Torn between two boats

We are looking at two very different boats as our first liveaboard. One is a mainship 40 (1981) and the other is an albin 36 (1978). Both in great condition and similarly priced. The Albin lends itself to leaving the dock more and going on more adventures but the Mainship seems like a more comfortable home.

Can we just get both?!

Either way, we are looking forward to some time on the water this year.

Thanks to the mods/creators for such a great resource

Welcome, Gabe and Em. I don't mean to be flippant, but if you keep waiting the choice will be down to one. If they are both in the condition you represented someone will snatch them up. Whatever you do, please keep us in the loop. It will be interesting to see your final choice and why.

Moonstruck said:

Welcome, Gabe and Em. I don't mean to be flippant, but if you keep waiting the choice will be down to one. If they are both in the condition you represented someone will snatch them up. Whatever you do, please keep us in the loop. It will be interesting to see your final choice and why.

Click to expand...

Exactly. Sometimes no decision is a decision.

I also think it's possible that the answer is neither.

Usually when I have trouble pulling the trigger, it's only later I understand why and am almost always very grateful.

Welcome

It also may be that the answer is in your question

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

Not saying either isn't right for you, but hopefully the right boat is like finding your spouse. It's shouldn't be a choice between 2, but more "this is the one!"............for now.

Ted

If your goal is to be on the water...then get the one that will facilitate that the best!! And it sounds like you already know which one. Also be careful about curbside appeal. I realize you have to like the appearance of your boat. But if you are buying it based on appearance, then you might be in for a bad time.....kinda like choosing a spouse...

Get the one the wife likes. There can't be much difference in leaving the dock unless access forward is poor.

Thanks for all the feedback guys, theres a lot of good ideas here.

Moonstruck, the only hitch is I(Gabe) haven't seen the Mainship yet and cant get back (due to work) for another 10 days! We are going to stop in on both of them (praying they're both still there) the day I get back. We are primed to pull the trigger within 24 hours after.

O C Diver: The problem is we've each had our "Aha!" moments, they were just on two different boats. As in all of life, it will be a compromise but finally, I dont believe either will be a bad option, just different strengths

I owned a 1979 Albin 33', which is just a tab smaller than the 36. One of my buddies had a 1980 Mainship 40 that I spent a lot of time on. The Albin was single engine and the Mainship had twins.

If you want to live aboard, you will never have a comfortable place to sit and relax on the Albin. Dinettes are not suitable for anything but dining, IMHO. The Taiwanese built Albins are notorious leakers through the teak decks. Other than the stained interior and the lack of a place to prop one's feet up and relax, they are tough boats.

My friend on the Mainship had room for a small recliner and no exterior teak to worry about refinishing or leaking. He lived aboard for several years with no complaints.

In the coin flip for a live aboard boat I would go with the Mainship.

My current boat is a US built Albin which is a totally different boat the the one you guys are considering.

bayview said:

Get the one the wife likes.

Click to expand...

Very very wise answer.

That will get you on the water more and make your time onboard in the slip much more pleasant.

Welcome, the saying is that "the boat picks you" if that's not happening maybe you should continue the search.

HiDHo said:

Welcome, the saying is that "the boat picks you" if that's not happening maybe you should continue the search.

Click to expand...

Gotta admit when folks told me this before buying our boat I thought it was a load of BS. Having been through the process I'm 100% convinced that it is true. If neither of these boats chose you, and you'd know it, keep looking as soon enough one will.

Put the plus and minus points for each boat on paper (for oldies) or on a screen. Seeing it that way often helps clarify the choice between 2 courses of action. See if it helps.
If not, could be both are equally suitable, and it doesn`t matter which you choose.

Seasalt and Bayview are both wise men. I lived on a 44 MT for several years and always regretted the lousy sitting accommodations. Dinettes are NOT a place to relax. The most comfortable boats to live on in this size range are the sedan trawlers IMHO. Ben

Greetings,
Buy them both then sell the one you don't like...
?

Welcome
All boats are a compromise, take your time.

Well, I'm sure you've all been on the edge of your seat as we have been for the last two weeks but we finally decided (and had our offer accepted yesterday!) for the Mainship!

We saw both boats in the same day and the amount of living space was one decider - the other was the value. The Mainship was less expensive, in better condition, and younger by a few years.

