|
|
|
|
|
| Stella Blue a Mainship 400 Trawler |
|
New!!! |
First Impression Before Stella Blue, our cruising boat was MoonShadow, a 30' Morgan sail boat. Lisa and I sailed her for 6 years, but the time to move on up had come. With hopes of our first granddaughter (Stella Blue Costin) making summer visits, we would need much more room. In many an achorage, I would admire various trawlers coming and going, without a lot of noise and comotion. I knew then that a trawler, would someday be in my future. Although we love sailing, when the time would come to move into a larger boat, we would also consider a trawler. Back at the marina, we also had friends with a 430 Mainship trawler. The space in the 430 was incredible. Having always done my own mechanical work, the machinery spaces also impressed me. This was the boat of my dreams, but out of my reach. I remembered seeing a 390 Mainship at Petzold's Marine Center a couple of years earlier, but had never given it a serious look at the time. I saw 390's out on the water, but they seemed to be on the lower limit of the size boat I would need. My ultimate goal would be to live aboard cruising for 4 or 5 months a year. Storage space would be a big factor. The 390 is actually about a 35' boat with a swim platform and bow pulpit. This was a long way from the 430 which is 43' without swim platform and pulpit. Anyway, last fall I decided the time had come to take a closer look. I stopped in to Petzold's one Sunday afternoon on my way home from sailing. In the place where the 390 had stood, now stood the new 400 trawler. After spending an hour climbing under, over and through this boat, I knew this was the boat I was looking for. The 400 is built on the same hull as the 390 that has been stretched a few feet. These extra few feet loom large in the additional salon space. The galley has been moved to the starboard side behind the lower helm station. A dinette with a large bench seat on one side and stools on the other, and a convertable sofa fill out the port side. My neighbor is really impressed with the useful space and sleeping capacity of this boat compared to hers (a two stateroom, galley down 430.) The master stateroom has a large island bed with 2 large drawers underneath and 2 large pullout bins that are accessed by lifting the hinged aft half of the bed. There are hanging lockers on on both sides of the cabin with a TV shelf on the port side. The guest stateroom has twin bunks with a good size hanging locker and 2 over head cabinets at the foot of the beds. Both staterooms have screened Bomar portlights and hatches for good ventilation. The salon has plenty of large windows, lending an airy open feel. The side windows, and windshield, have been upgraded to a brightly polished, round cornered frames. The angle of the windshield is also steeper giving athe boat a more traditional appearance. A separate dining area allows use of the convertable sofa without re-arranging the room . There is space for an optional washer/dryer underneath the staircase going down forward (which we use for storage space on Stella Blue.) Mainship has done a great job of utilizing space and providing for storage. Entry to the engine spaces is unencumbered with two large hinged hatches. A third hatch is also available if you move the sofa, but need not be opened for regular maintenance. Access to all parts of the single engine is excellent. I prefered a single for economy and ease of maintenance. If major work needs to be done on the engine, it can easily be removed without any damage to the floors or cabin through the wide opening of the rear doors and large hatches. Access to the rear bilge compartment is also excellent. A large hatch with gaslift struts opens to provide good access to the 8kw Kohler generator with fully enclosed sound shield. The hatch is also lined with sound deadening material. The enclosure panels open for easy access of all maintenance points which are located on the side facing the hatch.The 390 spiral staircase has been straightened out providing more useful space in the cockpit, and above on the aft section of the flybridge. The flybridge also has overhangs shading the side windows with lighting for the side decks. Walking forward from the cockpit on either side, the 390's step up over the fuel tanks is gone. By raising the deck and redesigning the fuel tanks, the walk way stays deep to provide a secure passage forward. There is one step up to the foredeck where the windlass is mounted under a flush deck hatch giving the bow a nice clean look. This boat has lots of space. The flybridge is huge. There is even a barbeque grill, sink, and icemaker on the flybridge (the "summer kitchen" option.) With seating for ten plus, this is a great place to sit with friends and family. Under all this seating, is storage space that will be very valuable when cruising. Another nice feature is a swing down mast which is hinged at the floor and can be lower rather quickly if need be. Stainless steel is used in all railings, deck fittings, port lights, and anchor roller. Mainship really stepped up the quality of hardware in this boat. Even the anchor is stainless steel. Steve Cyr Email - srcyr@sbcglobal.net |