Skipper Ed Wise of looks ahead as he steers #2862 CHRISTINA T eastward toward Mystic Seaport during the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous. He and crew Steve Hock - who took this photo - were a couple hours behind the rest of the fleet due to trailer trouble, but they made it to the Seaport in good time and had a great weekend with everyone else. Ed bought CHRISTINA T new in 1974 and has raced and cruised her all along the eastern seaboard - notice the bracket behind his left shoulder to deploy a stern anchor when in an anchorage with limited swinging room. Yesterday was Ed’s birthday, so it’s only fitting he’s the first one in this year’s column. Happy birthday, Ed!

This early-style O’Day Mariner has certainly seen better days as it rests in a shallow creek, balancing on its keel, neglected and more than a bit forlorn. Not much is known about this particular boat, but there is evidence to suggest it might have been abandoned. This picture was taken around the time of the recession in 2008, and at that time, some boat owners who could not afford to maintain their boats anymore removed their registration numbers and other identification (as was done to this Mariner), beached their boat somewhere, and simply walked away. The discoloring on the hull indicates it has been neglected for some time, so it is also possible it broke free from its mooring during a winter storm. Whatever happened, it was later purchased by someone for a dollar, and its fate after that remains unknown.

Peter Neils’s #955 MINNOW is anchored off Mystic’s historic Elm Grove Cemetery during the Mystic Rendezvous back in 2015. That year, in an effort to save money in dockage fees, participants brought their own dinghies and anchored in the anchorage just above Mystic Seaport. Peter elected to bring his own whitewater kayak to transport him back and forth from his Mariner. He trailered his boat all the way from New Mexico (!) to join in the Rendezvous, and after the event, he kept heading north to do some cruising in Maine. Although he doesn’t own MINNOW anymore, it was a pleasure to have him sail with us that year.

Tim Reiche waves from the helm of #2170 MAGGIE while his wife Erin holds their two-year-old son, Owen as they power up the Mystic River during the 2015 Mariner Rendezvous. They’re towing a nine-foot Dyer Dhow just like my own TRUE LOVE as they approach the Mystic anchorage north of the Seaport. Hailing from Pennsylvania, the Reiches have participated in every rendezvous here in Connecticut since 2011; last year was the only exception due to illness. This picture was taken by Alan Hlavenka, photographer and fellow Mariner owner at Narrasketuck Yacht Club (Long Island, New York) who happened to be in the Mystic area at the same time as the rendezvous. He drove to the Seaport just in time to take some fantastic shots of the nine-boat fleet as they motored up the channel and set their anchors.

The bright, late-afternoon sunlight reflects off the hull of #2714 FLOTSAM as skipper Chris Albert searches for a place to anchor his Mariner in Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island. He and I sailed across Long Island Sound back in mid-May, 2016 for a three-day trip, making stops at Orient Point, Hog Creek, Threemile Harbor, Coecles Harbor, Sag Harbor, Greenport, and Hallock Bay. Marinas and harbors are just starting to wake up in the middle of May, so we had every place to ourselves; we were the only guests at Mitchell Park Marina in Greenport when we arrived as they had only opened for the season the day before! Although we had to motor most of the trip and it rained the entire second day, we still had a fantastic time, and it was great to be back (we had made a similar trip in 2012). Click the links for more pictures from our 2016 trip and the 2012 trip - perhaps it’s time to go back there again this year.

Who doesn’t like a fantastic sunset shot, especially of their boat resting peacefully at anchor? This is Luke Deikis’s #3584 DOROTHY tucked in for the night at Eaton’s Neck Cove (just north of Huntington, Long Island, New York) during a week-long sailing trip on Long Island Sound back in July, 2017. Luke writes, “A friend and I spent a week looping the west half of the Sound and enjoyed anchorages like this almost every night. It's amazing what's in our backyards!” Although they experienced very light winds for most of the trip, they still made it to their planned destinations each night, and they had a great time. Adventures like this are just around the corner for the 2020 sailing season, and I imagine Luke will be spending more time exploring nearby anchorages with DOROTHY.

Vance Elshire proudly displays his home-built, self-steering windvane for his late-style Mariner 4 KNOTS as he prepares to sail in the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge 300 this coming weekend. He’ll be going with buddy Patrick Rausch, another Mariner owner, who joined him during last year’s event. Patrick writes, “About 100 craft entered last year and 50 finished. We finished somewhere in the middle. We were able to beach launch (required) with the aid of inflatable rollers. The toughest part was entering and exiting three inlets to reach required check points. The tides and winds were not always favorable. Rowing with oar locks worked well a few times. The course is 300 miles flight of the bird, so we probably sailed closer to 450 with the tacking. Sailed around the clock most of the time.“ Good luck to you both!

