Harbor Master/STOLCRAFT and 39' mainship.trawler

[JoanK]

Harbor Master-We are looking into different type of boats and my husband wanted me to ask if anyone is familiar with this boat. How it handles, problems, suggestions to ask sellers on it or look for. IF we can get our carver sold which we have it on here and boattrader. Anyone in here that knows this boat and would it make a good boat for the LOOP? Mainly traveling from Clinton Iowa to St. Louis. Tenn and towards Florida. Going through locks and not a lot of out to sea. We want something also to cruise near our home base until we can retire and make the loop journey. Can it beach at all beside anchoring?

Mainship is deisel package (not sure what that means) and we were on it and nice lay out, deep walk ways to bow. It is being sold by a broker,the owner passed away and the sons don't want it. Its under a covered slip. a bit dirty just spider dirt...didn't hear the engines. The boat next to it says they have had it on the river and it will soon be.pulled out for the winter and kept inside. 2 helms...It is tall and have to be careful for traveling infer railroad bridges. It looked like the Bimini folds and the radar unbolts to lay down for lower height.

THANKS.....

Anyone looking for a good cruiser/ carver...love to make a deal.

[River Cruiser]

The mainship may be bought for less than its true value condsidering it is dirty, hasn't had proper care & a uninterested owner who just wants it gone. A survey to make sure that it is in sound condition, tough negotiating & some elbow grease cleaning it up & you may have a diamond in the rough.

[ranger58sb]

Some of the early Mainship 350s (later renamed to 390s) had some problems with water ingestion at the swim platform/transom. I think the problem was fixed at some point in the production sequence. No further info, but that'd be a specific point for your surveyor to examine.

-Chris

[Tony B]

The only HarborMaster I know of is a houseboat. Go to houseboatmagazine.com. They have a great forum. There are many owners on there and one of the moderators has rebuilt and restored many houseboats including Harbor Master. I would not attempt the Great Loop in any houseboat except for a Blue Water. Railroad bridge heights nay be a problem in your local area but once you hit the inland navigable waterways off the the Mississippi, they will no longer be a problem.

[JoanK]

The harbor master/ stolcraft states. that it is more of a catermaran(spelled right?). Goes in bodies of aster than some boats...looks like a bluewater. There is one for sale in Tenn. and ozarks. We still though have a carver to sale and its getting pulled this weekend...sniff.

[River Cruiser]

Been reading a blog of people bringing a Stolhcraft from RI to St. Louis, Mo. They watched the weather and and made it with a minimum of problems on a new to them boat.