Legacy vs Mainship,Sabre

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Skyboss

Skyboss

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2016
Messages
24
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Skyboss
Vessel Make
2007 Mainship Pilot
Hello everybody, I'm in the market for a Downeast style 34-36 Express cruiser. I'm not planning on extended cruising, just playing around in sw FL and maybe out for night or two.I previously owned a Mainship 30 Pilot and found the noise levels and following quartering sea to be issues. Any input on characteristics from Legacy or Sabre owners is appreciated. Thanks !
 
In general Legacy and Sabre build a premium boat relative to Mainship. But you can't beat the value in a Mainship.

I don't think you will see much difference in handling among the three.

David
 
You should probably also consider Back Cove. I feel my Mainship is very similar for about half the price. You will get more speed out of a Back Cove or a Sabre (same manufacturer, 1 eng vs. 2) if that is important to you.
 
I agree with backinblue. Back Cove should be on the list. BUT, I am a bit biassed. We had a 2012 BC 34. Fantastic build, and super economical with the single engine. Maneuvering was easy with bow and stern thrusters.

We took it around from Portland to the San Juans ever year, and it handled everything mother nature thew at it easily and comfortably.

Always happy to answer questions about them if they make the list. I got to know them well.
 
mliemon2 said:
I agree with backinblue. Back Cove should be on the list. BUT, I am a bit biassed. We had a 2012 BC 34. Fantastic build, and super economical with the single engine. Maneuvering was easy with bow and stern thrusters.

We took it around from Portland to the San Juans ever year, and it handled everything mother nature thew at it easily and comfortably.

Always happy to answer questions about them if they make the list. I got to know them well.
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I agree they are great boats and actually almost bought a used one in Maine when we were shopping a few years ago. However, comparing my boat with say a BC 30 or 32, they are very similar. Almost identical layout accomodations, etc. BC did offer bigger Yanmars than the MS did, so a good bit more speed. Nothing at all against BC, lusted after them for years, just thinking I got something very similar for quite a bit less.
 
Sorry but Mainship is not in the same league as BC , Sabre . Mainship is very much a basic build with minimal finish. don’t get me wrong , they are good boats and I was looking at them for a while. At half the price , you have to give something up.
I loved the Legacy 32’ but couldn’t make the deal at the time. When shopping be carful of a few things. Sound levels can be high and turbo noise can get to you. Engine access is trouble on some models like Sabre 34’. although the single BC’s handle well in open water, their handling around the dock is a learning curve. If your bow thruster stops working you have a handful of boat.
 
Arc said:
Sorry but Mainship is not in the same league as BC , Sabre . Mainship is very much a basic build with minimal finish. don’t get me wrong , they are good boats and I was looking at them for a while. At half the price , you have to give something up.
I loved the Legacy 32’ but couldn’t make the deal at the time. When shopping be carful of a few things. Sound levels can be high and turbo noise can get to you. Engine access is trouble on some models like Sabre 34’. although the single BC’s handle well in open water, their handling around the dock is a learning curve. If your bow thruster stops working you have a handful of boat.
Click to expand...

Point taken. I didn't mean to imply that they are equal in build and finish. What I meant is that you get a very similar handling boat with similar accomodations and amenities for half the price. Same Yanmar diesel, perhaps less HP. I'm talking about the later models like mine where they improved on a lot of things over earlier versions. The walls of the bedroom are not lined with teak, but the interior is a decent cherry wood with cherry plank flooring, cedar hanging closet etc. I actually prefer not having the fixed benches in stern deck. BC is a strong brand and deservedly so, but you do pay for that. In the end, I'm not sure the boating experience is much difference other than the pride in ownership of a beautiful boat. That said, we also rarely end up somewhere that someone doesn't come by and compliment our beautiful boat.
 
A somewhat funny story regarding Mainship… An ‘81 Mainship 34 was my introduction to powerboat cruising. Had innumerable great experiences up and down the west coast of FL, the Keys, and the Bahamas. I always said that my "Chevrolet" got us there pretty much as well as a "Cadillac". The overall build quality…Upon pulling a leaking window in the head to rebed it, I found it "bedded in" with double-sided paper tape. Could only get a good chuckle from the experience. That said, I’d not hesitate to buy another one!
 
stonejd said:
A somewhat funny story regarding Mainship… An ‘81 Mainship 34 was my introduction to powerboat cruising. Had innumerable great experiences up and down the west coast of FL, the Keys, and the Bahamas. I always said that my "Chevrolet" got us there pretty much as well as a "Cadillac". The overall build quality…Upon pulling a leaking window in the head to rebed it, I found it "bedded in" with double-sided paper tape. Could only get a good chuckle from the experience. That said, I’d not hesitate to buy another one!
Click to expand...