This is the earliest picture of an O’Day Mariner I have been able to find. The O’Day Sailboats Corporation was promoting their newest model in the November, 1963 edition of Popular Boating Magazine, and the advertisement features just the second Mariner ever produced. The O’Day factory in Fall River, Massachusetts would produce 92 Mariners that year, increasing production for the next few years and hitting a peak of 380 Mariners built in 1966. Check out the full advertisement in my collection to see the whole description which ends with, “Built with the same O’Day quality and care, Mariner is engineered to sail better!”

Skipper Mark Bentley smiles and waves as he slowly powers his #2779 INVICTUS out of Stonington Harbor during the 2018 Mariner National Rendezvous here in Connecticut. This was his third rendezvous, and he thoroughly enjoyed being in the company of other Mariner sailors. At the previous year’s Rendezvous, a large, protruding bolt holding two dock sections together at the launch ramp prevented a Mariner from tying up shortly after launching. Mark came to the rescue by going into his cabin and finding the biggest ball-peen hammer I’ve ever seen in my life; a few well-placed whacks knocked the bolt in place and solved the problem. Mark sold INVICTUS last year, and we missed him at the 2019 Rendezvous - we wish him all the very best.

Skipper Bill D’Autrechy hikes out as his crew John D’Autrechy checks the jib telltales during the 2015 Mariner National Championships at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. It’s a perfect day for sailing, and this father and son team are seasoned racers as long-time members of the nearby Surf City Yacht Club. Bill’s boat, #2537, is named GENERATION GAP in tribute to the many races this duo have sailed together. In this particular regatta, they came in 13th out of 19 boats - not a bad showing at all. Bill turns 82 this year, and one can only hope to be as active on the water as he is at this age.

Wayne Lutz stands proudly next to his Mariner STE. MARIE on Powell River, British Columbia. After sailing first a remote-controlled sailboat and then a Laser for a couple of years, Wayne and his wife Margy searched on Craigslist in 2016 for a daysailer with the stability of a fixed keel. They wisely settled on an O’Day Mariner and have been enjoying daysails from their float cabin home on Powell Lake. Both Wayne and Margy are retired educators from Southern California, and they have lived in Canada since 2008. Margy writes, “Wayne likes those brisk breezes, but I’m happy with the gentle steady ones.” Check out Margy’s article about learning to sail on The Powtown Post here.

Mariner #2280 JULIE B is turned into a floating clothesline as foul weather gear and cushions are spread out into the sun to dry. In this shot from the (in)famous 2013 Mariner Rendezvous, skipper Bill Eggers is airing out his boat after a wet and wild ride with his family the day before while sailing from Niantic to Mystic Seaport during a storm. The event is considered the first official annual Rendezvous of the Mariner Class Association and was a whopping success with 18 participating Mariners and nearly 60 sailors and guests. Although subsequent Rendezvous have not had as many participants, they have been just as successful; the 2020 Rendezvous is scheduled for the beginning of August with New London as the destination.

Skipper Steve Creighton (#1362 BLIND SQUIRREL) tries to keep ahead of skipper Chris O’Brien (#3599) during the 2018 Mariner Class Association National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, Long Island, New York. Both are running downwind with their crews as far forward as practical to lift the transom out of the water to help reduce drag. Steve, a veteran racer at Brant Beach Yacht Club (New Jersey) and cruiser who has participated in numerous Rendezvous here in Connecticut, is using a second-hand mainsail as BLIND SQUIRREL’s hull number is actually #629; Chris is sailing a boat recently purchased from fellow Riverton (New Jersey) racer Frank Pelosi having sold his other Mariner, #2781 O’MITVAH. In the end, and out of a dozen participating boats, Chris would walk away with the 3rd place trophy while Steve would place 7th. Photo credit: Alan Hlavenka.

Skipper Dave Oatley sails back to Niantic from Mystic Seaport with his sons on the final day of the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous last August. His boat, #2186 NANTUCKET, was previously owned by Bill Collins who participated in several rendezvous a few years ago, and after changing hands a couple times, Dave was able to purchase her and bring her back to his home in New Jersey. This was his first official Rendezvous, and he had a great time with his two boys. This year’s Rendezvous is supposed to take place in New London at the beginning of August, although the Coronavirus pandemic may interfere with some plans. We’ll have to wait until we get a bit closer to see how everything works out.

