Happy New Year, and here’s a great shot to start the year off just right. Hunter Stump sails with family and friends near Long Island, New York aboard his early-style O’Day Mariner, #173 THE FREE. The sun is setting and the wind is failing, but when you are having a good time with your friends in a comfortable boat like the Mariner in such a beautiful location, who cares how long it takes you to get back to the dock? In 2015, Hunter was only sixteen years old when he spotted the bow of a neglected Mariner poking through some bushes near his home in Southampton, Long Island. The word “Free” was spray-painted on the bow, so he acquired the boat from her owner and began a multi-year restoration, appropriately naming her THE FREE. He did a fantastic job, and she has been sailed extensively since her relaunching. Hunter just joined the Mariner Class Association last week and hopes to participate in the next Rendezvous here in Connecticut.

Skipper Paul Coward glances aloft as he trims the mainsail on #584 BONNIE D during the 2019 Mariner National Championships. His wife and crew holds the jib sheet tightly, a 2:1 arrangement well-suited for the breezy conditions. A long-time member of the host club, the Brant Beach Yacht Club, Paul is a four-time champion, holding the winner’s trophy in 1989, 1999, 2004, and 2007. The BONNIE D has a mainsail cut to the largest dimensions allowed by Class Association racing rules. While this does not allow room for an effective vang between the boom and the cabin top, the sheer size of the sail provides the maximum amount of horsepower. Photo credit: Beth Reitinger.

#3582 SWEET SADIE looks like a brand new O’Day Mariner with that fantastic paint job. Her sparkling white cabin and deck are enhanced by the black rubrail; conversely, the black bootstripe accentuates her unusual white bottom paint. The thin stripe just below the rubrail emphasizes her classic sweeping sheer, and the pale yellow hull with custom vinyl graphics really make SWEET SADIE stand out from other Mariners. Fortunately, her owners, Brad and Caroline, will be keeping her at Three Belles Marina this upcoming sailing season, making six Mariners based on the Niantic River here in Connecticut.

As those of us in the northeast are experiencing a cold snap, those farther north have to contend with even colder temperatures this time of year. Here is Jurgen Braunohler’s #2240 SEA VENTURE surrounded by snow in Elliot Lake, Ontario awaiting warmer days. She’s sitting in Jurgen’s home-built cradle, a hefty and well-padded support that allows the centerboard to be lowered for maintenance. Nearly identical to ORION, SEA VENTURE was built a year later and is one of the last mid-style Mariner 2+2s produced by the O’Day Sailboats Corporation before they removed the forward hatch, installed a mast support pole, and streamlined the cabin top. While these modifications may have modernized the look of the Mariner, the vintage “bump-” or “step-top” look remains classically appealing, and the airy forward hatch and absence of an intrusive support pole allows for more comfortable overnight cruising. (Can you tell I’m biased toward this mid-style model?)

It is very handy for ORION to be in a covered barn all winter, but it is a real luxury for those who are able to keep their Mariner in a heated garage so work can continue comfortably all winter long. This is Harald Hefel’s #1998 HETTICKS receiving some work just last week in his Connecticut garage before he trailers her south for a sailing trip in Florida. Harald is putting the finishing touches on his custom cockpit tent which will allow the companionway hatch to remain fully open even if it rains. How nice to keep your tools right there, ready to continue your boat project whenever you feel like it, even if there’s a snowstorm outside. Real luxury indeed.

It’s always a gamble to extend your sailing season by keeping your Mariner available long after all the other boaters have put their boats to bed for the winter. Many times, you are rewarded with cool yet not uncomfortable temperatures, no bugs, almost no other boat traffic, and a unique perspective on your surroundings. The risk is that the weather may put an end to your sailing season whether you like it or not, catching you unprepared in the meantime. It looks like that has happened to this mid-style O’Day Mariner at the Red Dragon Canoe Club in New Jersey during the last snowstorm. Here she sits on the launching cradle, the crane still attached to a lifting bridle composed of ratchet straps. Judging by the amount of ice on the Delaware River in the background, it will be quite a long time before this Mariner gets back in the water. Photo: Jeff Rite (Vice-Commodore of the Red Dragon Canoe Club).

Tim Reiche in #2170 MAGGIE heads down the Connecticut River as Bill Eggers with his family aren’t far behind in #2280 JULIE B. They’re sailing home during the 2017 Mariner Rendezvous to Essex, and the picturesque hills of Old Lyme and Lyme are in the background along with a few spectacular homes. For many years, the Connecticut River was severely affected by waterfront industries which turned the river into a heavily polluted cesspool. However, beginning with the Water Quality Act of 1965, the river was able to make a slow recovery and is now a beautiful place to explore thanks to many conservation initiatives. We Mariner sailors certainly enjoyed it.

