mainship
- Thread starter ericnmh
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Tony B
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2011
- Messages
- 1,251
- Location
- Cruising/Live-Aboard USA
- Vessel Name
- Serenity
- Vessel Make
- Mainship 36 Dual Cabin -1986
I talked to an woner of the 390 recently. He said the only real difference is that the swim platform on the 390 is molded into the hull and is therefore part of the boat and so the total length must be included. The 350 has an 'add-on' swim platform and is not part of the actual boat hull and so the swim platform is not included in the length.
He said he didnt like the handling of the 390 because the prop is in the same place as the 350, which is too far forward for the 390.
This info was given to me by just this one owner. Have no idea what other 390 owners have to say so don't put too much stock into it.
He said he didnt like the handling of the 390 because the prop is in the same place as the 350, which is too far forward for the 390.
This info was given to me by just this one owner. Have no idea what other 390 owners have to say so don't put too much stock into it.
Not really a Mainship issue, but that is not correct. Molded in or bolted on, the swim platform is inluded in the LOA. You can't get a 30' boat with a 3' bolted on swim platform into a 30' space.
In 2000, my boat was built and sold as a 28' boat. Even the documentation says that. Later, the same model was sold as a 31' boat. Same design, same swim platform.
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2007
- Messages
- 7,332
- Location
- Texas
- Vessel Name
- Floatsome & Jetsome
- Vessel Make
- Meridian 411
As far as I know, they are the exact same boat and it was a marketing deal. The main competitor to the Mainship 350 was the Albin 36. The only problem was the Albin was really a 33 footer with a 3ft swim platform. So not to be outdone, Mainship included the swim platform in the overall "model length" somewhere around 1997/98. That is why you will see people refer to them as "350/390"....same exact boat.
Moonstruck
Guru
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2008
- Messages
- 8,276
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Moonstruck
- Vessel Make
- Sabre 42 Hardtop Express
millennium
Veteran Member
Yep same boat.
They started calling it a 390 in 2000, the year we bought ours.
There were some minor changes inside the boat.
Still have ours after 13 years, running great.
They started calling it a 390 in 2000, the year we bought ours.
There were some minor changes inside the boat.
Still have ours after 13 years, running great.
jleonard
Guru
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2008
- Messages
- 5,176
Yes they are the same boat, same hull. They changed for "marketing" reasons.
The 350 owners pay less at a marina than the 390 owners.
Other than that whatever other changes are only model year dependant and have nothing to do with the basic boat.
For example there are several different engine brands/horespowers as that changed thruout the production years, same for gensets, etc.
The 350 owners pay less at a marina than the 390 owners.
Other than that whatever other changes are only model year dependant and have nothing to do with the basic boat.
For example there are several different engine brands/horespowers as that changed thruout the production years, same for gensets, etc.
That depends on their level of honesty.
As I posted above, my boat was built and sold as a Camano 28 but it's now called a Camano 31 and it's probably 31' long. I've never measured it.
When the marina guy asks "What is the length of your boat, Captain?", I just can't bring myself to lie and say 28'. On a face dock, 31' is 31'. You can't fit a 31' boat into a 28' space.
I did manage to negotiate a foot off my bill at my home marina but the slips are all the same size and the minimum is 30'.
Brooksie
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2007
- Messages
- 1,325
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Island Seeker
- Vessel Make
- Willard 36 Sedan
If true, and the platform extends the hull from 35' to 39'; the resulting boat may have a slightly higher hull speed by a couple of knots in displacement mode. Maybe carry a little more weight too.
I agree the relatively more forward position of the prop/rudder could make handling different and not in a good way.
I agree the relatively more forward position of the prop/rudder could make handling different and not in a good way.
markpierce
Master and Commander
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2010
- Messages
- 12,557
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Carquinez Coot
- Vessel Make
- penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
USCG Boat Documentation Center defines a boat's length overall as the length of the hull without swim platform, bowsprit, etc. Marinas define it as the total length including everything. USCG Marine Safety Center (MSC)
Some boat builders (like Mainship) seem to use the labeled-length as a marketing tool.