This stylized photo by Byron Campbell was taken at the Governor’s Cup Regatta held at the Riverton Yacht Club in June, 2019. Due to the Coronavirus, Riverton just sent out a notice that this year’s Governor’s Cup has been cancelled as well as all events until further notice. Their historic clubhouse is currently flying their Ensign at half-mast per New Jersey Governor Murphy’s order, and they are even properly flying the yellow "Q" signal flag (also called the "Yellow Jack") from the starboard yardarm. Historically, use of a yellow flag to indicate "Fever on Board" reaches back centuries. But modern usage on commercial vessels has flipped this around, and it now means "My vessel is healthy and I request free pratique [clearance into harbor]." You will still see ships arriving in ports flying the "Q" on a halyard above the starboard side of the bridge. These are indeed strange times we are living in right now, and I’m sure Riverton and all other sailing clubs are hoping to salvage whatever they can of the upcoming 2020 sailing season.

Skipper Amy McDermott tends to the mainsheet as family and friends help to get #3590 WINTER’S WAIT underway at the start of the (in)famous 2013 Mariner Rendezvous. It is already raining as they motor away from the Niantic River launch ramp headed toward the highway and railroad bridges and then out into Niantic Bay. Once there, they and the other sixteen participating boats will be greeted with a storm producing 25-knot winds and pelting rain. One boat turned back with a broken tiller and failed motor, another turned back to rescue the disabled boat, and a third ducked into New London to wait out the storm while the others roared toward Mystic with the wind off the starboard quarter. The “survivors” tied up at Mystic Seaport a few hours later, waterlogged, exhausted, and overjoyed. The rest of the historic event was a huge success, and there has been a Rendezvous every year since then. This year’s destination will be New London, and registration will officially commence online at www.usmariner.org on June 15th.

Skipper Drew Thompson flies the asymmetical spinnaker from his late-style O’Day Mariner, #3214 SWELL. Drew lives in Ontario, Canada, and this great shot is courtesy of photographer Grad Dewar. He races SWELL out of a sailing club, but not always with a spinnaker. He writes, “At a regatta, the Mariner was the smallest in the white sail fleet. My best finish was boat for boat, first. Ahead of even the chute boats. I was going to sail home that evening, but was told I won my division, (I wasn't used to PHRF), so I stayed, got first [prize], and was ostracized for the evening. At dinner, all we heard was ‘can we take that chair’, as no one sat with us. I was told by people at my club to join the ‘fun’ Sunday afternoon races. I was told no certificate is needed, and the sailing instructions are on the web. I found the rules state, "any boat over 20 ft, with a certificate, is welcome". So I'm even ostracized at my own club. But it is a fun boat to sail.”

The sun sets over Wellfleet, Massachusetts as Eric Hansen heads for home in his late-style Mariner, TOMOKA. Eric, otherwise known as “Captain Curley,” runs a charter business with his Mariner in Wellfleet Harbor, the site of another Mariner charter business called Outer Cape Sailing run by Captain Gary Flomenhoft. Eric is actually a former employee and manager for Gary’s business, and in 2016 duplicated Outer Cape Sailing and went into business in the same harbor. Any competition that was created between the two sailing charters is unknown, but Gary’s business - and his Mariner, listed separately - is currently for sale and has been for a couple years now.

This picture is the definition of “serenity.” Skipper Olivier Blanc sits back and enjoys the sunset on a crisp spring afternoon almost exactly one year ago onboard his mid-style O’Day Mariner. Olivier lives in Pointe-Calumet, Quebec, and sails his boat on the “Lac des deux Montagnes” (Lake of Two Mountains). Since Canadian marinas are currently closed due to the Coronavirus, he keeps his boat on a mooring instead of a slip. Notice the two small aftermarket snubbing winches for the jib sheets on top of the cabin and the bow pulpit that bumps out in the front. The O’Day Corporation manufactured a number of Mariners in Canada, and there are currently ten Canadian members of the Mariner Class Association.