I think there were likely some incremental improvements from '81 till they went under in 2012. That a lot of years. Think about what a Honda looked like in '81. I remember, it was like a toy car, with tiny wheels and tires. Kind of a fascination at the time. Hard to compare to an Accord of today.
 
What is your budget? That will drive your shopping more than anything. Legacy, Sabre, and Back Cove were/are much more expensive boats than the Mainship. Been a dealer or worked for all so I have a good feeling for them. Like all boats, they each have their own quirks and issues!

The Mainship 34 is a nicely laid out boat with nice accommodations, decent performance, and reasonable quality. Much nicer than the Mainship 30 but can still be loud.

The Legacy's all run very well, Mark Ellis designed hulls that give a soft and dry ride. Quality is a bit hit or miss however, they need a close look and careful survey. You'll find single or twin engine 34's, the 32's newer and are singles.

Sabre is tough to beat, good quality and nice riding hulls. All will be twin engines. You'd be looking at 34's or more likely 36's.

Back Cove's are much the same quality as Sabre, all single engines but with less wood inside and out so maintenance is less.
 
Keep in mind that we're talking about used boats. It's important to know how well the boats stood up over time. That review was in 2003 when the boat was a fairly new Legacy. As an example, there's an engine room pic with the caption: "Large vents and lots of acoustic insulation in the engine room. Note the clear Lexan cover over bus panel."

Well, those "Large Vents" turned out to be a major problem...
 
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I may be a little biased, but I wouldn't make a decision on a manufacturer (Mainship) based on the survey of 1 particular boat, especially a rather older model. No doubt some builders have a reputation for better build quality than others but that's no guarentee. You may buy a used Hyundai that is a better value and runs better and costs less to maintain than a used Mercedes.
 
All great boats. I'd pick Back Cove, but that just reflects my preference for lean single boats.

WRT handling in a following/quartering sea, speed is often really useful. I'd expect any of the boats being discussed would be much more comfortable/capable than the Pilot 30.

How do you feel about outboards? If I were shopping new mid-30s express cruiser that's where I'd look. Something like the Back Cove 34O.
 
I'm not sure how I feel about outboards, especially on a downeast boat from Maine, but I do see the advantages in some respects. The Benetau Antares 11 Fly is interesting, but a completely different style.
 
Mainship vs Legacy, Sabre, etc.

I had a Legacy 28 several years ago, and had also shopped Mainship and Back Cove. The Legacy was a great boat, but we realized we should have gotten something bigger. Back Cove's were beautiful, but about double a Legacy, and I remember thinking the freeboard was pretty low compared with others.
I was also sorry at the time that we weren't able to get the Albin we had looked at, because the owner realized he wasn't sure he wanted to sell, and there weren't many around. They make a 32, and a 36, I think, and my wife and I were both impressed that the Albin was a heavy, stable boat compared with Legacy, with higher freeboard; worth looking at if you can find one, IMO.
 
I also looked at the Legacy 28 as well as Back Coves 29 and 30. As much as I liked the Legacy I agree it would have become too small too soon. We ended up with the Mainship 355 (aka MS31) which is roughly the size of a Back Cove 30, maybe slightly bigger.
 
The Legacy 28 hull started life as a Boca Grande 26 center console so is a smaller 28 foot Downeast style boat. It runs pretty well as long as you stay away from full throttle where it gets a little skittish. Don’t skip the survey on these!

The Back Cove 34O with outboards is a terrific boat - extremely quiet and performs beautifully. An easy 30 knot cruise. Dry, soft ride with fit and finish that’s second to none. Pricing will hover around $500k or more since they’re fairly new and in high demand.
 
The factory retrofitted some filters in the intakes but it was really a band aid. If I recall, there was an attempt to mount a proper Delta-T water separator as well. Some engine rooms could get pretty rusty. Later boats had the intake moved up above the hull, you’ll see the stainless grates on those boats. It’s important to check the core around the earlier hull mounted intakes. Same situation with the Legacy 28 intakes. Gelcoat crazing/cracking can be a major issue on some of the Legacy’s (Earlier Sabre’s could have serious gelcoat problems also).
 
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