The Mainship Pilot 30 Offers Timeless Styling And Value

Timeless styling, along with a size and accommodations that customers moving up from smaller models or down from larger ones can both appreciate, kept Mainship's Pilot™ 30 a popular model for nearly 10 years.

The design is a product of Mainship's in-house staff. To my eye, this is a good looking design that stands on its own, but it is clearly influenced by working craft, such as New England's lobster and bass boats, and the model's likely namesake. (The "pilot" boats used to transport harbor pilots to and from ships entering and leaving harbors around the world.)

The express, both the open bridge deck and cockpit version, was introduced in 1998, and the sedan model (pictured), with her enclosed bridge deck, was added in 2000. Although not immediately apparent, the model underwent another revision in 2003 that included a shortening of the keel, a prop pocket to reduce draft and shaft angle, and interior rearrangements. It was replaced by the Pilot 31™ in 2008.

The Pilot™ 30 is a very versatile boat that adapts easily to a wide range of boating interests from day trips to fishing, diving and weekend cruising.

Mainship controls costs by keeping its construction methods traditional, and the Pilot™ 30 is no exception. The hull is laminated with chopped strand mat and woven roving fiberglass cloth, with Coremat above the waterline and high quality gelcoat to help prevent osmotic blistering. The hull is reinforced with plywood bulkheads and four longitudinal plywood stringers.

Bulkheads are attached with fiberglass cloth and resin, and stringers are encased in and attached with fiberglass and resin. Drain holes through stringers and bulkheads are coated with plastic resin to prevent water penetrating the wood core. Even so, this can be a potential problem area if the bilges are not kept clean and dry.

The cabin and deck are molded with chopped strand mat, fiberglass cloth and resin with balsa and plywood core for strength, rigidity and light weight. The hull and deck are assembled with 3-M 5200 adhesive sealant and sheet metal fasteners on 8-inch centers. The quality of the fit and finish I have seen on several of these models has varied from marginal to well done, although quality control seems improved on newer models.

The more people you try to please with any design, the more compromises that will have to be made. So it is with the deck arrangement of the Pilot 30™, although it is still an efficient use of space. The foredeck is small but incorporates a pulpit for easy storage, launch and retrieval of the anchor as well as a foredeck anchor locker. The cockpit, which measures slightly over 8 feet wide and 4 feet and 6 inches long, will be tight for fishermen and divers, but it is very well thought out and balances well with other accommodations. Cleats are positioned so they can't injure passengers and hawse holes are provided.

A transom door was added in 2000 and is a real benefit for boarding via the optional swim platform. The bridge deck provides a separate captain's seat to starboard and a mate's seat to port as well as port and starboard longitudinal bench seats.

Below deck, sleeping and dining accommodations are forward, with the galley and head aft. The 2003 interior redesign replaced the combination V-berth/dinette with a small permanent berth forward followed by a separate dinette. The original port galley and starboard head were swapped side-for-side with the re-design. Headroom, which can be an issue on boats this size, isn't a problem on the Pilot 30™. There is 6 foot and 3-inch clearance throughout most of the main cabin.

Three different auxiliary diesel engines have been offered on the Pilot™ 30 including the 175-horsepower and 230-horsepower Yanmar or 220-horsepower Cummins models. All are efficient, with very good weight-to-horsepower ratios and service that is readily available throughout the country. Machinery access is marginal and gets even tighter with the addition of an optional auxiliary generator and extra battery.

Cruising speed will range from 13 to 17 knots depending on engine option and loading, and the 175-gallon fuel capacity results in a rather impressive cruising range of better than 400 miles at a 13-knot cruise.

In its first year of production the Pilot™ 30 encountered noise and vibration problems, particularly on those boats equipped with larger Yanmar engines. The cause seemed to be insufficient propeller tip clearance and was addressed and repaired under warranty by Mainship.

Recognizing that handling can be tricky on single-engine boats, an optional electric bow thruster was offered, but I think I would practice my docking techniques more before I sprang for the $6,000-plus for this option.

The popularity of this model produced many boats and used models are now quite common on the market.

As with most mid-range new boats, values tend to depreciate quickly over the first few years, but used models hold their values comparatively well. Compared to limited production or custom boats of similar size and style that cost twice as much, Mainship's Pilot™ 30 offers good value.

Jack Hornor, NA is the principal surveyor and senior designer for the Annapolis-based Marine Survey & Design Co. Hornor writes for BoatU.S. Magazine and other marine publications.

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