Mainship and soft decks

[kpinnn]

As some of my other posts indicate, I am looking for a trawler style vessel to replace a planning hull express cruiser. Spped and noise is not my pleasure. Looking - looking - looking. Many possibilities but main ship keeps coming up. Problem with mainship is "Soft decks". Everyone I have seen has soft decks and oh yea so don't the teak covered CH trawlers. Teak is usually the expected culprit. Maniship on the other hand has no teak, and yet still soft problem. My question is this a problem with some part of the design of a Mainship or simply an old boat problem that was not appropriately maintained? Also, is the Mainship deck cored with plywood, I think my preferance, or balsa?

 

[jleonard]

As a former owner of a 78 Mainship 34 (for 15 years), yes soft decks are a Mainship trait on the old 34 Nantuckets. Never saw one whose decks did NOT get compromised someplace and need repair and I checked scores of boats for friends and helped many do core repair.
I repaired much of the decks on mine. Not bad work if you don't mind the mess.
Some of the deck is cored with plywood, some balsa, some foam. The mix depends on the year.
The problem stems from less than ideal designs and attachments of railings, flybridge seats, etc. and lack of maintenance both.
Past that they are great boats, very versatile, and will take more that the captain and crew can.

 

[FFishing]

+1 on the plywood

 

[twiisted71]

The sliding door and the ladder feet seemed to be the culprit on the ones I looked at. I found 2 out of a dozen that weren't rotted/sagging. I bought one of those, they are few and far between. If you find one, my advice is grab it and enjoy!

 

[Dream Trawl]

Is there some sort of rule of thumb method for a novice to determine "soft decking"? Is the condition obvious or does it take a professional to discover this issue? I walked on two last weekend and didn't notice any indications but I was, and still am, skeptical.

 

[twiisted71]

The easiest places I found were to look aft from the engine compartment at that bulkhead. Stick your head down in the cockpit hatch look forward above the water tank that many have there. Always carry a flashlight and never be bashful about looking EVERYWHERE, you'll be looking there if you have to fix it.

Sometimes though "you has to pay you money and takes you chances". I 'm not usually a proponent of surveyors, but if unsure of your evaluating skills regarding soundness, a Mainship's propensity for deck issues has me saying perhaps you should get someone who knows them and what to look for. It can be money well spent. Few things more aggravating than a dream that turns into a nightmare!

 

[jleonard]

If you look at the TOP of the sliding door from a short distance, if it is a "smile" then the bulkhead below is rotted and is sagging. If the top is straight, then it is still sound (however it may still be wet).
I suggest buying a moisture meter. Cheap investment and while not 100%, they give you an indication.
Like I said I never saw a 100% dry Mainship 34. Never. (Except for mine right after I fixed everything)
Actually fixing the cockpit deck is the easiest are to repair. So don't sweat that. The side decks were a real *itch because I fixed mine from inside.

 

[twiisted71]

JL did you replace your cockpit's top layer of glass or did you do the digout/tap-in wood replacement I've seen some do?


Oh yeah, in addition to the "smiling" door, the side decks aren't supposed to noticeably slant inward. I went to see a boat in Fort L'dale that bad a bad cockpit (slider was off its track so you could enter/exit), cabin top held water on the flybridge it was so gone and the side decks sloped inward to the point that the entire house had to have sank 3-4 inches, none of the windows would open and all of the frames had daylight around them, it had a Lehman and a ball of rust that he swore was a working transmission! I couldn't find the dipstick!! and he'd just let a friend take his family to the Bahamas for 2 weeks on it! He wanted $25K for it and told me on the phone that it was in great shape! I had just left one in much better shape that needed the engine reassembled, asking $8K and wanted offers!! Prices are all over the board and its definitely buyer beware!

 

[jleonard]

I only had to re-glass a small area around the base of the ladder in the cockpit.
I re-cored close to 1/2 of the flybridge, a large areas on the bow/foredeck, and both side decks.
The side decks were a PIA as I did them from below so I wouldn't have to grind them as there is not much room to work in. I left the outer skin in place and replaced coring (plywood) and all the backing plates for the stanchions and cleats.
I also replaced the rotted balsa on the bridge with plywood. There were places where the balsa was so saturated it squeezed like a sponge.

 

[grateful]

I am getting ready to redo the flybridge never done that before, wish me luck

 

[Hullbilly]

looking for info on main 34 swim platform,mine was ripped up in the port corner.what to do. thanks

 

[Hullbilly]

or tell me the right place to post this for help''

 

[ranger58sb]

looking for info on main 34 swim platform,mine was ripped up in the port corner.what to do. thanks

or tell me the right place to post this for help''

Probably this is the right place... but it might help if you start a separate thread on the question, and also hum a few bars about which kind of Mainship and what kind of swim platform you're talking about. ('70s/'80s 34? 2000-something? Or...)

