What about the Mainship 430 trawler ?

[leggmil]

I own a 2002 Mainship Pilot 30, and I've never had any problems with it, but my bucket list includes buying a larger boat for two couples to go South for an extended cruise to Florida and the Bahamas. I'm seriously considering the Mainship 430 aft cabin trawler 1999-2006. I'm looking for input from owners and/or mates who have had experience with these boats. I prefer the Yanmar diesel engines, as I've had no problems at all with mine, but I have an open mind re: Caterpiller and Cummins. I captained a 54' Tillet sport fisherman for 8 years, so I'm not intimidated by a large boat. I welcome your comments and recommendations! Leggmil

 

[caltexflanc]

We spent a lot of time cruising one of these out of Alameda, Ca when we belonged to a boat club there which had at the time every model of Mainship in the fleet. Mostly cruised up through the Delta but a few times out the Gate to Drakes Bay, Pillar Point, Monterrey Bay etc. Many fond memories.

I could best characterize it as an "honest" boat, pretty decent ergonomics and serviceability. Not the highest quality, but nothing bad either. A light boat, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it would behave in a seaway. This boat, a 2000 as I recall, had Cat 3116's in it, I believe after the issues that made that engine notorious had been resolved, but since it was a charter, I didn't have to worry about servicing it so can't offer any details on the maintenance side of the equation. This also was the galley-up model with a third, mid cabin of twin berths, V_berth forward and queen athwartships aft.

I've met a few owners in our travels and have yet to meet an unhappy one. I am not sure where Mainship came out in the bankruptcy of Luhrs/Hunter/Mainship. I know David Marlowe bought some of the company but not if Mainship was included in that. So factory support would worth investigating.

 

[leggmil]

Thanks for your reply! I'm a little wary about buying a boat with the Caterpillar 3116 or 3126 engines, as I've heard horror stories about both. The Cummins BT 5.9's (330 HP) are pretty tough engines, but they smoke terribly at start-up. I'd prefer the de-tuned c series (8.3 liter) Cummins engines, but I don't think they were available in the 430's. I'm leaning toward the two stateroom/galley down 430 with Yanmar power, if I can find a clean one at a reasonable price.

 

[caltexflanc]

There is a difference between hearing horror stories and what the actual condition is of a specific engine. The boat I used is 12 years old now and still going strong from what I am told. I last used it in 2007. There were issues with the 3116 early in its model life (and apparently, anecdotally, the 26, 76 and 96 31's too). So you have to take each boat being considered as it is in fact. Mainship did use all three engine manufacturers and a number of different models from each. I ran a 390 with a single Cat 3208 and another with twin Yanmars. One 30 Pilot had a small Cummins, another and slower version a Yanmar. Also a 34 Pilot with a bigger Cummins. There is no reason any Cummins should smoke terribly at start other than poor maintenance. Not even the legendary/notorious Detroit 2 strokes do that if you treat them right.

There used to be a Mainship owners forum as I recall, have you tried searching for one?

 

[JD]

I've met a few owners in our travels and have yet to meet an unhappy one. I am not sure where Mainship came out in the bankruptcy of Luhrs/Hunter/Mainship. I know David Marlowe bought some of the company but not if Mainship was included in that. So factory support would worth investigating.

Marlow in fact does own the Mainship and Hunter brands.

There is a new Mainship coming out in a few short months.

The Mainship Group is a Yahoo Group.

mainship@yahoogroups.com

 

[C lectric]

Cummins 5.9 do not smoke heavily unless there is something wrong with them. In fact the ones I'm familiar with almost don't smoke upon startup at all, a puff maybe and gone.
In really cold weather all diesels will smoke untill you get a load on them

 

[bstew]

Mainship 430

I have a 2002 M430 with Cat 3126s and they work well. No smoke on start due to the integral heaters, but heavy draw on batteries and alternators until they warm up.

 

[Marlinmike]

All good information provided above and I agree that the duty cycle for diesels in "trawlers" is much different in sport-fisherman market where many of the honor stories originated. I would have no issue with a 3126 or the Cummins 6B and I'm more of a Yanmar person.

Also would add getting a larger boat is great if you want the room, but purchased solely for bringing people along - you may want to re-evaluate that, in the end most won't go or go only once, it will be cheaper to pay for the hotel for a weekend stay....

 

[Baker]

Cummins 5.9 do not smoke heavily unless there is something wrong with them. In fact the ones I'm familiar with almost don't smoke upon startup at all, a puff maybe and gone.
In really cold weather all diesels will smoke untill you get a load on them

In the winter, mine will smoke like a Detroit!!!....but it does clear up and no smoke once warm.

