Mahe 36: Original FP Mahe 36 Thread

[steamboater]

I'm very interested in the Mahe as a first sailboat for weekending around Miami, Florida and some trips to the Bahamas. Does everyone agree that it's a good candidate for a single dad with 3 kids? I have to say that the pricing has been a real shocker, though. Looks like it started out as $200-230K boat just 24 to 36 months ago and now it is up to about $350K with some basic options plus gen/air. The dollar/euro exchange rate has been a crusher lately, but that increase seems really excessive. The dealers all seem to go off the FP pricing sheet and hint that they might be able to do another 5% off, but I'm thinking that some of you will have super ideas on how/where to get better pricing???????? I think it's a terrific boat for the entry level buyer like myself, but I am having a very hard time justifying more than about $275K for what seems like a very scaled down boat. With great respect for different opinions on that last comment, my hope is that I'll get some suggestions on the question of how/where to get better pricing.

[freetime]

Steamboater:

A few word.... the f-p 36 have much better kitchen than the lagoon 380 (take a look). So the F-P is right for you i think. Why not a couple year old F-P Athena or a used Mahe?

[jean1146]

Steamboater. I have seen a couple of 2006 Mahe for sale at 200,000 EU.....that's about 300,000US dollars,and probably without Gen or AC. Price has really gone up.
JC.

[pguillemin]

Hello
Still did not know anything about the osmosis problem with Lavezzi
More than 200 boats has been build so far and Iw ill check with the shipyard about the problem
MAhe creaking: Two different problems
The problem of squeaking when the boat move is due to the rubbing of the wood module on the fiberglass by the stairs With caulking we have been able to eliminate the noise
The other issue is due to overtensionning of the rig and make the bulkheads and doors crack.the boat hogged ...door do not close ...drawers jammed
I do not think that quality is not as good as Athena etc...It is just a different building process .The boat are built faster ..in a more efficient manner and it is the only way to be competitive in this market.(less labour)
At the time of the Athena we already had customers telling us that they were not as good as the Fidji ....so history repeat itself
We have Mahe going across the Atlantic without problem ...May be the creaking was a teething and growing issue

Originally Posted by ireaney

From what you are saying now and so many others have also said, it appears that the creaking problem has nothing to do with the rig but the way they are put together ie not fixing the inner modules which now means they have to be removed to be sanded down so that in theory they float around as they are not fixed, to me this could cause problems later on and is also meaning that the quality of the building them is not as good as they were when the Tobago, Athena and Venezia were around.

Also you state that you know of no problems with the Lavezzi's, regarding delaminating and Osmosis, in the yachtworld.com site there are 2 that are offering extra hull warranties and these boats are 4 and 5 years old which have had to have full osmosis treatment ie read this Fountaine-Pajot Lavezzi court case - osmosis

and this one a 2003 boat offering 3 year new warranty

2002 Fountaine Pajot Lavezzi 40 Maestro Boat For Sale

I would welcome your comments on this when you have spoken direct with Fountaine Pajot, as I am led to believe that there were still problems up until the end of 2004.

[Randall]

wow this thread has really good info. For those of you who own one or have sailed one, what would it take to live on one. Any thing you would change on it? what about size to small? And i see alot of replies about the noise is it loud at anchor?

[lstyles]

My two cents:
I lived on my boat for about a month when I first got it and did not have troubles with squeaking (at least that I noticed) and havent had any complaints yet (it is charter in San Francisco Bay). It was very comfortable during my family of five's vacation in the caribbean and was plenty spacious for 8 day straight run from Puerto Rico to Panama with 3 people aboard. I dont notice any noise at anchor.
Lori
PS. I love my boat!

[IrieCat]

My wife and I moved on our Mahe 36 (IrieCat) back in Dec08. It has been 10 months now and we have been from Fl to the Bahamas and up to Stamford CT. We had another couple on the boat for a few weeks in the Bahamas without any space issues. Also we have plenty of room for our day to day living. When we sail there is a little squeaking but it's not that bad. If you have any questions about life on the Mahe I would be happy to help, we love it.
Lonnie

[kev&jo]

Hi Randall,

We have had our boat 5 months and are currently in the Canaries, getting ready to go to the Cape Verdes, then across the pond to Grenada to start our Caribbean tour.

We have had regular visitors to our boat and everyone is very surprised just how well it sails and the comfort on board.

The boat is fantastic!

[VisaView]

Hello Kev and Jo,
I like your blog and videos, I will be picking up my Mahe 36 "Simba" in La Rochelle this month and bringing it into he Med for the winter and most of 2009.
I noticed in the video you have the bow sprit and furling "schreecher"
I wonder what are he optimal wind angles and wind speeds. It appears you are using barber haulers on the jib and schreecher. And most important what are some of the things that need attention or things you might have done differently.
I wish you a safe and speedy passage.
Sincerely,
Bill Fitzgerald

[LarryW]

To All

I removed my sails for Hurricaine Ike, and supirsed to see my jib halyard chafed about 3/4 way thru. It feeds thru a ring on the mast, and that is what caused the chafing. I plan to go up and see about removing the ring. It appears to me that it will work very well without the ring.

larry

[IrieCat]

Hi Larry, could that ring keep the halyard in the track that feed it down the mast? I had a look at mine last night and there is some chafing. Thanks for the info.
Lonni

[kev&jo]

Hi Bill,

Glad you are enjoying our blog and I bet you are looking forward to ‘Simba’ and so you should.

We are currently making minor changes as we go along, as you can see we are using a barber hauler, which is basically be a big shackle off the mid cleat and a block on a snap shackle to the big shackle on the cleat, down wind we find that this works with the main feeding onto the jib, very easy on the boat and crew.

The Spifurl has not had as much use at the moment, due to the high winds we have been experiencing here in the Canaries, the wind acceleration zones are unbelievable, 6 knots to 38 knots within 500 yards, so we play it safe and only bring the Spifurl out when we know it is safe to use, but the little we have used it so far we have found the same results as other Mahe owners Jeff and Marin who have already posted their findings earlier on this forum.

At the factory we asked about its operational range and they indicated that the Spifurl would be good upto 25 knots, but we air on the side of caution and would only use it in winds upto 15 knots as trying to furl in higher wind speeds is not easy, trust me we know!

I have also put a small double block on the continuous line, to help with the furling process, which works.

The next change we intend to apply is the continuous reefing system, which I have been speaking to Craig Bond of Z spars who manufacture the mast and the rigging for the Mahe.

This involves very minor changes and should give us some considerable benefits.

The first test for the continuous reefing system will be our next trip of 800 miles to the Cape Verdes and if it works, which I am sure it will, I will report back here!

One thing I would not be without is our boom preventer, which if you are interested in I will post some pictures.

Kev & Jo

[kev&jo]

Was the halyard blue in color, if so, FP has acknowledged that they have had a bad batch of blue 12mm Diameter line. My first reef pennant blue in color chaffed through within days of leaving La Rochelle.

I have reported this to my dealer and they are in the process of providing a replacement.

I have checked my jib halyard and so far so good.

Kev & Jo

[lstyles]

I would love to see any pictures you have of the continuous reefing system...or any other modifications that you make for that matter.
thanks,
Lori

[lstyles]

I wanted to get some advice. I want to convert my toilet to freshwater flush and it seems this will be easy as water line can be accessed behind starboard hall closet and led quickly toilet inlet. My question is whether to take the water line off the water line before it gets to water pump or to use the pressurized line when it comes back? Any thoughts?
thanks,
Lori