 372, with a raft of input from customers, by Back Cove’s dedicated craftspeople.
