Mainship 395 trawler

Posted: April 1, 2012  |  Boat Type: Trawler

Couple-sized and value priced

By: Zuzana Prochazka

I like trawlers. It must be the sailor in me; I don’t mind going slower, enjoying the journey and saving big bucks on fuel. I also like the creature comforts of powerboats that are not found on many sailboats, so, to me, trawlers are a perfect combination for coastal cruising and leisurely passage-making. Trawlers come in all sizes and for all budgets, so the fuel economy can be wiped out by purchasing way more boat than you need. That’s why I appreciate the approach taken by the compact Mainship 395, which is perfectly couple-sized and value priced.

The Mainship folks make no bones about their value proposition. Right on the brochure, they tout a 450-mile range at 7 knots, and their website is all about highlighting value and extra equipment not found on comparable boats in the 395’s class. The 395 is based on the previous 34 hull, remeasured from bowsprit to swim step. But the difference is more than just a stretch of the tape measure, because the 395 benefits from owner feedback, which led to a complete interior facelift and a few options that make this compact boat feel like it’s 10 feet longer.

On Board

You board the 395 from the swim platform and then through the transom door that leads into the aft cockpit. From here, there is access to slim lockers built into the transom and a large lazarette under the sole, where there is access to the batteries, some of the systems and the back of the engine. Additional engine access is inside via the salon floorboards. Foot-wide covered sidedecks lead forward on either side to a roomy bow with a large fiberglass bowsprit just ahead of a raised, built-in chain locker that holds the Maxwell windlass. An unexpected feature is the stout samson post, designed to take the load off the chain and built of enough shiny stainless steel that it looks like it came from the jewelry case at Tiffany.

Back in the cockpit, steps lead to the flybridge. This is a full-molded staircase, not a ladder, so you can go up with food and drink in your hand or just hold onto the stainless railing in rough weather. The flybridge is impressive and would be where I’d spend all of my time, because it’s roomy and well laid out — even challenging the outdoor living areas on much bigger boats. The full enclosure on our test boat creates a sizeable room with a large L-shaped settee to port, a folding cocktail table, three single-seat chairs at the dash and a straight settee on starboard. This area would easily host 10 for cocktails, and that’s not counting the chef out back in what Mainship is calling the Summer Galley. Mainship designers have created a fun, all-in-one station that features a sink, a barbecue and a small refrigerator in one compact add-on package on the aft deck. Invite a few more people with cocktail in hand, and you’ll be the center of activity in the anchorage, or just enjoy the view with a few close friends.

The helm on our boat includes a Garmin chartplotter, a VHF radio and engine thruster controls. Bow and stern thrusters are standard on the Mainship 395, so although twin diesels are offered, they are not necessary for easy maneuvering. Mainship expects only a few owners to spec the option of two 220 hp Yanmars, because they take up more space and cost another $40,000 but add very little to the top speed of the vessel.

Accommodations

The interior of the 395 was completely overhauled and doesn’t resemble the 34 in any way. Three large windows are forward, and the middle one opens for great ventilation. Large windows also encircle the entire salon, so the visibility from the inside helm is excellent in every direction except directly aft, where the steps create a blind spot. The helm is well laid out, with full electronics within reach, and there is a small, backless seat at the wheel. I asked why and was told that a seatback would have ruined the lines of the salon, so it’s more of a leaning post than a seat. A great feature is the pilothouse door, which leads directly to the sidedeck and will make docking easy — even single-handed.

Cherry-planked flooring is standard in the salon, as is cherry cabinetry with a nice finish throughout. A convertible sofa to starboard folds out for sleeping, as does the raised dinette ahead on port, so up to eight people can spend the night. A straight-line galley completes the living area and has a two-burner glass-top cooktop, a micro­wave/convection oven, Corian-topped counters, plenty of under/over storage space and pull-out drawers for both the refrigerator and the freezer.

Three steps lead down to the cabins — yes, that’s plural. One of the improvements made to the 395 based on owner feedback was the addition of a guest cabin tucked under the raised dinette. It has standing headroom at the door and is amply sized but only has one small fixed port above the hanging locker, so hopefully your guests aren’t claustrophobic.

The master is in the bow and has a walk-around queen-size bed with an innerspring mattress and drawers below. It has a cedar-lined hanging locker and its own entry to the large, shared head, which has a good-sized glass-enclosed stall shower. The master stateroom has opening hull ports on both sides and a large overhead hatch to let in plenty of light and air, so this home-style bedroom is luxurious and doesn’t feel like it’s buried in the hull.

The addition of a second cabin means another couple can become weekend guests, or grandkids can join from time to time. It opens up the 395 to many more cruising possibilities than were offered with its predecessor.

Under Way

We slipped the docklines on a warm, cloudless day in Long Beach Harbor. The bow thruster made easy work of getting out of a tight slip, and we headed out to flat water with barely a breeze blowing. The long run out to open water gave me a chance to get a feel for the boat under way. The ease of getting around from bow to stern or from flybridge down to the cabins was notable, and the 380 hp Yanmar was perfectly behaved and quiet, even in the salon. Since the engine was moved aft to make room for the second cabin, the 395 has a V-drive and offers dripless shaft log(s) standard.

As I ran the boat at various speeds, I noticed how the full keel and 14-foot, 3-inch beam kept this semi-displacement hull steady even in tight turns where the boat leaned into it just a little but pulled through smoothly. The hull is solid glass below the waterline and up to the rubrail, and then cored above to reduce weight, so the boat is quite agile even with a single engine. I noticed the running attitude of the boat is bow-up, like a lobster boat.

“That’s the way she runs,” said ­broker Mike Brockman of Heritage Yachts. “We don’t trim her or she tends to wobble.”

At idle, we turned just under 4 knots in flat water, and as the speed came up, fuel consumption jumped when we reached 2850 rpm and about 12 knots, where the engines were burning 13.8 gph. At 9.6 knots, we were burning 10.6 gph and turning at 2550 rpm. At wide-open throttle, about 3250 rpm, we touched 16 knots while burning 19.1 gph, so it’s clear you can get home in a hurry if the need arises, but the sweet spot seemed to be right around 7 knots where the boat sipped just under 3 gph. For any ex-sailor, that’s a pretty good turn of speed. For any long-distance cruiser, that’s great fuel economy.

The 395 is right in the middle of the Mainship trawler range and offers just about everything that a couple traveling locally or even to Mexico or Alaska would need. Thanks to Mainship’s extensive customer surveys, the 395 evolved inside and out from what was the company’s most popular design for point-to-point cruising. I chatted with Brockman about the target market for this design. “This is a coastal cruiser for the couple that wants everything except the big size and big price tag,” he said. “Some are folks transitioning out of sail, and they want open, airy living inside and out — they’re tired of living below the waterline.” It seems the Mainship will fit the bill in many ways for many couples.