Mainship Pilot 30

that would be great if someone local could "preview" boat before I make trip up there. It is brokered by S&J Yachts, 7076 Bembe Beach rd, Rock Hall. It is a 2000 with Dark Blue hull with Red and Gold boot strip. It would be great to have some good photos of hull and interior. The engine compartment looks like there is some work to do in there. Some hoses must be replaced immediately. Thanks Alan. Let me know if you can workl that out.

perse111 said:

Is your hull Awlgrip? Friends are trying to talk me out of dark hull. They say the color attracts/holds more heat and makes cabin hotter. There is a dark blue hull 30 in maryland i would like to go see.

Click to expand...

My hull is dark green. Deck is dark gray. Cabin sides and saloon roof are white. Pilothouse roof is high-visibilty yellow. Forward cabin roof is straw-colored (easy on the eyes). In direct sunlight, white is the coolest while green and gray are the warmest. Nevertheless, note no/little impact for the interior since the interior is well-insulated.

Flatsflyer
I am also considering a pilot 30, how did yours handle the Atlantic Ocean on your trip from St Augustine to Key West? Would you feel comfortable crossing the Gulf Stream to cruise the Bahamas for a few days in the Pilot 30? Has an one crossed the gulf stream to the Bahamas that can give me insight as to the handling of the boat and with what engine? I do my boatin in SE Florida to Key West.

The closest crossing from Florida to the Bahamas is from the Miami Sea buoy to the entrance to Bimini Harbor, less than 50 miles. In the summer with an early start this is typically a non weather event easy crossing and in a Pilot we're talking lunch in Bimini. In the winter you would just have to pick your day carefully but you only need a 5-6 hour window to cross in a Pilot. Buy a Cruising Guide to the Bahamas, worth every penny.

I will have my friend go over there this weekend and check it out and send pics.

perse111,

I bought a Mainship 34 Pilot with two 240 hp Yanmars a couple of months ago. Boat was in Punta Gorda. Now in Cape Coral.


So far, I love her. Boat's best cruise is 16-17 kts and I get about 1.1 to 1.2 nautical miles per gallon at that point. Exactly what I was looking for.

djmarchands comments were very helpful when I was looking at these boats. His comment abouve about limited space outboard of the twin engines is appropriate, but my engine guy is small and told me access was not a problem for him before I bought the boat. Access to all fluid levels is on the centerline between the engines, so the basic pre cruise checks are no problem.

perse111 said:

Any regrets with the dark blue hull? They are certainly beautiful.....

Click to expand...

I agree w/ the other comments re: blue hulls.
I originally thought paint was inferior to gelcoat but I have changed my opinion.
All of the later model Mainships (and possibly all but I'm not positive) were done w/ Awlcraft (Awlgrip product but slightly different chemistry & workability than the Awlgrip finish).

The blue does show water spots but it is not hard to wash / rinse them and a little vinegar in a spray bottle helps.
If you do go w/ painted - search & read the posts and Awlgrip website on care recommendations. There is a lot of good info and it is readily available...

I have done a few touch ups w/ an airbrush and really pleased w/ the results.
With the help of a friends we just finished a fiberglass repair & paint touch-up. I am very pleased w/ the ability to patch & match the paint - color match was excellent and the Awlcraft was easy to work with. I have a slight haze that needs to be fine sanded & rubbed out after full curing but it is barely noticeable as sprayed.
IMO - I don't think a professional could do as good a patch / match job w/ aged gelcoat and I wouldn't attempt it as an amateur.

I wouldn't avoid a painted hull boat and if you like the looks (which I also do) I'd recommend it vs gelcoat.

If you go painted search & read the posts & Awlgrip website re: care of painted hulls it is different than gelcoat.

Thanks Alan, Really appreciate it.


Hey ljk, Looks like we have a lot SW Floridians in mainships. I didn't really notice too much when I was sailing. hope to see ya around.


Bacchus, Thanks for the info on dark hulls. puts my mind at ease because I really prefer them - even on sailboats.

Bacchus said:

The blue does show water spots but it is not hard to wash / rinse them and a little vinegar in a spray bottle helps.gelcoat.

Click to expand...

A deionized water bottle by your dock box solves all the water spot problems on a dark hull. Just rinse off after a cruise and go home. You don't even have to towel it dry. It works just like Jet Dry in your dish washer. In my area they rent for $18.75/month.

perse111 said:

Hey ljk, Looks like we have a lot SW Floridians in mainships. I didn't really notice too much when I was sailing. hope to see ya around.