Marty McLean takes a pleasant afternoon sail with his crew on Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania. The treetops are just starting to turn color for autumn, and #735 PROXIMUS is making the most of the light breeze. As Lake Nockamixon obviously has no currents to deal with, Marty’s auxiliary power consists only of an electric trolling motor which weighs - and costs substantially less than a conventional, gasoline-powered outboard. #735 is an early-style Mariner which lacks quarterberths and a self-bailing cockpit; the advantage, though, are slightly lower cockpit seats that allow the coamings to act as more comfortable and supportive backrests.

Here’s a great shot taken during the 2016 Mariner Nationals held at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey. Crewman Steve Hock glances at the photographer while skipper Russ Schuss keeps his eye on the windward mark as he mentally plots the next leg of the race. He and his wife, Elsie, kept their boat, #272 SYMPATICO, for many years at Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania, successfully racing it there and trailering it to different cruising locations, including a couple times up here to Connecticut for the National Rendezvous. Russ served a term as Mariner Class Association President and even drove up once again to Connecticut for the 2020 Rendezvous just to be in the company of fellow Mariner sailors even though he sold SYMPATICO a couple of years ago.

I don’t usually feature a picture of my own boat in this column, but I’m making a special exception this week as it’s my father’s 70th birthday today. Here he is, looking across at the nearly-vacant mooring field in the Niantic River in the fall of 2019 while standing in the cabin of ORION. We don’t often have the opportunity to go sailing together, so it’s a special treat when our schedules allow us to get out on the water for a short spin. He helped me enormously last year (and every year) both launching and retrieving ORION at the beginning and end of the season, and last fall he even went up the mast in a bosun’s chair to re-attach a shroud that had parted from the spreader. And who can forget when he helped to save ORION from being wrecked during Tropical Storm Isaias (earning him the nickname “Aquaman”)? He’s one of the most selfless, giving, humble people I know, and I’m awfully proud to be his son. Happy birthday, Pop.

Today is my wife Liz’s birthday, and I wanted to feature a picture of her even if this column is really meant to feature other boats. Here she is, working alongside my father on April 14th, 2007, helping to get #1922 roadworthy for the trip from Surf City, New Jersey to our home in Wallingford, Connecticut. We had just bought her and had traveled to Surf City loaded with gear, including wiring for new lights, new hubs and tires, ratchet straps and more. After a rather perilous trip back to Connecticut with bits of rusted iron falling off the trailer on the highway all the way home, we made it safe and sound. After nearly 14 years of putting up with my obsession with Mariners, she is still tolerant and patient with me. Thank you, Liz, and happy birthday.

Yikes - this is the stuff of nightmares. Back in 2015, an unusually intense storm swept through Long Island, New York, and many boats dragged or even snapped their moorings. This poor Mariner - named SUNNY DAYS and featured in this column in 2016 - came to grief on the Long Island shore, swamped and with a sizeable hole in her gelcoat ground out by the nearby rocks. Her owner had removed her sails and rudder in anticipation of the storm, but her mooring line snapped, and there was nothing else that could be done. Fortunately, a fellow Mariner owner - Hunter Stump of #173 THE FREE - came to the rescue with a friend and prevented her from being pulverized into the sand. While no one knows exactly what happened to her, it is more than likely she was able to have more “sunny days” ahead thanks to Hunter and his friend.

Skipper Jim Irwin in #3178 stays just ahead of Rob Seidelmann in #4052 during one of the windward legs in the 2019 National Championships at Brant Beach Yacht Club, Long Beach Island, New Jersey. The winds were particularly strong that weekend in late August, and races were actually canceled for Sunday out of safety concerns. Take a close look at Jim’s mast - the extreme bend suggests a better tuning might have prevented it, perhaps tighter lowers. When the day was over, Jim ended up coming in sixth while Rob came in fourth. Picture: Becky Seidelmann.

The “winning-est Mariner in history” is what some people have called this Mariner, #2676 THE GOLD BOAT helmed by Helmut Meyhoefer out of Narrasketuck Yacht Club in Amityville, New York. Helmie was a legend, winning an unprecedented fourteen Mariner National Championships, always with fresh sails but with original hardware. A career pilot, he certainly knew how to read the air currents and use them to his advantage. He was one of only three people to hold the honorary title of “Life Member” before he died in 2018 at the age of 79.

