Hi, I have been searching for quite awhile for a boat that has everything that I am looking for and the Mainship 34 from around 2008 fits the bill. Unfortunately I am limited to 36 LOA with a little bit of flexibility but not an extra 2'10" in length. Moving to another marina is not an option so am wondering about reducing the LOA. Has anyone made a hinged pulpit? It looks like I would also the have to change the stainless rail as well which will affect the look of the boat as well. It's not an ideal situation but as we will never move from this marina I want to maximize our space on the water. Thank you.
Reducing LOA
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Benthic2
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Would removing the swim platform be an option ?
jgwinks
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Lots of sailboats with after market swim steps have them hinge up. Otherwise they drag in the water when heeled over sailing. Shouldn't be too hard to do, hinges where the step meets the transom and cables from above instead of struts from below. Or just remove it altogether?
rgano
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Put hinges on it with folding struts.
Comodave
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But when you do need to anchor you need a pulpit that is solidly attached. Much better to hinge swim platform. Also probably easier to do.
rgano
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Assuming the bow arrangement on the 34 is somewhat like my 30 Pilot, I would find it quite the task to cut through and arrange for some form of quick reconnection of the handrails on both sides as well as the bow pulpit (there is a very large chunk of wood encased in there) and to then to find a hinge strong enough as well as having to add a support strut coming up from the stem because no hinge will work by itself here. All this and now you have seriously damaged the resale value of the boat. Once you have seen how easy a flip-up swim platform is to handle, you will hopefully see the error of your thoughts on starting at the bow in this project.
SteveK
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A search on the net found the Mainship 34 to be LOA 34 feet. I guess that is from the pointy end to the transom. Yours is 38'10". Is the 2'10" the size of swimgrid, then that hinged makes more sense than hinging the pulpit.
If you are under a timeline remove either and take the off season to come up with best plan.
I suppose since the marinas charge a 34 foot loa boat to park in a 36 foot berth then they have the right to charge 38'10" for your boat. But to say hanging out 2'10" is a problem is mind boggling.
You mean like this:
Works great. I had to remove my pulpit for the same reason; to fit in the slip I own.
I had a local canvas shop bend me a SS rail to match the curve where the pulpit rail was cut. The base and the hinged part are 1/2" aluminum. You can work aluminum just like wood, with a saber saw and drill; you just have to go a LOT slower.
I use a snubber when I anchor overnight. There really should never be any structural loads on the pulpit that 1/2" aluminum can't handle. And of course the stainless roller is off the shelf; they're used on all kinds of boats.
Works great. I had to remove my pulpit for the same reason; to fit in the slip I own.
I had a local canvas shop bend me a SS rail to match the curve where the pulpit rail was cut. The base and the hinged part are 1/2" aluminum. You can work aluminum just like wood, with a saber saw and drill; you just have to go a LOT slower.
I use a snubber when I anchor overnight. There really should never be any structural loads on the pulpit that 1/2" aluminum can't handle. And of course the stainless roller is off the shelf; they're used on all kinds of boats.
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danderer
Guru
Have you put a tape to your boat? Mainship figures weren't ever the most accurate. IIRC my 34T was a bit over 39'. Maybe almost 40'. Don't know if modifying the swim platform would be sufficient to get to 36' though I agree it would be a much better approach than looking at the pulpit.
ksanders
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A lot of boat owners of differing models have removed built in bow pulpits to reduce length.
I just removed mine and lost a full two feet. Three feet if I pull my anchor on deck.
I just removed mine and lost a full two feet. Three feet if I pull my anchor on deck.
Comodave
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I am not sure but isn’t the pulpit on the Mainship moulded in? If it is a bolt on pulpit then it is pretty easy to get rid of it.
Thats good info. Will have to check it out. Thanks
I had a similar issue at my last (50 foot) slip. Between the optional long pulpit, the tender on the Freedom Lift, and quite a large anchor, I was over-sized. I ended up dropping the anchor and rigging up a way to pull it to the side and back. That took off enough length. My next remedy would have been to use my crane to put the tender up on the boat deck; I am glad it didn’t come to that. I did try putting the anchor on the deck and rigging a small block and tackle, but it’s almost 70 pounds and it wasn’t safe for me to wrestle horizontally on and off the deck…my neighbor there did get his pulpit shortened by a few feet. The yard did a great job, but he reported it as being very expensive
Datenight
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My North Pacific 39 had a folding pulpit for shipping reasons. I don't remember how it was made rigid when unfolded as it was done when I got the boat. I think it was a stainless plate underneath. Never had any issues in six years of mostly anchoring while cruising.
A call to Trevor Brice at North Pacific Yachts may give more insight.
Rob
A call to Trevor Brice at North Pacific Yachts may give more insight.
Rob
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ksanders
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Actually a molded in pulpit is probably just as easy to shorten
Just cut it off where you want it to look nice, and fiberglass the cut edge.
Don't go off online specs. Measure. Measure slip and measure overhang.
mvweebles
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Years ago I bought a Uniflite 42 ACMY in Newport Beach CA. Due to expensive slip fees, the previous owner had hinged the anchor pulpit. Heading north to San Francisco we encountered typical 7-8 foot chop on the nose. The hinged portion of the pulpit broke, the anchor broke free and pounded the hell out of the bow. Thank goodness for stout fiberglass layup. It happened in the middle of the night and I can tell you that going forward in that slop to secure everything was no fun either.
I wish you better luck than I had. With all due respect, the pictures in previous posts showing hinged anchor pulpits look pretty lame to my eyes, but I'm obviously jaded by experience. I would strongly advise against it unless you never anchor. The anchor pulpit is the wrong place to compromise structural integrity.
Peter
I wish you better luck than I had. With all due respect, the pictures in previous posts showing hinged anchor pulpits look pretty lame to my eyes, but I'm obviously jaded by experience. I would strongly advise against it unless you never anchor. The anchor pulpit is the wrong place to compromise structural integrity.
Peter
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Reminds me of the sailboat in English Bay that changed its name to "Level Crossing" after shortening LOA by T-boning a frieighter while the crew were otherwise occupied down below.
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