39 Mainship or 45 Defever pilothouse

Xraycharlie · Mar 4, 2011

I'm planning to purchase a trawler in the next few years after I retire. Our plan is to live aboard for half the year in the South and return to the Chesapeake Bay the other half of the year and live in our house (while boating the chesapeake). I have identifed two boats I am interested in: 1. 39 Mainship single screw and 2. 45 Defever Pilothouse Trawler. There is quite a differnce in price in these two vessels. Is spending twice as much worth it for the Defever? Any other input?

Carey · Mar 4, 2011

What's the specifics on the Defever? Steel, wood, glass? Defever's come in all materials. I suppose there might be an aluminum Defever out there.

-- Edited by Carey on Friday 4th of March 2011 06:54:46 PM

Baker · Mar 4, 2011

Defer simply from a space and storage standpoint. I will expand upon my point when I get back home to a computer and not on my phone.

Daddyo · Mar 4, 2011

Wow this is truly apple and oranges. There are so many factors specific to you that determine the answer.

jleonard · Mar 5, 2011

Yes apples and oranges I agree.

sunchaser · Mar 5, 2011

We are in an era of "pilothouse" is the only way to go. Not true and many good boats exist thatare not in a "pilothouse" arrangement, particularly under 50'. An aft cabin arrangement offers some advantages as does the Europa and down east style..
*

That said, what is your budget,* cruising plans, previous boating experience and mechanical aptitude? Add to the list unseen things like being able to afford a few $10K surprises or upgrades. Have you gone*to boat shows, walked the docks, talked with owners and brokers and do you subscribe to boating mags. If you have more no than yes for these various areas,* you are taking undue risks.

Six years ago, when I started my last boat hunt, the first boat I looked at was a Mainship 39. I bought a 48' DeFever.

belizebill · Mar 5, 2011

Boy do I now understand apples and oranges. I have been shopping online for a trawler for over a year, I fell in love with the sedan,europa .I made appointments to see several and flew to Fla. Got on board the first one (36 IG ) and went up that ladder to the bridge, and all of a sudden I thought,no thanks,I dont want to climb ladders. Now Ive started over and the doulble cabin is my choice. I guess what Im saying is take your time and see them all. Have fun and try not to stress to much,I said that for me as much as you. BB

Daddyo · Mar 5, 2011

sunchaser wrote:

We are in an era of "pilothouse" is the only way to go. Not true and many good boats exist thatare not in a "pilothouse" arrangement, particularly under 50'. An aft cabin arrangement offers some advantages as does the Europa and down east style..

That said, what is your budget,* cruising plans, previous boating experience and mechanical aptitude? Add to the list unseen things like being able to afford a few $10K surprises or upgrades. Have you gone*to boat shows, walked the docks, talked with owners and brokers and do you subscribe to boating mags. If you have more no than yes for these various areas,* you are taking undue risks.

Six years ago, when I started my last boat hunt, the first boat I looked at was a Mainship 39. I bought a 48' DeFever.

Sunchaser,
Tell me about your Defever 48 experience. I just bought one.

*

johnma · Mar 5, 2011

These are wildly different boats. not only from a price standpoint, but size (the 390 Mainship is really a 35); the Mainship is a coastal cruiser, the Defever is a bluewater boat; the Mainship is mass produced (not a bad thing, bulk buying of parts reduces cost), the Defever is almost custom built, I've never really seen two of the same model that were identical. I fell in love with Defevers 20 years ago when a friend had one. that's when I started paying attention to trawlers.

My heart wanted a Defever; my brain, wallet and style of cruising said buy the Mainship, and thats what I did. My marina is a Mainship dealer, so parts, service and technical help are very convenient. I spend most of my time in the Delaware River, Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay, rather than the ocean, so the Mainship is perfect for my style of cruising. Maiship is a brand and American made, so quality from boat to boat is very consistant. Defever is a designer, (a really good one) and they are made by a variety of manufacturers. Defever owners will need to chime in here to talk about the different yards.
When you pull in to a new marina with a Mainship there are usually others there so you are not unique but you will have immediate new friends. When you pull in with a Defever you get everyones attention.
If I hit the lottery (which I don't play), I would look at Defevers. Until then, I'm really happy with my mainship 390
John
Dreamers Holiday
MS390

Delia Rosa · Mar 5, 2011

belizebill wrote:
I fell in love with the sedan,europa .I made appointments to see several and flew to Fla. Got on board the first one (36 IG ) and went up that ladder to the bridge, and all of a sudden I thought,no thanks,I dont want to climb ladders.

Don't give up on the sedan, europa style trawlers if you really like that look. *We had checked out a CHB and had the same reaction to climbing ladders, but kept on looking and finally found our Sea Ranger.

We have a raised pilothouse which has, *in addition to the ladder to the flybridge from the aft cockpit, an interior staircase from the pilothouse directly to the flybridge.

There aren't very many trawlers around that have this feature, at least not in our more modest price range, but there are a few.

As other owners have commented in this forum, spend a lot of time checking out the many different kinds of trawlers out there and decide which features are most inmportant to you - everyone has different priorities!

*

belizebill · Mar 5, 2011

Ill look and see if a Sea Ranger is out there,as I really do like the sedan(europa style) and the back porch. The interior stair would make it all work. We have a dog and he would always be yapping to come up to the fly or down. Thanks for the suggestion. BB

Delia Rosa · Mar 5, 2011

Here's a pix of the interior staircase... it's still a little steep, *but sure works well for us!

sunchaser · Mar 5, 2011

Daddyo - I PMed you

Woodsong · Mar 5, 2011

Delia,
I really, really like your boat! I would be very happy with one of those in the 3 stateroom version.