Click to expand...

There is/was an informal Mainship group in SW Florida that get together occasionally. Join the Yahoo Mainship group and search around a little or post a question. They would raft up in Pelican Bay or Captiva from time to time.

Keysdisease,

I am on the Yahoo Mainship group, don't find it nearly as useful as this forum. But will post something there and see what happens.

I'm new to the forum and have interest in your experience with the Pilot 30 II. How do I access your posts Baker?

gregcrowner said:

I'm new to the forum and have interest in your experience with the Pilot 30 II. How do I access your posts Baker?

Click to expand...

The only thing I can think of is click on my profile and then look at all of my posts. As you can see, I do have a few... My other suggestion would be to google search different angles of the subject. These posts do show up on a google search. And finally the search function on this website. It is a little broad of a search. But my post in post #5 0r 6 on this thread pretty much sums it up. It is a great DAY boat with the occasional overnight. It is very challenged on living space for overnighting. Some people have different tolerances for comfort on a boat. And like I have said before, you have to be very honest on how you are going to use the boat....the whole thing about the reality versus the dream.

Here is the result of a search I did including the words "Baker" and "mainship". It may or may not be in here. It is "only" 3 pages worth of threads. Obviously some of those threads hae multiple pages.

Trawler Forum - Search Results

Pilot 30II

Thanks. I've been sailing for 38 years but purchased a Pilot 30 II in St Thomas shortly after Irma. She was in a boat yard and only the arch was damaged (we removed it). My son keeps her maintained and on a mooring but I'm his mainland support for parts and other resources. Otherwise I visit monthly and live aboard when I can. I enjoy the comfort above and below. I'll be picking through your posts and others as I get to know her better. Thanks

I bought my Pilot 34 as the smallest "true cruising" boat for a couple to live aboard for a week or 10 days. After 3 years, I have found it fits this bill admirably. Its very comfortable for a family of 4, but only for a long weekend. Even 34 feet gets small a lot more quickly than one would think!

SW FL Mainship group?

Keysdisease said:

There is/was an informal Mainship group in SW Florida that get together occasionally. Join the Yahoo Mainship group and search around a little or post a question. They would raft up in Pelican Bay or Captiva from time to time.

Click to expand...

Have there been any meetings of this group lately? Wouldnt mind restarting one if there is enough interest?

Mainship Pilot 30 II noise at high speeds

Looking for other Pilot 30 II owner's input here:
I have read threads describing the Pilot 30 II as noisy at high speed. One post described it as not engine noise as much as a harmonic from vibration.
My observation is above 15kts it sounds like a rattle somewhere aft of the engine, do all P 30 II owners hear this?
If not, I suspect it might be the rudder or strut to the rudder.

We have the blue hull in NJ. Never thought about heat gain.
Power is a 240 LH-STE, long cruising at 14 knots, 16 knots not at full power. I like to power for high current inlets but run the boat at hull speed most of the time.
We spend long weekends on our boat and really enjoy. Storage of gear needs to to managed---not a lot of extra space.
Working around the engine is a bit tight--my biggest complaint. Our boat doesn't have an access to the engine compartment from the cabin area.
For a starter boat, it has been a good size to get accustomed to a single inboard. We fish and dive --deck space accommodates those activities nicely.
We have a berth extension that really makes sleeping enjoyable.
I intend to cruise to New England this summer ( 8 days ).
Long term we will probably move up in size for longer cruising when we retire.
For now--very happy. If in the area this boating season, we would take you for a ride.
Greg

gregcrowner said:

Looking for other Pilot 30 II owner's input here:
I have read threads describing the Pilot 30 II as noisy at high speed. One post described it as not engine noise as much as a harmonic from vibration.
My observation is above 15kts it sounds like a rattle somewhere aft of the engine, do all P 30 II owners hear this?
If not, I suspect it might be the rudder or strut to the rudder.

Click to expand...

That was more of a complaint of the older Pilots due to prop clearance. I had the pleasure of owning my Pilot 30 II while a close friend owned a 1998 Pilot 30. Trust me, the newer version is SIGNIFICANTLY quieter than the older one. And it sounded exactly like you describe....like the whole boat was going to rattle apart....it never did... So while the newer version could not be described as whisper quiet, it was a major improvement over the old one. My friend would marvel at the lack of noise every time he rode on my boat. He would just shake his head. One of the major reasons for the redesign(hence the Pilot II) was to get rid of that vibration. They did it with a tunnel and a 5 blade prop.

