Marlow-Mainship 32 Pilot....Review

Well the dealer here in our neck of the woods got hull #1 of this model. And If I had to describe in one word....Disappointing!!!

The build quality is decent...as we would expect from Marlow. My first problem is that there is only 2 opening hatches on the top of the hardtop. The side windows do not open. And there is just a door in the rear of the "pilothouse" area. In Texas, this means that a generator is REQUIRED and air conditioning would have to be used for every day boating. So that right there means they have missed the market anywhere where it is hot. If no A/C was used in hot climes, you would find this boat adrift with skeletons inside!!!

Another problem on this particular boat....one of the power options is twin 75hp Yanmars!!!!! There is no way that this boat will plane with that kind of power(or lack thereof). Also why introduce complexity with another engine??? I understand if you need the power to plane but I just thought this was...uuuhhh...not that smart. Also the Mainship Pilot was wildly popular and 98% of them were powered to plane(I have seen one with the Yanmar 4LHA at 170hp). So they are actually redefining the market. Another power option is a 315hp Yanmar single. I would think that should be enough to plane...but just barely for a boat at 12000lbs.

Another problem....the back of the "pilothouse" goes within about 4ft of the transom. IOW, the cockpit is TINY. You might be able to fit 2 chairs back there facing each other. As a former Mainship Pilot owner, the cockpit is where the action is. No action here!!! The transom is "reverse raked" which takes up a HUGE amount of space for aesthetics. I will admit, there is a nifty elctro-hydraulic swim platform that turns the reverse raked transom into a nice swim platform. Which somewhat solves the space issue at anchor...but not under way.

Bottom line....this boat is a boat for people who like to boat "inside". Not only is inside not hospitable without optional A/C and generator, there is no "outside" space to retire to.

I honestly do not know where the marketing folks got their data, but I believe this was a big fail on their part. The boat is not terribly handsome either. Almost, but not quite. They should have stayed closer to what made the Pilot a great boat and a damn good looking boat at that!!!

Sticker price on this particular hull....$278,000...and that is without a generator. We were very excited to see this boat when it came in. We were very disappointed walking away!!!

Pics?

Baker, keep your day job! You will never make it writing boat reviews for boating mags.

I agree with you about the Pilot models. With its blue hull and antique white topsides I had dockmasters ask if my 34 was a Hinkley. David Marlow is a different kind of individual. Whatever he comes up with will not be standard issue.

Marlow-Mainship, America's Trawler

From Marlow website. Looks a lot like the old Mainship 34 but I agree that reverse transom sure takes up a lot of otherwise usable space.

It is most definitely not based on the P34. Too light and narrower beam. Looks like a stretched P30.

David

I have not seen this boat yet but I have been aboard an older Pilot 34 which I came within a whisker of owning. (And loved it!)

Like Baker, I had a Pilot 30 and loved it even though it was quite tender. Don, on the other hand, had a Pilot 34 which he spoke well of.

I'll reserve judgement until I actually see one.

SeaHorse II said:

Like Baker, I had a Pilot 30 and loved it even though it was quite tender. :

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That was kinda my point Walt. These boats are tender and they get their stability from planing. They do not make good displacement speed boats. That is what this one does...displacement speed unless Mr. Marlow figured a way to make this thing plane with 150hp....then I'm sold!!!

Don, my feelings are hurt...unless you were referring to my ability to garner advertising dollars!!!....

Baker said:

That was kinda my point Walt. These boats are tender and they get their stability from planing. They do not make good displacement speed boats. That is what this one does...displacement speed unless Mr. Marlow figured a way to make this thing plane with 150hp....then I'm sold!!!

Don, my feelings are hurt...unless you were referring to my ability to garner advertising dollars!!!....

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The Marlowe is lite at 11,000#. My Pilot 34 was 16,000. The Pilot was a single with full keel drawing about 3'6". The Marlowe draws 2'6". There must be allot of flat planing surface to lift the boat. It shouldn't take too much power to push. The Pilot cruised at 16 to 17 knots with a 370 Yanmar and a clean bottom. All this at about 2 mpg. Loved that little boat.

Yep, Baker, advertising would be a tough sell with reviews like this one. However, that's the way reviews should be written. You know with full page ads in the mag that the manufacturer's boats are not going to get bad reviews.

Well then, Don, we need to start a publication called "Practical Powerboater"....where our reviews are not influenced by advertising dollars!!!

I'm gonna laugh if Marlow uses Google for advertising. Would love to see Mainship 32 ads pop up in this thread

I've got to say that aft section of the pilothouse is hideous!!! That is the ugliest new boat I have seen in quite some time. The 34's pilothouse is far too tall for the boat's freeboard, etc.

Baker, I was on the same boat yesterday....your post sums it up. I actually went to see the Island Pilot two piers up. Was very disappointed with that as well.

Here's what David Marlow said last winter and the rest is from an article I saw.

“We intend to build better boats than Mainship ever built.” The 32 has a strut keel, which Marlow pioneered for efficient running for his expedition yachts, and is powered by a pair of 70-hp Yanmar engines. The boat tops out at 15 knots fully loaded and burns 3.8 gallons an hour per engine with its throttle wide open. ... “That’s pretty phenomenal,” Marlow said. With a fuel capacity of 200 gallons, the 32 has a range that can take it from Palm Beach to New York... The 32 retails for $240,000 to $300,000.

would be interesting to see the hull bottom.

