Mainship 34

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by BTScow, Aug 22, 2007.

  1. BTScow
    Joined: Dec 2006
    Posts: 46
    Likes: 1, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Madison, WI

    BTScow Junior Member

    Can anyone speak to the relevance of the Mainship 34 and its affect on starting an industry wide trend for fast trawlers in the mid 70s and 80s.

    Thanks in advance,

    BTScow
     
    BTScow, Aug 22, 2007
    #1
  2. keysdisease
    Joined: Mar 2006
    Posts: 794
    Likes: 43, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 324
    Location: South Florida USA

    keysdisease Senior Member

    Mainship 34 owner

    Hello Scow,

    I own a 1978 Mainship Type I and am a 30+ veteran of the Marine Industry.

    relevance of the Mainship 34 and its affect on starting an industry wide trend for fast trawlers in the mid 70s and 80s.

    The original model Mainship 34 was introduced in 1978, and was powered by a Perkins 160HP engine. It was not a "fast trawler." Later models, the type II and III had 165 or 200 Perkins and some Type I's had what I have in my boat, a 200HP Chrysler-Mitsibushi. The fastest model would probably be the type II (lightest) with a 200 Perkins and could probably do 15knts at WOT. On my own boat she likes 8-9 knts and won't stay on plane comfortably below 14knts. To stay on plane I have to run very close to WOT.

    There are a lot of Mainships repowered with higher HP engines but the consensus amoung these owners is the hull can only be pushed to around 17-18 knts before getting some handling behaviors. This hull is also prone to 'bow steering" if you don't keep the bow up at higher speeds do to the fine fore foot entry.

    I know these speeds are faster than a true displacement hull, but they are not as fast as todays "fast trawlers."

    The Mainship 34 is a great boat. You could say it started a lot within the industry, it was easy to maintain, economical to operate, had classic lines, and was priced reasonably. For a 34 ft boat the Salon and head are BIG, the flybridge on the Type I HUGE. The fact that Mainship built over 1,800 of them says a lot about this boats popularity.

    You can read a little about them here:

    http://www.mainship.com/models/previous_models/index.html

    There is a great owners group on Yahoo, 1,500 + members, many owners of the classic 34 like mine, which by the way,

    is FOR SALE.

    I've owned her for 10+ years now and circumstances dictate it's time to move on. Cruised extensively in the Bahamas and the Keys, great shallow draft cruiser, see more here:

    http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/4/5/88444245.htm

    Keysdisease
     
    keysdisease, Aug 23, 2007
    #2
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