https://www.mariner1922.com/2016picsoftheweek daily 0.75 2017-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360026560-HXZMQPWSWPSW5FL4VC5E/145.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 Amy Ellison's #145 CEOL NA MARA is tied to the end of one of the docks at Watergate Marina in Clear Lake Shores, Texas. Although the fog is rolling in, the light breeze is perfect for sailing and CEOL NA MARA (Gaelic for "Music of the Sea") is ready to have her jib hanked on, her mainsail raised, and her docklines cast off. Amy, a lifelong sailor, writes, "She was great while my son was tiny - the cabin was his 'cradle' while we sailed." Amy is now selling #145 for various reasons, although she admits her inclination to sell her "varies from month to month." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360026560-HXZMQPWSWPSW5FL4VC5E/145.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 Amy Ellison's #145 CEOL NA MARA is tied to the end of one of the docks at Watergate Marina in Clear Lake Shores, Texas. Although the fog is rolling in, the light breeze is perfect for sailing and CEOL NA MARA (Gaelic for "Music of the Sea") is ready to have her jib hanked on, her mainsail raised, and her docklines cast off. Amy, a lifelong sailor, writes, "She was great while my son was tiny - the cabin was his 'cradle' while we sailed." Amy is now selling #145 for various reasons, although she admits her inclination to sell her "varies from month to month." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360094587-W9IG06CFOR8U4T87018E/riverton.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 11-17 August 26th was the second-to-last race of Riverton Yacht Club’s Wednesday series, and photographer Byron Campbell was there once again, capturing some great shots as he has done for many years. According to Byron, it was an “incredible racing season, and this was one of the best nights. Wind started at about 14 knots from upriver and dropping a bit as the evening went on.” This photo shows Frank Pelosi in #3599 crossing the start line ahead of five other Mariners; Frank came in first place for the whole summer series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360136628-1L2QAIDO99KR013OOQVM/955.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 18-24 Peter Neils motors by waterfront homes on the Groton side of the Mystic River during the 2015 Southeastern Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous. He is heading to the anchorage just above the Seaport, and he has brought his whitewater kayak along to allow him to get to shore. Peter has made several modifications to his #955 MINNOW, including new portlights, and a bow roller for his Rocna-style anchor. An avid outdoorsman, Peter traveled all the way from New Mexico with his boat to participate in the event and then trailered his boat further north to explore parts of Maine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360137285-CQWH2QS21XARK8IN43ZY/3151.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 25-31 Robert Boetticher and his crew struggle to get #3151's sails set correctly during one of the downwind legs of the 2015 Mariner Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club. They have just rounded the windward mark, and Robert's crew has the whisker pole in hand, ready to pole out the jib to port. The mainsail twisted during the gybe with the upper batten stubbornly refusing to follow the rest of the sail over to starboard, but it sorted itself out within moments. This extremely rare occurrence happens more with a gaff on a four-sided sail, but it is still very uncommon. Robert ended up 15th out of 19 boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360210656-0IT7IYVPUMUPFK0CWI5H/3462.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 1-7 It's hard to describe the feeling when you launch your boat either for the first time or after a long hiatus. For owner Dave Martin and his #3462 SQUID JIGGER, he writes that "this was the first sail after what was a total rebuild. We launched in Leesburg, Florida on Lake Harris and had a great sail for three hours then got caught in a major rain storm. It was great to sail a Mariner again after 15 years. SQUID JIGGER will be here in Florida until May when we bring her to western Pennsylvania for the summer." That's Dave's friend Al in the picture with his wife. The boat looks great! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360481440-VJ1NZ92JMUV16QLJMZG5/4134.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 8-14 As most of you know by now, I'm a sucker for Mariner sunset pictures, and this nice one comes courtesy of Greg Tkal. He was sailing his 1989 Stuart Mariner #4134 MON AMIE on Saratoga Lake, and although the wind is nearly gone, there's just enough to keep his Mariner moving. Greg writes, "I am an active member of the Saratoga Lake Sailing Club. We currently have a few members who own Mariners, and I just acquired a project Mariner which I hope to get back to sail-able condition. I am hoping to make it to one of your rendezvous one of these days!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360515526-XWA9MUIAIUXLQ6MEFJMD/2209.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 15-21 The feeling when you take the first sail in your new boat is hard to describe, but the smiles on the faces of skipper Bill Ferrato and his girlfriend, Becki say it all. Bill's Mariner is #2209 LITTLE BLUE, and the picture was taken, according to him, "June 7th, 2015 on my first sail with my Mariner and my first time sailing with a jib. My parents are taking photos from my family's boat. We sailed from my mooring in Napeague Harbor, New York to Fort Pond Bay and back." LITTLE BLUE is a mid-style Mariner like ORION and has an enclosed cabin with a forward hatch - great ventilation for overnights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360562207-8WVPJWYVJER80ND4APXE/sunk.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 22 - Mar. 6 This horrifying picture was taken during a storm last year somewhere along the New York coastline. Although the rudder was shipped and the sails were removed in anticipation of heavy weather, this 1976 Mariner (ironically named SUNNY DAYS) snapped its mooring lines and came ashore, battering itself against the rocks and becoming swamped. The gelcoat is rapidly being ground away and water is pouring in through an open cockpit locker. Fortunately, a good Samaritan (and the photographer) helped the owner and get her off the beach, although her final fate is unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360603235-JDMQ0YS1WQU3V9AAKWTG/873.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 7-13 The sun is going down and the wind is starting to fade, but Scott Dronen is enjoying every second of sailing his #873 PIG'S EYE. This is just one of three (!) Mariners he owns, and Scott writes, "I sail my late '60s model Mariner PIG'S EYE on Cotton Lake, Minnesota. I purchased the boat from a gentleman in Wisconsin, who owned it for most of its life. The trip back to western Minnesota was interesting, as the trailer had worn tires and the lights didn't work." He goes on to say that it sails nicely, although while this early-style boat is more comfortable than his later-style Mariner, he admits: "I miss the self-bailing option of the later Mariners." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360652673-X5H4CKBW46U6HO8JCI0H/3435.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 14-20 Most Mariners are taken out of the water with their own trailers, but John Bowers' Mariner, #3435 JEANNE I, is getting the "big boat" treatment with a Travelift. John writes, "We are fortunate to have excellent marine facilities nearby that are used to handling much larger boats which can easily accommodate my centerboarder. I mostly daysail [in Norfolk, Virginia], and I am grateful that I can usually sail every month of the year." His father-in-law, a retired sailmaker in southern Massachusetts, quotes George O'Day as saying that "the Mariner/Rhodes 19 design was the best sailing hull he ever produced." I happen to agree! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360693318-JY7QCAA5ZIHSCY12O6QX/2014.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 21 - Apr. 3 Matt Schiemer is now a veteran of the Texas 200, an intensive sailing event comprised of small-boat adventurers sailing 200 miles along the Texas coastline. This picture was taken during last year's event as he was sailing his Mariner, #2014 ODISEA. Although it appears to be a sunset, this was actually taken at a sunrise as he was "headed out of one of our camps known as 'Paul's Mott' during the middle of the week-long event. I have the main reefed in very deep... the forecast was calling for the winds to pick up significantly during the morning hours." Matt was asked to become President of the event due to his dedication - congratulations, Matt! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360727300-66E5DN09G4GOFSQHIR5Q/145-2.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 4 - May 8 Amy Ellison's #145 CEOL NA MARA (Gaelic for "Music of the Sea") was featured as the first picture in this column for this year, but I had to put up this shot as well. It was taken at the same time as the first one, but it offers a somewhat unique perspective from a high vantage point. It really shows off the large cockpit and the beautiful Phil Rhodes-designed lines. There's no doubt about it: the Mariner just looks good from any angle, the hallmark of a great boat and a true classic. With over 4,000 manufactured, it remains one of the most popular and time-tested small sailboats ever created, enjoyed by folks of all ages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360782353-HVZNZL5701S7YFRXTNLE/1922.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - May 9-30 It has been over a month since I have updated this website due to other obligations, and I apologize for having stale material on here for so long. I am renewing my efforts to keep it more up-to-date! This picture was taken last year during a sail in Niantic Bay, and I was able to fly the asymmetrical spinnaker and speed along. It was a beautiful day with winds just light enough to allow me to fly the spinnaker singlehanded, an operation which can become a little overwhelming above ten knots of wind. Nevertheless, it is a lot of fun to fly and, at 215 square feet, is the perfect size for a Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360807498-1Z6OVXH900YJU02XX4PC/2714.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - May 31 - June 5 Last week, Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) and I sailed our Mariners across Long Island Sound during a three-day trip to visit various ports, harbors, and anchorages around Shelter Island and Greenport. After anchoring in Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island the first night, we motored to Sag Harbor and then around Shelter Island to Greenport the next day. It was very rainy and foggy, but we wore our foul weather gear and were happy nevertheless! I took this picture of Chris motoring FLOTSAM to Greenport; it seems as though he is just disappearing into the dense fog. That night, however, we were rewarded with clear skies and a great sunset. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360853589-4U1KVAOXMDO4OE0SRRCK/2862.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - June 6-12 Ed Wise, skipper of #2862 CHRISTINA T, has been sailing in company with ex-Mariner owner Steve Hock (now sailing a Catalina 22) since May 25th. Their original plan of sailing for an entire month in the Chesapeake Bay has been hampered by lack of wind and poor weather. However, they are making the best of it and are making stops at Swan Creek anchorage, the Magothy River, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, St. Michael's, and others. Ed has several techniques to convert his Mariner into a miniature floating condo when at anchor, greatly assisted by this full cockpit enclosure. Here is CHRISTINA T anchored at Rich Neck, Maryland this past Friday. Photo by Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360920654-HADOWQPEJP2ZXLD4KLYQ/plumisland.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - June 13-19 Recently published on the Mariner Class Association's Facebook page, I just had to share it. Charles Crowley sent this with the caption, "On Plum Island, Newbury, Massachusetts." While the focus of the photo seems to lean more toward the nice-looking catboat (a Com-Pac Sun Cat, perhaps?), the mid-style Mariner in the foreground is sitting level, high and dry, waiting for the tide to return. Thanks to the shallow draft of the Mariner, it won't be long until she floats again and is ready for a sail, although it would behoove the owner to lower and raise the centerboard a few times to clear the centerboard case of possible debris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360947749-YDPSESUCFYIXEXJRRUG9/romer.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - June 20 - July 3 Here is Dominic Romer's 1975 O'Day Mariner doing what it does best by edging up to one of the many beaches around Clearwater, Florida. Just look at the clear water and white sand! Notice the RudderCraft rudder which may be fully raised out of the water, helping the ten-inch-draft Mariner to explore and anchor in shallow water where others dare not go. Dominic and his wife recently purchased their boat, WING SAUCE, and he writes that they have "sailed it three times so far and love it. I've had a lot of sailboats, but I think the Mariner might be my favorite." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471361021690-0JVVLWS2U3BJF6DMXB9G/byron1.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - July 4-10 Byron Campbell continues to get some great shots at Riverton Yacht Club, and this one shows Mariners battling it out in medium wind on Wednesday, June 15th. Byron writes that it was "low tide, but a nice night". Harry Mayer (#664), leads Frank Pelosi (#3599), and Dave Oldham (#1534) is keeping in front of Dan Walsh (#2778), two-time Nationals Championship winner and three-time Nationals runner-up. Riverton Yacht Club, now 151 years old and one of the oldest continuously-operated yacht clubs in the country, began their Wednesday weekly series back at the end of April; they will continue racing right through the end of August. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471361055033-52DIOWQZ5XDMI4NZPGGL/2714-2.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - July 11 - Aug. 8 Chris Albert's #2714 FLOTSAM is resting at anchor during a trip across Long Island Sound he and I took together back in May. On the second night of our trip, we anchored in Hallock Bay, a very shallow cove in the northeast tip of Orient Harbor. It is about 5:30 am, and the fog has another hour or so before the sun burns it off. We had rafted up before night fell, but we separated to give each other a bit more "snoring room". His preferred method of sleeping is in a hammock suspended under the boom and thus under the boom tent, although his hammock and sleeping bag were still rather soggy from a middle-of-the-night rainstorm on the first night when we anchored in Coecles Harbor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471361087673-W9RB4SQ99C62GNR75QUA/2016Mystic.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 9-14 Ten O'Day Mariners sailed once again from Niantic, Connecticut to Mystic Seaport this past weekend for another successful Mystic Rendezvous. Light winds greeted the group on Friday, but they filled in while off of New London, and it was a great sail there. Despite threats of thunderstorms on Saturday, the sun shone on the group of sailors all weekend long and people were able to enjoy all the sights and sounds of the Seaport and downtown Mystic. Everyone was reluctant to head home Sunday morning, but a steady and building breeze was waiting at the mouth of the Mystic River to provide a lively sail home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471361109831-2OSK7BK1KGRYMXUOA0CN/harry.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 15-21 Today, my son Harrison turns four years old, so I'm stealing this column I usually save for other boats to feature him. A few weeks ago, I went with my wife and son to Maine, trailering ORION and launching at Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island. From there, we sailed north up Somes Sound to the incredibly beautiful anchorage at Somes Harbor. We stayed overnight on the boat for four nights, and although we experienced a number of difficulties over the course of our stay (mainly in the beginning with a blown trailer tire and an incredibly low tide forcing us to spend our first night on the boat in the launch ramp parking lot), Harrison loved every minute. Here he is at the helm during our trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471793681898-YSJZA4X6ZZKZEJ4UWTU1/IMG_0256.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 22-28 Alan Schaeffer sails his #2470 SIALIA in Niantic Bay during the 2016 Mystic Rendezvous. Alan frequently sails with his children, Joseph and Lydia, and one can always spot his Mariner by the great old British Seagull engine hanging off the transom. Alan happens to be an employee of Mystic Seaport, so he enjoys some privileges that come with the position, including the ability to moor his boat right by the Seaport, surrounded by incredibly beautiful and historic wooden boats. The Mystic Rendezvous was a great success this year with fantastic weather, and Alan and his family had a great time with the other sailors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472477705732-AYMZRD4LXOCNM3T16PFI/1469.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 29-Sept. 4 Jack Lorraine powers Mariner #1469 down the Mystic River headed back to Niantic following the 2016 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. He will soon be overtaken by the 81-foot ARGIA, a schooner based in Mystic providing half-daysails and sunset cruises. Jack sailed his boat singlehanded during the weekend and proved to be one of the fastest sailors. Astute observers may notice his Boomkicker rigid boom vang (eliminating the need for a topping lift), running lights, and a custom-built wooden forward hatch. The name of his boat, TWE, is short for "Thin Water Explorer." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473176181943-A77SDR7Y099K1378EWZT/Nationals.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 5-11 Mariners battle it out at the weather mark during the 2016 Nationals held at Surf City Yacht Club in mid-August. Racers were challenged by strong winds, but it was all good, clean racing with no protests. A whopping 22 Mariners participated in the regatta, and Dan Walsh with crew Randy Swartley (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) came out on top for his third championship trophy. This picture shows Tony and Sarah Mercurio (#3061 KRUSTY KRAB) rounding the mark just before Tom and Michelle Green (#738 GUMBY) while Bill Watters and Tim Gallagher (#860) still need to tack. As it turns out, #860 would eventually place second, #738 third, and #3061 sixth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473680935254-5D6QXCMJZDJK6QCC3L9V/2170.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 12-18 Tim and Erin Reiche sail #2170 MAGGIE over a wave as they pass by New London on their way back to Niantic following the the 2016 Mystic Seaport Rendezvous. The forward hatch is open, providing plenty of ventilation to their three-year-old son, Owen, in the cabin. The forward hatch was a feature on all the early style Mariners (1963-1968) and then on the mid-style, "2+2" Mariners (1969-1971). It's a shame O'Day did away with the hatch when the cabin top was more streamlined and "modernized" in 1972, although some Mariner owners of those later models (1972-1979) have installed their own aftermarket hatches to provide much-desired ventilation down below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1474320447528-9S0NI2174HPGG2L8WG12/sunset-001.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 19-Oct. 2 The sun is setting over the west bank of the Mystic River as O'Day Mariner owners prepare their boats for the night during the Mystic Rendezvous this past August. This photo was taken by Chris O'Brien (#2781 O'MITZVAH!) on the floating docks of Mystic Seaport where ten Mariners were berthed from August 5-7. Chris, a Pennsylvania resident and veteran of the big 2013 50th Anniversary Rendezvous, has missed the past few events due to family and work commitments, but the stars finally aligned allowing him to participate this year. As it turns out, his sister works at the nearby Whaler's Inn, so there was a bit of a family reunion that weekend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1475501689740-4ZSEX5VTOZ3YKC6I13YY/invite14002.