Skipper Marie Cohen heads for the windward mark in her Stuart Mariner, #4093 CHAMPAGNAT GIRL, in the 2018 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, New York. A member of Narrasketuck, this was Marie’s first Nationals, and she placed tenth out of twelve boats. The racing bug had bitten, and she signed up for and trailered her boat to the 2019 Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, although she - as well as four other sailors - elected not to compete due to high winds. Nevertheless, she received the “furthest traveled” award and will no doubt participate in future regattas. Picture credit: Alan Hlavenka.

Ulrich von Hollen and his family (left foreground) are the first to raise their sails on #1870 OB-LA-DI as a group of Mariners enters Niantic Bay during the start of the 2014 Rendezvous. Even though winds were light, we were able to sail the whole way to Mystic Seaport, some of us not even lowering our sails until the last moment before going through the Mystic Railroad bridge. This year’s Rendezvous registration begins today at the Mariner Class Association’s website, so I thought a picture from a past Rendezvous would be most appropriate for this week. Picture credit: Stuart Watson.

Eric Flower’s #1871 SEAFLOWER rides at anchor close to shore as the sun sets off of Stonington, Connecticut. A mid-style Mariner from 1970, she was the hit of last year’s Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport when Eric and wife Joanne showed off all that they had done to restore her four years ago. Besides the standard upgrades such as a new paint job, roller furling jib, and performance kick-up rudder, SEAFLOWER sports amenities such as a battery to run lighting, Bluetooth speakers, solar panel, Magma grill - the list goes on. Eric had finally gotten his Mariner to perfection, and I was pretty floored to hear this past week that she’ll be for sale soon as Eric and Joanne will be moving due to a job change. For those interested in purchasing her when the classified gets posted, take it from me - she will be worth every penny.

When I first acquired ORION in 2007, I was intrigued by Steve Clark’s #560 COOL BREEZE out in Michigan. He had posted several pictures on the now-defunct MarinerSailors Yahoo! Group, and one of his adventures was published in the Mariner Class Association’s 2007 summer edition of their newsletter, Notice to Mariners. COOL BREEZE was first featured in this column back on November 23-29, 2009, and Steve’s restoration inspired me to tackle some projects with ORION. I was awfully sorry to hear recently that Steve was selling COOL BREEZE, but she couldn’t be in better hands with her new owner, Shannon Farlow, of Greensboro, North Carolina. He’s standing next to her in the above picture, and he wrote to me just two days ago:

“I wanted to let you know that #560 COOL BREEZE safely made it to Greensboro, North Carolina. Steve Clark brought her down to North Carolina (en route to his vacation with relatives in South Carolina) on June 12. We launched her for the first time yesterday in a small city lake here in Greensboro. The ‘shakedown sail’ went well with no hiccups. I can tell you that I already love this boat. It's going to be a fun one. Out of the four sailboats I've owned over the years, I believe this will be my favorite. She's certainly the prettiest. I look forward to many adventures with her. She'll primarily be trailer-sailed and we're planning to explore several lakes, continuing Steve Clark's tradition. We're considering renaming her GITANA (gypsy in Spanish) to honor her well-traveled history.”

Congratulations, Shannon - I can’t wait to read about your upcoming adventures. And thanks, Steve, for inspiring me to perform my own restoration of ORION thirteen years ago.

How fortunate is the owner of a Mariner who can simply walk down to his own dock to find his boat ready and waiting for him to step aboard and cast off the docklines. Such is the case for Tim Talley, of #2923 ONE FINE DAY, who keeps his boat up a narrow, wooded creek at his lake house in Seven Lakes, North Carolina. Tim writes, “I bought the boat to play around on, teach the grandkids a little bit about sailing, and start up a little racing club on the lake. I’m planning on doing some work on her after this season and would like to refresh the cabin, add some electronics, lighting, etc. for taking out into coastal waters.” What a neat setting for a Mariner!

There’s nothing quite as memorable as the first time you take your Mariner out for a sail, and this is exactly what is happening in this photo with Mike Hughes and his family. Residents of Waltham, Massachusetts, they are all smiles as they put their boat, #3081 SUMMER CAMP, through her paces on Lake Cochituate. Mike writes, “It was our first time on the water with her, in fact we were thrilled to see that all the equipment (and sails) worked and the boat floated. The wind speed was about 7-10 knots and we only grounded once (near tall trees that caused us to learn how to quickly drop the sails). Other than that, it was a great experience - the kids had fun and no one protested the idea doing it again.” I’d say that was a pretty successful first sail!

