1978 Mainship Trawler 34' $35,500

[boomerang]

After cruising Yellowbird pretty seriously for the last few years, we've decided to start looking for a boat that might check off one or 2 more boxes on the pipe dream boat in our future.
In 2016 we bought Yellowbird knowing that we both wanted to cruise but with neither of us having much cruising experience. I have a lifetime of boating experience and Liz had almost none, but we knew a couple of things we needed to start off with. A large, uncramped, flybridge to enjoy the sights and entertain, a decent size salon area *with* a lower station, a capable galley and a head with a separate stall shower. We also had a budget since we still had school-age kids living at home. We felt we wanted it to be 35' or under. I think we got really lucky choosing this one, since it was all that we wanted to be able to begin cruising comfortably.
We started off completely rebuilding Yellowbird during the early spring of '17 and have continually been upgrading ever since, all while using it & refining our upgrades to our cruising needs.
Below is a list of things we've added and it is in no way a comprehensive accounting of everything that's been done but it does give an indication of the attention the boat has received during our ownership.

Exterior:
All of the horizontal decking (with the exception of the cockpit and cockpit decks; they were fine) has been replaced with marine plywood and then reglassed. The entire flybridge was removed to insure a proper job.
I built, out of laminated marine plywood, a platform to raise the height of the anchor windlass to the anchor level for correct retrieval. It's glassed onto the deck as an integral assembly.
Rocna Vulcan 35lb anchor, 65' 3/8 galvanized BBB chain, 200' 1/2" rode all new ‘21
Simpson/Lawrence Seawolf anchor windlass with deck switch & remote control fob
Raw water anchor washdown
(3) ​12" bow cleats (one for the anchor)
(4) 10" spring cleats (Mainship just had 1 on each side)
Beckson portlights replaced
Cockpit seawater washdown
Cockpit fresh water shower (cold)
Roto-molded propane locker f/ 20lb tank
Motor mount for dinghy motor
Indirect 12v cockpit lighting

Stateroom:
Headliner replaced
Hanging locker cedar-lined
12v & USB outlets throughout
(2) Beckson portlights w/ screens
Light tackle rod hanging storage for 2 rods under decks

Head:
Full head with separate shower stall (faucet added for shower wand in stall)
Dometic head w/ integral holding tank
New Y-valve, plumbing, deck pump out. Rebuilt macerator w/ new Groco overboard seacock
Beckson portlight w/ screen
Exhaust vent
Shower sump (air conditioner also plumbed into sump)
Recessed medicine cabinet

Galley:
2-burner propane stove w/ remote propane valve & fume detector
12v refrigerator/freezer
Microwave
Dedicated outlets for shore power and inverter power
Lots of storage
Beckson portlight w/ screen

Salon (Saloon for Mr RTF & Head Mistress ):
Window blinds
Smart TV w/ external antenna
Fusion Bluetooth stereo w/ cockpit & salon speakers (2 zone)
12v & USB outlets throughout
Sofa & chairs, teak table (2) tall directors chairs for use while running from lower station)

Lower helm:
Garmin 741xs w/ 50/200kHz in-hull transducer. Interfaced to all other electronics via NMEA 0183,NMEA2000 & Network for radar,AIS,etc
Raymarine ST6002 autopilot control
Hawkeye digital depth w/ in-hull transducer
Uniden VHF
Perko battery selector switch f/ house panel
PanelTronics switch/fuse panel for pumps (pump switch-on indicator @ upper helm)
PanelTronics DC house breaker panel w/ volt/amp meters
Inverter remote control switch
Engine start battery remote switch
House battery bank SOC meter
Windlass main power switch
110v House breaker panel
AC source selector switch
110v shore power breaker panel
110v generator breaker panel (for use with portable generator)
Shakespeare wifi signal receiver with wireless router
Ongaro windshield wiper
Morse engine controls & cables

Flybridge:
Garmin 741xs w/ Airmar 150M chirp thru-hull transducer. Interfaced to all other electronics via nmea 0183, nmea2000 & network
Garmin GMR18HD radar on custom aluminum mast also supporting anchor light and Shakespeare 2020 TV antenna
Vesper XB-8000 AIS with wifi
Raymarine ST6002 autopilot control
Standard GX2150 VHF w/ hailer/fog horn
Icom M330 VHF
Fusion Bluetooth stereo w/ speakers
Morse engine controls w/ cables
12v & USB outlets
Drink holders throughout