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 3-9 Skipper Lynda Lane and her crew compete during the August, 2014 Invitational regatta at Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island, New York. The mainsheet is about as tight as it can be as Lynda beats upwind as the immense Robert Moses Causeway Bridge can be seen in the background. She would again compete in her boat, #2058, the following month for the 2014 Mariner National Championships, held at Narrasketuck, placing sixth out of eight boats. Picture courtesy of Alan Hlavenka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1476030093363-O1FKM3QGAWCM2KSG6W9A/sway.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 10-16 Someone spent an awfully long time creating this model of an O'Day Mariner at a marina. Or is it...? This is actually Bob Chandler's #3048 SWAY, tied up at her dock back in July, 2013. SWAY's hull is reflecting the sun which has just peeked over the horizon, and the photographic process known as "tilt shift" has made his boat look like a model. Bob keeps his boat in Tennessee, and it is a real beauty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1476719959122-SKVYRF93JZ0M6Y2JB91D/proximus.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 17-Nov. 6 Marty McLean and his crew sail their early-style Mariner, #735 PROXIMUS, on Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania a couple weeks ago. The winds are light, and one can see the boat's reflection in the water fairly clearly, but that doesn't stop Marty from enjoying a pleasant, autumn afternoon. Should the winds die completely, a trolling motor clamped to the transom will bring him back to the docks without fuss. Thanks to Steve Hock for the great photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1478563243086-A0E6BWKK3IR4RAAF54WO/IMG_0810.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 7-13 Why doesn't Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM have his sails up on such a windy day? As it turns out, the wind is nearly calm; you can tell by the water in the background. He is powering through Plum Gut, a narrow passage between Plum Island and Orient Point, Long Island, New York. It is known for its violent rip tides and currents which can top out at over six knots at peak flood or ebb. This shot, believe it or not, was taken just shy of slack tide and was taken during our trip back in May from Niantic to Sag Harbor and Greenport. The short chop lasted for a good half mile, and we had to keep a firm grip on our tillers as the whirling currents kept pushing us off course. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1479168063892-F8RVC4OM9XRAYWS7C26I/83.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 14-27 It looks like Mariner #83's mooring ball is dragging her through the water as the forceful current on the Merrimack River in Newburyport, Massachusetts keeps the mooring pennant taut. Charles Crowley, the photographer, writes that he hauled the boat "out of a back yard near Salem, Massachusetts last year and passed it on to a friend that wants to learn to sail. We got her rigged and under sail [back in June] - a few odds and ends to sort out, but over all good to go. I have had several Mariners in the past and love them. I'm in a bigger boat now but can't wait to take this beauty for a nice sail." In regards to the current, Charles writes that "it is very light in this picture; when it rips, it pulls the mooring balls under!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1480343783100-E9VQVR2AT2W65HOVIXIB/IMG_0310.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 28-Dec. 18 Skipper Alan Schaeffer sails along the Waterford coastline during the return trip to Niantic following the 2016 Mystic Seaport Rendezvous. He is sailing with son Joseph and daughter Lydia in #2470 SIALIA and is towing a dinghy built by himself. The private beaches are surprisingly empty for a beautiful Sunday afternoon in August, a marked contrast from the public Ocean Beach and Waterford Beach Park the Schaeffers passed by on their way back to the launching ramp. Alan keeps his boats on the Mystic River within eyesight of Mystic Seaport, but he trailered it to the Niantic River Launch Ramp so he could sail with everybody else and join in the fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1482189991635-XHGOGN4RURUXC2X88ZGM/2016+Mariner+Nationals+235.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 19-25 A cluster of three Mariners battle it out at the windward mark during the 2016 Mariner Nationals at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey. Skipper Bill Watters (#860) has successfully rounded the mark on the inside and has already poled out the jib for the downwind leg. Skipper Tom Green (#738) has not made the turn yet, forcing Tony Mercurio (#3061) to luff up a bit, no doubt causing some consternation. Bill showed his stuff during the regatta placing second overall, while Tom was close on his heels coming in third. Tony would end up sixth, a great showing with 22 boats competing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1482947598430-GVDS09EH6S69LKXGL2B8/DSC_0364.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 26-Jan. 1 As this year comes to a close, I once again humbly end this year's "Picture of the Week" gallery with a shot of ORION. This was taken by Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) during our three-day trip to Greenport this past May. On the first day, we sailed across Long Island Sound, and I'm motoring ORION into Threemile Harbor at the south end of Gardiner's Bay. We just poked around the harbor for a bit before continuing on to stay overnight in Coecles Harbor, Shelter island. It was a memorable trip with lots of photos taken - they can all be accessed here. Let's hope for a great sailing season in 2017! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates daily 0.75 2026-02-09 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2026/2/9/orion-accepted-to-worldwide-classic-boat-show monthly 0.5 2026-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/9111b229-52c7-4c10-9f47-492aabddc1c4/WCBS-Logo-1.png Updates - ORION Accepted to Worldwide Classic Boat Show - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e89991fb-82a9-406e-bf29-041da0ab7d01/WCBS-Map-Icons-plus-Banner.jpeg Updates - ORION Accepted to Worldwide Classic Boat Show - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/12/15/2025-sailing-page-finally-complete monthly 0.5 2025-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/5ddced8b-d03a-4afa-8268-397e6533664e/20251124_155125.jpg Updates - 2025 Sailing Page Done - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/9/22/more-2025-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2025-09-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/03991445-6010-431d-a9c6-acbe9a4cfac0/20250918_110008.jpg Updates - More 2025 Sailing Pictures - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/9/12/rendezvous-article-in-windcheck-magazine monthly 0.5 2025-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f3be8df6-f832-45f8-b105-68642f677bee/20250912_084338.jpg Updates - Rendezvous Article in WindCheck Magazine - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/9/12/giants-neck-photo-album monthly 0.5 2025-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/d19a4e46-1db4-4db6-a658-17c2c1d39b9b/20250911_122252_Radiant.jpg Updates - Giant's Neck Photo Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/9/6/new-navigation-lights-project-page monthly 0.5 2025-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/75805c01-f6a3-490c-bde3-9690c4b4995c/20250904_141601.jpg Updates - New Navigation Lights Page - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/8/7/rendezvous-article-published monthly 0.5 2025-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3e829e69-93ec-485e-a839-5b32bb13311d/IMG_5213.jpeg Updates - Rendezvous Article - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/8/5/300-rendezvous-pictures monthly 0.5 2025-08-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3f29470c-2245-4303-828d-f1470dc5170d/_DSC6885.JPG Updates - 300+ Rendezvous Pictures - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/7/3/new-2025-sailing-page monthly 0.5 2025-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/b8b07e1d-1f9d-4f60-a069-30aae2fe1461/20250529_145305.jpg Updates - New 2025 Sailing Page - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/7/2/new-2025-woodenboat-show-album monthly 0.5 2025-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/59caef69-a777-4fdd-ab17-7c99f9532ccc/20250627_165023_Radiant.jpg Updates - New 2025 WoodenBoat Show Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/5/8/final-work-and-launch monthly 0.5 2025-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/000de28c-3eff-4df6-9dc7-977fa6a8aba0/20250420_162155.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out The transom before... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1407d5bb-d5a0-4eb5-ba3e-0d1f6c634fc1/20250420_171937.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out ...and after! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3f5c3790-a8da-4004-a1eb-d6928c07258c/20250420_162310.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out What a difference! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/5b753783-b907-48a4-8697-67635c173cda/20250425_074536.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out The finished centerboard with rubber spacers on each side. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f10aa463-74ae-48cd-ae9b-75ed59908007/20250425_074655.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out In the cradle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e5839a5e-655c-46ec-9f25-07a383abc4ea/20250425_094318.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out Going back in the boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/7876979d-e0dc-41bf-b431-79de3b7a92b4/20250502_164835.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out Compounding the hull. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/39d3feb4-f819-4845-b679-64271038acaf/20250508_113525.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out About to launch at the ramp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/7a15d05d-e6cc-40bf-b9a3-1dd53d6b7c53/20250508_120909.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out On the mooring! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/d701fe24-a454-4522-8479-36a57d107e4f/20250508_121251.jpg Updates - Final Work and Launch - Make it stand out Ready to go for the 2025 season! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/4/19/bottom-paint-removal-failure monthly 0.5 2025-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2d1c79c4-915e-4ded-a459-7ff52312fbed/20250414_160721.jpg Updates - Bottom Paint Removal Failure - Make it stand out A big mess with little progress. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e89dc7f8-bae9-40ef-a828-96336c1ee96b/20250419_180229.jpg Updates - Bottom Paint Removal Failure - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/3/17/rudder-straight-centerboard-out monthly 0.5 2025-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/9c6552dd-1494-489e-ad0e-efc6f3ecd02d/20250310_113603.jpg Updates - Rudder Straight; Centerboard Out - Make it stand out A straight-edge reveals a half-inch bend at each end. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/89159327-fe6a-4d77-9ac8-5d8df80972bd/20250310_113847.jpg Updates - Rudder Straight; Centerboard Out - Make it stand out A cement block bends the blade the other way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/b5e46796-a6d2-4c86-9705-f412d7f7939e/20250317_174454.jpg Updates - Rudder Straight; Centerboard Out - Make it stand out Looking good! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c9b7f347-b139-44f0-9c22-089050826279/20250317_094236.jpg Updates - Rudder Straight; Centerboard Out - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/0d37d5dc-5f1b-4fc8-ab48-8316e3c4892a/20250317_120648.jpg Updates - Rudder Straight; Centerboard Out - Make it stand out Centerboard coming down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f64c91bc-8b57-4802-9811-cdcb0e00626e/20250317_120854.jpg Updates - Rudder Straight; Centerboard Out - Make it stand out Down with the front resting on the shim. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/39787f2f-64f0-4750-b4ad-6854c11518b2/20250317_121636.jpg Updates - Rudder Straight; Centerboard Out - Make it stand out Down and out with the shim removed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f4455ec2-1b4c-4493-801e-a6b2b8bc9ad3/20250317_122049.jpg Updates - Rudder Straight; Centerboard Out - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/3/14/goodbye-good-old-boat monthly 0.5 2025-03-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/ab80ab8b-9a64-45f4-a1e7-9fc38d68addd/GOB+Article.jpg Updates - Goodbye Good Old Boat - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/3/10/new-orion-car-decal monthly 0.5 2025-03-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/29ce2c32-68d2-4129-8197-9e4bd7e2460a/tiguan.jpg Updates - New ORION Car Decal - Make it stand out The end of my Tiguan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/4007f810-9d1b-46b2-99e7-174454edcaa6/stbqtr.jpg Updates - New ORION Car Decal - Make it stand out Now I can recognize the back of my car from far away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/9e288554-d083-4fd2-89cf-fa3a9d9ec241/closeup.jpg Updates - New ORION Car Decal - Make it stand out Not a bad representation! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2025/1/13/2025-tasks-and-plans monthly 0.5 2025-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/116ca7a9-35e9-49c5-9d44-8f0bcdfdd5aa/Tipping3.JPG Updates - 2025 Tasks and Plans - Make it stand out Tipping ORION on her side with my grandfather's help to inspect the bottom shortly after she was first brought to Niantic; June, 2007. (Yes, it’s raining. Not sure why we chose this particular day.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/4c5e3050-074d-47be-b486-f1d7a7096ab2/Launch+024+-+cropped.jpg Updates - 2025 Tasks and Plans - Make it stand out Launching ORION back in 2014. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/104f43a1-b4f9-42b8-9894-fd4ebf018138/20241227_163257.jpg Updates - 2025 Tasks and Plans - Make it stand out ORION in her boatshed, patiently awaiting work in the spring. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/10/21/orion-hauled-out-for-the-winter monthly 0.5 2024-10-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c9a7255b-1b61-4601-97cd-aab0adbda1be/20241017_100004.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled Out for the Winter - Make it stand out On the beach with her mast unstepped. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/7101479e-1993-406f-b723-1b1763dfd05b/20241017_102542.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled Out for the Winter - Make it stand out Shorn of her rig, back on the mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3f35dc1d-ce91-48dc-87dd-2568ab9339a2/20241018_091000.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled Out for the Winter - Make it stand out At the launch ramp, waiting to be hauled out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/9dc92d84-c594-4c45-bd2a-2293a2f45be0/20241018_114344.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled Out for the Winter - Make it stand out Powerwashed, mast strapped down, ready to head home. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/10/6/more-2024-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2024-10-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/0d4aedef-0f82-4bdf-b455-966a540437b2/20241003_105206.jpg Updates - More 2024 Sailing Pictures - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/9/5/fishers-island-album-and-more-pictures monthly 0.5 2024-09-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/396ecc53-f27c-407e-9817-b6f9bc476752/20240822_184721_Radiant.jpg Updates - Fisher's Island Album and More Pictures - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/88f14f25-59db-42c7-906b-15a826025833/20240905_125450.jpg Updates - Fisher's Island Album and More Pictures - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/8/17/farewell-i-heart-odays monthly 0.5 2024-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/ff1f7691-f2ba-449e-97f5-a053c97ebfa9/iheartodaysbanner.jpg Updates - Farewell I Heart O'Days - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/8/9/president-no-longer monthly 0.5 2024-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e1c355da-e3f2-42a8-99e4-22d1b4470f14/drawing.jpg Updates - Passing the Torch - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/8/9/new-rendezvous-article-and-album monthly 0.5 2024-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a9872503-33fc-4490-ae7b-bee32f1712a5/20240804_114313.jpg Updates - New Rendezvous Article and Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/7/3/12-pictures-added-to-the-2024-sailing-page monthly 0.5 2024-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1a447397-1719-4e13-9d02-5e6bd0adb91d/20240530_124612.jpg Updates - 12 Pictures Added to the 2024 Sailing Page - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/7/3/new-2024-woodenboat-show-album monthly 0.5 2024-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/06c88aeb-b448-4f85-9b7f-c74b6a465f6d/20240627_130705.jpg Updates - New 2024 WoodenBoat Show Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/5/3/finally-in-the-water monthly 0.5 2024-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f2e67162-2afa-4cd6-b9bc-fb11c6b95db2/20240503_074324.jpg Updates - Finally in the Water - Make it stand out About to leave Northford this morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e2b1ab1a-2f16-4709-84c9-4e60245eb703/300436984.jpg Updates - Finally in the Water - Make it stand out Working with my dad. (Photo by good friend and fellow sailor Doug Butler who happened by!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/04687466-397e-4b3d-adb7-8dfc07d31e92/20240503_114830.jpg Updates - Finally in the Water - Make it stand out Fully rigged and ready to go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/b243a6ff-3764-40ac-aed4-29f55ffa4ca7/20240503_121631.jpg Updates - Finally in the Water - Make it stand out On her mooring, patiently waiting for her first sail. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/4/25/almost-ready-for-launch monthly 0.5 2024-04-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c856c454-176a-4a67-819e-fa6290549e22/20240417_165711.jpg Updates - Almost Ready for Launch - Make it stand out New cabin paint. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e57709b1-7f35-41d8-8101-2ab5d8b22cb7/20240417_165723.jpg Updates - Almost Ready for Launch - Make it stand out Rebedded chainplates. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/39b94871-069d-4f94-9728-b23930184809/20240420_150524.jpg Updates - Almost Ready for Launch - Make it stand out Varnishing hatchboards and bulkhead panels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/76d7d397-6fe8-47cd-b82f-93467bee9088/20240420_151623.jpg Updates - Almost Ready for Launch - Make it stand out Checking for holidays in the coaming top varnish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/5079c676-0d8b-4a1f-aae9-016386bd546a/20240420_155354.jpg Updates - Almost Ready for Launch - Make it stand out Harrison varnishing the cabin sole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/fdc7b9f6-2025-46b4-ae7e-f104a606b66a/20240424_165242-2.jpg Updates - Almost Ready for Launch - Make it stand out Harry sanding the bootstripe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/919ee9a6-7787-4013-8641-c0879d4af637/20240424_190146.jpg Updates - Almost Ready for Launch - Make it stand out Bootstripe done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/4b51c10a-43dc-4eb4-97f5-4fd5d3215a9d/20240424_190306.jpg Updates - Almost Ready for Launch - Make it stand out Looking good! