Page 18. MAINE COASTAL NEWS February 2016 Back Cove and Sabre Continue to Dominate the Market


During the tour we started with seeing several Back Cove hulls be readied for production. Continued from Page 1.


taken to Journey’s End Marina in Rockland, where she was painted and the electronics were installed. She was getting ready to be launched and taken to Florida for the Miami Boat Show in February.


In this building there are three produc- tion lines. Bentley explained, “The Back Cove 41 and the Back Cove 37 are all in a line by themselves and we produced two boats a month for each one. Then on what we call our smaller boat line the Back Cove 30 and 34 are built in groups of six. We don’t build one of this and one of that. We build six at a time and then six at a time.” What about Sabre Yachts? That compa- ny is now 46 years old and they are equally as busy. They originally were known for building sailboats, but now it is all power. When asked what happened to the sailboat market, Bentley said, “The sailboat market dried up in a big way during the recession and it is just never has come back.” Do you think they will come back? He said, “I don’t believe so. Even the high volume production builders are not going gangbusters. A lot of the Europeans see the American market as an opportunity because their own markets are pretty bad. So they are bringing the less expensive sailboats into the U. S. market. The high-end sailboat business, people who


Our specialty is wooden yacht


39' Concordia Yawl #48, LARA


are buying expensive sailboats are either buying custom boats like the Hinckley Ber- muda 50 or something that you can build over in Brooklin. We decided unless we could build 18 to 24 boats a year it wasn’t a business. The powerboat business has been good for us and meanwhile we have been able to build everything from 38, 42, 48, 54 and 66 foot Sabre powerboats.”


Normally they would introduce a new model every other year opposite the year Back Cove released a new model. However, this year they are introducing a new Sabre model, which again they will not discussed until the dealers are informed on 10 Febru- ary. This model will be available towards the end of the year.


At the Sabre facility they employ anoth- er 150 people.


construction, restoration and repair Our reasonable rates make it all possible.


Traditional Boat, LLC Give your wooden boat the


care she deserves


www.mainetraditionalboat.com ABYC Certifi ed Marine Systems  (207) 322-0157  Unity, ME


Why do they do so well selling their boats, one can point to their dealer network. In Maine there is DiMillo’s Yacht Sales, with offi ces in Portland and Belfast. They also have a location at Glen Cove, New York and just recently they purchased a place in West River, Maryland. Other dealers in New England include Boston Yacht Sales in Massachusetts and Petzolds in Connecticut. These dealers are everywhere, including in numerous foreign countries. Back Cove and Sabre Yachts are a dom- inate force. Bentley added, “If you take the number of units that we do we are second only to Sea Ray nationwide. We have been very fortunate. We have got a good dealer network and a good man- ufacturing system.” These are extremely well thought out com- panies. All you have to do is look at the models they offer, how they build them, how they marke t them and how they take care of their customers, It all boils down to success.


THE YACHT CONNECTION at


SOUTH PORT MARINE 207-799-3600


Boats are moving at The Yacht Connection A close-up of the interior going in.


This view shows a Sabre 54 hull being laid up.


Here is a deck being infused.


A Back Cove hull in the production line getting systems and interior installed.


Everglades 360 LXC www.theyachtconnection.com The end result as this Back Cove is given her fi nal prep before being shipped out.


Complete Restoration For Sale


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