-Chris

 

[jleonard]

looking for info on main 34 swim platform,mine was ripped up in the port corner.what to do. thanks

An old 34? If you can "splice" in some teak strips the repair can be pretty easy. Just a matter of lots of screws. Old teak platforms are pretty available, most of them would work, just take it apart and reuse the teak as required.
I actually bought a complete one for $75 from a Mainshipper who built a new one out of the plastic teak. I took it all apart and added 7 inches to my Albin platform.

 

[bturp]

Are soft decks mainly on the 34s or on 390s and 400s as well? Any suggestions on where a decent mositure meter can be purchased - preferences??

 

[ronlord]

Are soft decks mainly on the 34s or on 390s and 400s as well? Any suggestions on where a decent mositure meter can be purchased - preferences??

No issues yet with our 1997 Mainship 350 decks.

 

[johnma]

no problems with my 2003 390
john

 

[Earl34Mainship]

no soft decks with my 2005 34' fly bridge...

 

[Mule]

Are soft decks mainly on the 34s or on 390s and 400s as well? Any suggestions on where a decent mositure meter can be purchased - preferences??

1982 Mainship I Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Or you can make a deal with me on this.
EVERYTHING, is done, read the specs.
The biggest problem on these boats is not the plywood but the end grain balsa. Water gets in and runs around like little rivers all over the place. The doors are 30+- so they are worn out the interiors are dated, the window fur is rotted, the monkey fur looks like crap in the v berth. The engines are Perkins, not my fav, and on and on and on. I know all this because I have addressed it all with my $ and labor.

 

[trawlin]

Hello All. This has been a very interesting thread.

I've found a fresh water 77 Silverton 34T that is decent structurally/ mechanically and priced with right. It's intended purpose is Great Lakes and Loop.

As expected, it does have soft front deck, most of the bow area in front of the raised Vberth would need to be addressed. (The rest of the boat is good enough)

Are there are health risks for example with mold or releasing of any chemicals? I’ll likely wait a few years and enjoy the boat as is.

It looks like some of you have done this type of work. What do you think it’d be like taking on project like this?

Thanks.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. The soft decks are very prevalent in them and many other boats. Mine has had several sections recored. It is easy technically but just grunt work. Cut the deck, pick off the top fiberglass, remove rotten core. Clean and sand area and epoxy in new core. Use thickened epoxy to reset the top fiberglass and weight it down. BTW, before you start reinforce the deck from below so it doesn’t sag or loose the camber. I lay at least a layer of 1708 over the cuts after grinding the cut down a bit so the 1708 will be flush. Fair the deck to your satisfaction and paint the decks. I like Kiwigrip because you don’t have to really fair the deck out perfectly as it will cover minor imperfections very well. And it is really tough stuff. As far as mold, I think that if there is any it will be contained within the upper and lower layers of fiberglass so use masks and PPE when removing the top deck layer. Good luck.

 

[Comodave]

And after you go to all the work of repairing the deck, go to Compass Marine’s web site and bed all your deck fittings per his instructions.

 

[Bacchus]

And after you go to all the work of repairing the deck, go to Compass Marine’s web site and bed all your deck fittings per his instructions.

Agree but would add to do a solid fill in areas of mounting so you avoid the possibility of a repeat. Once top is removed and old core cleaned out use the top to mark penetration areas and do solid epoxy / poly / glass fill as you rebuild.

 

[lipets]

I was talking to glass guy that does it for a living, he cuts the deck glass out very neatly, lifts it out then saves it to replace after the core is cleaned out.


then he just leaves the seam of the piece smooth so the non skid blends in for the most part.


A DIY can handle it, not major.

 

[trawlin]

Thank you all for your feedback. It gives me a good idea of what I'd be getting into.

 

[mgardner]

soft cabin top

look at my photos. took 3x as much time and money as I figured. its doable and no issue to do in smaller sections

 

[garmstro55]

My 2004 400 did have a soft upper deck, from the top of the stairs almost to the helm seat. Before I bought it, the boat never had a full enclosure, only a bimini with no side curtains so rain constantly washed the deck.

I had the repairs done last winter. The glass guy removed a good chunk of the floor and dug out the balsa. He replaced the core and epoxied everything before glassing it in. He then sanded the rest of the floor smooth and applied Awlgrip with a sand non-skid. Total was $5000. If I had wanted the diamond non-skid that was there, he would have had to make molds and the price tripled. Bottom line: it looks great, matches perfectly and is very solid.

Glass guy thinks the water got in through the screw holes fastening the table to the floor. Now we have a full enclosure so it won't be as exposed to rain as before.

 

[trawlin]

Thanks all for your feedback. I've decided to search for another boat.