Engine Room/Mechanical areas
Engine removed, seals & gaskets replaced (NO LEAKS!) ‘21
Exhaust manifold replaced ‘19
Exhaust riser replaced’19
Turbo replaced ‘19
Clutch completely rebuilt ‘21
Clutch damper plate replaced ‘21
Clutch coupling engine side replaced ‘21
Circulating pump replaced ‘21
Starter & Solenoid replaced ‘18
Cooling system services,cleaned & tested ‘21
Alternator replaced 65A ( new spare onboard)’20
Raw water pump rebuilt (rebuilt spare onboard) ‘21
10,000 BTU Reverse cycle heating/air conditioning
Engine-fired cabin heater
Quick/Nautic 6 gal 110v/engine-coolant fired water heater ‘20
(2) Remote fuel filters (for each tank) w/ all new fuel plumbing
12v electric fuel priming pump (also backup fuel pump for engine mechanical lift pump)
Perko 1 ½” seacock with external strainer
Raritan seawater strainer
Fresh water flush/winterization valve installed after strainer (engine flushed after each use)
NAPA group 31 engine battery
(3) NAPA group 27 house batteries (270AH total)
Samlex True sinewave 1500w inverter
Blue Seas remote battery on/off switches for inverter & engine
Blue Seas ACR automatic charging relay for house/engine batteries from engine. Remote control at lower helm
ProMariner 50A charger
Rule 1500 bilge pump (indicator @ both helms)
Amarine 500 bilge pump (indicator @ both helms)
ACME 3kW shore power transformer (No GFI dock pedestal worries!)
Jabsco Par-Max domestic water pump
Rudder & propeller shafts repacked
External sintered bronze grounding plate using 8ga tinned marine cable for most of the bonding connections.
LED lighting in the engine room and equipment room under cockpit.

This list of stuff; in addition, most of the DC wiring and a lot of the AC wiring has been replaced since we’ve owned the boat.

Mainship 1978 Trawler $35,500.
LOA: 34’
Beam: 12’
Draft: 3’
Height to top of radar: 17’
Weight: advertised 14000 lbs but I’d guess it’s more like 18000 now.
Engine: Perkins 6.354 160 HP approx 3600 hours
Wheel: New in ‘19 Michigan 20x20x 1 ½” 3 blade (spare 4-blade onboard)
Cruise: @ 1650 7-7.5 knots 1850 8-8.5 kts 2550 WOT (Tachs not calibrated) 10-11 kts
Fuel: 220 gal in (2) 110 gal tanks (new fuel senders)
Water: 40 gal

The boat is turn-key and we just finished a 450 mile trip from the Chesapeake Bay to South of Myrtle Beach @ Bucksport Marina with ZERO issues, mechanical or otherwise.
We’re headed back to the boat after Liz goes on Christmas vacation where we’ll continue cruising the Southern latitudes of the US East Coast.

If interested, call or text me @ 804-436-6772 or email: shawnfay2016@gmail or PM me on TF with questions and the current location.

 

[boomerang]

I'll take and post some better pictures of the stateroom, head, galley & everything else when I go back down to the boat tomorrow.

 

[Srbenda]

When will you be in Beaufort/ Hilton Head area?

 

[boomerang]

When will you be in Beaufort/ Hilton Head area?

We're not sure now. We were going to spend Christmas Eve & Christmas Day in Beaufort but now we're going to hang out in Georgetown, SC for the holidays. Both of our schedules kind of changed due to work and personal reasons so it's likely the boat will remain in the Myrtle Beach area for a while, possibly until we head back home next spring, unless the boat is sold.

 

[Larry M]

She’s beautiful! We had a 1981 and ours wouldn’t hold a candle to YellowBird.

 

[Art]

Damn Boomerang... She seems better than new!! Good job!!!

 

[Dwk]

she is better than new!

I've seen YellowBird at its home dock when Shawn offered to install our autopilot in 2019. At that time I thought he was finished until Shawn explain that a slight oil leak was something he would not tolerate. So this spring,out comes the engine,clutch and all things associated with the engine being removed. No oil absortion pads for him! YellowBird is truly better than new in all respects. Have look at the listing. Someone is going to get a turn key boat that has many professionally completed upgrades without compromise. I would wish Shawn and Liz good luck with the sale but it ain't about luck,this gem won't be on the market long!

 

[swboater]

Great job. We have a 1979 and hope to get mine that nice.

 

[cavelamb]

email sent

 

[boomerang]

Haha Larry, Art & David , you guys are too kind. We really do like everything about it. I just feel that we're moving towards a more extended cruising lifestyle and that something a little bigger might suit us better.
Swboater, time and money will make your boat as nice as you want it to be. It took us 4 years to get our boat to the condition that it's in now. I refuse to add up what we have in it but I guarantee we're not making a profit on the sale!

