Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-14-2015, 09:11 PM   #1
Member
 
City: Punta Gorda, FL
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Mainship Pilot 30

Hello All,

I have just sold my sailboat and have begun shopping for a mainship 30 or 34. I am curious to know if anyone can give some insight into the boats with a 240 HP engine. Does it feel underpowered? Are you confident it has the power to get you out of a sticky situation?

Thanks for your help.
perse111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 05:00 AM   #2
Veteran Member
 
City: Palm Coast, Florida
Vessel Model: Boston Whaler
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 78
I had a 1999 with the 240 (4LHSTE) and it ran great, easy on to plane with trim tabs and would cruise on plane at 2,800 RPM while burning 4 gallons per hour.
Flatsflyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 07:46 AM   #3
Member
 
City: Punta Gorda, FL
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Hey Flatsflyer

Thanks for the info.

Where was your cruising terroitory? Fresh water or salt?

Thanks again.
perse111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 09:59 AM   #4
Guru
 
Codger2's Avatar
 
City: San Diego
Vessel Name: Circuit Breaker
Vessel Model: 2021..22' Duffy Cuddy cabin
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,691
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flatsflyer View Post
I had a 1999 with the 240 (4LHSTE) and it ran great, easy on to plane with trim tabs and would cruise on plane at 2,800 RPM while burning 4 gallons per hour.
+1 My 99 had a Cummins 220 and also climed on plane at about 12 knots.

New owner...Not me.
Attached Thumbnails
IMG_2462.jpg  
__________________
Done with diesel power boats! Have fallen in love with all electric!
Codger2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 11:16 AM   #5
Member
 
City: Punta Gorda, FL
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Thanks codger2

I like the Cummins too. Was service easy to perform? Parts accessible and fairly priced?

I live in SW FLA and cruise Charlotte Harbor, ICW, and gulf down to naples, marco island, and the Keys. And want to make sure I have the power I need while in the gulf.


Thanks again
perse111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 11:19 AM   #6
TF Site Team/Forum Founder
 
Baker's Avatar
 
City: League City, Tx
Vessel Name: Floatsome & Jetsome
Vessel Model: Meridian 411
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,332
I have written some very long and thorough posts about tons of info you'd find helpful. I will see if I can find it. I had a 2004 Pilot2 with the 240hp -STP engine. I thought the boat ran just fine with that power. 15kts@2800rpm. Let me see if I can find my other posts.
__________________
Prairie 29...Perkins 4236...Sold
Mainship Pilot 30...Yanmar 4LHA-STP...Sold
Carver 356...T-Cummins 330B...Sold
Meridian 411...T-Cummins 450C
Baker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 11:24 AM   #7
TF Site Team/Forum Founder
 
Baker's Avatar
 
City: League City, Tx
Vessel Name: Floatsome & Jetsome
Vessel Model: Meridian 411
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,332
Here ya go....

<<I owned a 2004 Mainship Pilot for 6 years. It is about the most perfect DAY boat or picnic boat you can reasonably have. I say day boat because overnight accommodations are pretty slim. It is the only reason I sold that boat. It was just too small. In 2003 and later they made significant hull modifications as well as interior changes. The hull they made more into a planing type hull. It is still a semi planing hull but they just flattened it out a little sooner which means it was a a little faster. While theoretically it should ride rougher due to the flattening of the hull, it did not. They also put the prop up into a pocket which made the thrust vector more parallel to the longitudinal axis...again, increasing performance. The keep was cutaway after the prop exited the hull about midship to provide for the flatter after sections. It is still provided a strut as well as a "sandshoe" all the way back to the rudder. All of this really did help performance. I cruised easily at 15 knots with the 4LHA. A close friend of mine has a 1998with only 10 less horsepower and they cruise at 13 at the same power setting. With all of that said, I like the earlier interior better. The 2003 and later were subject to market pressures of adding a fold out centerline queen. When that bed was folded up it pretty much completely blocked off the forward 12 feet of the cabin....whereas the older boats had a V-berth and you could access the entire area all the way up to the forpeak. It just gave a feeling of more space....and you need every bit of that feeling on that boat!!! Given the choice....I would still take the newer boats and their performance. BUT given a clean slate....I would take new boat hull and engine with old interior.
NOW....all of this can be remedied if you went with the 34. Still not a big boat. BUT, much more space than the 30.