Downsizing from a Grand Banks 42 to this 30 P II has been a bit of a downer for my wife, but then she was not the one doing all the maintenance on that twin-engined, all-wood wonder for 29 years! I am quite happy with this boat, and we have spent up to six days aboard happily marina hopping. Ours is a hardtop with a 3.5 Nextgen genny and a 315 Yanmar so it is heavier by about a thousand pounds than the softer topped 30 P II. I think the higher HP is necessary for what I want out of the boat which is 16-19 MPH cruise buring 8.1 to 9 GPH (I have a Floscan) at 2800-3000 RPM. I had to back off two inches to 22 inches of pitch on the five bladed 22 inch diameter because at 24 inches of pitch, the engine was sooting the side of the boat and was 200 RPM short of the specified 3800 RPM at wide open throttle. We lost 1.5 MPH at cruise speed and have a very clean side now. When long-term flooding of the drip pan under the air conditioner due to clogged drains caught up with the 7K Btu air conditioner, I replaced it with a Dometic Turbo 10K Btu unit. The old ac would simple not cool below 80F in warm summer water here with direct sun on the red hull. This new unit does fine and is SOOOO quiet. We also have a 13.5K Btu RV style rooftop unit in the hardtop which on a realy bad summer day with the enclosure curtains fully zipped up makes for comfy running. We can run both units with our little genny because I have installed Micro-Air soft starting micro-processors in both air conditioners - no more THUD every time an air conditioner compressor comes on.

In about 2008 they came out with the Pilot 31. I absolutely love what they did with that boat. They moved the galley out into the cockpit which freed up a lot of space down below without any real sacrifice. They made use of space that was otherwise not used and the outside cockpit area was made into a more relaxed "inside space" while still retaining the ability for it to be outside space as well. There are only two on the market at this time and not many were made as Luhrs Mainship was going out of business around that time. They do fetch good money on the used market.

The 240 has plenty of power.

shardy said:

The 240 has plenty of power.

Click to expand...

I agree. Mine easily cruised at 15 knots without breaking a sweat. I actually was underpropped as well so might have been able to squeeze another knot if I wanted to get precis with prop pitch. And it burned 6gph at 15knots at 2800rpms. Not bad for a larger planing boat. When I would average my fuel burn on a mostly day trip basis it was 4gph....due to all of the slow speeds in between planing speeds.

Great post. There is no right or wrong answers here.

I struggled with the MS34 vs MS30 desision and ended up the the MS30. At the time I was looking (8 years ago) it was all about price point vs boat condition since I had kids in college. The MS34's we looked at were $100k+ and required work. I found a MS30 that was a freshwater boat and turnkey for $60ki-sh. She came with the Cummins 6BT 220hp which has been great. No vibrations -however loud because MS did not completely sound damp the engine room. I added Soundown insulation and now significantly quieter.

Every summer my wife and I spend every weekend we can and a week to 10 days on an extended cruise between CT and Maine.

What we find limiting on the 30 is the small holding tank which we manage closely.

The best upgrade I have done is the addition of an autopilot.

Like others have said I would have liked more room in the 34 but we made it work.

Willpep,
Do you have a MS30 pilot or MS30 pilot 2?
What prop do you have? Shaft extension?
You know where I a going.
We are cruising up your way this summer.
Can you recommend a good marina for a 1 night layover?
Your area is a good midway point to the Cape for us.

Hope to see you on the water.
Greg

As to noise at high speed we have found the hardtop louder than the soft top, plus the side ventilation is a challenge with the solid windows. That said we prefer the hardtop and have no issue cruising at 12 and holding a conversation.

Beekeepergreg said:

Willpep,
Do you have a MS30 pilot or MS30 pilot 2?
Greg

Click to expand...

I am gonna guess the Pilot 1. I don't think the Pilot II came with the Cummins 220.

Baker said:

I am gonna guess the Pilot 1. I don't think the Pilot II came with the Cummins 220.

Click to expand...

Yes. She is a year 2000 Pilot 1.


There are many good marinas in the area. However I would recommend Shennecossett Yacht Club which has great facilities and transients are welcome.

https://www.syc-ct.com/facilities/dockage/

The dock masters name is Chris.

Let me know if you stay at SYC and I will buy you a beer or soft drink
v/r
Bill

Bill,
What a perfect place to break up the trip to the Cape.
It will be fun to compare boats and setups.
Thanks
Greg