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/4/17/steady-completion-of-projects monthly 0.5 2024-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a6cdbc63-b65c-484c-bc5c-db354ca72f75/20240407_183552.jpg Updates - Steady Completion of Projects - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e15c3ffb-16f4-4506-9290-225c8531ae94/20240226_130329.jpg Updates - Steady Completion of Projects - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/313b6068-737b-4bb3-b2cd-b7cc5ede0dbb/20240416_065425.jpg Updates - Steady Completion of Projects - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/24a0e41c-4161-425d-85b3-088c9fc39c14/20240416_065504.jpg Updates - Steady Completion of Projects - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a147464a-fc62-4657-9cda-4cfc84f000c3/20240415_141153.jpg Updates - Steady Completion of Projects - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/2/26/down-the-rabbit-hole-i-go monthly 0.5 2024-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/34d34b42-aa7e-406b-8796-ef58cc6b6284/20240209_183724.jpg Updates - Down the Rabbit Hole I Go - Make it stand out Paint scraped under the starboard portlight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/ae789bef-0f3a-4956-ba71-ac38b7ead070/20240209_183753.jpg Updates - Down the Rabbit Hole I Go - Make it stand out Looking down the starboard side toward the quarterberth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c39d5310-776e-4850-8582-4bcfc0b1ec7c/20240225_184133.jpg Updates - Down the Rabbit Hole I Go - Make it stand out A balmy 51 degrees with my heat lamps on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2ba51c8c-ccb0-4b8a-b886-ee32e3c875c3/20240209_183807.jpg Updates - Down the Rabbit Hole I Go - Make it stand out Water streaks under the starboard chainplate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/119a9b64-0423-44e5-8092-405284709f2a/20240225_195629.jpg Updates - Down the Rabbit Hole I Go - Make it stand out Chainplate removed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a52f31c1-9573-4496-8fdb-5fa07d449e5d/20240225_195701.jpg Updates - Down the Rabbit Hole I Go - Make it stand out The hull where the chainplate used to be. Ready to be cleaned up! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/2/1/rudder-rehab-2 monthly 0.5 2024-02-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/39f11adb-dc5e-41d0-823c-1a3ff388f64e/20240122_145044.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #2 - Make it stand out Before... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/dc7c103d-531b-416b-9676-e1517385c537/20240122_154042.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #2 - Make it stand out …and after! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/fa684f2a-09ab-429b-be4f-b9234a218692/20240129_085850.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #2 - Make it stand out Spotless Stainless "painted" on... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/daf9b2bd-1d0c-4057-9edc-1ba3131acf95/20240129_105827.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #2 - Make it stand out Washed and ready to go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/acca62b2-7a9f-4bf3-baeb-ca8f0ad0adf8/20240129_105916.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #2 - Make it stand out Before... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/97d0324e-1d7e-4f60-8bdf-8775e77e5738/20240129_111734.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #2 - Make it stand out ...And after! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/1/22/rudder-rehab-1 monthly 0.5 2024-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/cfa18bed-e3a4-4719-ab33-6784e83c001f/20231218_153207.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out The splitting weld. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/6705d48e-aff0-4fd0-8237-aace7332f7f2/20240115_162650.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out The new repair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/7302d2c2-919d-4307-b936-44ae7fcedf47/20240120_143109.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out The rusty pivot bolt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/716669ea-d85f-49ef-8dc3-7a59321c90c4/20240120_143548.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out Soaking in Spotless Stainless. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/5c07aad5-6005-426f-966d-92c40faba856/20240122_120357.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out Mediocre results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/71ee8263-facb-4fbe-85f2-1b04d53a737a/20240122_120252.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out Damaged threads. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/dad48d67-a5cc-43f5-b59d-025520b9ab13/20240120_143012.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out Using the box of litter to bend the blade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/de577055-3e4b-4245-ab1b-408f9a5c2cab/20240120_143025.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out Bending in the opposite direction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/591aab81-d877-4971-a183-af941c769695/20240121_185430.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out Clamped in a vice with heat lamps on it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/d1c4babd-c8cf-4c0b-9f59-cda5c9ded8ab/20240121_185443.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out Wooden blocks and a shim pushing it the other way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/d74d5813-bae1-4e9c-be6c-996a54ea7e7c/20240122_120209.jpg Updates - Rudder Rehab #1 - Make it stand out A heck of a lot straighter than it was before! I'll take it! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2024/1/1/2024-project-list monthly 0.5 2024-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e9ef0f62-8e9f-43d1-bf8c-5f73c436c42e/20211107_155051.jpg Updates - 2024 Project List - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/12/28/rudder-problems monthly 0.5 2023-12-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2784b9ce-ec5f-4a1c-8010-2f9c8eb522f4/IMG_0130-2.JPG Updates - Rudder Problems - Make it stand out The rusted rudder cheeks in 2014. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/38c54ed2-d6b4-47b1-8bf6-8795c0a1dbfc/20231218_153207.jpg Updates - Rudder Problems - Make it stand out A big split in the weld on one side. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/ad655114-349e-408d-b868-0894a287e8c0/20231218_153150.jpg Updates - Rudder Problems - Make it stand out Another split with rust on the other side. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/11/22/final-2023-sailing-page-pictures-posted monthly 0.5 2023-11-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/62f1f457-afe7-49e9-bd97-6a6c18c118c7/20231026_150152.jpg Updates - Final 2023 Sailing Page Pictures Posted - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/10/30/final-sail-of-2023-new-album monthly 0.5 2023-10-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/cb0ef998-90a1-4131-bfee-0d4049836dfc/20231026_122503.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2023 - New Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/28c1301e-04e3-4f71-ba77-817ac2862caf/20231026_150107.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2023 - New Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/9/25/more-pictures-posted monthly 0.5 2023-09-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/b4887d74-b874-4b4b-976e-6aef82833ce6/IMG_2486.jpg Updates - More Pictures Posted - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/9/15/orion-hauled-for-lee monthly 0.5 2023-09-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f986ff0e-6b8f-4123-bc34-7b32bb241a2e/20230915_094809.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Lee - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/09cf507f-ef63-4177-820d-c47ddd7e1a6b/20230915_100749.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Lee - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/8/24/new-rendezvous-article monthly 0.5 2023-08-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f1b4a10e-8e5d-4764-8bd5-d02e5bd00933/93B93B9F-2BBF-4B48-838E-C2685AF19077.jpeg Updates - New Rendezvous Article - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/8/24/2023-rendezvous-photo-album monthly 0.5 2023-10-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e2624868-f8bb-4a58-86f3-5307e8fa246b/DSC_0024.JPG Updates - 2023 Rendezvous Photo Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/6/30/new-woodenboat-photo-album monthly 0.5 2023-07-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c6038c3b-3497-49e7-a04e-cf8f16ee18ee/20230624_084416.jpg Updates - New WoodenBoat Photo Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/6/15/orion-car-decals monthly 0.5 2023-06-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f8473b7a-1a43-49a4-851c-c00b845997b1/decals.jpg Updates - ORION Car Decals - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/719c860a-870e-4168-a481-d402ce5e0cd8/20230515_081320.jpg Updates - ORION Car Decals - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/5/11/new-sailing-2023-page monthly 0.5 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/962ff3d9-a43a-45fb-b5e5-4041dc0c24c2/20230511_124758.jpg Updates - New Sailing 2023 Page - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/4/25/orion-launched-for-the-season-1 monthly 0.5 2023-04-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e4ab9100-5593-43c4-a2e0-ce99d7353899/20230423_181916.jpg Updates - ORION Launched for the Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/348c58de-beb5-4a37-91d3-99e10109a34d/20230423_191449.jpg Updates - ORION Launched for the Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f386198e-86e1-460d-8664-5a043fe9a835/20230424_131646-2.jpg Updates - ORION Launched for the Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/95329d02-ab0b-4be6-9a8c-503ab8ee8f24/IMG_4940-2.JPG Updates - ORION Launched for the Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/1/15/ventilation-page-updated monthly 0.5 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/df6977e1-719a-438c-b87b-642d1340f79a/20230109_115339.jpg Updates - Ventilation Page Updated - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2023/1/11/new-solar-vent monthly 0.5 2023-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/13a005e7-24c3-48b8-bf00-f605ab40b346/20230101_164854.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/0879ddf9-569d-455a-af4a-6d30491b927f/20230107_123039.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/db9022b5-57ba-427a-9756-220c271ee48e/20230101_171814.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/97e98fb5-5601-4ec0-a6c6-db3792af8914/20230102_134521.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2cc4a8ff-45d4-460e-b21b-7dc78fd9f92b/20230102_134826.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/ae20d6a5-71f8-4e8a-9495-3bd43c768840/20230102_142059.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/b9e44fb9-f335-455d-ac46-e98dd00c422c/20230108_184939.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/30d95b75-c503-4b77-bf6f-a82319f70c67/20230109_093549.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a310eaf7-2ae0-4a94-8cf9-5752fcdd95ae/20230109_095738.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/cea17a11-3be6-4d56-9c14-015cc96bfcd4/20230109_100712.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c9bc9db7-852d-4fcc-b63a-56d04de75940/20230109_113643.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/366033b0-be4f-4c71-a301-e439b40a00ed/20230109_114511.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a1ae69d8-4352-4e09-984b-206a3e1d43e4/20230109_115339.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/7fd4c237-c56d-49ed-816b-ebc1ef77c2ed/20230109_115528.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/db01ddd6-f4fa-4b82-8500-2a34cb0061cc/20230109_123108.jpg Updates - New Solar Vent - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/12/3/rendezvous-in-windcheck monthly 0.5 2022-12-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/100c752e-a148-49c0-a301-65fdccb64392/1stpage.jpg Updates - Rendezvous in WindCheck - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/11/9/2022-sailing-season-ended monthly 0.5 2022-11-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/0fe66a4b-6d19-4a77-91b9-49af526c7195/IMG_4864.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Season Ended - Make it stand out My father and I at the mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c2313553-b216-48d5-858b-9056172ea28e/20221103_104509.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Season Ended - Make it stand out Motoring on a perfectly calm day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c93ca8a3-89b1-4aaa-b930-4a98659e6229/20221103_104517.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Season Ended - Make it stand out My parents’ house, “Riverbank.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/4517d860-385a-4772-8325-f3212144f8ad/20221103_105839.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Season Ended - Make it stand out At the Niantic River launch ramp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/5c9adda0-4047-4a57-9fa5-969e9ef49591/20221103_105639.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Season Ended - Make it stand out Nobody else was at the ramp - we had it to ourselves! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/0c33cd12-6eda-439b-9bc6-be1f65ad599e/20221103_110825.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Season Ended - Make it stand out My father hauling out ORION while I take pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2cdd974d-4135-41b2-b9ec-d2c4548ce4f8/20221103_125000.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Season Ended - Make it stand out Powerwashed and ready to go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f9737307-909f-46be-b0ab-499d84c7aff1/20221107_120843.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Season Ended - Make it stand out Back in her boatshed with the 9’ Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE above and behind her strapped to the ceiling. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/10/31/new-1965-advertisement monthly 0.5 2022-10-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a3e3f69e-6810-46b4-ac3c-fb5bd7f74413/cropped.jpg Updates - New 1965 Advertisement - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/10/17/2022-sailing-pictures-updated monthly 0.5 2022-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/31f89562-ff7d-4d7b-acda-a111b283b0fc/20220901_133853.jpg Updates - 2022 Sailing Pictures Updated - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/10/16/rendezvous-article-published monthly 0.5 2022-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3b9db60b-6c68-4370-8d78-8e98d3abf7fc/5-Swimming.jpg Updates - Rendezvous Article Published - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/8/23/332-rendezvous-photos monthly 0.5 2022-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/fa9560ea-d3f5-4309-ad0a-a41ccd00ffd7/DSC_0291.JPG Updates - 332 Rendezvous Photos - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/7/3/2022-greenport-photo-album monthly 0.5 2022-07-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/73725c19-2dd8-438a-903f-9b21bee06946/20220628_201522.jpg Updates - 2022 Greenport Photo Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2bb181f3-c1fb-4688-a772-4d2171c5745f/DSC_0233.JPG Updates - 2022 Greenport Photo Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/5/7/new-sailing-2022-page monthly 0.5 2022-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/6ebb44bc-b40c-487a-92e2-a8790062dba9/IMG_9634.jpg Updates - New Sailing 2022 Page - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/4/24/orion-launched monthly 0.5 2022-04-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a0673ed5-3082-4a83-8406-28fc1b7ad8f9/20220423_120103.jpg Updates - ORION Launched - Make it stand out Out of the boatshed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/bcfda0e8-bfe8-4a57-be50-5720a1c653dc/20220423_120642.jpg Updates - ORION Launched - Make it stand out Ready to go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/03fea207-2a73-4178-8d88-09512f026e54/20220423_163027.jpg Updates - ORION Launched - Make it stand out Putting on the sail cover with my son, Harrison. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/973aa905-12a2-42d6-a546-0443f102cd7e/20220423_184713.jpg Updates - ORION Launched - Make it stand out On her mooring. She’s the first boat on the Niantic River this year! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/4/10/prepping-orion-for-the-season monthly 0.5 2022-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/8123f2d3-13d4-41cc-abfe-471e9874b1fa/20220404_105801.jpg Updates - Prepping ORION for the Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/db3c7176-6e72-484b-8908-689e0937618c/20220404_180641.jpg Updates - Prepping ORION for the Season - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2022/4/2/now-a-licensed-captain monthly 0.5 2022-04-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/98f452a8-1d8b-489d-8e2f-b7211deb7566/20220401_071512.jpg Updates - Now a Licensed Captain - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1bcf9516-771a-4574-b7bf-9e0c90d3de5a/download.png Updates - Now a Licensed Captain - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/191ab5f8-4405-40a8-a460-b724dd9fc12c/diploma.JPG Updates - Now a Licensed Captain - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/01d8a985-3f3e-430d-9581-6cff9f07b421/Nathan+Bayreuther+-+AMERHA+216.jpg Updates - Now a Licensed Captain - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/0ff169b4-e0e8-46bf-a680-83226cff0c81/20220401_084322.jpg Updates - Now a Licensed Captain - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/12/30/visit-to-the-old-oday-factory monthly 0.5 2022-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/405c0741-ca92-4306-967f-86d8109cf5cd/factory1.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out Preparing the Rhodes 19 mold. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/4a7f04e5-2ac4-4403-974c-6105e25c44d7/factory3.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out Attaching the deck to the hull. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/fe6c8a7d-0aaf-47d4-8ffa-410b63f31556/factory2.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out Removing the finished hull from the mold. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3567216d-0a52-4192-bddb-ec795fd7312a/factory4.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out Finishing assembly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/b3f73a1f-f7b1-4524-a215-8887779d26a0/20211230_194744.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out A picture from their 1974 O’Day Sailboats catalog in my collection. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/d72215a6-e306-4808-8512-a8bff79e4354/1.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out The roadside sign. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/ffad3bc6-659d-42c2-9012-275e09111a08/2.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out The view from across the street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/b8cf6213-e9d8-4146-a9c3-7c0adea64f2b/3.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out A view showing the length of the facility. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/79aa4a61-9c53-493e-93ae-7c559689e2e6/4.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out The main entrance was originally where the security light is now, on the right side of the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/f927bdd2-8cdb-4bc4-b69e-686e0f481089/5.jpg Updates - Visit to the Old O'Day Factory - Make it stand out A soggy day, but I’m happy to have made it here! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/11/8/new-boatshed-for-orion monthly 0.5 2021-11-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/fbfd6cfc-823b-481d-9cbd-2146a2293f5f/20210410_153405.jpg Updates - New Boatshed for ORION - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/efb0cc8b-051a-47d8-a9cb-a682689285b8/20210410_153422.jpg Updates - New Boatshed for ORION - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/481b5142-6b84-4f03-ae05-4e2f7784fde2/20210410_153436.jpg Updates - New Boatshed for ORION - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e8f14791-4335-46f4-85d8-3ea1adaa293f/20211107_155247.jpg Updates - New Boatshed for ORION - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/b2363915-bf28-486d-9953-25590e238535/20211107_155106.jpg Updates - New Boatshed for ORION - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/884c6bcb-0f77-453d-8d4c-0198fbbf7b7a/20211107_155051.jpg Updates - New Boatshed for ORION - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/11/5/orion-hauled-for-the-season monthly 0.5 2021-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2872a5da-4f73-4f3d-9256-820c766c008c/20211104_105033.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled for the Season - Make it stand out At the beach after unstepping the mast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/71488f2f-7d90-4560-89ea-0a2b4dd2e61b/20211104_112138.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled for the Season - Make it stand out Hauling out at Mago Point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3cab5b53-8d67-4c7a-8cfb-746b03676fef/IMG_4741.JPG Updates - ORION Hauled for the Season - Make it stand out Powerwashing the bottom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/27034c17-440f-4b37-8bd2-bb5dee20f002/20211104_134502.