Now, this is what Mariner cruising is all about. Skipper Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T) is anchored in a shallow, secluded creek as the sun sets after a glorious day of sailing. Ed went on a four-day trip with friends Russ Schuss and Steve Hock, stopping at Crisfield, Maryland and Jane's Island State Park during their cruise to Honga River and Fox Creek. At first glance, one might think a swim ladder is projecting up on the transom, but it is actually a bracket to hold a stern anchor which Ed has deployed to keep his boat from swinging in the narrow creek. Who would not want to be onboard, sitting back, listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees, free from cellular reception and distraction, simply enjoying the setting sun in the gentle summer breeze? Photo: Steve Hock.

Take a quick look and guess: Is this an early-style O’Day Mariner or a late-style? Actually, this is Stuart Mariner #4041 built during the winter of 1988-1989 for a steel worker in the New York City area. Found on Schroon Lake in the fall of 2018 and purchased in the spring of 2019 by new owner Chris Brady, she is now named POLLUX and stays during the year on Canaan Street Lake in Canaan, New Hampshire. (That’s the Cardigan Mountain School in the background.) Chris is trying to find out a little more about POLLUX’s history as he works on her, writing that he “spent yesterday removing adhesive and caulking before refastening rails,” and he hopes to be in by Memorial day as there is still ice out on the lake.

When Michael Maus of south Florida first purchased #1464 in January of 2017, she had a dark blue hull and was named GOOD VIBES. A couple of months later, Michael embarked on a restoration process that included sanding the hull down to its original gelcoat, all new paint, a sandblasted and epoxy-faired centerboard, new standing rigging, and much more. Renamed LADY M SEA, her new home port became West Palm Beach, a great place to sail. Here she is, completely refurbished and anchored in Florida waters with palm trees in the background. Unfortunately, with growing responsibilities at home and work, Michael is selling LADY M SEA; click here if you’re interested in becoming her new caretaker.

Crewmate Mural Rao waves as skipper (and Mural’s brother-in-law) Bruce Robbins slowly motors #3200 NORA ROSE away from Mystic Seaport on the final day of the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous. They are headed toward the historic Mystic River bascule bridge, awaiting its opening which occurs every forty minutes past the hour. That beautiful, wooden Whitehall-style boat was built by Bruce and was used for exploring the nooks and crannies of the river over the course of the weekend while NORA ROSE was berthed at the Seaport’s floating docks with all the other Mariners. We’ll be going back to Mystic Seaport this August, and registration will begin this week on the Mariner Class Association’s website.

Back in 2016, Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) and I sailed across Long Island Sound to explore Orient Point, Shelter Island, Greenport, and various other small bays and harbors in the area. After overnighting in the Coecles Harbor anchorage the first night, we sailed and eventually motored to Sag Harbor and then to Greenport in fog and rain that lasted all day long. Finally, at the very end of the day as we were motoring to Hallock Bay above Orient Harbor, the sun finally peeked out to give us hope for a dry night and a better following day. This picture shows Chris motoring up Orient Harbor just a few minutes after the sun shown through the clouds. Although the fog returned overnight, it soon burned off in the morning and we had a great sail home.

Eniko DeMarco smiles at the camera as she and skipper Nick DeMarco sail by in #1848 ROVER during the 2018 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, New York. The DeMarcos have owned ROVER for a number of years and are active members of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club, racing ROVER in the notoriously shallow waters of Great South Bay. They traveled to Connecticut by car to participate in the big 2013 Rendezvous celebrating the 50th anniversary of the building of the O’Day Mariner, and Eniko, a talented photographer, took some fantastic shots of the event, one of which was featured in my book. Rumor has it they might be coming again for this year’s return to Mystic Seaport. Picture credit: Alan Hlavenka.

The Red Dragon Canoe Club, located at Edgewater Park in New Jersey on the Delaware River, has a growing fleet of Mariners, and Doug Campbell’s early-style O’Day Mariner BLUEBIRD is one of them. Here she is, carefully placed by crane onto a set of rails that will soon slide her into the water in a very dramatic fashion! According to the Red Dragon Canoe Club folks, most of their boats are launched this way, and many consider “riding the rails” one of the highlights of the whole season. While BLUEBIRD wasn’t the first Mariner in the water at the Canoe Club this year, she is used continuously the entire year and is one of the last to be hauled out.

