Back Cove 30 Hull mold completed

In ten days from now, I and three other associates of Back Cove Yachts will be heading up to Quebec to inspect the hull mold of the new Back Cove 30. The plug, pictured here about two weeks ago, has been finished to the mirror surface that you will see on the production hulls. Note the final finish on the left side of this image. The mold structure was no been built over the top of it. It is critical at this point that the structure of the mold be extremely rigid so that when it is removed from the plug, nothing changes shape.

The next major mold, now in build, is the IGU or internal glass unit. This is the skeleton of the interior where ultimately all of her interior furnishings will be fitted. Recognize any of the surfaces yet?

More to show you when I get back from La Belle Province.

 

Cabin Fever at the Boat Show

When it's cold outside and the winter days are short, thoughts inevitably turn to the halcyon days on the water on board a boat. Today I was shivering at my desk when Bruce sent me a text from Jupiter, Florida to say he had seen one of our boats down at the marina. Bruce, it's 7 degrees here and 72 down there. Nice guy !

Over the next three months there are a lot of boat shows going on and if you feel the need to get out of your cabin and into the cabin of a new boat, there's no time like the present. Seeing all the new boats and the technologies they are bringing to market. Taking a look at the latest electronics and gear and buying the new pair of boat shoes is a tradition in many families. It helps to shorten the winter and get launch day on your mind.

 

Shows are taking place in Toronto, Cleveland, New York, Miami, Portland, Maine and Boston. So let the hibernation end and the show begin.

Seeing First Hand

About a month ago I was communicating with a young couple who are currently based in Fayetteville, NC. They had attended the boat show in Annapolis last fall and had some questions about the boat. I put them in touch with our dealership in Beaufort, NC and followed the process as they discussed the merits of the Back Cove 33.

Now I have to tell you that if you were at the Annapolis Powerboat Show in October of 2009 you were either stark raving mad or an intrepid boater. The weather that weekend was as bad as it gets and if you were there you were on a mission. So the mere fact that I heard from anyone as a result of that show made me feel pretty good.

As their interest in the 33 increased I invited them to come to Maine to see the boats in build. When you build boats in Maine and invite people to come and see you, you are quite used to having people say "Sure I would love to come. How would July be?". But then there are people who went to that Annapolis Boat Show. And so they came to visit and their tour was very helpful.

Being able to see hulls in the mold and understanding the technology of building fiberglass parts. Being able to see areas of the boat that only boat builders see. They were able to witness for themselves the craftsmanship and pride with which each boat builder goes about his/her daily tasks; making sure that each operation helps to create the greater, high quality "whole".  

When they left (with a planned stop at LL Bean for a little post Christmas shopping) they had a new enthusiasm for Back Cove and a new understanding of what makes a Maine built boat. It's not all resin and fiberglass, wire and wood, It's all about the "Fierce Maine Pride".

And speaking of pride, this young couple are both graduates of the United States Naval Academy.  They have both served their country without question. I should have know they would come up when I asked them to.

Back Cove 30 Hull Plug Nears Completion

Once the carving of the foam billet has been completed the finishing of the hull plug commences. And as much as this may sound like the easy part, in truth this is where the "rubber meets the road."

Last week our designer Kevin paid another visit to the tooling shopin Sainte Claire, Quebec. He inspected the finish on the hull plug before the shop turns it from plug to mold. All surface finish facets from the plug will be mirrored in the mold so this is a critical step where the finish of the plug must be as good as it can be. The result of his inspection is that he is very pleased and expects this tooling to perform exceptionally well in production. Next time I'll have some images to show you of the final finish on the hull plug.

But the hull plug was not his only purpose for the visit to PCM Molds. While they have been working tirelessly to finish the hull plug and mold, there are many other parts that have to be tooled as well. And each of them requires detailed drawings for the production machinery to use and careful inspections along the way. There are several major molds and as many minor parts. Largest are the deck mold, the deck liner (ceiling) mold, the IGU or internal glass unit and the hard top and hard top liner molds. All of these are either in process or about to begin.

As we follow the tooling and production of the new Back Cove 30 we'll be able to make more frequent postings. We look forward to having you follow this fascinating process with us.
 

Anniversary Celebration Plans

Although the Back Cove brand is relatively new, sister company Sabre Yachts is celebrating 40 fabulous years in business. Next July all Back Cove owners are invited to attend a Back Cove/Sabre rendezvous to be held at Wotton's Wharf in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

Dates are July 9-11, 2010. Mark your calendars and get out your party shoes.

