Mainship Trawlers, the Affordable Way Into Coastal Cruising

The Luhrs family's answer to the import trawler

Mainship belonged to the Luhrs family's boatbuilding group, the same New Jersey family behind Luhrs sportfishermen, Silverton and Hunter sailboats. The name dates to the late 1970s, when the original Mainship 34 became one of the first American-built coastal cruisers aimed at buyers who liked the trawler look but did not want a slow, heavy Taiwanese import with acres of teak to varnish.

That formula defined the brand: semi-displacement hulls that could idle along economically at trawler speeds or run at mid-teens when needed, fiberglass instead of exterior wood, and prices well below Grand Banks or Nordhavn. Production ended after the Great Recession, and no new Mainships have been built in well over a decade.

The 34, the 390 and the 430 Trawler

We cover three Mainships, and together they span most of the brand's life. The Mainship 34 Trawler is really a family name: John Cherubini drew the original single-diesel sedan cruiser of 1978, the late 1990s brought a downeast-style 34 Pilot, and the 2000s added a new 34 Trawler with more room for living aboard. All three are compact, economical and cheap to keep in a slip, which explains their popularity with first-time owners.

The Mainship 390 Trawler grew out of the 350 Trawler of 1996, which returned the brand to traditional trawler looks, and wore the 390 name from 1999 to 2005. A single-level saloon and galley, two cabins forward and a big flybridge make it a classic two-person cruising boat, and it was among the best-selling American trawlers of its day.

The Mainship 430 Trawler was the flagship of that revival. Built in St. Augustine, Florida from 1999 to 2006, it is the one big departure from the single-engine formula: an aft cabin cruiser with twin diesels, a private master stateroom aft and a choice of two cabins with the galley down or three with it up. It can idle along at about 8 knots on modest fuel or push into the mid-teens, and it is the logical step for owners moving up from a 34 or 390 who want guests aboard. Later boats such as the 400, 35 and 414 Trawlers carried the line on until production stopped.

Both the 34 and the 390 are popular with Great Loop cruisers because of their modest air draft options, single-engine simplicity and fuel economy at displacement speed. The 430 gives up some of that simplicity in exchange for space and speed.

Buying a Mainship without a factory behind it

With no factory support, Mainship owners rely on independent yards, engine dealers and active owner groups. Resale is steady because these boats sit at an affordable price point that many first-time trawler buyers can reach, and well-kept examples sell quickly. Typical asking prices run from about $35,000 for an early 34 to around $260,000 for a well-equipped 430. Neglected boats, though, can cost more to fix than they are worth.

Concentrate the survey on these areas.

• Deck and flybridge core moisture around fittings and rails
• Cored decks and twin engine records on the 430
• Window and hatch leaks, plus resulting interior damage
• Fuel tank age, condition and sender accuracy
• Engine hours, exhaust elbow and cooling system service
• Rudder, shaft, strut and cutless bearing wear
• Bow thruster, trim tabs and generator condition