Better Still

No design is perhaps more timeless than the Down East lobster boat. It typifies the art of New England shipbuilding as much as the clipper in full sail. A sharply upswept sheerline, low-profile trunk cabin and sparingly applied details are key components of the look. It's a simple, utilitarian scheme that's made to get the job done. This is the heritage of Mainship's new Pilot 34.

When the St. Augustine, Florida, builder introduced the Pilot 30 last year, it never suspected that the model would be so popular. Its elegant simplicity appealed to a wide range of buyers looking for a comfortable, yet back-to-basics approach to boating. One thing the 30 lacked, though, was below deck room. The Pilot 34 addresses this issue very well. Where the 30 is essentially a day boat, the 34 supplies extra space for the amenities needed in extended cruising.

The cabin of the Pilot 34 is separated into two living areas. The beauty of the layout is in the fact that they can be brought together as the need may be. The bulkhead that separates the main salon amidships from the berth area forward contains two sets of bi-fold, louvered panels. With these and the door wide open, it creates a continuous flow of room through the cabin. Yet, if you have guests bunking in the convertible seating area of the salon, everyone can have privacy.

Dimensional Space

Adding 4 feet to the 30 has made the Pilot 34 very accommodating. The forward V-berth can handle a 6-footer with length to spare. Insert the center filler cushion and it's king size side-to-side. The dining area settee holds four with elbow room aplenty. It converts to a legitimate double bed size. In the vertical plane, there's at least 6 feet 5 inches of clearance throughout the cabin, including the head.

Getting back to basics doesn't mean giving up appearances. The Pilot 34's cabin is elegantly appointed with classic teak paneling. A teak and holly sole is standard. The wood, fabric and upholstery blend to create warmth evocative of a classic Cape Cod home. The galley is located to port. It includes as standard an electric, two-burner stove, AC/DC refrigerator, microwave oven and coffee maker. A propane stove is an option. Yankee ingenuity is evident in the effective use of space for stowage, down to the trash bin located under the top step at the cabin entrance.

Just aft of the galley is the molded fiberglass head. It has a built-in vanity with Corian countertop, power ventilator, and a VacuFlush toilet as standard features. An engine head exchanger adds efficiency to the boat's electric hot water heater.

Entertainment comes in the form of a 13-inch TV/VCR combo mounted on a swivel platform in the forward cabin. It's positioned near one of the louvered bulkhead openings so it can be viewed from the salon as well. An AM/FM single-CD player with speakers in the cabin and cockpit is included with the boat, or you can opt for a second audio system mounted at the helm.

Deck Details

The Pilot 34 is available in either a soft or hardtop version. Both are factory-installed options. A canvas top can be installed to cover the helm and forward cockpit seating area. Side curtains are included to completely enclose you from the weather. The hardtop sedan version has hard side windows and an aft curtain as well as overhead lighting. In addition, a canvas package is available that will extend either of these configurations to enclose the entire cockpit.

Seating is generous on the Pilot 34, a pair of wide benches faces forward and there are two sideways facing benches just behind them. These can convert to additional sleeping space by lifting a panel in the base of the forward facing seats — a great place to sleep under the stars. An option for more seating is a bench that extends across the transom.

The cockpit of the Pilot 34 is roomy enough for any on-water activity, be it fishing, diving or sunbathing. A transom door is standard and it can open to an optional swim platform. There's a large, insulated stowage compartment behind the port bench seat that can be used as a cooler or baitwell. A cockpit ice maker is on the option list.

At the Controls

As delivered, the helm of the Pilot 34 includes all the basics, again in simple, elegant form. There's a destroyer-type wheel and single lever Morse engine control. Gauge clusters to either side of the wheel monitor the power plant. There is quite a large area to install custom electronics, if you wish. If you do so, you'll appreciate the access that Mainship has provided. The entire helm console is hinged to lift up. A very high, substantial, all-aluminum windshield with side vents keeps what little spray that might come over the bow away from you.

Just because the Pilot 34 is a single screw boat doesn't mean you'll struggle when docking. One piece of equipment that's all too often an option on other boats is a standard feature — a bow thruster.

The engine compartment is accessed through a hydraulically assisted hatch in the center of the forward cockpit deck. The Pilot 34 is available with either a 300-horsepower Yanmar 6LP-STE or 310-horsepower Cummins 330B Diesel engine. Work access is excellent. Also sharing the compartment are the twin fuel tanks, which total 250 gallons, along with the hot water heater and the battery banks. There's even room left over for an optional generator and X-Change-R oil change system.

A wide walkway with a high railing provides safe and easy access from the cockpit to the foredeck. An integrated bow pulpit is equipped with an anchor roller. There's an overboard draining line locker behind it and space for an optional low-profile windlass.

No Hurry

The Pilot 34 is a boat for leisurely travel. The top speed is just over 22 mph. What it lacks in quickness, it more than makes up for in fuel economy. At slow cruise, the Yanmar 6LP-STE in our test boat burned 1.7 gallons per hour, running at 1,500 rpm, while doing 8 mph. At that rate, you can travel the entire length of the California coast on a single tank of fuel, as long as you're not in a hurry! Putting the boat on plane at fast cruise, you'll use just under 10 gph and go about 15 mph.

The Pilot 34's lines give it a bow high look, and it does ride slightly more so when it comes on plane, but visibility is excellent at the helm, whether standing or sitting. It has a reasonably short turning radius even though it has a keel. Steering is tight and responsive at all speeds. The hull design of the Pilot 34 incorporates a sharp entry to cut through and smooth out head seas. As it moves aft, the hull cross-section flattens to provide roll stability. The ride is quite well mannered.

Driving the Mainship Pilot 34 takes you back to a time when boating was a bit different from what it has become today. Even at top speed, you'll be in the wakes of many others, but you won't get beat up. Boats like the Pilot 34 are built to persevere. Like the rocky, wind-swept shores of New England, its style will stay the course.

Mainship Corporation
255 Diesel Road
St. Augustine, FL 32086
(800) 829-5847