At first glance, one might suspect this boat is ORION, but she is, in fact, QUE SERA, of similar vintage and paint scheme. She’s owned by Emily Smith of Miami, Florida, and she is kept on a mooring at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Regarding her name, Emily writes, “She was nameless for 10 years or more before she became mine. I did not know, when I first went sailing on her, that she would be mine one day. She made it through Hurricane Irma, and a year and a half later, two people with a sense of adventure and love of sailing took a leap of faith, restored her, and once she was seaworthy - she is Que Sera. Because, what will be, will be.” She certainly looks like a fantastic boat.

One of the advantages of taking a picture of a boat on completely still water is that you get two images at once! This is David Gott’s #2957 THE WHISTLER, tied to a floating dock up in New Hampshire. She has recently received first-class service at Stuart Marine - the current manufacturer of the Mariner and only one state over in Maine - getting a fresh coat of deck, topside, and bottom paint, her centerboard restored, and a new swim ladder installed on the transom. In this picture, there’s hardly a ripple on the surface of the lake, and the overcast skies seem to suggest the wind will remain elusive. In this case, however, with the absolutely gorgeous view of the mountains and the lake absent of other boaters, no wind doesn’t really make that much of a difference - there’s plenty to enjoy just looking around.

The first sail in your Mariner is always a special experience, and the faces of Brad and Caroline sailing #3582 SWEET SADIE say it all. This was taken just a couple of days ago in Niantic Bay as they keep their boat in nearby Norwich. Brad writes, “Took SWEET SADIE out for her first (for us) sailing trials after all the preparations, crew sail training, refits, and restoration! Yippee! Now it truly feels like we have a sailboat! All told, the single best part of the day came after we had de-rigged the boat, walked over to one of the Mago Point restaurants and had a beer, and glowed in that great kind of tired that comes from a day of basking in both the sun and in the knowledge of having succeeded. We spent the evening talking about places we could go sailing and bigger adventures.....(to be continued...!)” SWEET SADIE will be joining the group of 15 Mariners and nearly 40 sailors participating in the Mariner National Rendezvous this coming weekend, sailing from Niantic to New London.

James Hollister doffs his cap as he motors #1574 LIVELY toward the Shaw’s Cove railroad bridge in New London, Connecticut yesterday morning. It’s the final day of the 2020 Mariner Class Association National Rendezvous, and he - along with thirty other sailors in fourteen Mariners - are waiting to depart Crocker’s Boat Yard to sail back to the Niantic River launch ramp. It was a fantastic weekend, despite having to observe social distancing due to the Coronavirus, and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to sail in the company of fellow Mariner sailors. James last attended the 2016 Rendezvous with LIVELY, and it was great to have him participate once again. More pictures and a recap of the event will be forthcoming.

Bill and Teresa Eggers sail past Groton’s General Dynamics/Electric Boat on their way to Crocker’s Boat Yard, New London last weekend at the start of the 2020 Rendezvous. We have sailed past the mouth of the Thames River many times en route to Mystic or Stonington for other Rendezvous, and this was the first year we actually stayed in New London and explored the vicinity as a group. The Eggers have attended a number of Rendezvous over the years, and it was great to have them and #2280 JULIE B come from High Falls, New York once again. Notice the small propane tank aft to fuel the Lehr outboard motor, and Bill’s custom black, curved traveler on the transom (partially hidden by the propane tank) allows a bit more sail control - and freedom in the cockpit from the mainsheet. The high-set genoa is necessary in order to clear the tall bow pulpit, and while this may reduce desired sail area, it allows for much better visibility.

Fred Channell’s late-style O’Day Mariner named LUCKY rests on the beach after a sail in Nantucket Sound last July. It’s late afternoon, and both the breeze and the sun are dropping, but Fred writes that it was a “great afternoon for a sail and swim.” The Mariner’s shallow draft allows one to come right up to the beach and hop out without even getting one’s feet wet. Fred’s mainsail is a little bit short on square footage as there looks to be plenty of space on the boom and mast for a longer foot and luff; however, a shorter luff allows the boom to be raised a little higher for better visibility. Fred certainly is “LUCKY” to have a nice looking sailboat and a great sailing venue such as Nantucket Sound in which to enjoy her.