 

[boomerang]

As promised, I took some pictures when we were onboard for the weekend to better show the boat and it's layout.
Some outside pictures. I forgot to bring up the cushions for the bridge seats but they're the same color as the bimini. Blue.

 

[boomerang]

Interior pics of the stateroom. The original brochure claims the lower bunk is a double but it ain't! I thought about adding 6" to the width of the lower and it would be ok for 2 people but it just wasn't worth the effort to me. I just sleep on the top bunk and Liz on the lower. I sleep with my head to the bow anyway, to I can keep a watch out the back door without getting up. That's why I added a shelf and a light with USB on the front side of the upper berth.

 

[boomerang]

The head & galley. One of the few 34' boats with a separate stall shower and not a wet head. This was one of the big reasons we bought it.

 

[boomerang]

Pretty much all of the paperwork for everything we've added to plus a lot of the original manual and papers.

 

[boomerang]

The lower helm. FWIW, we used the lower station for most of this trip South. The visibility is fine and it's darn cozy with the heat on!

 

[boomerang]

Lastly, the salon.

 

[boomerang]

I highly recommend to anyone interested in the boat to search the "upgrades and improvements" posts I've made on TF over the years. They'll show some of what's been done to it since we've owned it.
Is there still stuff that could be done? Absolutely. The carpet I installed is crap! The backing is coming off and leaves course dust underneath. I haven't gotten around to replacing the window felt in the rear sliding windows (I have 2 rolls of the stuff ). The flybridge stereo doesn't have an antenna because I removed it and added a 3rd vhf antenna so all 3 radios would work. The automatic antenna switch I had to use 1 vhf antenna between the upper 2nd vhf and lower vhf was acting funky so I removed it.
It's still an older boat and it'll always need stuff. It's just a older boat that's in very good condition with almost everything done to make it perform like new again!

 

[boomerang]

Oh Oh oh! I forgot to mention what DOES NOT convey!
The Wise dinghy & Honda motor pictured (and Weaver davits). If a potential buyer wants them, $750 is what I have in everything.
Same thing with the portable generator not pictured. $450 is what the gen & cord cost me so if wanted ,that's what I'll sell it for.
The Yeti cooler in the cockpit and RTIC on the bridge don't convey.
The artwork in the salon. 1 small painting and 2 cheesy Key West things on the wall don't convey
The 2 Penn spinning rods pictured in the stateroom don't convey
The crockpot, coffee pot and mortar & pestle pictured in the galley don't convey
Our personal belongings and some of the glassware.
I think everything else pictured goes with the boat.

 

[boomerang]

We use this locker for libation storage. Both shelves are lighted.
I think that covers the boat from stem to stern but if anyone wants a picture of anything else, let me know & I'll get it next time we're onboard.

 

[Swa]

I'd buy it if I didn't already have one. You have been busy that's some list. Let me know when your next boat is for sale

 

[Dwk]

I said the same to Shawn,he reply was " Hey David, you could have his and hers!

 

[ofer]

We use this locker for libation storage. Both shelves are lighted.
I think that covers the boat from stem to stern but if anyone wants a picture of anything else, let me know & I'll get it next time we're onboard.

can you provide the levels of the liquor bottles in the libation storage

 

[Capt Ray]

Very nice.
Where were you 2 years ago when we were lookin'!

Good luck

 

[Jrath]

I’m it sure if you got my last email or not. I am very interested in your boat
Jon RATHKE
jwrathke@hotmail.com
870-704-9525

 

[Bounty Hunter]

So just to be clear all the booze conveys?
Beautiful trawler

 

[boomerang]

We took a deposit towards the sale of YellowBird yesterday. Once the sale is final, I'll make sure it's listed as sold.
Now I guess it's time for us to start searching for the next one...I love cruising but Liz is definitely the inspiration behind our destinations!

 

[Doodie99]

Aww... I thought you would be interested in a trade for a 79 Mark...LOL
Hopefully I can restore mine half as well as yours.

 

[hartlineg]

I'm interested in the Norfolk, VA area. Can we meet?
Can I look? Can you send HIN. I like the 3ft draft and the boat looks ready to go with some expert work behing the scenes. Thanx. Greg.

 

[hartlineg]

Well, I'm new at this forum.... I guess I'm understanding that the boat is basically sold unless something falls through. Keep me in mind if it does. Greg.

 

[boomerang]

Well, I'm new at this forum.... I guess I'm understanding that the boat is basically sold unless something falls through. Keep me in mind if it does. Greg.

Hi Greg,
Yes, it's tentatively sold with a seatrial done, a deposit taken and a closing scheduled for the end of this month (Jan 2022). I'll list it as sold at that time but I'm leaving the listing up until the paperwork transfers to the new owners.

Shawn