355 Mainship Pilot 2011

Source: Power & Motoryacht Magazine

What’s in a name? Last year Mainship called its Pilot 355 Sedan the Pilot 31; the 2011 moniker more accurately reflects the boat’s 35′ 5″ (10.8 m) max LOA, including platform and pulpit. Whatever you call her, the Pilot 355 is an update of the company’s successful Pilot 30. The new model has a bona fide pilothouse that turns most of the cockpit on the earlier boat into all-weather living space. (The Pilot 30 came in a hardtop version too, but she was still essentially an open-cockpit boat.) By placing the galley and dinette on deck, Mainship opened up more of the cabin below for sleeping accommodations.

Key Features

• Bottom paint
• Cockpit shower
• Fully-enclosed hardtop sedan
• Helm Seat – swiveling companion – port side
• Stern thruster
• Helm seat- swiveling companion – port side
• Swim platform with ladder
• Transom door
• Hardwood planked flooring in cabin
• Sleeps 4 adults

Converting the earlier Pilot 30 to a fully enclosed sedan took away cockpit area, but replaced it with a functional deckhouse big enough for the galley and a dinette. We like the handrails on the cabin top and the high rails all around the deck.

Live On Deck…
A pilothouse adds a lot of room to a boat, so many folks think the tradeoff for alfresco cockpit space is worth it. The Mainship Pilot 355 Sedan’s house is weathertight on three sides, with a soft aft enclosure. Large sliding side windows provide lots of fresh air when open, and lots of light all the time. The galley, abaft of the helm, is complete with a slide-open a.c./d.c. refrigerator/freezer, an electric grill and a microwave oven, a stainless sink and plenty of stowage. (A two-burner propane stove is optional, and will appeal to former sailors and folks not wanting the genset.)

There’s plenty of seating and stowage in the pilothouse, and access to the single diesel through the sole. We like the starboard jump seat and the excellent sight lines from the helm.

Serving grub is easy, since the dinette is just across the cockpit from the galley – the company says it seats six; we think four might be more comfortable. Forward of galley and dinette, the helm sits to starboard with a companion seat to port; there’s a jumpseat aft of the galley, and enough cockpit space for almost anything short of hard-core fishing.

The slide-out reefer under the helm seat makes it easy to grab a cold drink, but will folks tire of bending down to use the microwave oven? Note how the corner of the dinette table folds up and out of the way when not needed.

Sleep Below
Belowdecks, the Pilot 335 has an island queen berth forward plus a settee that converts into upper and lower single berths. (This may be new to powerboat folks, but it was common practice in sailboats way back when.) The head is larger than normal on this type of boat, and there’s even a decent-sized hanging locker for shoregoing clothes. (Yep, it’s cedar-lined, too.) A 20” flat-screen TV with DVD is standard, too.

There’s no room around the sides of the master berth, so entry is crawl-in from the foot – not our favorite. There are drawers under the berth, stowage on either side.

We like this settee to port; there’s another one, smaller, to starboard. This one converts to upper and lower single berths, too – good for kids. The 20″ TV/DVD is standard.

Single-Diesel Power
We like single-diesel boats: They’re economical to operate and maintain, and the running gear can be protected, as it is on the Pilot 355 Sedan. Standard power is a 315-hp Yanmar 6LPA-STP2 spinning a conventional prop in a shallow pocket. Prop pockets improve the shaft angle while reducing draft, and Mainship incorporates a bronze shoe into the strut. We haven’t tested the boat ourselves, but the builder says top speed is 23 knots, cruise between 18 – 20 knots. Bow and stern thrusters are standard to make handling easier.

The bronze shoe built into the strut provides extra protection against soft groundings. A prop pocket reduces draft and improves shaft angle.

The Pilot 355 Sedan’s base price of $203,560 includes everything you need to go cruising, including a copy of Chapman’s Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling. However, most buyers will want to add a couple of options. Reverse-cycle air conditioning is available for both the cabin and pilothouse; to make full use of it, include the Kohler genset, too. A windlass should be included as standard, but it’s an option; ditto an X-Change oil-change system.

Engine access is through the pilothouse sole. The single Yanmar leaves plenty of room all around for maintenance. We like that Mainship installs ample engine room lighting.

Price?
Mainships have always been good value, and it seems to us the Pilot 355 Sedan carries on the tradition. For a complete boat, with A/C and genset, figure on shelling out around $236,000 MSRP. For comparison, we found a never-titled 2008 model year Sabre 34 Hardtop Express priced at $385,000; the Sabre is twin-diesel, roughly the same size as the Pilot 355 and from a top-end builder. A 2011 Ranger R29 tug, a little smaller than the Pilot but with similar accommodations, is listed on the company website for $229,937; the R29 has a single 260-hp Yanmar diesel.

Between the cabin and pilothouse, almost all the Pilot 355 Sedan’s length is enclosed accommodation. The cockpit is still big enough for most activities, except serious fishing.

For people who are not going to do any long-distance cruising and are on a budget, the Mainship Pilot 355 provides a good, economical way to get on the water and enjoy boating. Once an owner has stretched his legs in this boat for a few years he should be able to look back and be happy with his purchase, secure in the knowlesge that he got good sea time and adventures for a very reasonable price.

Boat Specifications: 355 Mainship Pilot