MS Pilot 34 Exact LOA

Any Pilot 34 owners that have actually measured their LOA?

My marina is strict on length so I want to be sure I'm going to fit, and what I'll be charged for. I've been in in the market for a hardtop 34 for some time now, done tons of research on this site, and put a few offers in on boats already, waiting for the right one at the right price. I'm in love with this boats layout, looks, hull, everything. Moving up from a Grady White 282 to fit my growing family.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Good Luck in your search! FYI, An old trick out here in So Cal to fit in a bit smaller slip is to hinge the swimstep. Certainly there are structural issues that need to be addressed, but it's quite common here, especially when we see upwards of $50/Ft/month!

Ouch yea that's high, we're about 40/ft and it stings. I haven't seen anyone do that but seems like it would pay for itself pretty quickly.

There's a 36ft max so I'm wondering if the spec sheet "36 LOA" is actually accurate.

Tiiimay said:

Ouch yea that's high, we're about 40/ft and it stings. I haven't seen anyone do that but seems like it would pay for itself pretty quickly.

There's a 36ft max so I'm wondering if the spec sheet "36 LOA" is actually accurate.

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that seems short

I owned a Pilot 34 for a few years. I think you will exceed the 36’ limit by at least a half a foot. Add to the 34’ hull length 1-1/2’ for the swim platform and about a foot for the bow pulpit and you are beyond the 36’ limit by a half a foot.

David

years ago, after ms had gone under, their former sales vp sent me a letter saying length overall is 36' 1". i needed for our yc. i have never actually measured the boat. i use 37' because of our davits and we've never been challenged.

Alright thanks for the replies everyone. I will probably attempt some measurements the next time I get on one for sale. Keeping my eyes peeled for a single engine rum runner hardtop to pop in the northeast!

Tiiimay said:

Alright thanks for the replies everyone. I will probably attempt some measurements the next time I get on one for sale. Keeping my eyes peeled for a single engine rum runner hardtop to pop in the northeast!

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As a heads up, I bought mine in Vancouver BC, and trucked it down here to So Cal. There are quite a few MS's up in the great white north! I'd keep an open eye in Canada as well, at least on your end of the earth.

Write to the marina and ask what they use as criteria. "Will a 36'ranger be acceptable" &
get it in writing .

Mainship Pilot said:

As a heads up, I bought mine in Vancouver BC, and trucked it down here to So Cal. There are quite a few MS's up in the great white north! I'd keep an open eye in Canada as well, at least on your end of the earth.

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I've had my eye on some in the great lakes area but between shipping and the logistics it seems like too much. What did trucking run you?

I have a 34 Pilot Mainship Hard top with solid aft enclosure (Factory install) I have always used 36' has my LOA. I rent a Slip on Lake Michigan that is 40' I keep the pulpit even with the main walk way so no one runs into it and I have about 3' of dock past the swim platform. I have a dinghy mounted with weaver davits that extends out past the swim platform and it does not extend past the finger dock. I believe the 36' LOA will put you in the ball park for any Marina.

I have a 34' Pilot with all options that the Rum Runner has. It is a twin engine 4LHA STP and will out perform a single by quite a bit. It does have a bow thruster but with the twin engines the boat handles awesome. I rarely use the thrusters. The boat is a Great Lakes boat and is in my opinion and the surveyors opinion above average condition/Bristol. The boat is now stored inside storage, winterized and turn key for 2025 boating season. Oil changed, impellers replaced , antifreeze replaced, reverse gear changed, new belts, Thruster gear box serviced, top sides and hull waxed.

I am a licensed captain so if interested easy run to the east coast. I could help with that. If you wanted to truck it I could help in locating a trucking company (Great Lakes Transport) Port Washington Wi. I would love to run a boat to Ma. I lived and worked in the marine industry in Massachusetts. Born in Taunton, Lived in Fall River. Grew up spending time at my uncles Boat Yard. The name of my boat is PORT-A-GEE!

Great looking boat and impressive list of work done on it, I bet that served you well on the loop! That's a long term goal for me as well. Do you know if the hard rear enclosure is removable without any major work?

I can not honestly say that it would or would not be a big job. I have never thought about doing that. When we found this boat for sale it was the only 34 Pilot that we looked at that had a full aft enclosure. I didn't know they offered that option. The boat surveyed above average condition, fresh water boat and a the previous owner went above and beyond in maintenance. We would have purchased the boat with or without the aft enclosure because of its condition, twin engines, bow thruster, fuel capacity, water capacity and mostly this was the boat we were looking for. The aft enclosure was to us a huge benefit for doing the Loop. The enclosure added livable, dry, better climate control, lockable living space for us for the Loop. We cruised on board for 14 months. 34' is a small boat to live on for 14 months. The enclosure was a game changer for us. We had a custom screen made for the aft doors. We leave them open most of the time and with the screen inlace no bugs in the space. All hatches and port windows have screens.