You also have to be honest with yourself in how you are going to use it. If all you are going to do is use it mostly as a day boat....then the 30 will serve wonderfully!!! If you are going to spend a lot of time overnight.....then I would stretch for the 34. Seriously, overnighters on the smaller boat are a challenge. There is absolutely NO storage...ok a little...but it is minimal and you are constantly rearranging your shit just so you can walk around.>>

I have written more than this. If you have to patience to search my posts you might find more.
__________________
Prairie 29...Perkins 4236...Sold
Mainship Pilot 30...Yanmar 4LHA-STP...Sold
Carver 356...T-Cummins 330B...Sold
Meridian 411...T-Cummins 450C
Baker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 12:14 PM   #8
Valued Technical Contributor
 
DavidM's Avatar
 
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,784
I own a Pilot 34 with the single Yanmar 370 and have cruised a bit on the 2003+ Pilot 30.

First the 30: As others have said it is small and you would probably feel cramped in anything more than an overnighter. The 240 hp engine provides acceptable performance- 15 kt cruise, but I would prefer the Yanmar 6LP 315 hp engine. That will cruise in the upper teens and not stress the engine at all.

Now the 34: We have cruised for 6-7 days at a time and it is reasonably comfortable. Fridge capacity will be tight, but there is enough space for everything else. It does have the feel of a picnic boat with its two vinyl cushioned settees behind the helms. Not at all like the bigger Mainship 34T which has a real cabin. But that is a different boat.

The single Yanmar lets it cruise at 14+ kts. I do my own maintenance and would not consider the twin 240 hp version. There is no room to work on the outboard side of the engines.

David
DavidM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 08:50 PM   #9
Veteran Member
 
City: Palm Coast, Florida
Vessel Model: Boston Whaler
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 78
You can say it's just a day boat, but we spent 6 weeks on her one year. Left St. Augustine and went to the Keys. Took 5 days to get to Key West, spend three weeks running around the reefs. Spent every night either in a marina or on the hook. Ours had a Sea Power 5.0 Kw Generator driven of the Yanmar. At idle the genny ran everything onboard. The only problem was that the elbow tended to coke up when running the Yanmar at idle overnight.


Another trip was across Big "O" down the West Coast and on to the Keys, we eventually sold her and ended up with a 35' CT Sundeck with twin Lymens. Sold her last year and only have the Boston Whaler now. Thinking of possibly buying another Pilot 30 as that was the "BEST" boat I've ever own and I've owned tons of them.
Flatsflyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2015, 10:34 PM   #10
Master and Commander
 
markpierce's Avatar
 
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
Perse, how did you come to focus on a Mainship 30/34? What features appeal to you as compared to other boats? Just curious; not questioning the decision.
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
markpierce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2015, 05:22 PM   #11
Member
 
City: Punta Gorda, FL
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Thanks to everyone for your help. I was a little reluctant about the smaller engine but now I might consider it.

I would really prefer a 34 but not very many available in my price range.

A friend owns a 34 so he got me interested in Mainship. What other brands are worth looking at? I am new to power boats so please excuse my ignorance.

