In just over two years, Atillio and Cathy Cerqueira have traveled thousands of miles on their Back Cove 39O.
Most boat buyers ease into looking for a new boat by doing some investigating, reading the ads in Southern Boating, or talking to friends.
But not Atillio and Cathy Cerqueira. These two experienced Florida boaters were stepping up from their Grady-White 330—not because they didn’t like it, but because they had big plans (more in a moment).
So, they went to the Miami International Boat Show, saw the new Back Cove 39O, and bought it. No lengthy comparisons, not even a sea trial. “Cathy said she really liked it,” Atillio says grinning. “I really liked it. We bought it.” It was that simple.
For many boat owners, the arrival of a new boat is a leisurely process that might take months (even years!) as they load personal gear, change a few small details, add personal touches, and make the boat their own.
Again, not Atillio and Cathy.
They ordered the boat on October 22, 2022, and, after an 18-month wait (yes, Back Coves are popular!), their 39O arrived. And (again, unlike most new boat owners) the Cerqueiras almost immediately set out on a more than 6,000-mile, eight-month Great Loop adventure, circling the eastern U.S. and parts of Canada on rivers, lakes, and canals.
But this is jumping ahead of the story.
The Back Cove Story
Back Cove was founded in 2003 as a spin-off sister company of Sabre Yachts in Maine, which is legendary for cruising and racing sailing yachts built to high standards. The company also built trawlers to 48 feet, but dealers had asked for a smaller Downeast-style cruising powerboat that had the look and feel of a Maine lobster boat. Thus, Back Cove was born. Early Back Coves were powered by single-diesel inboards, but the new 39O is its second outboard-powered Back Cove (the 34O was first) with either triple 400-hp Mercury V10 Verados or twin 600-hp Mercury V12s.
The Cerqueiras opted for the trio of 400s, which Atillio says “gives us a comfy twenty-six to twenty-seven-knot cruise” and a top speed of 45-plus knots (52-plus mph) to outrun weather or get home fast. “And, at cruise we’re getting point seven mpg which, with five hundred and twenty gallons in the tank, gives us a lot of range,” he adds.
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The Cerqueiras didn’t just throw on their toothbrushes and cast off on their grand adventure, though. They’d been carefully planning every leg of their adventure for the entire time they were awaiting delivery, so when their new boat arrived, they were fully prepared.
Deciding Factors
The Cerqueiras chose the 39O for several reasons; one was the galley, where Cathy appreciated the Kenyon induction cooktop, the undercounter convection/microwave oven, and particularly, the twin AC/DC fridge drawers for ample food storage while cruising.
With no inboard engine, the 39O also has a cavernous locker under the cockpit sole, which the Cerqueiras use to store an inflatable tender with a 3-hp electric outboard for getting around on the water as well as a pair of electric bicycles for shoreside cruising. “And, we store booze there too!” Atillio says with big smile.
Cathy also liked the owner’s cabin forward, with its queen-size walkaround berth so making the bed is easy, as is getting in and out without having to crawl from the foot. That cabin is a wood-lover’s delight, with cherry planking on the hull sides, varnished cabinetry, and a teak-and-holly-style sole.
One feature of the 39O that they put to good use during their cruise was the aft cabin with twin berths, so they were able to invite four sets of friends to join them for a week at a time without feeling crowded.
The owner’s cabin has private access to the large head compartment, with its separate shower stall with Lucite door, an electric freshwater head, and macerator for overboard discharge (when allowed). The head has ample light and fresh air from two opening ports and an overhead Lewmar hatch with screen.
Several features combined to make the Cerqueira’s cruise pleasant, starting with the aft bulkhead in the salon with bifold and swing-out panels that open the “living room” to the outdoors in good weather. Combined with four Dometic air-conditioning and heating systems, temperature variations during the cruise were easily handled. “We didn’t have to fool around with Isinglass enclosures, either,” says Atillio. “When we wanted fresh air, we just opened the doors and windows. If it was cold, everything closed up easily. And the Back Cove has great three-hundred-and-sixty-degree visibility from the helm too.”
Another benefit from being able to close the salon was, he says, “absolute quiet when running. The engines are quiet by themselves, but with the salon buttoned up, everyone can talk normally.”
When it comes to handling, Atillio is full of praise. “The Mercury joystick control takes the biggest stress out of docking or maneuvering.” And the standard Sleipner bow thruster just adds to the tight quarters’ handling.
“The 39O is quick to plane,” says Atillio, “and it handles very well at low speeds. When running along the Gulf Coast toward Clearwater, we went one hundred miles offshore in some lumpy conditions, and it rode like a dream.” One feature of all Back Cove hulls is its proprietary Trailing Edge Lifting Surface (TRELIS), a flattened aft section that creates lift, reduces drag, and improves efficiency.
Through the Shallows
The Cerqueiras decided to take a side trip off the usual Great Loop and go north to Quebec City, through shallow canals. Unlike fixed props, the outboards can be trimmed up, and Atillio notes that “we went into some seriously skinny water.” He guesses they got down to two feet, seven inches (the hull draft is two feet, four inches), making the 39O perfect for exploring shallow waters like the Bahamas.
Construction of the Back Cove is unquestionably high quality, from the vinylester infused hull (no blisters) with PVC foam bottom and topsides to the foam core stringers (no wood to rot). While the Cerqueiras might not have been conventional in their purchase, they did visit the Back Cove factory in Rockland, Maine, and came away impressed by the massive 240,000-square-foot facility. Atillio says he was “blown away by the huge woodworking shop,” noting the “fit and finish was absolutely first class. Everything is done by talented craftsmen to custom standards.” The Cerqueiras returned even more pleased with their 39O, and Atillio notes that after their unusual purchase, “We were even happier with who we were in bed with.”
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On their Great Loop adventure, the twelve-foot, five-inch air draft allowed them under many bridges without having to wait for openings, and while they spent just six nights at anchor using the Onan 9kW genset, “We weren’t a ‘marina queen,’ though. We met fab people in marinas and ashore, and many are still good friends.”
Having owned their Back Cove 39O for just over two years, with thousands of miles under the hull, their verdict? “We’d buy it again, in a hot second,” says the couple. “It’s absolutely first class!”
Oh, by the way, the name of the Cerqueira’s Back Cove? Never Home. The perfect name.
-by Chris Caswell
SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 43′ 6″
Beam: 13′ 6″
Draft: 2′ 4″
Fuel/Water: 520/97 U.S. gals.
Displacement (full load): 26,500 lbs.
Power: 3x Mercury Verado V10 @ 400-hp
Max/Cruise Speed: 52.3/27 mph
Range @ Cruise: 337 miles
Contact: Back Cove Yachts • backcoveyachts.com
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