 

[jimL]

Leg.gmil, Did you buy a Mainship 430?

We have had several boats over the years and are also looking at a Mainship 430 trunk. We rented a GB 36 truck and liked the layout and visibility the fly bridge provided, but the single engine at 7knots was too slow. We also spent a weekend on a Sundeck trawler, liked the interior layout but not the exterior layout relative to the stern. We want the ability to cruise in the high teens. We like the trunk because we want the added room in the aft cabin and walk around bed. We’ll leave the v-berth for the occasional visitor.

Does anyone have any opinion or experience on a 2003-2008 Mainship 430 with twin engines? Is there anything or any area on the boat I should be looking at?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Forkliftt]

Also would add getting a larger boat is great if you want the room, but purchased solely for bringing people along - you may want to re-evaluate that, in the end most won't go or go only once, it will be cheaper to pay for the hotel for a weekend stay....

Great advice Marlin Mike. And so true. Smaller but "big enough" can save lots of time washing, transient fees, insurance, the list goes on...


Forky
1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

 

[bstew]

'02 Mainship 430

Did you buy a Mainship 430?

Does anyone have any opinion or experience on a 2003-2008 Mainship 430 with twin engines? Is there anything or any area on the boat I should be looking at?

I have a 2002 M430 with twin Cat 3126s and it works well. We had a large SP125 thruster put in the year after we got it in '07 and use that a lot parking in a beam wind, but found we had to re-power it with two dedicated AGM batteries under the fwd bunk and install a larger (105A) alternator to charge them, the 3K inverter batt's and the 1450 CCA start/house battery through an isolator.
Outside your '03 - 08 parameters, but a good boat.
BStew

 

[Temptation]

Mainship 430

We have owned a 2005 Mainship 430 (2 stateroom model) for 4 years and have put 1,000 hours & over 5,000 miles on her. We live on it for 3-5 months each year and have traveled the East Coast from Canada to south Florida.

It is comfortable live aboard boat and is able to anchor, with the proper equipment, for extended periods because of water capacity, holding tank capacity, charging capacity, generator(s) and refrigeration.

We were offshore catamaran sailors for many years so the fuel capacity and engine size are beyond our needs (500 gals & twin 370 hp Yanmars). Since we travel at sailboat speeds, this is not an offshore boat unless the wind is Beaufort 3 or less. It is a planing hull and you will not like the ride offshore (or the ride in Chesapeake/Delaware Bay or Albemarle/Pamlico Sound) at Beaufort 4 and above. Of course you could go faster to smooth out the ride somewhat.

We burn just under 4 gals per hour @ 1400 rpm and make 8 knots. WOT is 22 knots and fuel burn is about 20 gals per engine per hour.

We would buy this boat again.

 

[jimL]

TEMPTATION,

Thanks for the input. I think the layout is ideal for our needs but I am reading information about the ride at different speeds. Where have you done most of your cruising? inland water waterways, ICW, Great Lakes?

We intend to keep close to the coast on the ICW and coastal areas with an occasional trip to the Bahamas. This would mean transversing the Chesapeake and other larger bodies of water from the NorthEast The Beaufort scale comparison is very helpful - Thank you.

Jim

 

[Xsbank]

Most of the time, a boat can take far worse conditions than the crew. Just sayin'...

 

[ranger58sb]

It is a planing hull and you will not like the ride offshore (or the ride in Chesapeake/Delaware Bay or Albemarle/Pamlico Sound) at Beaufort 4 and above. Of course you could go faster to smooth out the ride somewhat.

Usually nobody likes the ride on any under-50' power boat (any hull form) in the Chesapeake at Beaufort 4 or above, especially if wind is opposing the tide.

Going (slightly) faster sometimes works, sometimes beats us up even more.


But yes, usually the boat is happier than the crew. Beam seas will re-arrange all your furniture and some of your appliances though, and they'll unpack unsecured lockers in a heartbeat.


-Chris

 

[sum escape]

Thanks for your reply! I'm a little wary about buying a boat with the Caterpillar 3116 or 3126 engines, as I've heard horror stories about both. The Cummins BT 5.9's (330 HP) are pretty tough engines, but they smoke terribly at start-up. I'd prefer the de-tuned c series (8.3 liter) Cummins engines, but I don't think they were available in the 430's. I'm leaning toward the two stateroom/galley down 430 with Yanmar power, if I can find a clean one at a reasonable price.

We looked at a 43 with twin 8.3L Cummins a few years back. I believe they were 480HP a side. Maybe rare, but out there. I think it was a 2006 model if memory serves me....