Captain's Report

A Trawler By Any Other Name

When we tested this boat a while back, she was called the Expedition Trawler, maybe a more evocative name than 414 Trawler. But Mainship has renamed all its models to reflect their overall length, and since this boat is 41' 4", she became the 414T. Otherwise she's the same boat as the earlier Expedition: A single-screw diesel cruiser with comfortable accommodations for four that will take you 252 n.m. (467 km.) on a 300-gal. (1,136 L) fuel capacity (with a 10% reserve) at a respectable cruising speed of 15.9 kt. (29.5 kph). Top speed in our test: 16.7 kt. (30.9 kph) with standard power, a 380-hp Yanmar 6LY3-UTP.

In our book, 290 miles doesn't make for much of an expedition – but did you ever hear of an expedition taking place at almost 16 knots? No, neither have we. You can have long range, though: Slow the 414T to traditional trawler speed, say 7 knots, and you should be able to coax over 800 n.m. out of the same amount of fuel. That's enough leg to take you quite a ways off the beaten path – maybe through the remote islands of the Caribbean or to the far corners of the Med -- or let you cruise on the beaten path without having to stop for fuel every day. Fuel consumption increases quickly beyond 7.5 knots, so if you want maximum range, go easy on the throttle. At 8.5 mph or 7.3 knots, the boat has a range of 713 statute miles or 620 nautical miles, according to our tests. That means that you can get from Florida to New England at these speeds in the ICW on two loads of fuel. How's that for economy?

Maybe Mainship's name change was smart, after all: The 414T can be a leisurely, long-range traditional trawler, but also a fast cruiser in waters where harbors, and fuel docks, are plentiful. We suspect most people will prefer the latter. This boat is not really up to a real "expedition" to someplace like, say, Tahiti. There are other boats for that kind of work and they are both heavier, larger and far more expensive.

Comfort for Four in Two

Belowdecks, the 414T holds no surprises: The layout is what we've come to expect in a yacht of this size and type, i.e., with traditional midships engines. There's a master stateroom forward, with the typical centerline peninsula berth, a twin-bunk cabin to port, head compartment to starboard. The galley is in the salon, taking space from there but adding it in the accommodations. What else can you do when you want to fit in two cabins? We don't know – this arrangement works fine for us.

Mainship builds the 414T's joinery in cherry, a light-colored wood that, in concert with a white overhead, makes the most of the large cabin windows to keep the salon bright. Air conditioning is optional ($14,000), as is a central vacuum system ($950). Folks serious about cruising out of season or to the Great White North can have diesel cabin heating (ask your Mainship dealer for the price).

The salon benefits from large cabin windows port and starboard and light-colored cherry joinery and upholstery, too. We like the pair of plush-looking swivel chairs. Everyday engine access is through a centerline hatch in the sole; adjacent panels are removable for major repairs or maintenance.

Galley Up, Staterooms Down

Placing the galley in the salon opens up space belowdecks for sleeping; otherwise it would be extremely cramped down there with two cabins. But the salon is big enough to absorb the L-shaped galley, opposite the lower helm station, without crimping the crew's style. And the cook will prefer it, too: No carrying plates up and down steps, no banishment belowdecks when everyone else is having fun in the salon.

Prices and Our Opinion

Base price of the Mainship 414 Trawler is $393,207 with a single 380-hp Yanmar 6LY3-UTP diesel spinning a conventional shaft and prop. Folks worried about handing a single-screw boat will have both bow and stern thrusters to help out – both are standard. Or opt for twin 220-hp Yanmar 6BY2-220 diesels ($31,250); you'll lose the stern thruster. We'd stick with the single.

A Bimini top and full enclosure are optional ($4,257 and $6,386 respectively) -- get them as you'll want protection on the flying bridge, from the sun at least. A windlass adds $3,714; a 35-lb plow anchor and chain/rope rode are standard. Mainship also includes a bell, docklines and fenders as standard, and a boat hook, too.Even with a full array of options, a Mainship 414 Trawler should list somewhere in the mid-$400K range, not a bad price for a boat of this size. Mainship is known for building value into their boats, and this one, apparently, is no exception. The single diesel helps, too, and will reduce maintenance costs.

Recommendation

For comparison, we found a number of similar trawler yachts from middle-of-the-road builders, most based in the Far East, with price tags in the same range as the Mainship. Choosing among them is difficult to do on paper. But move into the "big names" and the boats that are designed for ocean crossings, or are much more "up-market" brands and the prices skyrocket: A same-size trawler yacht from a famous prestigious brand, but with twin Zeus pods, runs around $744,000. A single-screw tug-yacht of similar size, again from a top builder, costs around $722,000. These boats are generally heavier and have much more teak and wood in them and certainly more man-hours of labor. Mainship is a price-point builder and wise consumers would carefully consider how much boat they really need for the mission intended. If you are not going to be like Jacques Cousteau, then perhaps it is just what you need. The bottom line: We'd surely check out the Mainship 414 Trawler before buying a similar boat, whether we were planning long cruises or just a trip across the bay.

Standard and Optional Features