 

Two halves make a Back Cove 30 whole

The next step in creating the hull plug for the Back Cove 30 is underway. If you are following the blog, last time I discussed how the raw plug is built. Now we are starting to "carve" the plug on the tool builder's CNC router. These machines have a large table or bed. Across the top is a beam that straddles the width of the table. This beam moves along the length of the table and a router head is mounted on the beam. The router head moves side to side on the beam and has the ability to move up and down. Hence,the term "5 axis milling machine".

This particular router has limitations on it's width and so, the hull plug is carved in two halves and will be joined together to make the complete hull plug.

Until next time then

 

And so the Back Cove 30 begins

Over the next few months I am going to follow each step in the development of a new boat design. I hope you'll enjoy learning more about how designs are taken from computer screen to water.

"Tools" for the purpose of this blog are molds and molds for the uninitiated are the tools from which fiberglass parts are made. Before a mold can be built a full size plug of the part, one that looks just like the actual boat, has to be constructed. BTW that is not always true there are methods of going directly to female molds but that is generally only used for one-off designs.

Today, plugs are carved from large billets of foam using the naval architect's drawings to guide the multi-axis router over the surface and create the form. Step one is to make the plywood forms that you see here. 

 
  
Those forms are erected and covered with wire screening. Then, foam is sprayed on the exterior to give a very (very) rough "buck" of foam that the router will carve.

Next time we'll show you the router in action.
 

Back Cove 30 .... A Sneak Preview

Over the last five years Back Cove Yachtshas collected quite a following, having completed more than 400 hulls. Now, the design that started it all is going to be replaced with the next generation of designs. Yes the venerable Back Cove 29 is going to be replaced in June of 2010 with the exciting new Back Cove 30. We will continue to offer the 29 as a soft top, open version while the new Back Cove 30 will be made standard with a hard top, Yanmar 315 diesel engine, molded-in cockpit seating and a transom door.

In her interior the seating, galley and head unit will be much the same as her predecessor. The exceptions are in the improved galley storage and the manner in which the salon makes into a berth. When so desired, berth cushions which lay along the hull side of the berth, can be deployed athwartships to create a cozy environment in which to relax below decks. 

On her helm deck, seating is raised so that all of the crew has the same sight lines as the helmsperson. To port, the mates bench can comfortably seat two. Engine access is exceptional as it is on all Back Cove designs.

I her cockpit crews will enjoy the molded-in seating and the ease of access through the transom door.

Look for her to be in sea trials in June of 2010 and follow her development here on the Back Cove blog
 

Back Coves and icebergs in Newfoundland

I love images of our boats in unusual places. I've posted shots of Back Coves from Sydney to Monaco. When most of us think about boating we think of sunny days and warm breezes, but in some places that just doesn't happen every day and one of those places is Newfoundland in Atlantic Canada. This is a magical place as anyone who has been there knows. I have a sister in law who was born there and plans to retire there with my brother. The people are truly amazing. You don't have to lock your doors or take the keys out of your car at night. Yes the weather can be harsh but it can also be dazzling and bright. So when I received this exciting image of one of our boats with an iceberg as backdrop I wanted to post it to the blog right away.

 Now if my words have tempted you to find out more about Newfoundland you might just want to pick up a book by Canadian author Farley Mowatt entitled "the Boat That Wouldn't Float" It's a terrific yarn about boats and the kind hearted people of Newfoundland.

Good for dat chilly night in front of da fire by Jeez!

A City for Foodies

I have lived in Portland, Maine for over fifteen years now and the thing that always amazes me is the diversity of fabulous restaurants that this small city offers.It seems that when young, inspired chefs leave well known New York, Boston and Philadelphia restaurants they flock to Maine to show off the skills they have learned in their big city jobs. Life is simpler here and these young entrepreneurs thrive in our environment.

Recently Bon Appetit magazine recognized this culinary brilliance by naming Portland America's Best small city for Foodies. Quite an accomplishment for our fair city.

But what does that have to do with boats you ask? Well, pleasure can be found in many ways and in many places, so when you decide to come to visit our yards in Rockland and in Raymond, take your time, spend a few days in Portland and really get the most out of your visit.

Bon appettit !