Ryan Williams recently acquired O’Day Mariner #3491, and this picture is from a sail last weekend at Portage Lake, Michigan. Ryan writes, “We completed our third sail on #3491 tonight! We made it out twice this week, once with the whole family and once with a mix of kids from two families. We even made it part of a small boat sailing merit badge outing! We made fewer mistakes the past two times, and haven't broken anything. Docking is still a major challenge but I'm becoming more patient. We're having more fun every time, and I'm impressed with how easy it is to sail this boat. My oldest daughter wants to race and I think she's working on recruiting crew members. We had a hard time getting the main hoisted fully and you can see that in the photos, but we got it fully hoisted tonight so whatever it was is resolved. Hopefully we'll still be sailing thru September, maybe at some more scenic spots.” Congratulations on a great-looking Mariner!

This poor Mariner was wrecked during a vicious hurricane sweeping up the east coast… or was it? Actually, this is Scott Lawson’s #3274 that played a role in the 2019 movie The Peanut Butter Falcon and can be seen about 39 minutes into the film! Here’s what Scott says about it: “I work in the film industry (27 years, mostly away from home). When I heard that this show was looking for a sailboat to use for this scene, I said, ‘Hmmm, I may be able to help you out.’ The movie is set at the North Carolina outer banks but was actually filmed here in Savannah Georgia. Those scenes were filmed on Tybee Island Georgia. They paid me $1,000 to rent it for a week. It was trailered out onto the beach then manhandled off the trailer by six guys and arranged as you see it to look storm tossed. The boat was dirty like that from sitting under a carport in my backyard for about five years. After a few days on the beach a heavy thunderstorm washed it clean and they sent their scenic artists to paint it with washable paint to match so they could finish their scenes. Before they brought it home to me they pressure washed it clean. I paid for a new set of sails with the money. They also purchased a spare anchor, rode and bag from me that I used on my previous boats. It was used to hold the raft in the movie in place for filming. Too big for the Mariner so I was happy to part with it. That covered the cost of a replacement trailer!”

Who wouldn’t want to sail in these crystal clear waters with perfect winds on a bright summer day? This is Michael Maus’s #1464 LADY M SEA riding the summer southeast trades exiting the Palm Beach Inlet, taking advantage of the summer solstice back on June 20th. LADY M SEA, whose home port is Flagler Yacht Club, is sporting new standing rigging and sails. She is a mid-style Mariner, one of the earliest ones made at the beginning of 1969. Michael is at the helm with friend Robby Kahle diligently tending the jib and cooler of beer. Photo: Carter Taylor III.

#3295 LOST BOY rests expectantly at the Privateer Yacht Club launch ramp on Lake Chickamauga in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She has just been launched, and her outboard is warming up while her owner, John Krystyniak, prepares her for his very first sail in her after four months of an extensive refit. Even though there ended up being no wind, he found one “very minor leak with one of the cockpit scupper thru-hulls, so that project will get bumped up on the list of to-dos.” John hopes to participate with LOST BOY in next March’s WaterTribe Everglades Challenge, a grueling, 300-mile expedition-style adventure race spanning approximately eight days. At least two other Mariners have participated in years past, and LOST BOY may soon be added to the growing list of Mariners who have successfully completed the challenge.

Skipper Chris Albert passes by Ledge Light at the mouth of the Thames River at New London during the 2020 Mariner Rendezvous in the beginning of August. When he first bought his boat, #2714, she was named DOG DAZE, a name Chris kept until he completed a refurbishment and changed her name to FLOTSAM. He almost always sails solo and has outfitted FLOTSAM appropriately, including the addition of a bow pulpit (from a Catalina 22), roller-furling genoa, and a convenient on-board battery. This was the eleventh straight Rendezvous Chris has attended; he is the only one who has been to all of them that I have organized since 2009. Photo: Dave Oatley.

Skipper Mike Hansen motors #4040 BREN MARIE in the Niantic River at the start of the 2020 Mariner National Rendezvous on August 7th. Mike and his wife, Brenda, drove over 700 miles (!) to participate in the Rendezvous, coming all the way from Southgate, Michigan. BREN MARIE, a relatively rare Spindrift Mariner, is the 40th Mariner produced by Spindrift One-Designs in the very early 1980s after they bought the molds from O’Day in 1979. O’Day had abandoned the Mariner in favor of the new O’Day 19, and the Mariner would have a short stay with Spindrift as they quickly lost interest in retooling the used and worn molds, selling them to Stuart Marine in 1982. In the meantime, Spindrift would make their mark on the Mariner primarily by adding a second portlight on each side of the cabin. Mike’s boat is in great condition, and it was fantastic having him and Brenda participate in the Rendezvous. Photo credit: Steve Hock.