The Coot's labeled-length is shown as both 35 and 36 feet on the builders website. Actual length is 35'8" and was used for USCG boat documentation purposes. With bow railing and folded swim platform, its marina-defined length is about 38 feet.
Some boat builders (like Mainship) seem to use the labeled-length as a marketing tool.
The Coot's labeled-length is shown as both 35 and 36 feet on the builders website. Actual length is 35'8" and was used for USCG boat documentation purposes. With bow railing and folded swim platform, its marina-defined length is about 38 feet.
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2007
- Messages
- 7,332
- Location
- Texas
- Vessel Name
- Floatsome & Jetsome
- Vessel Make
- Meridian 411
They are the SAME EXACT BOAT....hullform and all.
And to the above statement....LOA is LOA. What the manufacturer decides to slap on the side of the boat(ie the marketing brochure) has nothing to do with it.
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2007
- Messages
- 7,332
- Location
- Texas
- Vessel Name
- Floatsome & Jetsome
- Vessel Make
- Meridian 411
Thanks Don...I have been watching from afar. I have just had so many things going on!!! I got eyes for another boat so maybe y'all can help me out with a few things!!!
johnma
Guru
As said before, they are the exact same boat. Hull #1 was built with a standard bolt on platform and could not get the bow down. Mainship then went back to the drawing board and added the platform. The platform is bolted on and glassed over. It has a bit of a strange shape under the waterline that acts some what like a trim tab. this helps push the bow down and since it is below the waterline adds to hull speed. The forward position of the prop probably makes handling a little strange when docking, but i don't even notice it and with the bow thruster i can put it anywhere. I think when the changed from the 350 to 390 designation they moved the fridge about 8" toward the stern giving more counter space forward. thats about it for the difference. Mainship says they changed the designation from lwl to loa because thats the way they do it in Europe. I think they did it to sell a 35' boat for more money. (they now call the 34 a 395)
Anyway, i've had the boat for about 6 years and highly recommend them.
John
MS 390
Anyway, i've had the boat for about 6 years and highly recommend them.
John
MS 390
Grand Banks did this a few years ago. They came out with a new model called the GB44 which used a different hull than all the previous GB models. After the boat had been in production for a couple of years or so they said they were adapting the ABYC method of measuring a boat and the model became the GB47 which is still in production today. Same exact boat, just a different way of measuring it.
On the other side of the coin they have just replaced the GB41, their pod-drive boat, with the GB 43. This is also a pod-drive boat but is a slightly longer (in the cockpit) version of the now-discontinued GB41. So in this case the boat actually got longer, it wasn't just a different way of measuring it.
Moonstruck
Guru
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2008
- Messages
- 8,276
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Moonstruck
- Vessel Make
- Sabre 42 Hardtop Express
They are definitely not stern drive.
johnma
Guru
my 390 is a single. When i first started looking at 390's I wanted a twin but none were available. Most 390's were built as singles with a bow thruster. I ran a twin engine boat for 25 years and had no trouble with the transition to a single. All 390's are shaft drive. I don't believe that Mainship ever made a stern drive boat, although thay did make express cruisers for a while and I guess it is possible they made some of those with astern drive.
You can go on Mainships website. They have a section titled "previous models" that will give you details on all models past and present. Mainship closed down operations earlier this year and are in the process of reopening sometime in the near future as a division of Marlowe Marine
John
You can go on Mainships website. They have a section titled "previous models" that will give you details on all models past and present. Mainship closed down operations earlier this year and are in the process of reopening sometime in the near future as a division of Marlowe Marine
John
JD
Guru
Here is the Mainship site: Mainship Trawlers - http://www.mainship.com - A Division of Marlow-Hunter, LLC.
It is maintained by Marlow and they will help with parts when they can.
Contact: Breeden Eddie (aftersales@marlow-hunter.com)
Also that I know of there were no stern drives in the Mainship line. I do not know if Luhrs, the parent company, ever built any under their brand. They were more of a fishing boat so they may have.