Young sailors learn to sail in light winds and overcast skies in a mid-style O’Day Mariner at the Duluth-Superior Sailing Association (DSSA). Providing sailing classes and other programs for youth and adults, the DSSA is located only a few miles away from downtown Duluth, Minnesota on a long, thin island in the very southwest tip of Lake Superior. Other boats in their extensive small-boat fleet include Optimists, Lasers, 2.4Ms, Interlakes, Solings, and even a Yngling. Their O’Day Mariner was actually donated in 2014 and is a treasured addition. Despite the lack of breeze in the above picture, she is slipping along decently, making headway yet hardly a wake.

Charles Crowley is a Mariner owner as well as a professional photographer based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. His photos are truly stunning, including this great shot taken last August. He writes that this Mariner is “hull #83 and a 1963 keel version I owned for a brief spell before passing her on to a good friend, and he has sailed her now for six seasons in Newburyport.” Built near the end of the first year of production by the O’Day Sailboats Corporation, she sports custom wooden cabin enclosures, cabin-top handrails and a roller-furling jib. While early-style Mariners don’t have a self-bailing cockpit, many owners prefer the deeper cockpit seats as they provide a bit more comfort. Check out more of Charles’s photos at his website.

Skipper Roger Knight peers aloft through the mainsail window as he helms #2564 during the 2014 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, New York. A member of the Club, Roger has been the Narrasketuck Mariner Fleet Captain for several years and actively races #2564 on the shallow waters of Great South Bay. In this particular regatta, Roger came in third out of eight boats, even scoring a first place in the opening race. Known as the birthplace of the Mariner Class Association when it was founded in 1966, Narrasketuck has hosted the Nationals fourteen times since then; the Nationals will return to Narrasketuck once again in 2023.

Skipper Dave Oatley sails with his son past the long stretch of Bushy Point Beach in Groton, Connecticut in #2186 NANTUCKET. This picture was taken during last year’s Mariner Rendezvous from Niantic to New London when a number of Mariners anchored just off the beach for lunch before continuing on to Crocker’s Boat Yard. After a quick meal of sandwiches, he has just raised both his sails and is threading his way through other Mariners anchored nearby while another Mariner, skippered by Steve Creighton and crewed by Joanne McCarthy, is raising her sails in the background. NANTUCKET is rigged to have a genoa jib, although Dave elected to stick with his working jib for the weekend. Notice the unusual cut of the jib with odd reinforcement patch patterns; while it is an older sail compared to the mainsail, it certainly did not hinder his performance as he was ahead of most other boats during the weekend event.

Sometimes it can be hard to find a silver lining with things like a pandemic, but with so many people staying home last year looking for something to do, boat sales went through the roof. According to Dave Whittier at Stuart Marine - the current manufacturer of the Mariner in Rockland, Maine - almost their entire inventory of used Mariners were sold, and they have orders for brand new Mariners that are keeping them busier than ever. This picture shows the inside of the Stuart Marine facility where a newer Stuart Mariner (foreground) just received some needed repairs while an older O’Day Mariner from 1968 can be seen in the background waiting her turn. Rudders and new outboard engines wrapped in plastic line the rails of the second floor loft. Although later-style O’Day Mariners (1972-1979) don’t have mahogany coaming tops like the early- and mid-style O’Day Mariners (1963-1971), Stuart Marine reintroduced them as a classy option, and you can just see that the Stuart boat in the picture has them. It is a nice feature and a “tip of the cap” of sorts to the Mariner’s O’Day heritage.

Here’s a great old picture from around 1978 of a mid-style O’Day Mariner sent to me by Craig Witsoe. Currently a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, Craig grew up in Chicago and learned to sail on Lake Michigan on his father’s Mariner, pictured here. Craig’s father and uncle have attached the shrouds and are preparing to step the mast. There are a few interesting details in this photo, including the varnished handrails on the cabin top, the mast support pole attached to the trailer and, of course, glimpses of some of the great vintage vehicles in the background. Craig just joined the Mariner Class Association and is on the hunt for similar mid-style boat to own himself.

Three generations of O’Day Mariners race at Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey back in July of 2019. The early-style model, #599 SILK PURSE, has a forward hatch and an open cuddy cabin with a V-berth for two. The mid-style model, #1534 FROGGER, retains the forward hatch but has an enclosed cabin with a V-berth and quarterberths for four (albeit four rather small and very friendly people). The later-style model, #3599, has a more streamlined cabin with no more forward hatch. As all the variations of the O’Day Mariner have changes only to the deck and cabin and not the hull, all models are able to compete against each other as a One-Design class. Thanks to Byron Campbell for the picture.