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled for the Season - Make it stand out All set and ready to head home for the winter. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/11/1/final-sail-of-2021 monthly 0.5 2021-11-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635768080735-J5Q2PD4Y49T26LJFSHDL/20211028_130352.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2021 - Make it stand out Starting out with a reefed mainsail, passing by a nearby Catalina. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635768163942-SJXQO1NFKHEPH1HN9NMG/20211028_131910.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2021 - Make it stand out I unrolled the jib but was grateful for the reefed mainsail as I passed the few remaining boats in the mooring field. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635768694093-H8JFU47XJYIFFIX49YVU/20211028_131904.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2021 - Make it stand out This little sailboat’s mainsail cover came off during the recent nor’easter we had. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635768275141-OP3BZOXRZJBGT8M6E8XE/20211028_133723.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2021 - Make it stand out The trees in the Oswegatchie Hills preserve on the Niantic side of the river were stunning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635768551100-JPK4T1SFZVYVCFQQA2T0/20211028_134804.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2021 - Make it stand out The tide was so high, there was hardly any beach left at Turkey Point where Harrison and I went swimming back in August! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635768352013-DMA4X8AS7RI3IC2939DH/20211028_140926.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2021 - Make it stand out The fixed bridge at Golden Spur marks the farthest possible point I could sail in ORION. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635768450976-U1T37YDXJ8DKZ0BEKVMC/20211028_141250-2.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2021 - Make it stand out Turned around and headed south back down the river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635768632428-8P698E6W5EG18ZHB5M6N/20211028_150605.jpg Updates - Final Sail of 2021 - Make it stand out Back on the mooring. She’ll be hauled out later in the week. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/10/25/more-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2021-10-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/529080a3-825a-40ff-8b43-466911952d5f/20211021_131215.jpg Updates - More Sailing Pictures - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/10/10/tote-bag-gift monthly 0.5 2021-10-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1633921011074-Y7HNMUVRXBYPJ1BDVV9H/IMG_2539.jpg Updates - Tote Bag Gift - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/9/3/eight-more-sailing-pictures-added monthly 0.5 2021-09-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630699594859-J0QR6RV092XA4HRDNU4V/20210903_110021.jpg Updates - Eight More Sailing Pictures Added - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/8/27/2021-rendezvous-recap monthly 0.5 2021-08-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630122606249-PF6YCMU5HYTXKQQIQ7KT/20210806_191907.jpg Updates - 2021 Rendezvous Recap - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/8/22/back-in-the-water monthly 0.5 2021-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629690971815-AGHZTE7VM6U9W6QYS7ZI/20210822_192246.jpg Updates - Back in the Water - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/8/22/orion-hauled-for-henri monthly 0.5 2021-08-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629604750964-R8PVI8PBAWAA06FBIOKH/20210821_124221.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled for Henri - Make it stand out Hauling ORION out of the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629604794355-L8X2BMHGQMZBDRRYZVNI/20210821_132013.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled for Henri - Make it stand out She looks tiny next to the fishing boat KOREY J. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/8/22/373-pictures-of-the-rendezvous monthly 0.5 2021-08-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629605870423-OYI74E8HTTSFMOTPBJXN/DSC_0041-2.jpg Updates - 373 Pictures of the Rendezvous - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629605637580-CFIW2C0JUFIHDTZH1A4W/20210806_150950.jpg Updates - 373 Pictures of the Rendezvous - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629605790861-OSLISH67IEF3O0YFDCO6/20210807_153906.jpg Updates - 373 Pictures of the Rendezvous - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629605707025-YKBEZ6LG8S813VKD2K9D/DSC_0076-2.jpg Updates - 373 Pictures of the Rendezvous - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629605828037-BO4N2C1Z1V3QU7HO6W1W/DSC_0118-2.jpg Updates - 373 Pictures of the Rendezvous - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629605751142-WLH326OU14UY6U0Y58WM/DSC_0102-2.jpg Updates - 373 Pictures of the Rendezvous - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/7/15/more-pictures-added monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626392169714-JPWLOY519BBKJMZTLEIE/20210715_131958.jpg Updates - More Pictures Added - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626392337716-M5B2SZQJ1PEJ5KIOSCZV/20210715_133038.jpg Updates - More Pictures Added - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626392377465-UWFKDK8U649JICA86CSF/20210715_133248.jpg Updates - More Pictures Added - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/7/9/orion-hauled-for-elsa monthly 0.5 2021-07-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625845456759-ET2LDTCMJCYWTXYKAXPQ/20210708_113208.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Elsa - Make it stand out Harry clowning around for the camera. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625845662801-A1HD6B7YNWMVRLB04VW5/20210708_113641.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Elsa - Make it stand out An enormous ketch named SEA ANGEL with two anchors deployed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625845811897-KG2P0IE3H51IKNWLSLI5/20210708_114328.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Elsa - Make it stand out Another highly unusual cruising ketch with a windvane and aft-mounted solar panels. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625845923830-UIHBWEG76VB8R98WNNLQ/20210708_114509.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Elsa - Make it stand out A large cruising sloop also with aft-mounted solar panels and a swim platform. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625846635542-EC62G2D0JJJ544QMOBF5/20210708_120628.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Elsa - Make it stand out Passing ALUNA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625846682126-9QXTEIMKG504R26DY41R/20210708_122128.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Elsa - Make it stand out Hauling ORION out at Three Belles’ narrow launch ramp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625846742749-D483S3BNETQE1TO2U496/20210708_122147.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Elsa - Make it stand out It’s nice to do this in calm weather! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625846778701-QWDWXHS2OLDXL5ZV9YWX/20210708_124742.jpg Updates - ORION Hauled For Elsa - Make it stand out Safely parked for the storm. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/6/4/second-printing-of-books monthly 0.5 2021-06-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622862333211-Z1Q3488IA9EH2NCOP4Q2/20210603_161820.jpg Updates - Second Printing of Books - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/6/4/more-sailing-2021-pictures monthly 0.5 2021-06-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622860735069-IESNIPMI9QQC5JT2CCJV/DSC_0007.JPG Updates - More Sailing 2021 Pictures - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/5/14/new-2021-sailing-page monthly 0.5 2021-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621008829433-IWTSMNLBAN4GOSQVXNNA/20210513_105621.jpg Updates - New 2021 Sailing Page and Google Photo Album - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/4/17/orion-is-in-the-water monthly 0.5 2021-04-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618712625061-Q64GC1KX8LG0YVAWBJAB/20210417_155813.jpg Updates - ORION is In the Water Hitched up and ready to go https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618712670278-3MI59TOVN7V3BLV0QNPY/IMG_4614.JPG Updates - ORION is In the Water In the water as far as possible https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618712713612-MG4G1ESBVY6YB4CMHVKM/IMG_4615.JPG Updates - ORION is In the Water Pushing ORION off the trailer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618712760888-MFTYURC10IM70QC66YCY/IMG_4617.JPG Updates - ORION is In the Water Almost off… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618712802530-BU8D7NL8GBCKMGMNYVPQ/IMG_4620.JPG Updates - ORION is In the Water She’s afloat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618712844357-FG93Q47CEZJ4J3O2KKLZ/20210417_161657.jpg Updates - ORION is In the Water Beached while cleaning up https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618712961746-Y6JLAPY96STWBYFIJFK7/20210417_175618.jpg Updates - ORION is In the Water On the mooring https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618713000747-0HJDAWVURPZXG7EUJTNC/20210417_175951.jpg Updates - ORION is In the Water Ready to go sailing! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/4/9/goodbye-mijoy monthly 0.5 2021-04-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1617994183374-C262WKA2N0WSP5G1G2N3/Last+Sail+037.jpg Updates - Goodbye MIJOY ORION motoring by MIJOY 747. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/4/6/launch-date-april-17th monthly 0.5 2021-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1617734945649-8KI7FNBFULNIWWT985IU/20210329_142020.jpg Updates - Launch Date: April 17th Companionway hatch installed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1617734989502-H4PMPST05G21OMV6NSIV/20210329_142030.jpg Updates - Launch Date: April 17th New digital compass holder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1617735763564-NC18SIGUFJX4Y5MA27A5/20210405_153351.jpg Updates - Launch Date: April 17th https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/3/27/even-more-progress monthly 0.5 2021-03-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616888804905-AS9PCN6RTX0WPT9J2VHF/20210327_112302.jpg Updates - Even More Progress Taped… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616888914140-8H6XTZ96XP6VK6JB0D9N/20210327_114011.jpg Updates - Even More Progress Tape removed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616888842612-6D5LEFZ9QQAYK9NCYWY5/20210327_112354.jpg Updates - Even More Progress …and on the stern… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616888943562-ZKGKFO0FN2UJOORP0YMT/20210327_114027.jpg Updates - Even More Progress …And looking good! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616889343162-1B5WOLSM7VUTX79T6PIB/20210327_181342.jpg Updates - Even More Progress https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616889423333-NIBF9X3QKR8MWTWWAXI4/20210327_181325.jpg Updates - Even More Progress https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616899017173-ZCJT1GZF49AYWLO45ERK/20210322_114617.jpg Updates - Even More Progress https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/3/21/finally-more-work monthly 0.5 2021-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616381306187-IITUI10W4K8VNAYTMLV9/20210308_114714.jpg Updates - Finally! More Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616381525020-K02GAKN9SUSWLQE5FSDQ/20210307_181637.jpg Updates - Finally! More Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616381546061-U1ZRQC2552FWFVSLNX6F/20210307_181651.jpg Updates - Finally! More Work https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2021/1/4/success-and-failure monthly 0.5 2021-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609771390660-DLDDOPVVRTIEDFHFT1AU/20210103_173912.jpg Updates - Success and Failure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609771923386-RAHW4SQ9YPB3T8FI7YG8/20210103_174054.jpg Updates - Success and Failure Old vent in place, up against the cabin “step.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609772012752-EEY77MXKOMRIXZ2RTFOM/20210103_174046.jpg Updates - Success and Failure Another deck-view angle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609772107214-885HBH29FFPXQELBEOI9/20210103_174115.jpg Updates - Success and Failure Top motor/fan removed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609772187485-JRFTM1RMTDW859OI7D4F/20210103_174219.jpg Updates - Success and Failure New vent - too big as it will hit the cabin step. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/11/15/winter-work-begins monthly 0.5 2021-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607954053764-YR5SH3BXOB18P643M2MP/20201109_121037.jpg Updates - Winter Work Progressing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607955115604-PMTDBR5P2O7ASGC7455V/20201114_130013.jpg Updates - Winter Work Progressing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607955142262-VXKF1RRC15B2HXLP0VPG/20201114_145333.jpg Updates - Winter Work Progressing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607955182566-QNGLH22QNBUTYWG8LHVY/20201114_145325.jpg Updates - Winter Work Progressing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607956591167-ZE7880VAR8DGL25NO07E/20201213_183011.jpg Updates - Winter Work Progressing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607956152863-R17XI3KVLYAJN4SXVLCF/20201213_194517.jpg Updates - Winter Work Progressing https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/10/28/end-of-2020-sailing-season monthly 0.5 2020-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603938240998-IRNYNNID4X6AOMVP9D9U/20201028_104251.jpg Updates - End of 2020 Sailing Season On the beach, mast unstepped https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603938536030-LR7TH133EOKNX7IO4D4S/IMG_4547.JPG Updates - End of 2020 Sailing Season Motoring to the ramp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603938618311-5JXL66K88A4NK91IQ73H/20201028_112923.jpg Updates - End of 2020 Sailing Season Successfully hauled out https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603939887269-YDV1WJHEQ6MWHQUEN6XA/IMG_4548.JPG Updates - End of 2020 Sailing Season Powerwashing the hull and bottom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603939966116-9G473F8HP4W4G61CLB0Y/20201028_133347.jpg Updates - End of 2020 Sailing Season Ready to head home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603940026538-XNBSH1IDB1FQ7XL3Z2K2/20201028_190606.jpg Updates - End of 2020 Sailing Season Home in her garage bay https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/10/14/dismasting-averted monthly 0.5 2020-10-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602728985268-D8AY3NR0QMWK3BKO92U0/20201011_144039.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602767579377-QJKA4ZRCYXDAZXQZR5E5/20201011_151506.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602767608755-EQ708W0JDTQ9X9JCDTHJ/20201011_151538.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602767645625-3INXW3RJKL6ST1UJA659/20201011_151551.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602767680120-65GUXYWPSYJDPNEZAJFE/20201011_151552.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602769503182-5FSBRQ3A63YWS4BVKSXK/20201011_153934.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602769538387-CRXP6VQGCGLN3EQAJF9N/20201011_170731.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602770290286-RR6R175OKCFY2DN1CJLS/20201011_161525.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602770321974-8PFHUFTD2G3K7DYS4V0C/20201011_171036.jpg Updates - Dismasting Averted https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/9/11/more-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2020-09-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599838687453-XW1IP2R6723FK271RTWO/DSC_0724.JPG Updates - More Sailing Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/8/27/short-rendezvous-video monthly 0.5 2020-08-27 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/8/14/photo-album-of-2020-rendezvous monthly 0.5 2020-08-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1597435037462-B10CA42IQDNP52DDH38H/20200807_143000.jpg Updates - Photo Album of 2020 Rendezvous https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/8/4/orion-nearly-wrecked monthly 0.5 2020-08-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1596599344069-4WANH6IT5199VX73XZCU/IMG_4446.JPG Updates - ORION Nearly Wrecked https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1596600955455-CUP6G8BNVF33RO1J059S/IMG_4462-3.jpg Updates - ORION Nearly Wrecked https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1596601733521-41HTM3JHQQR0ETDV1NSS/IMG_4460-2.jpg Updates - ORION Nearly Wrecked https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1596602014388-8NBA6GUK4380HV8DQ6Q3/IMG_4464-2.jpg Updates - ORION Nearly Wrecked https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1596603569980-PHN33KYIJX7KVK68TKYY/20200804_182834.jpg Updates - ORION Nearly Wrecked https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/7/26/mca-president-once-again monthly 0.5 2020-07-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1595822560235-4VBYUTFV5K9MSSDVA5TZ/marinerclasslogo.jpg Updates - MCA President Once Again https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/7/16/new-sailing-pictures-with-barque-eagle monthly 0.5 2020-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594953542890-NOOXD4S55GXGLCCUHMEB/20200716_181916.jpg Updates - New Sailing Pictures with Barque Eagle https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/6/28/mariner-rendezvous-still-happening monthly 0.5 2020-06-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1593383331611-FGJ4CAOY5W6NNA0HN9P8/DSC_0634.jpg Updates - Mariner Rendezvous Still Happening Sailors during the 2019 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/6/22/more-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2020-06-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592801244004-2R0623VGOJYYK1GH6Y1N/20200604_135837.jpg Updates - More Sailing Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/6/22/new-mariner-promo-video monthly 0.5 2020-06-22 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/5/31/two-new-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2020-06-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590978662202-GOYA0XAHIKO2982UJTA9/20200531_164330.jpg Updates - Two New Sailing Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/5/22/new-2020-sailing-page monthly 0.5 2020-05-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590177980035-W6Z9MBIKJXYPI7YXY2E1/20200521_123838.jpg Updates - New 2020 Sailing Page https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/5/12/unique-photos-of-orion monthly 0.5 2020-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589298204755-1PY88L06O9OO3F2GCHJU/20200509_180331.jpg Updates - Unique Photos of ORION https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589298272277-GUASU4Y50VSJNW03RCF3/20200509_181244.jpg Updates - Unique Photos of ORION https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589298305042-JSHX9XWTN4OCQKC1DP1E/20200509_181329.jpg Updates - Unique Photos of ORION https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589298333503-1GDCZS5DF9BQCWQTBBQA/20200509_181416.jpg Updates - Unique Photos of ORION https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589298404933-3M6QYDPQAA7Z9AMAA6CA/20200509_192914.jpg Updates - Unique Photos of ORION https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589298428152-XF4U1V80L1FMKKPNT6AV/20200509_193045.jpg Updates - Unique Photos of ORION https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/4/28/orion-officially-launched monthly 0.5 2020-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1588096732367-1H92KUQQZ5O8R56VVJ3B/launch1.jpg Updates - ORION Officially Launched https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1588097607623-QEPRB75T4P75XYYXTINH/launch2.jpg Updates - ORION Officially Launched https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1588097628500-AFSLPJ3UJCVRFJ858V95/launch3.jpg Updates - ORION Officially Launched https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/4/19/uncovering-and-paint-prep monthly 0.5 2020-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1587351809076-VGASTCIAED80HGOGS553/20200419_161309.jpg Updates - Uncovering and Paint Prep https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1587351869092-QLX4VJ64SCOJ9LY87158/20200419_161348.jpg Updates - Uncovering and Paint Prep https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1587351867732-QLZUH7K2N8FC2KAMZGKC/20200419_172108.jpg Updates - Uncovering and Paint Prep https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1587351881043-2VYI6BA8RBRKT1QJN6CG/20200419_173753.jpg Updates - Uncovering and Paint Prep https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1587351880267-7DAIYBW18Y9UZRMVATTN/20200419_192454.jpg Updates - Uncovering and Paint Prep https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/1/30/spring-work-has-begun monthly 0.5 2020-01-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580435324816-Y7BEIX8VV1FYVSL5933E/20200130_134427.jpg Updates - Spring Work Has Begun ORION with the shrink-wrap cover. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580435444039-782ADFZ53E9CRUF2U0EL/20200130_135004.jpg Updates - Spring Work Has Begun Everything looks good so far! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580435647786-MNQJ73SYI4IHLH7QQJOB/20200130_135131.jpg Updates - Spring Work Has Begun The worn-out shock cord needs replacing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580435378697-H6M9LQN8CB57L4T6WOA2/20200130_134935.jpg Updates - Spring Work Has Begun The opening unzipped. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580435533863-FI2LMSXNHUUPSPEQBCIX/20200130_141108.jpg Updates - Spring Work Has Begun The cabin looks fine - just the way I left it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580435688810-FJRG8Q23VTF3347TJZ97/20200130_140929.jpg Updates - Spring Work Has Begun This project is done! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/1/27/rendezvous-article-published monthly 0.5 2020-01-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580154910395-2EOA0914E29ON6F3SSZP/Windcheck.jpg Updates - Rendezvous Article Published https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2020/1/13/goodbye-marinersailors-yahoo-group monthly 0.5 2020-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1578934234802-6G2TDXYZTHM3EZC2I7QX/yahoo+groups+logo.png Updates - Goodbye, MarinerSailors Yahoo! Group https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/11/1/final-2019-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2019-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572668076281-2HCQYLV29KYPP8550218/20191029_120302-2.jpg Updates - Final 2019 Sailing Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/9/20/2019-rendezvous-recap monthly 0.5 2019-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1569013826349-GVN470KLUI06AP85BDLH/20190803_172836.jpg Updates - 2019 Rendezvous Recap https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/8/23/new-sailing-2019-pictures monthly 0.5 2019-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1566617119209-GZ1Y8SHTMRYHXY9YQAJ5/20190823_173351.jpg Updates - New Sailing 2019 Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/8/23/orion-picture-gift monthly 0.5 2019-08-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1566615709257-U50U3UEJD5Q5C0B9I26E/20190821_101810.jpg Updates - ORION Picture Gift https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/8/7/2019-rendezvous-pictures monthly 0.5 2019-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1565236967145-K9RG1GUYBJD0T2EQX8HZ/DSCN0233_545.JPG Updates - 2019 Rendezvous Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/7/25/farewell-roger monthly 0.5 2019-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1564111700991-XT79Q1YTV5MXLX6RAXWP/roger.jpg Updates - Farewell, Roger https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/7/21/two-new-sailing-photos monthly 0.5 2019-07-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563744392571-BRYY51VRBPXYQ8DH0GBY/20190720_210512.jpg Updates - Two New Sailing Photos https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/7/16/new-photo-album-and-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2019-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563335003968-Z7584ZTWKFPIRPJB2GDU/IMG_0869.jpg Updates - New Photo Album and Sailing Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/7/10/2019-sailing-page-updated-again monthly 0.5 2019-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562768725089-9KGW6GS7DMMA5F90UNM3/20190709_151405.jpg Updates - 2019 Sailing Page Updated Again https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/7/3/update-on-3449 monthly 0.5 2019-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562165506237-3GC6UH352QD3YO3BD0FB/AC80FE19.jpg Updates - Update on #3449 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562165531602-KG0S2OT8OU6KOBN7KQ80/F83BDD46.jpg Updates - Update on #3449 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562165589941-44AMAC1K5R4M3USO8Z20/DBC44875.jpg Updates - Update on #3449 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562165625251-FOLU3YGUO7KC6IY8P3IN/1473A144.jpg Updates - Update on #3449 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562165720288-I0HAAEGD9JKIHFBDA04T/110A208F.jpg Updates - Update on #3449 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/7/2/2019-sailing-page-updated monthly 0.5 2019-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562126128351-OJK11HGXHZZ5H0MVKV34/20190702_125822.jpg Updates - 2019 Sailing Page Updated https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/6/23/560-cool-breeze monthly 0.5 2019-06-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1561343222476-1EBGY378YDPYECYNZ1UL/560.jpeg Updates - #560 Cool Breeze https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/6/10/new-sailing-2019-page monthly 0.5 2019-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560178382240-28APWVLXN9D4OWN5IS0U/outside.jpg Updates - New Sailing 2019 Page https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/5/13/rendezvous-registration-starts-wednesday monthly 0.5 2019-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1557757935516-EZM0OWQZ3CGQ83A928QR/invitation1-1.jpg Updates - Rendezvous Registration Starts Wednesday https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1557757963382-5ERKO0FXM2OH6D48JJKZ/Invitation2-1.jpg Updates - Rendezvous Registration Starts Wednesday https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1557757984765-CCZ9Q1ZTFVIQ4RV6DWV5/Invitation3-1.jpg Updates - Rendezvous Registration Starts Wednesday https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/1/7/2018-rendezvous-article-finished monthly 0.5 2019-01-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546890507775-BU7I9FB1D4HE62OS3PWB/DSC_0326.jpg Updates - 2018 Rendezvous Article Finished https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/1/3/dwyer-aluminum-update monthly 0.5 2019-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546528881107-3GIXGUSJRF1E0XVVLKGU/header.gif Updates - Dwyer Aluminum Update https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546528996262-J80RRLIYOQQ4MSJJUC21/dh3541lxy_linedrawing.gif Updates - Dwyer Aluminum Update https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/1/2/upcoming-winter-projects monthly 0.5 2019-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546469927180-33CETIR4L1GEGVPKXTND/IMG_0842.JPG Updates - Upcoming Winter Projects https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546469814463-V945SVHOFPTZ28QFLRK9/IMG_0846.JPG Updates - Upcoming Winter Projects https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2019/1/1/2019-rendezvous-news monthly 0.5 2019-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546348405445-ZJRZ3SZFZJ0ZL029FHKP/DSCN2526_425.jpg Updates - 2019 Rendezvous News https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546348215640-8PRF9QE3BN9R3PPNRVLE/mystic-river-Mystic-Country-001.jpg Updates - 2019 Rendezvous News https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546348662387-M41X2USK8TR74PLKCDHG/DSCN2530.jpg Updates - 2019 Rendezvous News https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/8/30/new-2018-rendezvous-photo-album monthly 0.5 2018-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535654464251-KG8OJ24YGNOR5HF1WGST/DSC_0411.JPG Updates - New 2018 Rendezvous Photo Album https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/8/16/new-website-for-mariner-272 monthly 0.5 2018-08-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1534392860597-TJH1Y0WASD43T59FN9F2/272-2.jpg Updates - New Website for Mariner #272 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/8/9/new-published-article monthly 0.5 2018-08-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1533788976227-1HO6E1HRP30Z8KA36T0V/DSC_0327.JPG Updates - New Published Article https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/7/17/more-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2018-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531856760763-LWMFYZN0GN0OMJ5D7MTR/IMG_0776.JPG Updates - More Sailing Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/7/11/new-sailing-page-pictures monthly 0.5 2018-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531284599210-TQVQTJ185TLF07CTETPU/IMG_0763.JPG Updates - New Sailing Page Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/7/6/updated-sailing-page-and-new-album monthly 0.5 2018-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530908109572-IPAUECAJH1W7N4IIB3ZJ/IMG_0710.JPG Updates - Updated Sailing Page and New Album https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/6/12/new-2018-sailing-page monthly 0.5 2018-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528833953341-28HVN8FIRNRN8P1DZBH7/IMG_0693.JPG Updates - New 2018 Sailing Page https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/5/22/new-hatchboards monthly 0.5 2018-05-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527018343692-R079RXOSPGFUY50LMAQ8/20180403_122415%280%29.jpg Updates - New Custom Hatchboards Page https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/5/21/rendezvous-registration-underway monthly 0.5 2018-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1526913228785-Q2ARBTLPFKB9XBHVQ81N/IMG_0507.jpg Updates - Rendezvous Registration Underway The "family reunion" in 2017 when we sailed to Essex. https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/4/19/new-oday-mariner-ad monthly 0.5 2018-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1524153304359-OLER8UUSX8A5DYINRURY/1963+ad+cropped.jpg Updates - New O'Day Mariner ad https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/2/27/dan-voorheess-bow-pulpit monthly 0.5 2018-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1519760836742-DEN6Q50ILDNKEQOD8YWP/IMG_0540.JPG Updates - Dan Voorhees's Bow Pulpit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1519760732183-5348QCSCUGII6XTN5IUI/IMG_0541.JPG Updates - Dan Voorhees's Bow Pulpit https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2018/1/29/2018-rendezvous-stonington monthly 0.5 2018-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1517240358665-5UNL0HCS9YYQK0C2QP4H/stoningtonarea.jpg Updates - 2018 Rendezvous: Stonington https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/12/22/last-pictures-of-sailing-2017 monthly 0.5 2017-12-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1513978055775-YNL7QNIO7QCK11IJPEJ1/IMG_0666.JPG Updates - Last Pictures of Sailing 2017 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/11/20/photobook-now-in-menu monthly 0.5 2017-11-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1511207155922-ZI33809UZEFNO9K2B1TY/photobook4.JPG Updates - Photobook Now In Menu https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/11/20/new-vp-communications monthly 0.5 2017-11-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1511206317610-W863V9MFNULDGQ4LSJCS/penfield2.jpg Updates - New VP Communications https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/10/20/key-west-mariner-fleet-devastated monthly 0.5 2017-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1508510228247-CPIZQK5UZSB7XPA92W0G/kwcsc+mariners.jpg Updates - Key West Mariner Fleet Devastated https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/10/13/3acm5oetq6mnkcjt2tg12041j4uvdm monthly 0.5 2017-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507916526243-BSTO853MMCISEIQR724W/IMG_0538.JPG Updates - 2018 Rendezvous Dates Set https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/10/10/eight-years-since-first-rendezvous monthly 0.5 2017-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507677158999-Z6P6QOC5G369OJ5A3N7V/Rendezvous+020.jpg Updates - Eight Years Since First Rendezvous https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/10/9/sailing-2017-page-updated monthly 0.5 2017-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507566272721-VW789AXTJPM0SL2GLRUH/IMG_0655.JPG Updates - Sailing 2017 Page Updated https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/10/6/henry-bossett-retires monthly 0.5 2017-10-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507318689420-O8E43LUN0NN09CCKP48X/IMG_0777.JPG Updates - Henry Bossett Retires https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/9/25/custom-burned-hatchboards monthly 0.5 2017-09-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1506375820994-XPUJI2NE2RQ71C6KPIWA/1812365_3_MarinerOnCompassRose.jpg Updates - Custom Burned Hatchboards https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/9/25/orion-update monthly 0.5 2017-09-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1506375325776-7E62YW3A73M0D6D5V7A4/joseorion.jpg Updates - ORION Update https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/9/19/preparing-for-jose monthly 0.5 2017-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1505826742420-SRWSRGO4JWQ4VEMMJMIW/jose.jpg Updates - Preparing for Jose https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/9/1/more-2017-sailing-pictures monthly 0.5 2017-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1504299846815-93B5GKELN3BWWDQZBFPX/IMG_0592.JPG Updates - More 2017 Sailing Pictures https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/8/23/completed-restoration-of-1476 monthly 0.5 2017-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503503294198-GHB686CZ5FAZTF1DLI6J/IMG_0005.JPG Updates - Completed Restoration of #1476 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503503255837-HAGP31FP0TUS1BETL164/IMG_0252.JPG Updates - Completed Restoration of #1476 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503503201990-1BH836WUDXN58YUFMQG8/IMG_0150.JPG Updates - Completed Restoration of #1476 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503503236618-WDER8N0TTTL56NYZ5IK2/IMG_0158.JPG Updates - Completed Restoration of #1476 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/8/18/2018-rendezvous-in-connecticut monthly 0.5 2017-08-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503079111515-4QUF8ULN6QWNYVR42EB5/nianticbay+copy.jpg Updates - 2018 Rendezvous In Connecticut https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/8/18/2017-sailing-page-finally-up monthly 0.5 2017-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503069328073-E2VOI3UUOHQENJO0G93Y/IMG_0411.JPG Updates - 2017 Sailing Page Finally Up https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/8/17/google-photo-albums-linked monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503007954211-CE996UULH7KH635Z6Z9Y/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Google Photo Albums Linked https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/8/17/2017-rendezvous-article-posted monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503004739847-XWJG3CO6YAHZOI9TXV80/image-asset.jpeg Updates - 2017 Rendezvous Article Posted https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/7/30/national-championships-notice-of-race monthly 0.5 2017-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1501428814990-EGHVY7J5OMQ3L3WNQHUX/image-asset.jpeg Updates - National Championships Notice of Race https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/7/10/another-cruise-to-greenport monthly 0.5 2017-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1499663754076-KR5V3B6Q2P4B8IY4E5TA/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Another Cruise to Greenport https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/2/25/ed-wises-mariner-website monthly 0.5 2017-02-25 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/2/5/photobook-now-available monthly 0.5 2017-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1486356379910-VLZNVY4ZU00999R74TE7/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Photobook Now Available https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/1/31/stuart-marine-at-boston-boat-show monthly 0.5 2017-02-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1485910358181-2LWMY6KMLT8A3POHGTA5/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Stuart Marine at Boston Boat Show https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/1/24/update-of-mariner-148 monthly 0.5 2017-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1485293906151-1OV1AKCHOP8MKUCE3J32/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Update of Mariner #148 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/1/12/mariner-transformation monthly 0.5 2017-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1484265409503-5TQ225COZM6KDVU2RLGJ/IMG_0700.JPG Updates - Mariner Transformation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1484265408001-B8NESFS9UO8YB84BSAUK/IMG_0701.JPG Updates - Mariner Transformation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1484265418071-91FKIMZE4E3THTKHG1WI/IMG_0703.JPG Updates - Mariner Transformation https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/1/9/mariner-photobook-almost-complete monthly 0.5 2017-01-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483976954134-RJVRKUJKCGVZ5G9GVZKI/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Mariner Photobook Almost Complete https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483976996330-MBMJYQ0S7WE47GG1URX2/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Mariner Photobook Almost Complete https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483977023565-20E5WSRFKBJHZNI02CUQ/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Mariner Photobook Almost Complete https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2017/1/8/another-rescued-mariner monthly 0.5 2017-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483914146405-UAQ0A764P0KQQ3HS9DM4/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Another Rescued Mariner https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/12/20/2017-rendezvous-westward-to-essex monthly 0.5 2016-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1482251809379-S5KEYLQ15SL4TQFLSFE8/image-asset.jpeg Updates - 2017 Rendezvous: Westward to Essex! https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/11/8/orion-ends-2016-sailing-season monthly 0.5 2016-11-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1478641944989-DAUE6H8ERUSB8PMOSYQN/image-asset.jpeg Updates - ORION Ends 2016 Sailing Season https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/11/7/fall-2016-notice-to-mariners-published monthly 0.5 2016-11-08 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/10/1/nationals-date-set monthly 0.5 2016-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1475297899384-CHJHP1ZV135L4N14S6F3/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Nationals Date Set https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/10/1/another-mariner-rescued monthly 0.5 2016-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1475295305351-F5JYP8OSRYJ0W3FSO1LM/2321-1.jpg Updates - Another Mariner Rescued https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1475295306111-4I0JIB52JZAHPL6RBASI/2321-2.jpg Updates - Another Mariner Rescued https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1475295306365-12CLES4LBP7W88A8NWPT/2321-3.jpg Updates - Another Mariner Rescued https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/9/12/mariner-ads-finally-finished monthly 0.5 2016-09-12 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/8/30/sailing-pictures-finished monthly 0.5 2016-08-30 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/8/26/pictures-of-the-week-finished monthly 0.5 2016-08-26 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/8/16/picasa-to-google monthly 0.5 2016-08-16 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/8/16/used-parts-section-at-stuart-marine monthly 0.5 2016-08-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471369213662-GFUSNH2VBV71P8KQV11I/image-asset.jpeg Updates - Used Parts Section at Stuart Marine https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/8/16/new-executive-board monthly 0.5 2016-08-16 https://www.mariner1922.com/updates/2016/8/15/just-started monthly 0.5 2016-08-16 https://www.mariner1922.com/welcome daily 1.0 2026-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e76e43fe-0b24-4f15-810d-b7918293a65a/20220628_201522.