BACK COVE FOCUSES ON PLEASING THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH TOP PERFORMINGMODELS SIMPLICITY & SUPPORT Franklin D. Roosevelt is credited with pointing out, “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” As the past few years have proven, we have many skilled sailors in our midst, including the boat building experts at Back Cove Yachts. While weathering the uncertain forecasts of the economy, supplies and inflation, the Back Cove team battened down and made deliberate choices to ensure their model offerings remained precise and of the highest quality in order to continue exceeding customers’ expectations. Four years have passed since Back Cove unveiled plans for their first-ever outboard-powered boat, the 34O (where ‘O’ is for Outboard). Met with high demand and resulting praise, it was clear this new model, riding on an all-new hull form, had hit on a winning formula. The in-house design and engineering team at Back Cove did not make us wait long for a larger follow-up model: the 39O. With horsepower figures reaching 1,200 and top speeds of 44 knots, Back Cove reinvented expectations for Downeast style boats. These new models have endured a backlog of orders while enjoying rave reviews at boat shows and local marinas, including the 39O being honored with the People's Choice Award at the Newport International Boat Show. With power options from Mercury, Yamaha and Suzuki and loads of features and amenities included, Back Cove has made it easy for customers to order their perfect version of the new outboard line. CHOPPY SEAS As demand and excitement continued for both the outboard lineup and Back Cove’s inboard diesel models, the global pandemic created a moment of pause for the company and the marine industry as a whole. Initial reactions could not have forecasted the sudden increase in demand for boating, nor the material and labor shortages that followed. With raw materials, components and labor all in short supply, Back Cove realized that in order to maintain the quality and workmanship of their product, they would need to pare down their model offerings, and are now producing just four models. This would ensure they could continue best serving the customer while navigating current supply and labor constraints. Kevin Burns, VP of Design and Product Development at Back Cove and sister company Sabre Yachts helps shed additional light on these behind-thescene issues from the boat builder’s perspective, “It feels as if we are in a race to see what can be more disruptive: having the personnel or having the parts for the personnel to assemble the items.” Burns explains how the supply chain has become full of holes for somany products, big and small. Every material and component has been affected, from engines and seats, down to fittings, stainless steel hardware, resin and even caulk. Shortages and shipping delays are commonplace for raw materials like resin, fiberglass laminate and coring materials. “The perception in the market is that these issues were a 2020 and 2021 problem, but that problem has not been alleviated,” Burns explains. “Availability of parts and laborers have not improved at all and arguably has become the worst it has been over the last two years.” Another misperception has possibly arisen due to end users seeing prices on retail goods like cars and boats increase, and their assumption is that manufac turers are taking advantage of the fluctuations by simply jacking up prices. 36 BLUEWATER
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