An old style O’Day Mariner built in 1965 sits peacefully on her mooring in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Like most early-style Mariners, she has a keel instead of a centerboard, and she’s in remarkably good condition for a fifty-six-year old boat. Her owner, Charles Crowley, also owns an Irwin 32 that he cruises, but he writes that “the Mariner is a great little boat for me to sail around the bay when I don’t have a lot of time.” While many solo sailors enjoy the handiness of a roller-furling jib, Charles elected to stick with a regular hanked-on jib which has its own benefits, including the security of storing it below out of the weather when not in use. Charles also took this great photograph, and more of his work can be found at his website.

This past weekend was the Mariner National Championships at Surf City Yacht Club, Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Seventeen boats competed in six races - four on Saturday and two on Sunday - with skipper Dan Walsh and crew Randy Swartley (pictured here) lifting up the champion’s trophy for Dan’s sixth title. Remarkably, of those six races, Dan and Randy came in first place four times! A member of Riverton Yacht Club, Dan is on a winning streak with his boat, #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE as this is his third consecutive title. This was also his third consecutive title at Surf City, having won it there in 2012, 2016, and now this year. (The 2020 Nationals was canceled due to the pandemic.) Furthermore, Dan has won the title at all of the “Big Four” racing grounds: Riverton, Surf City, Brant Beach, and Narrasketuck Yacht Clubs. A true champion! Photo credit: Robert Tampellini.

While last weekend saw some great racing at the 2021 Mariner National Championships in New Jersey, Mariners in Puerto Rico were also racing alongside some Rhodes 19s. Manuel Portela writes that this picture was from their “sailing rally/Jamboree we do twice a month with Mariners and Rhodes 19 at Marina de Salinas [on the] southwest coast of Puerto Rico. We are preparing for the upcoming formal annual Ponce Yacht Club "Discover the Caribbean Regatta" to be held on November 2021. We Mariners and Rhodes 19 will be participating, I will keep you posted soon as I get the official invitation from the organizers, maybe you will like to come and sail with us. We bring onboard everyone that will be on the dock, no matter if we are three or six in the boat, no one is left on the dock, the idea is to do the course and have fun. Total group of Mariners and Rhodes 19 in Puerto Rico is approximately 14 to 16 boats.” Sounds like a great time!

Harald Hefel’s #1998 NETTICKS rests at anchor in front of Bruce Robbins’s #3200 NORA ROSE Thursday evening as the sun sets on the Niantic River. Both participated in this past weekend’s Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport with twelve other boats and about forty sailors, some of whom drove up from various parts of the eastern seaboard to join in the fun. A number of boats arrived early on Thursday and were fully rigged, left on trailers to launch first thing Friday morning, but only NETTICKS, NORA ROSE and my own ORION spent the night in the river. Although the humidity was high, the night was not unpleasant, and the heavy dew soon dried out in the morning in time for the voyage to the Seaport.

#1574 LIVELY surges ahead in overcast skies as skipper James Hollister sails on Long Island Sound during the Mariner Rendezvous a couple of weekends ago. Although there wasn’t much wind on Friday on the way to Mystic Seaport, sailors were rewarded with a fantastic breeze right on the beam for the trip home on Sunday. In fact, we arrived back at our start point in Niantic so quickly that James turned around and headed east again toward Fisher’s Island (in the background of the picture) until the wind died and he motored home. James and LIVELY have been to several Rendezvous now, traveling all the way from Durham, New Hampshire near the Maine border.

Skipper Andy Stotz smiles and relaxes at the helm of #3223 SHELDON JONES while his wife Bonnie and son AJ enjoy the last few moments of the breeze before it dies. It’s the Sunday afternoon of the Mariner Rendezvous held at the beginning of the month, and while we had a great sail home from Mystic Seaport, the wind dissipated shortly after this photo was taken and Andy turned the motor on near Millstone Point for the final leg home. Notice the aftermarket bow pulpit, CDI jib furling system and the gold anodized boom, produced by the O’Day Sailboats Corporation as a tribute to George O’Day’s gold medal won during the 1960 summer Olympics in the 5.5 Metre class. The Stotz family have come to several Rendezvous over the years, trailering SHELDON JONES all the way from Maine!