Thanks again
perse111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2015, 05:28 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
wyoboater's Avatar
 
City: Clear Lake Shores,Tx
Vessel Name: In Disguise
Vessel Model: 1985 Mainship 40 DC
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 483
Have you ever checked out yachtworld? If you go to their website, you can put in your criteria including your price range. Then, every week, they'll send you boats that fit into the criteria...that way, you can check out all makes, as well as get a feel for the boat styles you might be interested in...then, when you start narrowing it down, you can be a little more specific about the boats that make your short list. That's how I spend my first year "on the hunt". Which saved a LOT of travel money that would cut into the actual boat money I could spend.
wyoboater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2015, 06:40 PM   #13
Valued Technical Contributor
 
DavidM's Avatar
 
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,784
If you want that downeaster style you probably are not going to find any better deal than a Mainship.

The bespoke Maine downeasters when finished for cruising are $50K more than a Mainship for the same size. A 35' Duffy finished for cruising will run in the upper $100s whereas a Mainship Pilot 34 will run in the lower $100s for the same age boat.

Or a Back Cove 29 will also run $50K more than a similar aged Pilot 30.

But if a flybridge trawler will do, then the possibilities multiply greatly.

David
DavidM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 09:43 AM   #14
Member
 
City: PORT CHARLOTTE
Vessel Name: ANDANTE'
Vessel Model: Mainship Pilot 30...1998
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 21
I do not think you will have any problem with that amount of horsepower. I sold my sailboat and purchased a 1998 pilot 30 with the 175 HP Yanmar in it. Being a sailor all my life, doing 12-13 knots is fine with me! I boat out of Port Charlotte and we often do the trips you say you will be doing. We only made it to the Keys once, but do the Everglades often. As far as space down below, mot people are correct when they say it is tight. But, we have a full enclosure and I have a real nice cot I put outside as my bunk! If you are over in Cayo Costa sometime and se a dark blue color boat named Andante, stop and say hi!
ALAN54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 10:16 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
City: MD
Vessel Name: Blue Yonder
Vessel Model: 37
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 346
Quote:
Originally Posted by perse111 View Post
Thanks to everyone for your help. I was a little reluctant about the smaller engine but now I might consider it.

I would really prefer a 34 but not very many available in my price range.

A friend owns a 34 so he got me interested in Mainship. What other brands are worth looking at? I am new to power boats so please excuse my ignorance.

Thanks again
Not sure what your price range is. The Pearson True North 33 is might be worth looking at. Maybe an Albin 31?
BlueYonder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2015, 11:33 AM   #16
Member
 
City: Punta Gorda, FL
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Hey Alan54

Thanks for the info. I am starting to feel more comfortable with smaller HP.


We live in PGI so should definitely run into each other one day soon.

How long have you had your boat? Did fuel cost give you sticket shock? Do you maintain your engine yourself?

Thanks

Jeff
perse111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2015, 10:55 AM   #17
Member
 
City: PORT CHARLOTTE
Vessel Name: ANDANTE'
Vessel Model: Mainship Pilot 30...1998
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 21
Hi Jeff,
We have had this boat for about 1 year now. The boat was mostly kept in covered storage with less than 600 hours on the Yanmar. This engine, while a bit slower than the higher hp's ones, is really efficient as far as fuel mileage goes. When I need fuel, I call one of the local companies that sends a small tanker truck out to my home. (75 gallons Minimum)
This is less expensive than a marina.
I only do basic engine work, but will hire a diesel mechanic when or if, I have any problems.
ALAN54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2015, 02:08 PM   #18
Member
 
City: Punta Gorda, FL
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
hey alan,


Any regrets with the dark blue hull? They are certainly beautiful.....
perse111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2015, 02:32 PM   #19
Member
 
City: PORT CHARLOTTE
Vessel Name: ANDANTE'
Vessel Model: Mainship Pilot 30...1998
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 21
Not one regret at all!!! I really like dark hull boats and even after 16 years, the color and finish is great on my boat.
ALAN54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2015, 08:26 AM   #20
Member
 
City: Punta Gorda, FL
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Is your hull Awlgrip? Friends are trying to talk me out of dark hull. They say the color attracts/holds more heat and makes cabin hotter. There is a dark blue hull 30 in maryland i would like to go see.
perse111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012