Edit, saw the site, looks almost like a saildrive no?

Larry M said:

Here's what David Marlow said last winter and the rest is from an article I saw.

“We intend to build better boats than Mainship ever built.” The 32 has a strut keel, which Marlow pioneered for efficient running for his expedition yachts, and is powered by a pair of 70-hp Yanmar engines. The boat tops out at 15 knots fully loaded and burns 3.8 gallons an hour per engine with its throttle wide open. ... “That’s pretty phenomenal,” Marlow said. With a fuel capacity of 200 gallons, the 32 has a range that can take it from Palm Beach to New York... The 32 retails for $240,000 to $300,000.

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And then you crack the throttles back to 80% and you likely fall off plane. Who knows. Total speculation from me. 120hp(80%) planing a 12000lb boat??? I'd like to see it though.

And it actually makes sense. My boat was powered with a 240hp Yanmar. It made 190hp@3100RPM. I ran it at 2800RPM which was...wait for it....right around 150hp(same as MM32 wide open). And guess what speed that gave me.....wait for it....15kts. And guess what my fuel burn was....wait for it....6gph!!! So nothing monumental as far as engineering break throughs here. My boat was almost 2000lbs lighter though. I would MUCH prefer the tunnel set up on my boat that provided a 26 inch draft instead of those sail drive looking things that are out there flapping in the breeze.

Beauty contest:

No contest!

ARoss said:

Marlow-Mainship, America's Trawler

From Marlow website. Looks a lot like the old Mainship 34 but I agree that reverse transom sure takes up a lot of otherwise usable space.

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Not exactly. The "old" Mainship 34 (and II and III) was a flying bridge boat, from the last '70s. Ours was an '87.

-Chris

Baker said:

Well then, Don, we need to start a publication called "Practical Powerboater"....where our reviews are not influenced by advertising dollars!!!

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I love that idea!

SeaHorse II said:

I love that idea!

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Walt, I don't know if you ever said you owned a sailboat, but there is a publication called "Practical Sailor" that relies on subscriptions for revenue and not advertising. They are then able to give unbiased reviews because of that. I just transposed the word "Powerboater" for Sailor....

ranger42c said:

Not exactly. The "old" Mainship 34 (and II and III) was a flying bridge boat, from the last '70s. Ours was an '87.

-Chris

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I think he was referring to the Previous Pilot 34s....

Now, in all honesty, which boat (both 32s) has the best proportions?

SeaHorse II said:

Now, in all honesty, which boat (both 32s) has the best proportions?

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Not even close, Walt. The Gourmet Cruiser is one of the best looking boats on the water. However, if I were selling basically a stretched Pilot 30 for approaching 300K, I would think that would look pretty good too.

SeaHorse II said:

Now, in all honesty, which boat (both 32s) has the best proportions?

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No comparison Walt. Your boat is beautiful.

Now maybe we should be comparing the MM32 to the MS Pilot 31. When Mainship was going into Bankruptcy, they were really honing in on this boat. I loved it. They brought the Galley into the cockpit while maintaining seating space and creating space down below. Not a bad looker either!!!

Sorry Walt, at the risk of piling on there's no question which boat wins. Yours.

Seeing that Pilot 31 makes me ask what was Marlow thinking? The stern of that Marlow looks as though it was designed by an ex Sea Ray designer.

Thanks, guys but I was just "funnin" you about the comparison thing.

I've seen soo many great looking Down east types over the years. All, which look so much better than that MM32. I can't believe Marlowe let that boat see the light of day.

When it comes to Down East type boats with speed, Sabre, & East Bay get my vote. I think their lines are beautiful! There are numerous builders in Maine that market beautiful hulls as well.

1) 48 Sabre
2) East Bay
3) Halvorsen 38
4) Morgan bay

I've always been attracted to the Down East look and most lobster boats.

The Sabres get my vote for being the beauties of the class.

Hi Don,

I was following the thread on the new Mainship 32 and saw your posting (Moonstruck aka Caper). Always received lots of compliments on her. We are hoping to have a great 13-14 season in Sarasota. Last two have bben complicated by Sue's health difficulties, but we think they are behind us. So sad to hear about Bill crossing the bar.
You can reach me only at my new email address:wrjacobs09@gmail.com

Bill

Those are definitely fine boats!!!! I'd take any one of those top 3. Hard to say which one is prettier. Now check out this boat. It likely slips under most people's radar because they didn't build many. Just a boat I have always lusted after.

Shannon 36 Voyager. She's lovely!!!

BillJ said:

Hi Don,

I was following the thread on the new Mainship 32 and saw your posting (Moonstruck aka Caper). Always received lots of compliments on her. We are hoping to have a great 13-14 season in Sarasota. Last two have bben complicated by Sue's health difficulties, but we think they are behind us. So sad to hear about Bill crossing the bar.
You can reach me only at my new email address:wrjacobs09@gmail.com

Bill

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Hi Bill, great to hear from you. I hope that you will favor us with some of your great photos of downeast boats.