JD Swed and his wife Carolyn, of Bozeman, Montana, bought their 1976 O’Day Mariner VISHNU a couple of years ago. She is pictured here, sailing on the incredibly picturesque Flathead Lake in Montana. Carolyn has created a blog about their adventures, and here is an excerpt from this particular sail: “In sailing, the object is rarely about speed or the directness of your heading, unless you are racing. JD finds this premise hard to accept at times, but for me, it it provides glorious permission to slow down and meander, savoring the subtle sounds of water lapping against the hull, gurgling as the rudder cuts a gentle wake behind the boat. And for me, it is in precisely these moments of running with – not against – the wind and the water, constantly learning when to relish your momentum, and when to embrace stillness, that the many mysteries and gifts of this one wild and precious life become the most accessible, able to be seen, heard, felt – and trusted. And, sitting aboard Vishnu with JD, once again I am reminded of the promise that we made to each other many years ago – to live for today, taking nothing for granted.” Read more of Carolyn’s blog by clicking here.

James Perpich’s late-style Mariner emerges from a lake in Minnesota having sunk last week. James writes that, while sailing in strong, gusty winds and unable to lower the sail, “I was immediately overpowered and tried to get home. Got knocked down twice and the boat righted itself. The third knockdown the boat stayed on its side and the cabin filled with water. The boat stayed on its side and began to sink. I stayed in the cockpit and looked for help. I didn’t see any other boats and there was nobody out on the beach. I blew the whistle on my life jacket but still saw no one. The boat was about three quarters submerged when a boat picked me up. The local marina service came out and put air bags on the bow pulpit. The next day we came out and found the boat about a half mile from where it went down. We removed the sail and pushed the mast up - everything was intact - amazing. Got it closer to shore and pumped it out. Everything that was in the cabin stayed in . The boat held up great. This was 100% operator error. My biggest mistake was overconfidence. I have new respect for my 1900 acre lake. Very scary day.” Glad to hear James wasn’t hurt and his Mariner sustained only minimal damage.

Dave Palmer sails his #1871 ELLA B on the Hudson River in New York with the Tappan Zee bridge towering in the background at the end of last month. Dave has a friend who owns a drone film production company who took this great picture. #1871’s previous owner, Eric Flower, really “souped up” this mid-style O’Day Mariner with many improvements and luxuries including a bow pulpit, roller furling, lifelines, and an onboard battery to power a state-of-the-art bluetooth audio system and both cabin and navigation lights. After Dave bought the boat, he has continued to make improvements and enjoys sailing this 51-year-old boat that, in many ways, is better than new.

Bill and Teresa Eggers relax on the cabin roof of #2280 JULIE B during the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport from August 6-8. It has become a tradition at every Rendezvous to set aside about an hour for an “Open Boat” time where everyone hangs out at the docks, checks out all the other boats, and shares food and drinks. It’s a great opportunity to get together, and if this picture were zoomed out a bit more, you’d see the docks crammed with other sailors socializing. The 2X4 wedged in between the shrouds supports the awning, and the propane tank in the stern runs the Lehr outboard motor. JULIE B also sports an aftermarket bow pulpit where the anchor is stowed on the starboard side, and the plastic cowl on the cabin top provides some nice ventilation below.

Brandon Fetterman, of Flower Mound, Texas, has done a remarkable job documenting his work and some of his sailing trips aboard his recently-purchased 1964 O’Day Mariner THUNDER ROAD. He has made a number of YouTube videos and is an active poster on the Facebook group “Pocket Yachts and Trailer Sailors.” This particular picture is a great shot of THUNDER ROAD beached at Lake Lewisville, a reservoir located in northern Texas and one of the largest lakes in the state. Notice the vintage 1963 British Seagull outboard on the transom which, according to Brandon, is a “very reliable engine” that “starts on the first pull.” Be sure to check out his fantastic YouTube videos here and see all he has done.

Remember the O’Day Mariner featured in this column about a month ago that sank in gusty winds? That was James Perpich’s boat on a lake in Minnesota, and in only a few days following the sinking, his boat was raised, cleaned, and ready to sail again. Here she is, sailing as if nothing had ever happened to her. James writes that he was “able to get back on the water with my new-to-me Craigslist tiller and rudder [as he lost his in the sinking]. Perfect day to be out—10 mph wind and 68 degrees. Went out with my son and nephew for two hours and had a great time. I always put my son on the helm so he gets comfortable driving the boat. It felt great to get back out.” Congratulations to James for a quick recovery!