The aft enclosure was installed by Mainship but it was an add on. The designed the enclosure to fit the opening. I can take a look at the install to if the aft enclosure could be removed without damaging the integrity requiring additional glass work. I have never looked at this before. More would I personally want to do this. If I wanted to make it a rag back the most I would do is remove the back doors.

In my opinion the boat is turn key ready to go. If I don't sell it over the winter we plan on launching next summer cruising the Ohio River, Tennessee River, TennTom and spending the winter in Florida. That will be the boats new home. Winter Florida cruising, Summer inside storage in hurricane protected building. If I do sell it we will go back to a trailerable boat.

Good luck in your search for a clean 34' Pilot. I have owned many boats and captained many more. I can say without a doubt that this 34' boat for its size is the best handling boat I have captained. When docking I call it a boat with training wheels. Anyone can handle it in tight fairways with current and wind. Twin engines and a bow thruster. The boat will handle comfortably 3' to 4' chop @ 17kts. WOT 23.5 knots the way we were loaded for the Loop There will be some spray on the windshield but no pound! and rock solid in the water. It will surf a following sea quite well too. If it falls off the waves it has the power to climb and ride. I have put about 8000 miles under its keel and have had it in all kinds of sea's, 0 to 6' with no issue. We cruised in 8's from Atlantic City Nj. to Staten Island, following sea's 12 second period. It was like riding on a surf board. Not really waves just big rollers! It was an awesome day to view the New Jersey shore line.

"LOA" is quite possibly the most misunderstood term in boating. The official USCG definition, echoed in much clearer terms in Chapman's, states LOA is the longitudinal distance measured along the centerline from the forward most part of the stem to the after most part of the stern. Specifically excluded are bowsprits, anchor pulpits, swim platforms, mizzen booms and any other appurtenances not part of the buoyant hull structure. Ergo, if your marina uses the term LOA without elaboration it would be a fairly easy legal issue to challenge should they decide to use their own, rather than the official definition. I personally saw this successfully pursued some years ago when a doctor, who owned a Westsail 32 in our marina, challenged their effort to charge him based on inclusion of the vessel's bowsprit and bobkin. The matter was settled out of court in the doctor's favor. Good luck!

Our 1980 Mainship 34 is actually:
From front of anchor pulpit to back of transom, 35' long. Add another 12" for anchor in anchor pulpit. For swim step, add another 18". To end of Dinghy davits, add another 18". To furthest reach back to dinghy hanging off of Davits, add another 18" . . . . .
Soooo, if the dinghy is hanging from the aft davits, from the furthest point on the "pointy" end, to the aftest point on the "roundie" end, our Mainship 34 is actually 40' 6".
Put more clearly, if I were to measure from the closest to the front of the boat, where I would not get upset if someone swung a running chainsaw, to the furthest point aft where I would not get upset if someone swung a running chainsaw is 40' 6".
Now if I didn't have the dinghy on, and the davits were swung across the transom, or perpendicular to the centerline of the boat, it would measure 37' 6".
If I took the anchor off the anchor pulpit, total length would measure 36' 6". If I were to modify the swim step to hinge vertical, it would be in the realm of 35' 6" (assuming I saved 18", minus the space, say 6" the swim step took up when hinged vertically)

Now if you have a newer Mainship 34, say in the 2000+ years, I can't speak to that.
Hope this helps!

Tiiimay said:

Alright thanks for the replies everyone. I will probably attempt some measurements the next time I get on one for sale. Keeping my eyes peeled for a single engine rum runner hardtop to pop in the northeast!

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If the boat is on the hard take a plum bob and drop it from the bow and put a mark on the ground, then do the same thing at the stern. Then measure between the two marks and you will get an accurate measurement.

If it is in the water make a T square that is long enough to reach the bow pulpit and tie the boat firmly to the dock. Use the T square to mark the tip of the bow on the dock and then the stern, measure between the marks and you have the accurate length.

I had this same issue at 3 different marinas on the Hudson this fall. Their finger slips were limited to boats of no more than 34' total, anything bigger had to be on a face dock, which was fine, except that they had very few face dock spaces, and those they had turned over infrequently. I eventually had to go to a bigger marina, which wasn't quite as convenient for me, but which could accommodate boats up to 42' both in the water, and on land for the winter. Their rates were about $42/ft for the winter and $82 for the summer season; they count total length, including swim platforms and pulpits, when they bill you. Still, compared to the marina in City Island it was a good deal.
Good luck finding a spot you like.
Peter