Considering a Mainship 34???

[rwthomas1]

Hello All,
I'm in the process of selling my Ericson 38 sailboat. I have a two year old and just last week my Wife delivered twin boys. Given that I did very little sailing last season, I'm guessing that the next few years will be the same. Sailing for the fun of it, is not fun anymore. With one on board it was difficult, with three it will be impossible. So not wanting to give up on the water I would like to move to a "downeast" style or "fast" trawler type for the next few years.

That searching has brought me to the '80's Mainship 34's. They seem to have what I want. 10-12Kt cruise (with the higher HP engine) reasonable fuel burn, reasonable size, decent sea-keeping in the pseudo-downeast hull form, and accomodations for a night or two, interior driving station, etc.

My boating area is Narragansett Bay in RI with occasional trips to Cuttyhunk and Block Island. Most likely we will remain in the bay with trips less than 10 miles or so.

So is this a reasonable expectation for this boat? Obviously it won't be the most comfortable option with the Wife and I on a pull out in the salon, but we can deal with that. Seems like a lot of boat for the money.

Any problems I need to look out for? Better engine options? Better features, mk1 vs mk11 vs mk111?

TIA, RT

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. rw. Welcome aboard and congratulations on the new family members. Your joining this forum couldn't have come at a better time as you are now eminently qualified to comment on the Single vs. Twins thread!

 

[Keith]

Greetings,
Mr. rw. Welcome aboard and congratulations on the new family members. Your joining this forum couldn't have come at a better time as you are now eminently qualified to comment on the Single vs. Twins thread!

Troublemaker!

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Who? Me?

 

[LaBomba]

We looked at a number of Mainship 34's before buying our boat. I found soft spots in the rear deck on one and the front deck of another. They are only as good as the care they have been given. Make sure you get a good survey, but I liked the style as well.

 

[jleonard]

I'm a former owner of a 1978 Mainship model I that I had for 15 years. The original 160 hp Perkins was anemic but ok if you like to run at 9 knot cruise max. I repowered with a Cummins 6BTA at 270 HP and it made a much better boat. I could easily cruise at 15 knots, and at 9 knots gave better economy that the Perkins.
So my opinion is go with a min of 200 HP.
Personally I like the model I the best because of the cockpit overhang, and the teak interiors, however they need a transom door. That might make the model III better as they all had doors, , but I don't care for the oak inside. But that is easily changed.
We had a complete cockpit enclosure from the previous owner, and although we didn't use it often, it was nice in the spring and fall when we knew we'd be dockbound.
The soft decks can be fixed, and easy job if you don't mind a mess.
These are great boats and are extremely versatile. Plus in the RI area there is a large owners group for support.
If you have any specific questions you can e mail me privately. I know many of the old Mainships in your area and might know some history of specific boats.
Jay

 

[rwthomas1]

Thanks for the input. I'm primarily looking at the higher HP engines. At least 200hp, some I'm seeing have had major engine work done to upgrade to 250+hp. Seems like thats the way I need to go to get 12-14kt cruise speeds. Glass work doesn't scare me, just want to make sure the boat is a solid design providing a decent ride in the Block Island and Buzzards Bay snot.

RT