Danuta Misthal smiles as she sits at the helm of #4079 RIPPLE while partner Gifford Eldredge rests reclining against the port cabin bulkhead. It is the first day of the 2021 Rendezvous from Niantic to Mystic Seaport this past August, and this was Giff and Danuta’s first time participating having brought RIPPLE all the way up from Media, Pennsylvania. RIPPLE is not only a Stuart Mariner, she is the first Stuart Mariner ever created in the mid-1980s, and she is in excellent shape. She is sporting a fairly new pair of North Sails cut to the maximum dimensions for racing; her jib is sometimes known as a “deck sweeper” as it just barely misses the deck and cabin top, and her mainsail has such a long luff her vang isn’t all that effective. Notice also the mainsheet bridle across the stern that allows the boom to be brought closer to the centerline of the boat when sheeted in.

One of life’s little rewards is the occasional opportunity to share your passion with a family member who embraces it just as much as you do. Newt Wattis is at the helm of his #2604 MY LIGHTNING while his teenage granddaughter crews during the 2021 Mariner Class Association National Championships. According to Newt, she is passionate about sailing and is quickly honing her skills as a competitive racer. And what a teacher - Newt is a five-time National Champion having won the regatta in MY LIGHTNING in 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008, and 2013. He is a strong advocate for sailing with family, and he recently helped to modify the Mariner Class Racing Rules to allow family members to co-skipper the boat during a regatta, giving them valuable experience and instilling in them the enthusiasm for racing.

You may be wondering why this small sloop is featured on this website. You may also be wondering why the hull shape looks vaguely familiar. That’s because this is indeed an O’Day Mariner, completely rehabbed to resemble a wooden pocket cruiser. I can’t imagine the number of hours her owner must have poured into altering this boat, crafting wooden trailboards, enlarging the cabin and adding bronze portlights, creating teak decks with teak hatches and cabin top… the list goes on. Currently for sale in New Jersey for a whopping $12,000, the description touts it as “the best of both worlds” with “an old world look topside of teak, mahogany and bronze.” While the work done is incredibly impressive, it does beg the question: Why not simply buy a different boat closer to what was originally desired? Regardless, the owner has, without a doubt, created a truly unique Mariner.

#2249 OB-LA-DI skips along in light winds heading home from the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport this past August. She is being skippered by Ulrich von Hollen, of Pennsylvania, who is sailing with his two sons, Konrad and Caspar. All three of them participated in the 2014 Rendezvous, and it was a pleasure to have them join the gang once again this year. In this picture, OB-LA-DI is heading west, and her well-used genoa jib is helping her make knots as the breeze is beginning to slacken. Ulrich actually owns several Mariners in various stages of repair along with a number of Mariner parts, and he is active on the Mariner Class Association forums helping other Mariner owners replace damaged pieces of equipment with gear from his inventory. #2249 is one of the last mid-style Mariners to come out of the Fall River, Massachusetts manufactory; the upgraded, later-style Mariner would see its forward hatch removed and the and “bump-top” cabin streamlined.

Crew Michelle Green contorts herself into a rather odd position on the cabin top as she holds out the jib on a downwind run during the 2021 Nationals at Surf City Yacht Club. Her husband, Tom, is skippering their Mariner, #738, as they go charging through the water in high winds that kept many less-experienced racers at the docks. Members of Surf City Yacht Club, Tom and Michelle are veteran sailors and came close to winning the trophy in 2016 by placing third and in 2018 by placing second. (They would go on to place sixth in this year’s regatta.) They have altered the cabin top of their early-style boat by creating a cut-out to the dimensions of a companionway hatch found on later models; while a somewhat extreme modification, it is legal in the Class Rules and provides a measure of safety when working up forward - in this case, allowing Michelle to hook her foot inside the cut-out to give her some stability. Notice also their boat’s 2:1 jib sheets and 4:1 vang and backstay adjuster.

O’Day Mariner #1464 spent some time under the ownership of Michael Maus in Florida as LADY M SEA and was featured in this column the week of September 14-20, 2020. Since that time, Michael sold #1464 to Stefan Avey, also of Florida, who went out this past weekend for his very first overnight trip as a Mariner cruiser. Many other Mariner owners chimed in on the Association forums giving Stefan hints and tips as to what he should bring for safety and comfort. This picture is of his boat anchored at sunset, and he writes, “I got to go out and had a wonderful time. Mother Nature decided to be very kind and reward me with a beautiful sunset and sunrise at anchor. Plus clear skies to see the stars. I way overpacked but learned what I needed. Obvious things I forgot to bring - bathing suit. Looking forward to many more trips and being able to bring my little kids out on overnight trips in the future!”