As most of you know, I’m a sucker for sunset pictures with boats, and this is a great one. This is Mariner #3582 SWEET SADIE resting quietly on a mooring in Maine last month after her owners, Brad and Caroline, trailered her up from Norwich, Connecticut during their vacation. Brad writes that they were “renting a cottage on Sebago Lake, and the owners just put in a new Hamilton Marine 250-pound mooring right before we arrived. Good system, and thank God for that! The wind is whipping up a frenzy today, with two foot seas breaking over the bow of Sweet Sadie with steady 20-knot winds and gusts quite a bit higher. Ugh, nervous Mariner owners today! We have no choice but to wait it out for the next seven hours!” Wait it out they did, and they were rewarded with a great time on the Lake with SWEET SADIE when the weather abated.

There are several popular television shows that feature people who go to old houses, barns, or garages and look through the various piles of accumulated “stuff” to find hidden gems. “American Pickers” and “Barn Find Hunter” are two that immediately come to mind. Troy LeValley, who lives in the midwest, happened upon this 1975 O’Day Mariner in a Marshfield, Wisconsin building. The original owner had stored his Mariner, #2880 TONIC, in this building pictured above, but work and other interests prevented him from using her. So, here she sat for twenty years before Troy found her. Troy’s plan was to fix her up and take her to his parents’ home in Traverse City, but he ended up changing jobs and moving, finding another Mariner in much better condition in the meantime. TONIC went up for sale once again, and I’m happy to report she was just purchased at the beginning of last month and is already receiving excellent care by her new owner. Let’s hope she gets in the water for the 2021 sailing season.

While those of us here in the northeast are getting ready to put our Mariners to bed for the winter, those in the southern climes are enjoying fantastic sailing conditions. Here is Patrick Rausch, of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, racing his 1969 Mariner, PAIKEA, in the local Smyrna Yacht Club’s annual Brewer’s Cup Regatta just two days ago. Patrick writes, “This is typically a ten-mile downwind race on the intracoastal waterway located 20 miles south of Daytona Beach. We had great weather and ten miles per hour steady southeast winds, so [we] raced north. All of the boats entered were between 30 and 40 feet except my Mariner. I believe many were surprised at how well the Mariner finished in the middle of the ten-boat pack and how large the cockpit of the Mariner is. The bonus was seeing a rocket launch during the race and countless dolphin sightings.” No doubt PAIKEA’s roller-furling genoa helped keep her competitive with the much larger racers - congratulations, Patrick!

What a shot! Mariners charge ahead toward the windward mark during the 2019 Mariner National Championships held at Brant Beach Yacht Club on Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Rob Seidelmann is ahead in #4059 with Chris O’Brien hot on his heels in #3599. Ray Rossignol is about to climb up on Chris’s transom in #2894 while Steve Creighton in #1362 and Chris Scales in #3723 fall in line. We certainly missed having the Nationals this year, and it’s nice to look back on past pictures and look forward to future racing. This fantastic action shot was taken by Out At Sea Design, owned by Becky Seidlemann, Rob’s wife. Rob would eventually come in 4th; Chris O’Brien, 9th; Ray, 11th; Steve, 12th; and Chris Scales, 13th.

Tim Reiche sails #2170 MAGGIE eastward off the coast of Waterford during the 2014 Mariner Rendezvous from Niantic, Connecticut to Mystic Seaport. Wife Erin and son Owen are in the cabin, no doubt enjoying the fresh air streaming through the open forward hatch. Although the wind was light at first, it gradually filled in nicely, and we were able to sail from the Niantic bridges up through the Noank and Mystic mooring fields all the way to the Mystic railroad bridge. MAGGIE is a mid-style Mariner with a bow pulpit like ORION, and Tim also made the effort to install new opening portlights on either side of the cabin during a restoration a decade ago. While the series of fairleads on the starboard deck might, at first glance, suggest a roller furling jib, they are, in fact, for a jib downhaul, enabling Tim to get his conventionally-rigged jib down and secured in a hurry.

Harald Hefel’s #1998 NETTICKS was built the same year as my Mariner, and it’s nice to know her homeport is nearby in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Harald sent me this picture of his boat just this past Thursday during an outing for his birthday along with some camping on Sandy Point in Little Narragansett Bay. He writes, “What a November week . A couple at the ramp asked me to sell the boat to them after they saw the ease of setting up and casting off… An hour later I saw a [West Wight] Potter sailing and pulled up next to him to chat a bit, then I sheeted in to show him a Mariner 19 stern. All in good fun.”