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141325420-7SYHHKXNCOCDUENIS51F/Sailing%2C+Sept.+27th+042.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141397982-4Q8MQIWP2AC9SL48UEW8/IMG_0358.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141397347-FCV1SZCQRE9FJUN6C09I/IMG_0371.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141429885-LCE59ZHJKYLDIAX6ZDWZ/DSC_0342.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141424405-KXCQWB9NXOSRVW32XD4L/DSC_0387.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141429352-QQ9N0M9I1G2GOUO3BIN2/DSC_0364.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141449908-0IF221B3FC3MNVRBXUMO/IMG_0938.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141490423-HZPYI91QNCE8RW47U90K/IMG_0153.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141453540-29ZQD34DS4A2LYJFCEWY/IMG_1023.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472141489583-1CT328D3NZP1L8OXB0DN/IMG_0154.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472142450947-IR47Z3SIYQDFXHWOEJLQ/image-asset.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472142883887-SL2BCJGRE8N2AMR0BWC1/image-asset.jpeg Home Our first sail! https://www.mariner1922.com/new-gallery daily 0.75 2016-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471795017365-ALV62B76UNX3F3LYXQK0/DSC_0339.jpg Sailing 2016 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471794628989-VS3ESO5HHL8EN4HJP0AK/DSC_0339.jpg Sailing 2016 May 23rd: Having launched Orion only two days before, I set sail with Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) on a three-day trip to various places around Shelter Island. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471794774074-L36GZR4448PAC49UOPXA/IMG_0839.JPG Sailing 2016 After motoring across Long Island Sound, we stopped at Orient Point for lunch before sailing down Gardiner's Bay to Hog Creek and Threemile Harbor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471794802652-QYBA6P9EO47WEKAK3UJ1/IMG_0879.JPG Sailing 2016 We then sailed to Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island. We motored over and tied up at a floating dock to briefly check out Taylor's Island. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961103747-CW0YI5W0XRUZ480I2DC0/IMG_0935.JPG Sailing 2016 The next day, we sailed to Sag Harbor and explored the town before motoring around Shelter Island to Mitchell Park Marina in Greenport. Check out the Google Photo Album of this trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961510215-ZH1XNWNK5MHPJ49CB2IK/riversail1.jpg Sailing 2016 May 31st: I had a great sail up the Niantic River to check out some boats that now have new moorings in the mooring field. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961510179-98HM04GGDNPETI21A3YA/riversail2.jpg Sailing 2016 I hooked onto a mooring, put up the awning (still wet from the Greenport trip), read part of a book, took a short nap, and sailed home. A perfect afternoon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961674726-IZ6DJAPJ0L2YWWM3K4WM/IMG_0032.JPG Sailing 2016 On the second day, we sailed up the river and motored through Selden Creek. It was like being in tropical everglades! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961693187-YDIXDGAD4K5WNXZUC0AX/IMG_0069.JPG Sailing 2016 June 26-28: I sailed with my wife Liz and some friends up the Connecticut River to Essex for a three-day trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961669102-JW4WD73S47OOH9U5B7YD/IMG_0050.JPG Sailing 2016 We beached at one of the four campsites on Selden Island to look around before heading back to Brewer Dauntless Marina in Essex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961687575-C0RDHIY3O445Y6PT5ZIT/IMG_0056.JPG Sailing 2016 Although I had rented a mooring, they kindly let me stay the second night at an empty floating dock! Check out more photos here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961991223-KO3KKURV6NPU0BZN490Z/bay1.jpg Sailing 2016 July 12th: Met up with fellow Fleet members Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW SEA NUF) and Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) for an afternoon sail in Niantic Bay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961991276-NG9TGYQE3IX3JF3DT9ZI/bay2.jpg Sailing 2016 After only a short while, Chris's mainsheet block separated from the centerboard trunk, so he turned for home to have it repaired. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471961995640-C1YW54ND0EGAPKJZJ5E6/bay3.jpg Sailing 2016 Dan and I continued on to the Niantic Bay Yacht Club where we tied up, went ashore and grabbed a quick bite to eat from their in-house Galley. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962096019-LJPK4W4OQP7AQ4RKF6AA/bay4.jpg Sailing 2016 After sailing around a bit more, I headed back home, but Dan stayed out in the Bay and enjoyed the fine weather. It was a great afternoon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962272262-8BJMXQ583R81OFHXCXVX/IMG_0111.JPG Sailing 2016 July 24th: Liz, Harrison and I trailered Orion and an old yet trusty SportYak dinghy to Maine. After several mishaps, we managed to launch at Southwest Harbor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962292513-M3VDDMSUTNSDKWH9FIRP/IMG_0142.JPG Sailing 2016 We sailed up Somes Sound to get to the harbor in Somesville. What an absolutely beautiful place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962282097-ATVOO7F31N3ME87GCBTJ/IMG_0135.JPG Sailing 2016 We anchored for the week, using a nearby dinghy dock to get us on and off Mount Desert Island, and a free shuttle allowed exploration of the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962296636-23Q49C3JFKV9HZF1NXV2/IMG_0233.JPG Sailing 2016 We all had a fantastic time, and Harrison loved every minute of it. Check out more photos in the Google Photos album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962614765-22VM9900VQKGWL8L1NG8/IMG_0246.JPG Sailing 2016 August 5th: Ten O'Day Mariners and 18 sailors gathered at the Niantic River launch ramp for another Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962626503-8YVH00MVRLA698429NZP/IMG_0280.JPG Sailing 2016 Our floating docks were waiting for us, and we all were able to fit together. The floaters make life so much easier than fixed docks for small boats like ours! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962630960-MXBS7YDLNB34UIKDLB1L/IMG_0286.JPG Sailing 2016 We gathered for a group shot before heading off to dinner on Saturday. There was plenty to see and do in the Seaport and downtown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471962634364-SPAM4429YQEZJ2FTD7ON/IMG_0299.JPG Sailing 2016 Great winds greeted us in Fisher's Island Sound, and we had a lively sail home. For more pictures, see the Google Photo Album of this trip. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2015-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963787220-MIBZ3O55E72KYP04J0V1/IMG_0541.JPG Sailing 2015 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963315936-UF8E9TKCNZT67DU1BO14/launch1.jpg Sailing 2015 May 13th: The winter work is done! My son Harrison helped and stands proudly next to Orion before she is trailered to Niantic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963318596-BB2YEX63CSB022FEJM2T/launch2.jpg Sailing 2015 May 15th: This is the latest Orion has ever been launched; she is usually in the water about a month earlier than this! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963320034-0PC00IBMYN2YJR5U4SL0/launch3.jpg Sailing 2015 Oh well - no matter. It's just nice to get her back floating again. Despite my late start, I am still the first one on the Niantic River! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963322469-83I2VFPXS58SAYMUZQ6N/launch4.jpg Sailing 2015 She is on her mooring, ready for an active season of sailing. Everything is right with the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963283658-6CZVU9MVHCUIDP06JD3T/firstsail1.jpg Sailing 2015 May 22nd: My first official sail of the season. I sailed in the Niantic River instead of venturing out into the Bay so I could check everything over. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963288722-4C8CQ457KAYKOOI8ZT26/firstsail2.jpg Sailing 2015 I anchored up the river in the lee of Saunders Point to tighten turnbuckles, adjust the furling line, and make a new vang strap at the base of the mast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963287838-KLWC9BRJ75VJJPKF16RW/firstsail3.jpg Sailing 2015 I then sailed back down the river and tied up at Mago Point Marina which is adjacent to the floating docks where she was launched last week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963292456-SYN0DYDW1N5L3U2OXPYS/firstsail4.jpg Sailing 2015 After lunch at The Dock Restaurant, I made some final adjustments before heading back to the mooring. A successful first sail for 2015! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963142050-RK0QMZK29A9IJMTYVDLX/Picture+053.jpg Sailing 2015 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963275506-BR0194G8B82TO3AJ97BD/firstbaysail1.jpg Sailing 2015 May 26th: Went out into Niantic Bay to sail for the first time this year. The light winds didn't matter to me - it was nice just to be out sailing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963276602-5JCXZTDE262BCI9T0OCX/firstbaysail2.jpg Sailing 2015 I stopped at the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, my traditional first visit each year when I go out into the Bay. The slips are almost all filled by now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963280040-5WEE54C54QNO3EX4CIFO/firstbaysail3.jpg Sailing 2015 The light winds prompted me to set my asymmetrical spinnaker to shake out the wrinkles and move along smartly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963281584-70UXZ0WHDZP1Y4LR5L01/firstbaysail4.jpg Sailing 2015 The breeze started to freshen as it was time for me to head for home. The spinnaker behaved itself, and it was a good first trip outside the bridges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963331760-RVQHJ5KR8M71XBJBOQNW/rendezvous1.jpg Sailing 2015 June 26th-28th: Nine Mariners participate in another Mystic Rendezvous trip. This time, we stayed in the anchorage and rowed ashore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963331549-QHVDODGS4R6IYJ1CV9Z7/rendezvous2.jpg Sailing 2015 The trip coincided with the famous WoodenBoat Show. My favorite boat on display was the John Alden schooner HEART'S DESIRE. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963336524-8OD6ZDGM2P9M10UYFY1S/rendezvous3.jpg Sailing 2015 My sister, Rebecca Bayreuther Donohue, works at the Seaport as the head of the role-playing department. She rowed out to meet us in 1870's period attire! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963337088-312660IF3NZU0YALKGVF/rendezvous4.jpg Sailing 2015 Some of the sailors who participated in the event. Many more pictures may be seen at the Google Photos album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963271218-H3OONELTNMNLPN4OHJ0O/fireworks.jpg Sailing 2015 July 18th: I took friends and family motoring out into Niantic Bay to anchor and watch the fireworks for Celebrate East Lyme. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963271387-O7AV8B39BRGQP1ODMQ1A/fireworks2.jpg Sailing 2015 With eight adults and my almost-three-year-old son, we were just a little stern-heavy. And even though it was pretty cozy aboard, we all fit! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963323162-UD74RT6GFRF916X1M1I9/mysticcruise1.jpg Sailing 2015 August 2nd: I took my wife and a couple friends sailing to Mystic Seaport. I just love that place, although the fixed docks were not ideal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963323752-GDRGWVPB176WJL2ADYWS/mysticcruise2.jpg Sailing 2015 They stayed overnight and explored the Seaport the next day, and I sailed to Stonington and tied up at the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963325906-THK2JPT89VTDFGU86JMM/mysticcruise3.jpg Sailing 2015 I walked around the Borough - the whole place just oozes history. Here are two cannons that repulsed British ships in the war of 1812. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963327143-2JQCU4V36PV8O1EBDWUG/mysticcruise4.jpg Sailing 2015 Upon my return, the Seaport kindly offered me the use of floating docks. For more pictures, check out this photo album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963301604-TLATU75DQOCZ70QISQB3/lastsail1.jpg Sailing 2015 November 9th: After more than a month of inactivity due to other obligations, I was finally able to take Orion for her last sail of the season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963311918-305C19J73CR2E5ITQGEI/lastsail12.jpg Sailing 2015 I motored down the River to see if any other boats were around. Except for some boats at the marinas, everybody else had been pulled out for the winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963303738-8IO9J81QW09O2KFQ9LYZ/lastsail2.jpg Sailing 2015 I set the sails, but the wind was light and gusty at times. It was clear the winter winds have already set in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963314291-BFVFCHIEPHD1UTZRJ0A6/lastsail21.jpg Sailing 2015 The trees around my parents' house have already lost nearly all their leaves! The whole river is very quiet without other boats or the wind rustling through leaves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963307172-B16VLWS5UAJ1Y2PUZJF6/lastsail3.jpg Sailing 2015 Sailing up river, only two boats were left on their moorings. ORION is the only one left in the lower part of the river, but not for long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963308396-S97VWWGABO34XI9BYCO5/lastsail4.jpg Sailing 2015 I took off the mainsail and brought it back with me. ORION's haul date is scheduled for this Saturday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963295039-DKNL77WCHHZNAV97KH0D/haulout1.jpg Sailing 2015 November 14th: I grounded Orion at my parents' beach and unstepped the mast. The mast will stay at my parents' during the winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471963298174-QVTBC0B7T5LHCU1TQ80H/haulout2.jpg Sailing 2015 I then motored to the nearby launch ramp where my father met me with the trailer. ORION is now safely in her garage in Northford awaiting winter maintenance. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2014 daily 0.75 2016-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966050799-JIYF9N3IK3MQEN92SMPZ/launch.jpg Sailing 2014 April 21st: The day after Easter, Orion is in the water! The mainsail still needs to be bent on, but at least she's afloat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966050799-JIYF9N3IK3MQEN92SMPZ/launch.jpg Sailing 2014 April 21st: The day after Easter, Orion is in the water! The mainsail still needs to be bent on, but at least she's afloat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966054920-KO4L6XFR7ZKIS59JLGF1/launch2.jpg Sailing 2014 Jay Sullivan's boat, BUCCANEER, is on a mooring on the Waterford side of the Niantic River. Nice to have another Mariner in the neighborhood! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966085399-5XTUBVT8YD8545QJQ3XP/shennecossett1.jpg Sailing 2014 May 6th: Took a very fast sail to Shennecossett Yacht Club in Groton. 20-knot winds made it a quick trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966090209-EITG56K6FKZ774ATM6NX/shennecossett3.jpg Sailing 2014 The beautiful building on UCONN's Avery Point campus (left) is somewhat overshadowed by the more modern Project Oceanology shoreside facility. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966090416-Z1BJFKM26CVSDFTB10EF/shennecossett4.jpg Sailing 2014 Here I am tied up to the fuel dock at Shennecossett Yacht Club. Not many boats in the water yet, so I have the place to myself! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966093283-VD5VVIA9RB3YRNOOZIZM/shennecossett5.jpg Sailing 2014 Back on the mooring after a tough slog home in winds gusting 25-30 knots. The Mariner sure can take a beating! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966064089-J6GOE5VA1T0HI0TIMBUF/nbyc1.jpg Sailing 2014 May 20th: Took a short sail over to Niantic Bay Yacht Club. I grabbed an empty mooring stick and took a few minutes to replace my defunct solar vent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966065835-BVEFESKIHFHSQBL2687I/nbyc2.jpg Sailing 2014 It's the week before Memorial Day, and only a handful of boats are in the water. Looks like people are having a slow start after the incredibly long winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966058698-RNNCUVIKRTWMWBYCUJ5F/morgan1.jpg Sailing 2014 June 12th: Met up with friend Chris Albert (#2714 Flotsam) for a trip out in Long Island Sound in heavy weather to see the Charles W. Morgan under sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966062037-O0DZS676RQ70PE0E9T8W/morgan2.jpg Sailing 2014 Recently restored by Mystic Seaport, this 1841 whaler has not sailed on her own since 1922. Click here to read more about her incredible story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966068267-AITZZV95KARBSTULC2LM/nbyc3.jpg Sailing 2014 July 1st: Revisited the area by the Niantic Bay Yacht Club in light winds. Nice to have the Mariner burgee flying on the starboard upper shroud. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966069974-E06KB7ZWLE5UGBJSTYYF/nbyc4.jpg Sailing 2014 I decided to anchor just south of the Club and put up the awning to get out of the hot sun. I also took the opportunity to fix a ripped-off sail cover buckle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966073159-D55SB0A0DH4M00OA17H9/rendezvous1.jpg Sailing 2014 August 1-3: After the success of last year's 50th Anniversary Mariner Rendezvous, we had to do it again! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966075648-0DIMP7LKIAA1O196DWR2/rendezvous2.jpg Sailing 2014 17 boats participated with over 40 sailors. It was great to have Mystic turn into "Mariner Country" once more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966079332-9YDYIX7AS93CT4O2GAG5/rendezvous3.jpg Sailing 2014 Everybody got together at the Seaport bandstand Saturday evening to talk for awhile and introduce themselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966080067-KYVDP2REP27908QKZP87/rendezvous4.jpg Sailing 2014 Despite light winds on Friday and Sunday, and rain on Saturday morning, people still had a good time. A lot more pictures can be found here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966021245-9VTWBIZQ7L19WBQV2ROA/august1.jpg Sailing 2014 August 19th: Had a great sail in the afternoon with absolutely perfect winds and calm seas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966020923-68KPYC1ZMZQI71MBG7AP/august2.jpg Sailing 2014 My old nemesis, the MIJOY 747, got awfully close to me before bearing off. Perhaps we have unresolved business I am unaware of. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966024939-HY0318UL08MABTT09FYP/august3.jpg Sailing 2014 I looped around Ledge Light and saw the MYSTIC WHALER tied up there. Perhaps her guests are having a lighthouse tour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966026217-V3N9MB884XW1C48KTGZ7/august4.jpg Sailing 2014 I took advantage of the conditions and flew the asymmetrical spinnaker on the way home. It sure is a lot of fun to play with! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966041775-1BSSACWUYQPRIF93VBQ9/harrison1.jpg Sailing 2014 September 6th: My two-year-old son went on the boat for the first time! We motored around a little, and he liked sitting in the cabin with his grandpa. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966044901-P882J7B3N0TOSDL6VB5S/harrison2.jpg Sailing 2014 We got back to the mooring just in time; the skies turned dark as a cold front made its way through. A good first sailboat trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966029779-U8F3GYLX4Q86S3WK3O2C/award4.jpg Sailing 2014 September 15th: I received a visit from current Mariner Class Association President Russ Schuss (left) and Secretary/Treasurer Bill D'Autrechy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966029952-LBLOJOLNXVPVPF49XHEE/award5.jpg Sailing 2014 They drove all the way from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to present me with an award on behalf of the Association for my work as President from 2010-2014! