New Member, Mainship Trawler

[Mainship400]

Hello, my name is John, and my wife and I live in the San Juan Islands in WA. I share a 2004 Mainship 400T which is based in Islamorada, Fl with a partner that lives in Miami. We love the San Juan’s and have enjoyed cruising Puget Sound and BC, but the warm waters beckoned, which was the motivation for this arrangement. Our partnership (in its 4th year now) has been an excellent way to use and maintain the boat for both of us. We have an LLC set up and a great relationship, but he and his wife have adopted a 2 year old toddler and don’t have the time to use the boat.
Right now, I use the boat from January through mid-May and he takes it the rest of the time. I have cruised extensively with it down the ICW, in the Bahamas, the west coast of Florida and the Keys. Its decision time for me now, whether to keep it and buy him out (and find summer storage), find another partner or put it on the market this spring. Plan to head back to the Berry Islands this winter and figure it out. I am happy to find this forum. Very nicely organized compared to others I follow!

 

[jwnall]

Welcome aboard, John. Good name.

 

[DavidM]

Welcome aboard. We are getting a fair number of Mainship owners now (wonder why ;-) and we will try to answer any Mainship specific or general questions you have. You also have good experience that can be shared with our members.

In my own case, we are moving to Connecticut as our home base. Your sharing deal sounds good to me, but our interest would be in the winter months- same as yours. Not surprising. Who wants a boat in Florida in July.

David

 

[Mainship400]

Thanks to both of you for the welcome. Who wants a boat in Florida in July? Well Floridians!. You would be amazed at how many people are boating in the summer in Florida. My partner thought it was too cold in the winter! I would go to stores in Miami in February trying to buy beach stuff, like chairs and flip flops and was told they did not stock them in the winter. LOL

 

[jwnall]

Who wants a boat in Florida in July.

July is not generally the problem. August and September are the bad months. Hardly ever gets above 120 degrees in July.

 

[Dougcole]

Summer (June, July) is far and away the best time for a Bahamas trip. It blows like crazy 20 plus days of the month in December, January, February, March (worst of all), April and early May some years. August, September, October are the months of the big storms.

Give me June and July. Warm, calm water, cross the stream without taking a beating 25 days out of the month. Those are the salad days.

Winter is for the poor souls who just think it is good because it doesn't suck as much as wherever they came from.

 

[markpierce]

Decisions, decisions. If it was me, I'd buy out the partner and take the boat to the PNW (or sell it and by a local boat), but then I dislike the tropics, and I'm not you.

Welcome, regardless.

 

[Keysdisease]

Welcome!

Summers are the best time for the Keys if you are properly prepared. The water is warm and clear, the wind is light and seas calm, and there is only an occasional T storm to worry about.

Having A/C is a must, but other than that there is very little downside.

A big plus is there aren't a bunch of ____ tourists to dodge or contend with.

Berry's are awesome, I used to run a Day Charter Cat at Great Stirrup. One of the most awesome sails I ever had was from Nassau to Great Harbor almost dead downwind saddled onto the same wave for almost the entire trip.