By the beginning of November, most boats here in New England have been hauled out, their cabins and lockers cleaned with gear put away, and topsides covered with shrinkwrap, canvas, or poly tarps. The cold, gusty, and unpredictable winter wind begins to arrive, and even the most die-hard sailors are reluctant to battle the elements. This picture shows skipper Hunter Stump bundled up in his #173 THE FREE motoring on November 6th, 2016 in just such conditions, most likely on his way to a launch ramp near to his home port of Southampton, New York for the seasonal haul-out. Her mainsail is unbent and the cockpit cover remains in place as she motors away from the late-afternoon setting sun obscured by gathering clouds. It won’t be long until she is in Hunter’s backyard, covered up and hunkered down, waiting for the first signs of spring heralding the beginning of the next sailing season.

Two historic boats berthed near each other! The O’Day Mariner in the foreground is #20 LORELEI, built at O’Day’s Fall River factory within the first few weeks of production in 1963. Owned by Bill Snyder, she was trailered up from Pennsylvania in 2013 to participate in the big Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport celebrating 50 years of Mariner production. Bill sailed her with crew Roger Kirwin through very stormy conditions with the rest of the participants, and we were all rewarded the next day with beautiful, sunny skies and a chance to explore some of the other historic boats nearby, including the Seaport’s eastern-rigged dragger ROANN built in 1947 - she’s the one in the background. Thanks to photographer Stuart Watson for the great shot.

Teresa Eggers peers over the cabin top of #2280 JULIE B as she searches the surface of the water for ripples indicating a breath of wind. Bruce Robbins’ #3200 NORA ROSE sails close by, keeping up with JULIE B despite towing a home-built dinghy. It is the morning of the Mariner Rendezvous from Niantic, Connecticut to Mystic Seaport, and a pleasant sail around Millstone Point (seen in the background at the far right of the photo) has become a drifter. Teresa’s husband Bill, skipper of JULIE B, has put the propane-powered Lehr outboard in the down position, ready to fire it up, which he did shortly after this picture was taken. Most of the trip to the Seaport was under power, but no matter - everyone still had a great time spending the weekend aboard their Mariners.

Skipper Chris Albert takes a photo of me taking a photo of him during the 2017 Mariner Rendezvous as he motors north up the Connecticut River. That year our destination was Essex, and although we had enough wind to sail from Niantic to the mouth of the Connecticut River, it finally became too light for us to make much headway, so we motored from Old Saybrook to Essex Island Marina. It was overcast and surprisingly cool for the end of July, and many of us wore jackets and long-sleeved shirts that first day of sailing. In this picture, Chris has already buttoned up #2714 FLOTSAM’s mainsail in the Mack Pack attached to the boom, and he has elected to maneuver using just the motor as he has kicked up the RudderCraft rudder to reduce drag. The marshes and small hut in the background are on a long spit of land separating Lord Cove from the rest of the River; it is a beautiful area worthy of exploration in a dinghy or kayak.

Jerry Taylor’s 1969 mid-style O’Day Mariner sits contentedly in her new slip at a marina in Melbourne, Florida having arrived there just a couple of days ago. With a seven-foot beam and only seven and-a-half feet between pilings, it was a bit of a tight squeeze, but it was a success. And, she seems to be in good company; yes, that is another O’Day Mariner in the background. Jerry’s boat, #1500, still sports a lot of original hardware, including jib sheet leads and Tufnol cam cleats on the cabin top. These pieces of hardware are often replaced and upgraded by owners through the years, although if they remain in good condition, performance is not affected. This was proven by Narrasketuck Yacht Club racer Helmuth Meyhoefer as he won all fourteen (!) of his National Championship first-place trophies in his #2676 GOLD BOAT with new sails but with all original hardware.

While this column is dedicated to featuring other Mariners, it has been a tradition over the past number of years to feature ORION as the last picture of the year. This photo was taken at the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut back in August, and it shows me slowly motoring away from the floating docks with fellow Mariner owners Nick and Eniko DeMarco (#1848 ROVER) aboard and with the eastern-rigged historic dragger ROANN in the background. Nick and Eniko were two of five members from Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island, New York to drive up for the event, and we had a great little sail around the Mystic River. Thanks to photographer Marie Cohen for sharing this picture.

I wish everyone a very happy New Year with good sailing in 2022!