Looking to tour a Mainship 400 trawler (early 2000's and up)

Are there any Mainship 400 owners in the Massachusetts area that would be kind enough to show me their boat?? I'm also totally fine with paying for your time and inconvenience.

The 400 trawler is on my list for a potential next boat. I'd love to possibly get on one locally first before I arrange a showing to look at a boat that's in another state.

Thanks!

If you don't get a response from a closer owner, here is a boat for sale in Mystic, Ct- https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2005/Mainship-400-Trawler-3231377/Mystic/CT/United-States


Call the broker and ask to see the boat.


David

David, I went to see the the one in Mystic! Very nice and still in the water. Loved the covered side decks, HUGE ER, grille/wet bar on the bridge and having a stern thruster (and bow thruster).

I didn't like how there was no side door or pass through on the cockpit sides. Not a deal breaker but you have to climb over to get to the docks from the cockpit and keep a ladder on the dock for entry. Obviously you can go from the swim platform too....

Very nice model and I liked the interior a lot! Good and beamy. Lots of great space utilization. I like having the galley up and more useable space in the cockpit. The guest stateroom was pretty small (2 bunks) but would still work. The master SR is a decent size.

Nice rig. I like it a lot. It's definitely high on my list.

South of Heaven said:

I didn't like how there was no side door or pass through on the cockpit sides. Not a deal breaker but you have to climb over to get to the docks from the cockpit and keep a ladder on the dock for entry. Obviously you can go from the swim platform too....

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This is a must-have in my search. A passage from either the sides of the cockpit, or (better) from the swim platform because my marina has floating docks. Physical challenges are driving boat selection to a very large degree, and things like the stairway to the fly bridge are also virtually must-haves. Such things are what keeps bringing me back to the Mainships, and I really like the 400's, but the 350/390 is probably going to be where we land.

Jason , Tom,

If I'm interpreting your comments correctly you are looking for a "Tuna" door off the side deck/ aft deck on Stbd side for dock access?

Our MS is a 34 but similar arrangement to the 400 - door to swim platform step to gunwale on Stbd / port. Our home dock is fixed a fairly high so we use the side step / gunwale access. When traveling and at floating docks the tuna door makes for an easy access and the vertical flybridge deck support makes for a good handhold for entry / exit to swim platform.

I also modified the fwd Stbd rail to add a "gate" that provides an easy access for the exceptionally high mooring walls that we encounter in some locations. We now have 3 options for entry / exit depending on height of docks.

If side door is a must the Beneteau's have one on Stbd side and one to swim platform except they put the aft door on the (Port) wrong side IMO - requires stepping over swim ladder and a dingy on Weaver davits would be in the way.

Bacchus said:

Jason , Tom,

If I'm interpreting your comments correctly you are looking for a "Tuna" door off the side deck/ aft deck on Stbd side for dock access?

Our MS is a 34 but similar arrangement to the 400 - door to swim platform step to gunwale on Stbd / port. Our home dock is fixed a fairly high so we use the side step / gunwale access. When traveling and at floating docks the tuna door makes for an easy access and the vertical flybridge deck support makes for a good handhold for entry / exit to swim platform.

I also modified the fwd Stbd rail to add a "gate" that provides an easy access for the exceptionally high mooring walls that we encounter in some locations. We now have 3 options for entry / exit depending on height of docks.

If side door is a must the Beneteau's have one on Stbd side and one to swim platform except they put the aft door on the (Port) wrong side IMO - requires stepping over swim ladder and a dingy on Weaver davits would be in the way.

Click to expand...

I don't want to hijack the OP's thread, so I'll just say that the side door is a nice-to-have, while the swim platform door is a must-have and deal breaker if not present. Best if the cockpit sole is the same elevation as the swim platform. It's all about mobility issues and being able to step directly from the floating dock to the swim platform to the cockpit and into the cabin. A step up from the swim platform to the cockpit is probably ok, like my FIL's KK42, but the fewer steps the better.

A fly bridge is also a must-have (though I really like the classic look of your 34HT ), and that means stairs, not a ladder. And that limits the field all the way down to Mainships, unless someone knows of another that fits the bill. I've been hanging around here reading and researching, and independently since well before that, and I've not seen anything with those features yet other than the MS's.

Oh, and a lower helm with a starboard side door to the outside decks with full walk-around access, again for mobility issues and the fact that it's almost always best for me to single-hand, even with crew, like I've always done on sailboats (including boats well into the upper 30 ft range). It's just how it is and has to be.

I'll leave it at that, as it's not my thread (my apologies, South of Heaven). But to the OP's point, the MS400 is almost ideal, though a bit bigger than I really need. A single screw would make it even better, but I haven't seen one yet.

You can walk through the walk-through transom to the swim platform, then step to the dock from the swim platform.

I doubt you're going to find any trawlers under 50 feet with a walk-through gunnel. I've started seeing a few center consoles with this feature for swimming and diving, but I also find most of these also have outboards, so they are really attempting to address a different problem.

Thanks guys. Yes, the gunnel walkthrough is just a wish and not a want. I know its hard to find that in trawlers.

The 400 trawler is pretty sweet though! I really like it.

The Benetau 34 & 44 STs have both the stbd side and aft doors. The aft door strikes me as being placed on the wrong side of the swim platform.