Mainship Advice

[Buster]

Mainship 34 Flybridge. Looking at a 2005. I was told that did not handle well and not maintain cruising speed at economical rpm's. Any advice?

 

[Baker]

There is a thread that was just started about this exact boat. There are a few folks on here that own this boat so hopefully they will chime in. Let me see if I can find the link to that thread.

 

[Baker]

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s11/need-info-34-mainship-trawler-20929.html#post345317

 

[Buster]

Thanks Baker, I appreciate the response.

 

[Keysdisease]

I'm curious where you "heard" that information?

Mainship 34 Flybridge. Looking at a 2005. I was told that did not handle well and not maintain cruising speed at economical rpm's. Any advice?

 

[Buster]

Heard from someone who actually drove that model.

 

[DavidM]

I owned a 2006 34T several years ago and posted my likes and dislikes on the referenced thread. To your specific questions:


The 34T handles just about like any other flybridge trawler. If you don't like how they handle then you don't want that kind of boat. They S turn in a following sea with a standard autopilot but a gyro option smooth it out fine. Again just like any other flybridge trawler.


It does have a high center of gravity just like any other flybridge trawler, but with its 14' beam there really is no stability issue unless you have a dozen friends up on the flybridge underway.


With the 370 hp Yanmar single it cruises at 12 kts and 2,800 rpm and tops out at about 17 kts. At 12 kts it is burning 10-12 gph. Just like any similar flybridge trawler. The twin Yanmar 240s will do a few knots more.


So the message is: it handles and cruises like any other semi-displacement flybridge trawler such as a Beneteau Swift Trawler, etc. I believe that the layout and accommodations are perfect for a couple. Mainships are built to a price but I haven't seen any real compromises there. It is a great value.


David

 

[LongJohn]

My 2005 34T and I are just getting acquainted. Single Yanmar 370 runs 8 mph at 1600 rpm, 20 mph at 3400 rpm. I just drove it ~1100 miles from Joliet Il to Knoxville Tn on less than 400 gallons of fuel, mostly at 1200-1600 rpm with consideration of 5-6 mph following current on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. It throws a considerable wake at > 8 mph that upsets small boats on the rivers, so 8 is my economical cruise speed. I didn't find it uncomfortable on the flybridge except in the angry 3 foot chop passing St Louis. As with all 'affordable' boats, there are some things that I think could have been designed/constructed better, but overall I'm happy with mine.