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In keeping
with the emphasis on practicality, the lower helm station offers excellent
sight lines forward and to either side. Standard items that include a
windscreen defogger, windshield washers, and articulated wiper arms promise
good visibility even in foul weather. Instruments and controls are all
within easy reach of the helm seat, and a built-in footrest should add
to the comfort during long voyages. A tilt-up console mounted atop the
teak helm station offers easy access to bus bars and wiring. The console
and an overhead box with 12-volt supply provide plenty of space for mounting
electronic equipment.
Alongside
the helm, steps leading to the lower deck tilt up, providing access to
a washer/dryer and stowage space beneath the saloon sole. A hatchway from
there leads into the engine space and provides you with a whole lot of
access for things like minor maintenance and daily fluid checks. For more
extensive engine work, three large hatches in the saloon sole provide
complete entry to the engine room.
Fortunately,
on the 430 practicality does not obviate comfort. Forward on the lower
deck, the guest stateroom offers a big centerline V-berth with stowage
beneath and in two cedar-lined hanging lockers. I found the space airy
and well lighted, thanks to a large overhead port and three side ports.
And it was nice to see that the guest head offered space and amenities
nearly the same as the master head, including Corian counters, mirrored
cabinets, and a large stall shower with bi-fold door. In the stern, the
master stateroom has a queen-size berth flanked by matching nightstands.
Built-in reading lights and an innerspring mattress are two of many standard
conveniences. On the more practical side, two large stowage bins beneath
the berth lift out to provide access to the struts beneath them, while
removable steps up to the saloon allow access to the shaft stuffing boxes.
Driving
the 430 should be just as pleasurable as living aboard her. Thanks to
a full-length keel, my test boat tracked straight and true, even at reduced
speed with a strong tide running through the inlet near Stuart, Florida.
Outside in two- to three-foot waves, she rode comfortably on all headings,
with hard chines aft providing effective roll damping that virtually eliminated
the wallowing characteristic of many round-bilge displacement hulls.
Though
the 430 has a modified-V planing hull, her forward sections are more like
those of a displacement hull, with a deep forefoot and full-bodied bow
sections. So when she’s running at displacement speeds (less than
10 knots or so), her forebody acts more like a displacement hull, pushing
water aside at the bow rather than struggling to climb on top. But at
higher speeds she runs on the flatter surfaces near the stern, where deadrise
is only about 12 degrees. She’s consequently just as comfortable
cruising at 8 knots as she is sprinting with the throttle wide open. And
she’s no slouch either. With standard twin 300-hp Caterpillar 3126
diesels, I measured a top speed of nearly 20 mph, and the hull seemed
raring to go for more, picking up more than 5 mph with the last couple
hundred rpm.
Such
performance does not come courtesy of lightweight construction. The 430’s
fiberglass hull has a solid laminate bottom, with weight-saving cored
construction above the boot top, in the decks, and in the superstructure
and interior. The deck liner is molded as a single full-length piece so
that when joined to the hull it essentially forms a unibody. Premium low-emission
gelcoat is used to resist weathering and yellowing.
Though
my time aboard the Mainship 430 was short, I could see she was loaded
with features that would make her a pleasure for the long haul, not flashy
gimmicks that will soon go out of style or showy brightwork that will
wear you out trying to maintain it. Just simple pleasures that make boating
the joy it was meant to be.
Luhrs Marine Group (904) 827-2003. Fax: (904) 827-2151.
George
L. Petrie is a professor of naval architecture at the University of New
Orleans and provides maritime consulting services. His Web site is www.maritimeanalysis.com.
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