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966033964-U04O0VN779MF2G30710A/giantsneck1.jpg Sailing 2014 September 23rd: I sailed to Giant's Neck for the first time this year. On the way, I passed this newly-arrived ketch from Seattle on a mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966035624-YPG8H1P3BHKIYYUSFDC8/giantsneck2.jpg Sailing 2014 The winds were on the nose and fairly light, and the current was against me. It took me forever to get around Black Point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966038751-V8RLP6SMES77E9CXVEMC/giantsneck3.jpg Sailing 2014 I sailed over extremely thin water to anchor in the lee of Griswold Island. It's such a beautiful area; it was worth the trouble getting here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966040073-2C4B2WWHEQLSR7JU8DPR/giantsneck4.jpg Sailing 2014 There are a few places I like to sail to every year, and this is one of them. After a short lunch, I weighed anchor and sailed home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966046478-1QWTAKMCSSW1YNWOBI51/haulout1.jpg Sailing 2014 October 21st: After getting in a few last short sails, I finally pulled ORION out for the season with help from my father. It was a perfect day to do it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471966050513-QSVUYNWNE9JDKB9XM1IP/haulout2.jpg Sailing 2014 She stayed at my parents' house for a few days before going to her garage in Northford to await winter maintenance. So ends the 2014 sailing season! https://www.mariner1922.com/new-gallery-2 daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226207867-UEL4L9B8PKH457F7A544/16.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 As most of us here in the northeast have been getting snow and ice recently, I thought it would be a good time to show this photo by Paul Sheppard of Swanton, Vermont. His boat, #16 CHANCE, is being used as a swim platform for his grandchildren - check out the interesting lift on which CHANCE is resting. She is the oldest known centerboard Mariner in existence, built in the first weeks of production. Paul formed a three-boat Lake Champlain Mariner Fleet last year, and he is hoping to round up a few more in time for summer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226207867-UEL4L9B8PKH457F7A544/16.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 As most of us here in the northeast have been getting snow and ice recently, I thought it would be a good time to show this photo by Paul Sheppard of Swanton, Vermont. His boat, #16 CHANCE, is being used as a swim platform for his grandchildren - check out the interesting lift on which CHANCE is resting. She is the oldest known centerboard Mariner in existence, built in the first weeks of production. Paul formed a three-boat Lake Champlain Mariner Fleet last year, and he is hoping to round up a few more in time for summer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226250336-V6YKK5TEIO8M3SW3OQ6Z/50thlaunch.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 13-19 An ominous beginning! A group of Mariners are tied up to the floating dock at the Waterford launch ramp on the Niantic River, about to set sail for the 2013 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. It was pouring rain, and a 30-knot storm eventually greeted us in Long Island Sound. This was one of the last photographs I ever took with my trusty A540 Canon PowerShot camera; I foolishly left it in my pocket during the journey there, and it became soaked with salt spray and rainwater, rendering it useless. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226279197-7QHFNW03SO3IBNMYRUVX/2862.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 20-26 Photographer Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) and Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T, pictured here) have gone on several Mariner excursions together, and Steve sent me this shot from a trip they took together last fall. He writes, "It's on the James River... at the Jamestown settlement. That's the SUSAN CONSTANTin the distance, a reproduction of the 17th century ship that brought the first English colonists to Jamestown in 1607." More here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226395168-L646T5DAAETVH2KSFWF0/3302.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 27-Feb. 2 Jim Aspell is the proud owner of #3302 BLUE HEAVEN, based out of West Hartford, Connecticut. Like many newer-style O'Day Mariners (post-1972), #3302 was plagued with collapsing headliner in the cabin, which Jim removed - not an easy task. He then he ground off the foam backing, sanded the interior and painted it a great shade of "Caribbean Teal". This boat is set up for cruising; close observers will notice a snubbing winch on the coaming for a genoa as well as reef points on the mainsail, something not generally found on racing boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226430994-XC3AA7EYU0FFKFMZVGON/2009rendezvous.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 3-9 This picture was taken back during the 2009 Southeast Connecticut Mariner Rendezvous and shows #1922 ORION with Dan Meaney's #2024 CLEW SEA NUF and Chris Albert's #2714 FLOTSAM beached at Turkey Point in the Niantic River. There is deep water almost right up to the beach, and although there is not much protection from the prevailing southerly winds, the area is generally sheltered and is an enjoyable place to explore, especially with a group of Mariners! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226469327-CUTCWHP2I9NAMW3LUA0J/1501.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 10-16 John Alesch, of Dripping Springs, Texas, owns a later-style Mariner, although his father used to own the hull number 1501, pictured here in 1987. It had suffered damage to the cabin top after a small tornado knocked the mast down, and the damage prevented putting the tabernacle back on the way it originally came. A friend designed a quarter-inch thick aluminum plate which was curved to fit the cabin top. Bolted to the top, the tabernacle was then bolted to the plate, and you can clearly see it in this picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226491548-H6VWX60PCKTEVKO2S5R6/1269.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 17-23 Here is a great sunset shot taken by Larry August of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Taken at Yellow Creek, Larry snapped this shot just before firing up the motor to get back to shore in a timely fashion. His boat is an early-style Mariner, #1269 WIND DANCER. Like many early-style Mariners built from 1963-1968, WIND DANCER sports a home-made enclosure to keep equipment dry and perhaps make sleeping overnight on the boat a little more enjoyable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226524780-4GUSEJJXCHSJ3C8KOIR3/580.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 24-Mar. 2 With all the snow the northeast has been getting lately, this picture seemed most appropriate. This was taken in 1966 of #580 SEA BARB, bought new by the father of David Anderson of Waterboro, Maine. Delivered by O'Day Sailboats in the winter of 1966, it "sat in our yard until launching" in the spring. Interestingly, this is not a centerboard boat; her unattached fixed keel was installed just before the next spring's launching by a boat yard in Marblehead, Massachusetts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226560833-QJSJD1P25CPA9AD2H41F/arscott.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 3-9 Toby and Janice Arscott are fellow Mariner owners from Connecticut, and their old-style Mariner, EXPUBIDENT, is pictured here in Hamburg Cove, one of the most picturesque destinations for sailors on the Connecticut River. Toby writes, "We were staying in Hamburg Cove for the Memorial Day weekend. From that calm scene we went out into the finicky winds of the River and laid the boat over on its side. No harm. Popped right back up. Amazing little boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226594432-YAZWWV165Y3UUYIGUEDS/4079.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 10-16 I am always a sucker for sunset shots taken from boats, and this is a great one sent to me by Rob Goodall of Tom's River, New Jersey. He writes, "I purchased my Mariner #4079 GOOD ALL THE TIME last spring from Dave [Whittier] at Stuart Marine. He has been very helpful." This shot was taken as Rob was sailing with his son Robert during their first sailing season on the Tom's River and Barnegat Bay in New Jersey. He excitedly concludes his e-mail: "Looking forward to season #2!!!!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226963232-H04TOAM2FNF9FOWKWTK4/2024.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 17-23 During last year's Rendezvous, Dan Meaney, skipper of #2024 CLEW SEA NUF, heard a call over the radio that a fellow Mariner had become disabled with a defunct motor and a broken tiller. Forfeiting his own trip to the Seaport, Dan turned around and rescued the disabled boat by towing it back to the starting point. He then sailed to the Seaport the following day by himself, arriving amidst cheers from his fellow sailors. This picture by Steve Hock shows his approach to the docks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227005061-DUK5IOPS7IOEUOK8NSRR/145.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 24-30 Amy Ellison, of El Lago, Texas owns #145 CEOL NA MARA, pictured here on Taylor Lake back in 2003. She writes, "I sailed it more on Galveston Bay and Offats Bayour, from Galveston Boat Club. My grand-dad was a charter member there." Amy says that she was considering selling #145 and that it is "still sailable, but needs some TLC," although it's "too good a boat to let it go unless it's to a better home than I can give it." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227047373-6G49RUUMBHA4SZDRR8BM/stokes.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 31-Apr. 6 Yikes. This picture of a heavily-modified Mariner was sent to me by Dick Stokes of Portland, Oregon. The current owner, who lives aboard, said he acquired the boat in its current condition from the previous owner who had modified it for a trip to Hawaii but had second thoughts at the last minute. This is/was an early-style keel Mariner, complete with lengthened cabin, double backstays, ...the list goes on. I have no idea what the poles in the shrouds are for, so don't ask. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227098455-VTKSCC5NIMVN07ALX982/3627.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 7-13 This picture was sent to me by Steve Hock, owner of #3627 WHITECAP. Steve writes, "Well, Nate, here is the proof that I actually have a Mariner that sails! Photos of me and it are few and far between! Ed [Wise, #2862 CHRISTINA T] shot this last fall as I cleared the James River Bridge near the shipbuilding docks at Newport News, Virginia." Steve bought #3627 several years ago and made many improvements over time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227151104-3R78KT1A8B84CGXXOPXA/rendezvousstorm.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 14-20 Looking at pictures from the 2013 Rendezvous never gets old. This shot was taken by Association newsletter editor Alice Hawrilenko. The fleet of 17 Mariners battled a storm with 30-knot winds and heavy rain all the way from the launch point in Niantic to Mystic that Friday morning and early afternoon in August. Alice was waiting for the wet and weary sailors, and she snapped this shot as the group motored its way around the corner from the railroad bridge, headed to the car bridge and then into the awaiting Seaport docks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227212617-VLE22T9GPP1TKRFZV8E8/3599.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 21-27 This is a great picture by Steve Hock of Frank Pelosi sailing his #3599 at Riverton Yacht Club during the Mariner National Championships in 2009. He and crew Mike Baldacchino came in second place overall in the Championship Fleet, nabbing a first in the Sunday race (there were only three races that weekend due to light winds). It was déjà vu during the 2013 Nationals at Riverton; once again, he and crew Joe Law came in second place overall with a first in one of the Sunday races. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227254339-5GAVA27356JH6T4POPRE/2006nationals.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 28-May 4 This pleasant scene of two crews, leisurely cruising along, smiling at each other was actually taken during the heat of the 2006 Nationals Championship at Narrasketuck Yacht Club on Long Island. Jim and Arthur Leiz's #2376 is about to duck underneath Tom and Michelle Green's #707 on their way to capturing second place overall - the Greens took fifth. While Mariner racing is certainly competitive, it is never "cut-throat" like other racing classes; that is simply the nature of O'Day Mariner sailors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227336010-4RG32VG1LOLQ0RZNW22I/obrien.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - May 5-11 Last year not only marked the 50th anniversary of the building of the Mariner; it also marked the year four college friends and sailing compatriots all turned 50 years old! Skipper Chris O'Brien of #2781 O'MITZVAH! (second from right) sailed in the Mystic Rendezvous with Tom Donohue, Henry Sienkiewicz, and Michael Sullivan, braving the Friday storm and having the time of their lives. Chris would later write, "This was undoubtedly one of the best experiences I will have, hands down." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227369775-4HTOAFHF4M733QRJX8PG/2470.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - May 12-18 Eniko DeMarco took this great shot of Alan Schaeffer and his son Joseph aboard their Mariner, #2470. Alan, a Mystic Seaport employee, saw the gathering of Mariners at the Seaport for the 50th Anniversary Rendezvous last August. He owned a Mariner, but he was unaware of the Association and was thrilled to see so many boats in his hometown. He quickly joined the Association and brought his boat to the docks just in time to take part in the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227398500-V3XV5DWAXH1PK33UJDBJ/2013nationals.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - May 19-25 Not many pictures were taken of the 2013 National Championships at Riverton Yacht Club, but this fine shot was recorded by Byron Campbell. This shows a cluster of Mariners rounding the windward mark during one of the Saturday races. Newt Wattis is in the lead with #2604 MY LIGHTNING; he would eventually take home the winner's trophy for his fifth Nationals title. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227467713-U9W2VI2RKRA31ZUMY1J5/1513.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - May 25-June 1 This picture was sent by Matt Schiemer (#2014) as he, David Stone (#3647) and Charles Fleming (#1513, picture here) participated last week in the Florida 120, a four-day sailing event in the waters of Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound. Matt writes, "The first day was a bit windy with 20-25 knots blowing strong all day long... I sailed with double-reefed main and no jib most of the day, and I know Charles did the same. It was a great time." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227505814-SMHPVY4K6AWLV4DGKT0X/2714.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 2-8 Back in 2012, Chris Albert sailed in #2714 DOG DAZE (since renamed FLOTSAM) along with me and Steve Hock in my own boat from Niantic to Greenport. This shot is of Chris passing by the 64-foot Orient Point Lighthouse in Plum Gut, built in 1899. In June of 2011, it was declared "excess to the needs" of the Coast Guard and made available to eligible organizations under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. It was successfully auctioned off in September and remains an aid to navigation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472228283642-T5ECNZWBJKM5H3R5DPB1/1071.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 9-15 I love this shot, taken by Oly Shooter of his #1071 SWEET KATE. Oly and fellow Mariner owner Bob Chandler (#3048 SWAY) took their boats to Percy Priest Lake near Nashville, Tennessee, in the fall of 2012. Here, SWEET KATE is beached on Bear Island, tied off to a nearby tree. Now this is what Mariner cruising is all about! Oly is looking forward to getting Sweet Kate back in the water for this season by the beginning of July. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472228332535-7W7Y2IECDSRY171BQBX0/560.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 16-22 Back in 2004, Steve Clark took his family and #560 COOL BREEZE for a remarkable adventure to Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Steve writes, "For this journey, not only did we trailer the boat for some 550 miles from home, but we plopped our Mariner on the foredeck of the RANGER III, the 142-foot passenger ferry for the 66-mile journey from Houghton, Michigan to Isle Royale National Park." Be sure to read Steve's full account in the 2007 Summer Notice to Mariners newsletter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472228413891-35BPMWR6GX34K38HR8WA/weinrich.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 23-29 Sunset shots are always neat, but they are made all the better with a Mariner in the foreground. This is Andreas Weinrich's 1989 Stuart Mariner MUKHTI in Mill Lake near Killarney, Canada back in August, 2010. Andreas writes that he "sailed parts of Collins Inlet, Mill Lake and Beaverstone Bay, as well as McGregor Bay," all with two adults and two children sleeping in the cabin during the nights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472228966769-K928BZB3N2PLMHXW716C/nockamixon.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 30-July 6 A couple of days ago, Tim Reiche (foreground) with #2170 MAGGIE and Russ and Elsie Schuss with #272 SIMPATICO (middle) participated in the Nockamixon Sail Club Cruiser race (an O'Day 19 is the third boat). As you can tell by the picture, there were times with absolutely no wind, but occasionally a breath of air filled in to allow the boats to get somewhere. Russ was even able to put up a spinnaker to propel him into fourth place. Photo by Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229013364-VE13VB4GR9TEKSZP1KQD/stetz.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - July 7-13 How neat would it be to have a watercolor of your boat? Ken Stetz is an artist in New Jersey whose brother-in-law happens to be a Mariner owner. The painting was awarded "Best Painting" this past winter in the 10th annual Jersey Shore Statewide Juried Art Show. Check out his other painting featured in this column back in May of 2012, and be sure to see all his works at his website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229058793-SV3Y1FXA7ZHW9ZWESSR6/2280.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - July 14-20 Bill Eggers is the proud owner of #2280 JULIE B. This great sunset shot is entitled "Wing And Wing" and shows him making a great downwind run on the Hudson River at Kingston, New York, his home sailing grounds, in 2011. Bill writes, "It's a surprisingly challenging place to sail with tides, current, shallows in the middle of the river, underwater obstructions, commercial ship traffic, inconsiderate motorboats and flukey winds coming off the nearby Catskill Mountains." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229092468-81OY4048OZG1RGLEJWGT/2014nationals.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - July 21-27 Here is a neat shot taken by Alan Hlavenka of Mariners mixing it up during the 2014 National Championships held at Narrasketuck Yacht Club a week ago. Although only eight boats were able to compete this year, everyone had a spectacular time with fun, fair and clean sailing with no protests - only a lot of laughs and smiles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229119706-IDZDX2QI3RS34383484M/oman.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - July 28-Aug. 3 This picture is courtesy of Paul Oman. The photo, taken around 1992, shows a "Mariner owned by John Steinbeck of Seabrook, Texas. Sailing with friends to a spoils bank known as Red Fish Island in the middle of Galveston Bay." A spoils bank is an area where dredged material from shipping lanes is deposited, and in an effort to combat erosion on Red Fish Island, dredged material was dumped there. The Mariner is a perfect boat to sail up to a beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229187853-6WTXLX5PXNVYD85AY4HH/1574.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 4-10 On Thursday, July 31st, James Hollister with son Nate in #1574 LIVELY arrived to launch his boat for the 2014 Annual Mariner Rendezvous. He would be leaving the following day with 16 other Mariners, but the winds and weather were so perfect on Thursday that he jumped in his boat - along with me in ORION - and sailed around the Niantic River. His boat, a mid-style Mariner, is beautifully painted to simulate a classic wooden sloop, and he received a lot of compliments during the event. Photographer Steve Hock and his wife Rita were onboard ORION with me, and he took this great picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229260048-IRRDWUBZKUT6BVAZL9Y2/2989.