:1 USED BOAT review MAINSHIP 34 BY STEVE KNAUTH / C ON TRI B U TIN G WRITER

THEIR WORDS As people change over the years , so do their boats. A child 's sailing pram becomes

a teenager's outboard runabout, then maybe a young family's walkaround - and the

evolution has begun .

When Garry and Sherry Haferbier found they were fishing less in their open 24-foot­

er and weekend ing more, they decided they needed to step up to a cabin boat. The

boat they chose was the Mainship 34, a seminal recreational trawler design that's an

acknowledged pacesetter. And while it may not be their last boat, the two 44-year-olds

from Barnegat, N.J., have certainly found a good fit for now.

Sherry and Garry Haferbier

Touting the single-engine, single-stateroom ves­

sel 's versatility , Garry Haferbier, a construct ion

equipment sales manager, says Stardust is a

much-needed stress reliever. "We grab as much

'boat time' as we can: evening dinner cruises after

work, long weekends , day cruises to Tice's Shoal

[a local boater hangout] ," he says. The couple

even plans to make a longer voyage - to Sag Har­

bor, N.Y. - this summer to raft up with friends.

They like the simple layout, with the galley-down

to port, head to starboard , and a forward stateroom for two, says Haferbier. And

there's no built-in furniture , which leaves things to each owner's individual needs. " It's

good for the cruising couple," says Haferbier. "But add another couple , and the priva­

cy goes away very quickly."

The 200-hp Perkins diesel has been reliable and economical , delivering trawler

speeds. "We routinely cruise at 10 knots at 1,800 rpm and burn about 4 gallons an

hour," says Haferbier. "She's a typical single-screw, full-keel , soft-chine boat, and she

is not fond of quarter-following seas. But all it takes is paying attention to the seas and

making the necessary adjustments to not get pushed around. In a head sea, I have

never felt unsafe in any weather I have encountered."

The Haferbiers bought the 1982 Mainship 34 in fall 2003 for around $44,000, and it

came with its original Perkins (less than 700 hours) and Crosspower 3.5 kW genera­

tor. "We looked off and on for over a year at many different cru isers and trawlers , and

even chartered some," says Haferbier. "We kept coming back to the Mainship 34 for a

number of reasons: the single diesel , the upper/lower stations, the large head . And

this was one of the only boats I could walk [around in] without ducking , and being 6

foot, 2 inches that was an issue."

The couple did make some changes to the boat to bring it up to date. In fact , it was

out with the old - a small holding tank; 20-plus years of electrical "bad habits" from

previous owners; minor soft spots under stanchions, railings and fittings ; years of

built-up bottom paint - and in with the new: saloon carpeting , teak and holly galley

and stateroom sole, full bridge enclosure, bottom paint and updated electronics. An

acknowledged do-it-yourselfer, Haferbier also added a new dash to flush mount his

electronics and a custom bridge nav pod .

He also took over the helm of the local Mainship owners club, for more than just so­

cial reasons. "We routinely toss ideas back and forth to update electrical systems,

plumbing systems or find obscure sources for Perkins diesel parts," says Haferbier.

The group also congregates for three or four raft-ups each year, wh ich routinely at-

erately rounded bilges and full-length keel of a

trawler. Standard power was a single 160-hp

Perkins diesel , with which the 34 attained im­

pressive fuel figures (2 gallons per hour) at tra-

ditional trawler speeds.

The first models have a relatively small

cockpit and a larger saloon, with room for a

sofa, chair and table. The lower helm station

is to starboard , with views out the three-panel

windshield and large side windows. The gal­

ley down was usually equipped with a

stove/oven combination , microwave and re­

frigerator/freezer. Drawers and overhead lock­

ers provide storage for cookware , crockery

and provisions.

The large head compartment is to starboard

SPECIFICATIONS

LOA: 34 feet

BEAM: 11 feet, 11 inches

DRAFf: 2 feet, 10 inches

WEIGHT: 14,000 pounds

lIUll. ITPE: semidisplacement

PROPULSION: single 160-hp

diesel

TANKAGE: 220 gallons fuel, 50

gallons w ater

DESIGNER: John Cherubini BUILDER: Mainship Corp., Mid­

way, Ga. Phone : (800) 578-0852.

www.m ainship .com

and is laid out with a convenient separate shower stall. The 34's stateroom is forward ,

with a V-berth (and insert) for two, vanity, and both h.anging and other locker storage.

Coach roof ports and a deck hatch add light and ventilation.

The flybridge offers both a second helm station and a place to socialize, with a

pedestal seat at the centerline helm console and additional companion seating. A teak

trimmed ladder provides access between bridge and cockpit.

The Mainship 34 II and 34 III followed the original 34 and represented refinements

mostly in interior design . The 34 II had a larger cockpit and smaller saloon; the 34 III

had additional interior space, larger windows and a more open cockpit. All rode the

same Cherubini-designed trawler-style hull.

tract dozens of other Mainship owners. AVAI LABI LITY "This boat was purchased as an experiment to see if the cruising life was for us," The Mainship 34 is popular on the used-boat market and can be found in virtually all

says Haferbier. "I now see this is a bug that will be hard to get rid of." parts of the country. They were affordable new, and they're affordable used , with

The same can be said of the boat. prices running from less than $50,000 for a model from the late 1970s to around

WALKTHROUGH An upright profile with high topsides and substantial superstructure make the original

Mainship 34 look larger than it is. De­

signer John Cherubin i gave the solid

fiberglass hull the deep forefoot , mod-

Soundings J une 2006

$65,000 for a mid-1980s vintage. Here are a few samples.

A 1979 model billed as "the cleanest, best-maintained on the market" was for sale

in Alabama for $45,000, with 650 hours on an overhauled 160-hp diesel. A 1982

Florida boat with Bimini , cockpit hardtop, air conditioning/heat, 165-hp

turbo diesel and GPS' was listed for $45,000. A 1978 model in Utah ,

laid out "for a cruising couple ," was offered for $48,900, with air condi-

tioning , gene rator, two-burner stove/

oven , microwave and refrigerator/freez­

er. A 1984 model in South Carolina with

3 ,500 hours on a 200-hp diesel and

matching electronics at the upper and

lower helm stations was priced at

$55 ,900 . A "well-maintained , nicely

equipped " 1985 model was offered at

$67,500 in Rhode Island , with a 200-hp

diesel , hardtop and enclosure on the

flybridge , and GPS, plotter , autopilot

and other electronics . •

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