Skipper Dennis Russom with his crew blast toward the windward mark during the 2019 Mariner National Championships held on August 24th at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. Their boat, #3589, is a late-style Mariner and is used exclusively for racing at Brant Beach as he is a member of the Club. Notice the new, radial sails which are cut differently than the traditional cross-cut sails; notice also the adjustable backstay and the large mainsheet blocks to aid in sail handling. Dennis and his crew have good reason to smile - they performed very well that year at the Nationals, coming in second place during the one day of racing as the second day was cancelled due to high winds.

Skipper Chris Albert smiles aboard his #2714 FLOTSAM at Bushy Point Beach, Groton. He has just arrived after sailing from Niantic during this past August’s Mariner National Rendezvous, and he has deployed his anchor and is waiting for others in the fourteen-boat fleet to catch up before getting underway again for Crocker’s Boat Yard in New London. It’s easy to furl his sails, even for a short while, with a roller-furling genoa jib and a permanently-mounted, boom-length mainsail storage bag made by Mack Sails. FLOTSAM was built during the time when the O’Day Sailboats Corporation gold-anodized the spars on all their production sailboats in recognition of George O’Day’s gold Olympic medal he had won in 1960. Chris has attended every Rendezvous since the very first one (2009), and FLOTSAM always manages to get ahead of just about everyone when on the water, no doubt helped by the pulling power of his genoa - and, of course, his own superb sailing skills and knowledge of the local waters.

Sometimes, when racing, boats come awfully close to colliding, and although it looks like a collision is imminent in this photo, no contact was made. Skipper Dan Walsh with crew Randy Swartley (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) cross in front of skipper Newt Wattis with crew Dixon Pearce (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) during the 2016 Mariner National Championships held at Surf City Yacht Club, Long Beach Island, New Jersey as both boats fight to gain the advantage. Dan would eventually win his third championship trophy when all the results came in at the end of the regatta - his fourth and fifth trophies would come later in 2018 and 2019 - while five-time champion Newt placed fourth. The 2020 Championships were once again scheduled to take place at Surf City, but the event was cancelled due to the Coronavirus. Surf City will be trying again on July 23-25, 2021.

A worker at Stuart Marine in Rockland, Maine, sands the hull of this 1971 mid-style Mariner named PATIENCE. The manufacturer of the Mariner since 1983, Stuart Marine has a complete inventory of parts - both new and used - and a sizeable brokerage of older O’Day and newer Stuart Mariners. They also provide many services for Mariners and Rhodes 19s including repair work, which PATIENCE desperately needed after suffering a severe split in the port side hull. Stuart Marine fixed the problem and is prepping the boat for a new paint job. While business at Stuart Marine has always been enough to keep them afloat, they saw a huge surge in sales and work this past year as more people were staying home due to the Coronavirus. Dave Whittier, owner of Stuart Marine, says they have never been so busy, and with older Mariners in their brokerage quickly being sold and new Mariners ordered and about to go into production, the future looks very bright for the company and the Mariner.

Mariners motor out through the Niantic railroad bridge into Niantic Bay during this past August’s Mariner Class Association National Rendezvous. While fourteen Mariners and thirty-two sailors took part in the event, a few folks made the drive up from Pennsylvania to take part in some of the festivities, including past Association President Russ Schuss (2015-2016) with wife Elsie and photographer Steve Hock, who took this great picture. While the Coronavirus forced participants to keep their distance from one another, people still had a good time, visiting New London’s Fort Trumbull, sailing on the Thames River, and enjoying our host marina, Crocker’s Boat Yard. Next year’s Rendezvous has already been confirmed for August 6-8, but the destination has yet to be revealed.

It has become a tradition for the final picture of the year in this column to be of ORION herself, and I humbly submit this picture taken by my sister back in May. ORION rests on her mooring on the Niantic River off my parents’ beach, unsuspecting of the drama that would unfold as the sailing season went on. She would survive nearly being wrecked by Tropical Storm Isaias and a close call with a near dismasting, but it wasn’t all bad. Although the Coronavirus pandemic prevented more overnight excursions, we had many great daysails together and another successful Rendezvous to New London. She is currently undergoing some serious winter maintenance, and I’m already looking forward to the next sailing season.

I hope everyone has a safe, healthy, and happy 2021 - I also hope you enjoy this website and check back for new updates and a new “Picture of the Week” every Monday. It’s great to have you here.