Mainship Yachts 30 Pilot

Mainship got it right with the 30 Pilot, a Down East-style cruiser whose practical layout and affordable price catapulted her into the ranks of classic small-boat designs. Built on a solid fiberglass, semi-displacement hull with a prop-protecting skeg, the Pilot is suited to a variety of uses. A large cockpit makes her a competent fish or dive platform, and her economical operation and comfortable accommodations appeal to weekend cruisers. Don’t look for a lot of glitz in the Pilot—this is a basic boat with modest amenities and average workmanship. The cabin was originally arranged with a V-berth/dinette forward, a good-sized head, and a teak and holly cabin sole. In 2003, the updated Series II Pilot featured a cherry interior and a revised cabin layout with a V-berth that folds in half when not in use. (The Series II also incorporates a shortened keel, propeller tunnel, and a five-blade prop.) Early models with a single 170hp Yanmar diesel will cruise at 14 knots (16–17 knots top), and those with a 230hp Yanmar cruise at 16 knots (19–20 knots top). Series II models with a 315hp Yanmar cruise at 17–18 knots (low 20s top).