Delia Rosa · Mar 5, 2011

Hey Tony,*I don't think there are too many around.... like a lot of trawlers, each one seems to be unique in its "floorplan" ... I have tried to track down info on other Sea Rangers with little success. *I know that both George W. and Seaquel were members of the Trawler Forum when it first started and both own Sea Ranger 47's but they never got back in touch with my PM.*

When Sea Rangers do come up for sale, most seem to be on the Pacific Coast. *We were very lucky to find this one which was originally in Florida and then bought by the previous owner in Maine.

As I mentioned, we looked long and hard to find what we wanted... and really lucked out with Delia Rosa! *We pretty much got what we wanted... raised pilothouse with doors on both port and starboad side, walk around decks with covered companionways, nice "back porch", *interior stairs to the flybridge, good engine room with pretty good mechanics and electronics,*3 staterooms and 2 heads and last but not least, burning only 3 to 4 gal. per hour at 7 knots, *pretty economical cruising*.

There are still cosmetic fixups to do. and some updating of a few systems, but she brought us home safely from the Atlantic coast with no problems at all. * And to top it all off, we purchased her for a really reasonable price ... nowhere near the price mentioned by our friend from Oz for the Sea Ranger for sale down there!

By the way I've enjoyed following along on your blog... great photos as well.

markpierce · Mar 5, 2011

Delia Rosa wrote:

*
**We pretty much got what we wanted... raised pilothouse with doors on both port and starboad side, walk around decks* ..*

Those attributes were on my "must have" list.* Immediate access to the deck and 360-degree access/safety (wide deck, high handrails)*are important, particularly when one is shorthanded.

*

-- Edited by markpierce on Saturday 5th of March 2011 07:42:16 PM

Delia Rosa · Mar 5, 2011

Mark, your boat looks like it will be great to cruise on. *

The one thing that we had to compromise on with our Sea Ranger was the airdraft which isn't a problem for you if you can lower your mast... with the radar arch on our flybridge, we were too tall to easily fit under some of the bridges on the Erie Canal. *We solved the problem by lowering the bimini and hinging the radar arch so that it could be dropped ... now we now fit under most bridges!

-- Edited by Delia Rosa on Saturday 5th of March 2011 08:03:16 PM

JohnP · Mar 5, 2011

Delia Rosa wrote:**We solved the problem by lowering the bimini and hinging the radar arch so that it could be dropped ... now we now fit under most bridges!

********* Delia Rosa,**** Even on tiny "Adagio" we have to drop our mast to clear some bridges up there.

********** The first bridge past Waterford toward the Champlain Canal is real low.

*
JohnP

Delia Rosa · Mar 5, 2011

John,

We can make it under the 20 foot bridges... unfortunately our davit doesn't fold and measures us at a height of 17'6"... so we can't fit under some of the lower bridges of the Chanmmplain... *we would have loved to explore that system!

markpierce · Mar 5, 2011

It's a two-man job to lower the Coot's mast.* I'd also need to get*a cradle to hold the mast.** Fortunately, low bridges aren't much of a problem here (SF Bay).**Susan & Dan, your*arrangement looks "slick."

I'm looking forward to experiencing a bridge raised just for me.

-- Edited by markpierce on Saturday 5th of March 2011 08:27:59 PM

Delia Rosa · Mar 5, 2011

Making it under the bridges was a condition of the sale of our trawler... we knew we wouldn't be able to get her home if we couldn't lower the arch.... we use a come'a'long and can drop it with just the two of us!

By the way... would love to be cruising in your neighbourhood... way better weather I think!

-- Edited by Delia Rosa on Saturday 5th of March 2011 08:25:29 PM

JohnP · Mar 5, 2011

markpierce wrote:

I'm looking forward to experiencing a bridge raised just for me.

Okay Mark,* I can relate- having had sailboats for decades.

******************* For me the thrill of bridge openings has passed, but for you the fun begins.

Beautiful ship you have there!** JohnP

*

Woodsong · Mar 5, 2011

Delia Rosa wrote:

Hey Tony,
I don't think there are too many around.... like a lot of trawlers, each one seems to be unique in its "floorplan" ... I have tried to track down info on other Sea Rangers with little success. *I know that both George W. and Seaquel were members of the Trawler Forum when it first started and both own Sea Ranger 47's but they never got back in touch with my PM.*

When Sea Rangers do come up for sale, most seem to be on the Pacific Coast. *We were very lucky to find this one which was originally in Florida and then bought by the previous owner in Maine.

As I mentioned, we looked long and hard to find what we wanted... and really lucked out with Delia Rosa! *We pretty much got what we wanted... raised pilothouse with doors on both port and starboad side, walk around decks with covered companionways, nice "back porch", *interior stairs to the flybridge, good engine room with pretty good mechanics and electronics,*3 staterooms and 2 heads and last but not least, burning only 3 to 4 gal. per hour at 7 knots, *pretty economical cruising*.

There are still cosmetic fixups to do. and some updating of a few systems, but she brought us home safely from the Atlantic coast with no problems at all. * And to top it all off, we purchased her for a really reasonable price ... nowhere near the price mentioned by our friend from Oz for the Sea Ranger for sale down there!

By the way I've enjoyed following along on your blog... great photos as well.

*

Yeah there aren't a lot around. *There was in Kentucky for sale a year or so ago that was sold and cruised up to MI but not too many on the east coast. *

Glad you like our trawler blog! *I spent the day sanding down the old nameboards to refinish them here at the house. *I HOPE the marina is done in the next couple of days so I can pick her up!!

*

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