What better way to start the new year than with an incredible picture of David Satter’s early-style Mariner WILDFLOWER at anchor in the fall as the sun sets. Known for years as #735 PROXIMUS and featured in this column back in 2016 and again in 2021, David’s complete refurbishment of her is nothing short of absolutely remarkable, and she looks nothing like her former self. Her true hull number is a bit of a mystery as she is missing her identification tag and another Mariner has since turned up with the ID plate of #735. Regardless, her custom mahogany companionway doors, cabin mahogany ceiling strips, rebuilt V-berth, custom tiller, short bowsprit for an anchor, and stunning paint and varnish set her apart from most all other Mariners. Currently for sale, her next owner will be buying not only a fantastic sailboat but a gorgeous showpiece.

Scott Nelson sails #3582 SWEET in the last whispers of wind as the sun sets off Little Cranberry Island, Maine. Scott writes that it was a “beautiful light air day to Isleford, Wabanaki homelands. A month ago we sailed in 30-knot gusts & SWEET handled it beautifully with a double-reefed main. The light air performance with regulation sails was just as impressive. Paddling Sweet into an Acadian sunset was magical. Best boat I've owned.” Located just southeast of Mount Desert Island, both Little Cranberry and Great Cranberry Islands are incredibly picturesque and provide stunning views of Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain. Great Cranberry is only about two miles long by one mile wide with around 40 year-round residents, although that number swells to about 300 additional seasonal residents during the summer. Both islands are only accessible by boat, and what better boat to use than a Mariner?

Skipper Chris Duncan and crew Don Hahl sail #1048 on the Delaware River during the 2009 Mariner Nationals. That year, light winds plagued the race course at Riverton Yacht Club, and only three races were sailed instead of the usual six. As fellow Mariner racer Ralph Hall later wrote, “After postponing the first race, the winds picked up and racing commenced with a scattered start. As the [second] race progressed and the wind died, the tide became the main force to contend with – several boats were pushed into the marks as they attempted to round. An attempt was made to start the third race, but the lack of wind forced the decision to end racing for the day. Sunday’s wind conditions were even worse than Saturday’s. With the strength of the tide, anchors became an important part of racing strategy, and the time limit was reached before several boats were able to finish the course. Rather than prolong the agony, the Race Committee made the decision to discontinue racing for the day.” Despite the challenging conditions, Chris and Don finished fourth overall out of 22 boats. This year’s Nationals will be taking place once again at Riverton Yacht Club, the seventh time hosting the event since they started doing so in 1998.

I’ll bet you’ve never seen a cat-rigged Mariner before! This is Tony Martin’s boat, and a previous owner removed the traditional sloop rig and concocted this. Tony writes, “they fitted up a furling boom-less mainsail in the bow of the boat. [It} sails okay in strong conditions but not so good in light winds, especially into the wind. So I would like to get rid of that and go back to as close to standard as possible.” Upon closer inspection of pictures he sent me which revealed slight differences to O’Day Mariners, I realized this is actually a rare, Australian-made boat! In the late-1960s, the O’Day Corporation licensed production of the Mariner to the Australian Quest Marine company, and they made a few Mariner knock-offs known as the Quest 19. The cabin was similar to the early-style O’Day Mariners, but the portlights were a little different, and the mast support arch was altered among other small alterations. They just look a bit “off” from O’Day boats, but they are unmistakably Mariners and there are at least a few still sailing in Queensland, Mackay, and Yaroomba - all with the standard sloop rig.

Skipper Dave Oatley looks up at his reefed mainsail while sailing in Niantic Bay at the start of the 2025 Mariner Rendezvous this past August. This boat, #2119 ARGO, is actually Dave’s second Mariner, as his previous one was #2186 NANTUCKET. He kept his old boat’s mainsail - hence the sail number - and although the boom vang is attached a bit too high on the mast to be very effective, he seems to be doing just fine as ARGO surges through the water downwind at close to hull speed. His wung-out genoa is pulling like a mule; notice the sheet, attached to the clew, goes through a block on a jib sheet track car on deck, then up to a snubbing winch, then into a cam cleat on the coaming top, all of which are original O’Day equipment from 1971. Although it is the beginning of August, the stiff breeze and overcast skies kept the air temperature relatively cool, and Dave wasn’t the only one who felt more comfortable wearing a light foul weather jacket for the trip from Niantic to Essex.