I(Gabe) still think the Albins are a little more pleasing on the eyes and definitely more fuel efficient but ALL uses of the boat had to be considered. Not just looks

Stay tuned for survey results but we are looking to liveaboard and need to keep the ball rolling. Any suggestions for marinas on kent island? We liked Mears and Castle harbor but thought piney narrows was too loud with the bridge right there.

Congrat's, all the best!

I've never seen a boat I didn't like. My wife says a broker could make a living on just selling me boats.


Enjoy!


Steelydon

Gabe n Em said:

Well, I'm sure you've all been on the edge of your seat as we have been for the last two weeks but we finally decided (and had our offer accepted yesterday!) for the Mainship!

We saw both boats in the same day and the amount of living space was one decider - the other was the value. The Mainship was less expensive, in better condition, and younger by a few years.

I(Gabe) still think the Albins are a little more pleasing on the eyes and definitely more fuel efficient but ALL uses of the boat had to be considered. Not just looks

Stay tuned for survey results but we are looking to liveaboard and need to keep the ball rolling. Any suggestions for marinas on kent island? We liked Mears and Castle harbor but thought piney narrows was too loud with the bridge right there.

Click to expand...

I stayed out of it, because all the bon mots had been said, but I hoped you'd choose that way. We have a sedan/Europa style with two day lounges in the saloon, (no dinette, but good drop-leaf table), and we just love the indoor/outdoor livin' allowed by the rear cockpit and no aft cabin. No offence to tri-cabin owners, but, I doubt you will ever have cause to regret that decision. The number of times you take non-family away and really appreciate the added privacy of a separate aft cabin generally tends to be a lot less often that you think.

Congratulations! You should be comfortable with the extra elbow room.
Enjoy.

Congrats on your new boat.
We are cruising live-aboards on a 36 Mainship Aft Cabin. We love it. I was looking for a larger boat, however, the Admiral felt more comfortable with the 36 so the 36 it is. When we are on-the-go, she drives most of the time. Frees me up for my hourly walk-thru inspections including the bilges. About the only time she doesn't drive (steer) is when she is cooking - whatta gal.
Anyway, as long as your wife is happy, you will be happy.

Congrats

Gabe n Em said:

Stay tuned for survey results but we are looking to liveaboard and need to keep the ball rolling. Any suggestions for marinas on kent island? We liked Mears and Castle harbor but thought piney narrows was too loud with the bridge right there.

Click to expand...

You might check out Bay Bridge Marina and Lipincott's. I don't know much about the latter, but we've been in there (by land) and it looks viable... and they were (maybe still are -- or actually maybe they "are again"?) a Mainship dealer so they may be able to offer service advice and so forth. We like BBM for their floating docks, but I prefer Mears' location, and when you get further back inside the marina you're not so bothered by Red Eye's noise

Well's Cove is said to be pretty rocky/rolly... and I've heard water depth in Castle Harbor is an issue. No first-hand experience with either, though.

-Chris

steelydon said:

I've never seen a boat I didn't like. My wife says a broker could make a living on just selling me boats.
Enjoy!
Steelydon

Click to expand...

Yes, I want one of each.

Congratulations: What is the exhaust geometry like on your new to be mainship? If you don't know what I am talking about this is now a learning exercise. If I explain you will not learn as well. Go to Seaboard Marine(not the shipping co.) the engine place in CA and go to Tony's tips and read about exhaust systems. Why do I mention this out of the blue? Because many production boats cram the engines in tight spaces and the exhaust system is then make due and may get by or may not and I have heard that some models of your new boat may be suspect. Good luck.

Thanks guys for the marina tips and on the exhaust issues. I'll definitely look into both.

The sea trial went OK. We found a couple repairs needed on one engine and one transmission that the seller agreed to take care of (WOOHOO!) There are plenty of small odds and ends that we can do ourselves as well but the surveyor kept saying he was impressed for a 34 year old boat.

I guess we have to go clock in to the mainship thread now....

Gabe,
Are you looking for a place to live on the boat year round? We lived in Baltimore on our boat. One factor to consider is how the marina will provide water during the winter and if the marina has a pumpout.
Cheers,
Henry

Thanks Henry
we have a long roll up fire hose for getting water from the frost free outlets at the end of the dock in the two marinas we are looking at.

Pumpout could be an issue. The only year round pump out I have heard of is in rock hall. Know of any others?