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 11-17 Here is another great shot taken by Steve Hock at Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania. This is Bob Meltzer and his wife Shelly sailing their Mariner, #2989 in very light winds, but they look happy all the same! He is somewhat of a recent Mariner owner and, according to Steve, "the light winds were fine with Bob. He's new to sailing and is enjoying the learning process!" There are a number of different Mariners that sail on lake Nockamixon, and the Mariner Fleet Captain there is none other than the new President of the Class Association, Russell Schuss. It is a small yet beautiful place to sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229293197-7NJQTSZT1SJ5UY1ZYGSS/2014rendezvous1.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 18-24 The great pictures from Steve Hock keep on coming! This was taken at the Mariner Rendezvous two weeks ago at Mystic Seaport, and it shows yours truly at the helm of ORION with photographer Stuart Watson along as crew. Behind us is Bill Eggers with daughters Jillian and Bridget. They participated in the event with their #2280 JULIE B, although they decided to rent a catboat from the Seaport that afternoon and try it out in Saturday afternoon's light air. Mystic is a beautiful place to visit, especially by boat, and even despite light winds and rain, everybody who attended the event had a wonderful time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229332488-F4B9IM237TT2N6KXF0VD/2093.JPG 2014 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 25-31 This looks like a watercolor painting, doesn't it? It is actually a digital photo sent to me by a gentleman named Dave who writes, "I just picked up my first sailboat, hull #2093. She will eventually be named JESSICA LEIGH, but for now she is the LENA. I'm a novice at sailing, but I've been around boats for the past 17 years and counting as an active duty Coast Guardsman." The picture was taken at a Coast Guard basin in Eaton's Neck, New York at sunset. Dave goes on to write, "I love your site and I can't wait to start chipping away at all my plans. Thank you for all the great info." Thanks, Dave! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229376721-70QGJUA1TPGH16UZ41V7/3414.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 1-7 A new Mariner owner named Jordan Manowitz recently e-mailed me and wrote, "Earlier this season, I received a 1977 O'Day Mariner [#3414] for free from my neighbor. When I first got my Mariner it needed a lot of work, but now finally it's in the water and sailing beautifully. It still needs a lot of work, but I'm saving that for a winter project. I was doing some research and I came across your awesome website. It has really gave me a whole new perspective of this boat, and now I see the potential of what my Mariner can become." Thanks, Jordan, and good luck! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229412153-DPL3AP9R9DCNF180KYYP/3237.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 8-14 Dan and Leslie Stapleford are active racers and have participated in many Mariner National Championships with their #3237 GREYHOUND. This year, however, due to new jobs and other things, they took a break from racing and trailered GREYHOUND to the Eastern Shore of Virginia for a little cruising. Dan writes that this sunset picture is of GREYHOUND "at anchor in the Cherrystone Inlet, Chesapeake Bay. While camping at the Cherrystone Family Campground, we keep the boat anchored off the campsite. Fishing, crabbing, and sailing are the primary activities for the week." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229468369-1CHO9VV8U2O3HENE9QOH/272.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 15-21 Russ and Elsie Schuss race their boat, #272 SIMPATICO at Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania, but they also trailered SIMPATICO to Connecticut to participate in the last two Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Here is a shot of the three of them in the Niantic River, about to depart through the bridges and out into Niantic Bay with the rest of the fleet. Russ took on the role of Mariner Class Association President back in July and has taken on the task of organizing next year's official Mariner Rendezvous somewhere on the Chesapeake. Photo credit: Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229504899-DFKAI8R96TTNQSI81DUM/1338.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 22-28 If any Mariner has been converted into a true cruiser, it is Jennifer O'Connor's #1338 HOT FLASHES. Jenn is a veteran of two Mariner Rendezvous, although she recently suffered a horrendous accident falling from the deck into the cockpit and tearing her hand open to the bone on a reefing cleat. Nine stitches later, she is on her way to recovery, although her 2014 sailing season has come to an end. Here is a picture of happier times during this year's Rendezvous, motoring down the Mystic River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229539100-1VSFGYE9051ZJH50106Y/2154.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 29-Oct. 5 This is one of my favorite shots from the 2014 Rendezvous at the beginning of August. Photographer Stuart Watson (#2154 TUSSLE) is enthusiastically waving in the foreground, and Eric and Kathy Lesniak (#3485 SHOAL MATE) are close behind. Two Seaport-owned Beetle Cats are behind the Lesniaks, and you can see both Nat Herreshoff's yawl AIDA just behind the green channel marker can and the masts of the square-rigged JOSEPH CONRAD poking up above the buildings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229591578-B1D24SQR8066CTVQPVGZ/lively.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 6-12 Taken by Stuart Watson aboard my boat at the Rendezvous in August, this picture shows a neat perspective: James Hollister's #1574 LIVELY is in focus and captures the viewer's attention in the foreground, while Steve Pawlowskis' #598 TALLY HO III is blurred a bit in the middle left background. Rising above the buildings in the far middle background, even more out of focus, are the masts of Mystic Seaport's JOSEPH CONRAD which were also visible in last week's photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229637706-55CEE8BD2GOCUW5DA5P0/camden.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 13-19 This may seem odd, but I have no identification for this particular Mariner. Occasionally, I do a random search on the internet for "O'Day Mariner", and this picture just happened to pop up on the Flickr account of someone named John Willliams. Taken on August 31st, 2013, he mentions the location as the "town's boat ramp dock in Camden, Maine." It is a mid-style 2+2, and despite some damage visible to the rubrail on the starboard quarter, it looks to be in decent shape. The lack of bottom paint suggests it is trailer-sailed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229660878-4BZDBRQBN8BO95H8EVHN/2024-2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 20-26 Dan Meaney and his boat, #2024 CLEW SEA NUF, took top honors at the 2014 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport back in August for fitting the most people onboard a Mariner for the trip. Dan and his wife, Helen, sailed with their son, Daniel, and twin daughters Erin and Madeline from Niantic to Mystic – a “boat full of Meaneys”, as Dan later put it. #2024 remains largely unchanged from when it was built in 1971, retaining much of the original hardware. Everyone onboard seems to be having a great time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229705609-262MO7BX3NF06FSL0AVC/3647.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 27-Nov. 2 David Stone's #3647 BIGENUF is a true model of what can be done to upgrade a Mariner for cruising. As you can see by the picture, he keeps it in immaculate condition. Notice the RudderCraft kick-up rudder, folding ladder on the transom, roller-furler jib, and lazy jacks for the mainsail. Going below, one would find an elaborate AC and DC wiring system to power items like a bilge pump and depth sounder, and a custom teak and holly sole is the icing on the cake to make the boat look and feel like a million bucks. A beautiful Mariner indeed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229749208-WUNE98R088TZSOUP6LFO/2014rendezvous2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 3-9 The pictures from the 2014 Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport came out so well from photographer Stuart Watson, I just have to keep posting them. This shot was taken from the deck of the nearby L.A. DUNTON and shows the "tent city" of various shelters and awnings erected to keep away the rain on Saturday morning. The shelters vary from inexpensive poly tarps to production covers from The Sailors Tailor to home-made, full-cockpit enclosures. Fortunately, the rain went away on Saturday afternoon, but many shelters remained just in case! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229777790-1UUDJECKRE43MQT6RGGF/2170.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 10-16 Tim, Erin, and one-year-old Owen Reiche (not pictured) took part in the trip to Mystic this past August, and this shot was taken as they climb over a swell off of Waterford, Connecticut. The Reiches have done an extensive amount of work on their boat, #2170 MAGGIE, as you can see by her excellent paintwork and new cabin portlights. Owen did fairly well during the four-hour trip from Niantic to Mystic, and this trip was actually considered his second Rendezvous since he was already somewhat present for last year's event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229815257-QM1A7M0QAI97DMPXTD28/1830.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 17-23 Ulrich von Hollen's Mariner, #1830 OB-LA-DI, is the same vintage (and original color) as ORION, and it was great to check it out in person during August's Rendezvous. He, his wife Dolly, and sons Kaspar and Konrad and had a fantastic time at the event. This is one of three (!) Mariners Ulrich owns - he is a self-proclaimed collector of Mariners and intends to restore the other two which are not in great condition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229853385-2XM6NR4SL3GMB2FUQ4AT/2014rendezvous3.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 24-30 Nov. 24-30 Russ Schuss (#272 SIMPATICO, left) and Ulrich von Hollen (#1830 OB-LA-DI) struggle to keep their sails filled on Long Island Sound during the trip home from the August Rendezvous. A powerboat has just raced past, and despite the choppiness on the water, the wind was quite light and eventually died altogether. Although Russ's spinnaker did not help very much, it was great to see it up and drawing for a little while. The waterfront mansions on Fisher's Island can be seen in the background. Thanks to Stuart Watson for another great picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229894751-OH46CAILAHAN4WCPQVME/2006nationals2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 1-7 Hard to believe this was more than eight years ago! The 2006 Nationals took place at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, a place rather infamous for shallow water and sea grass just waiting to foul centerboards and rudders. Tom Green is plowing ahead using #707's sails (although the boat is actually hull #738). Paul Coward (#584) is close behind, while Newt Wattis (#2604) is in the rear. Newt would go on to win the entire regatta for his third Nationals; Tom would come in fifth and Paul would come in seventh. Photo: Frank Koscheka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229920828-H5VQ62KP1F2VGRY0RO8Y/3627-2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 8-14 You would think, upon first glance, that this Mariner has either a straight or even slightly reversed sheer, but the heeling angle of the boat deceives the eye. Stuart Watson took this picture of fellow photographer Steve Hock's #3627 WHITECAP during the August Rendezvous. Steve's mainsail is a very pale blue color, and it accentuates the blue sheer stripe and bootstripe. Steve only got out in WHITECAP a couple times this year, and it was a pleasure to have him come back to sail in Long Island Sound, accompanied by his wife, Rita. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229957196-PU02DWK8XR0NZJQ1MROX/2470-2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 15-21 Looks like Alan Schaeffer's kids are having a great time aboard #2470 SALVIA! They attended the August Rendezvous, and Stuart Watson snapped this photo of them sailing in the Mystic River right by the Seaport. Alan is a Seaport employee and was able to launch his boat from a nearby launch ramp to participate with the other 16 boats. Check out that old outboard motor on the transom! Alan and his family sailed with the rest of the fleet to Niantic on Sunday, hopped a ride back to Mystic to retrieve his vehicle, plucked SALVIA out of the water and got brought her home - all before dark! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230003939-IJ8F12OGAXNVLOJ5ESFG/3647-2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 22-28 Now, how could I not put this as the "Picture of the Week" for this week? David Stone (#3647) has done it again with his Photoshop skills to create this Christmas scene just in time for the holidays. Either he is extremely creative, or he just has too much time on his hands - or perhaps a bit of both! I like the train track encircling the support pole for the mast step, the cookies and milk and the tiny Christmas tree on top of the cooler - or is that the porta-potti? In any event, I join David in wishing everyone Merry Christmas with happy holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230056101-F4N9RWWOAKPNQUB7JUM2/1922.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 29-Jan. 4 As I have done in past years, my final "Picture of the Week" features my own #1922 ORION. Stuart Watson took this photo during - you guessed it - the August Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Fellow Mariner owner Jay Sullivan is at the helm for the trip over as I am about to set the main, while my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE is in tow. It was a great event - the highlight of the year - despite light winds and rain for part of the trip.I wish everyone a Happy New Year with a great sailing season for 2015! https://www.mariner1922.com/2015-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144290824-F7Q6OE8JY8MOBGIDJECG/2014rendezvous1.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 To start off the new year, here is the group picture of all the participants taken at Mystic Seaport during last year's Rendezvous. All these folks sailed in 17 boats at the beginning of August, and it was great to have so many families join in the fun. We are standing in front of a constructed in 1874 originally in New Haven that was later donated to the Seaport in 1970. I left this file a bit larger than most so you can zoom in and see some faces more clearly. Photographer Stuart Watson (second from left) is instructing someone on taking the picture, and I'm standing next to him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144290824-F7Q6OE8JY8MOBGIDJECG/2014rendezvous1.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 To start off the new year, here is the group picture of all the participants taken at Mystic Seaport during last year's Rendezvous. All these folks sailed in 17 boats at the beginning of August, and it was great to have so many families join in the fun. We are standing in front of a constructed in 1874 originally in New Haven that was later donated to the Seaport in 1970. I left this file a bit larger than most so you can zoom in and see some faces more clearly. Photographer Stuart Watson (second from left) is instructing someone on taking the picture, and I'm standing next to him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144277064-BA9PBP6U90KFUM4JUIJQ/2008.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 12-18 Brian and Gina Williams are the proud owners of #2008 CORYCIA. Not only is CORYCIA their first Mariner, she is their very first boat, having bought her last August. Brian writes, "I've sailed with friends quite a bit, and my eleven-year-old son has really been into sailing the last three summers, so it was time to find a boat for the family. I did my research, and the choice was pretty clear, from my perspective." The Williams live in Mystic, and this shot is taken from a floating dock just south of the Seaport (which is in the background). They also joined the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144311595-5U5AD2ZGR2FIDQ6UAAAP/2714.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 19-25 Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) has gradually turned his Mariner from a regular daysailer into a true cruiser. Over the past few years, he has installed a roller-furling genoa jib (a real luxury for single-handed sailing, which he does most of the time), a new RudderCraft kick-up rudder, a bow pulpit (taken from a Catalina 22), a battery in the cabin for lights and a bilge pump, a "Mack Pack" mainsail system (a cover and lazy jack combination by Mack Sails), and more. His daughter, Michelle (picture here), often accompanies him on longer sailing trips. They make a great team! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144266317-LFCGW19VDEBEVOMO4F1X/584.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 26-Feb. 1 Paul Coward (foreground) is shown here in the lead on the downwind leg of the 2011 National Championships. They were held at Brant Beach Yacht Club, the site of this year’s Nationals coming up in August. Paul, a racer from Brant Beach, has successfully raced his boat, #584 BONNIE D, since the early 1990s. He has won the Championship four times, arrived in second place twice, and finished in third place five times. In this race, he finished seventh overall, yet he did manage to come in first during one of the races on Saturday. A formidable opponent on the race course! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144269552-KNSZ5GIT96HXG64S4Y7J/598.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 2-8 Steve Pawlowskis is shown here last September at the helm of #598 TALLY HO III in Rockport, Massachusetts. He is motoring in front of “Motif Number One”, a replica of a former fishing shack and known to art students as the “most often-painted building in America.” Steve writes, “If you look deeper into the background you can see… the entire north side of the harbor is filled with O'Day Rhodes 19’s and Mariners. We counted 20 Rhodes and three Mariners. They appear to be part of the Sandy Bay Yacht Club fleet.” Mariners are everywhere! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144329316-4VC8Q6G8HHWE1YMXFACT/3590.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 9-15 Amy McDermott is all smiles as she waves from her #3590 WINTER'S WAIT. She, her husband, twin children Michael and Josie, and a couple of friends participated in the 2013 Mariner Rendezvous, and Steve Hock snapped this photo of them as they approached the Mystic River highway bridge. They have just left the Seaport, and historic houses of shipbuilders and captains from the 19th century can be seen in the background lining the shores. Mariner #20, Lorelei, can be seen over WINTER'S WAIT’s starboard quarter – she is one of the oldest known centerboard Mariners currently sailing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144317685-FX9GIMFYREAKIR9UP7CK/2781.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 16-22 #2781 O’MITZVAH! is owned by Chris O’Brien and hails from the Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey, where she is raced every week during the summer. However, Chris made a special trip to Mystic for the 2013 Rendezvous along with three other pals, although he sailed solo for the return trip. Chris’s outboard is one of the newish Lehr models, powered by propane – you can see the green top of his propane tank beneath the tiller. In the background, the 1841 whaler Charles W. Morgan is still being restored in preparation for her 38th voyage which took place last year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144276969-RUF0VDOLLTR5FMTUY361/1922.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 23-Mar. 1 This picture was taken by Steve Hock at the 2009 Mariner National Championships which took place in Riverton, New Jersey. That's me at the helm of #1922 ORION with my father as crew. While I had raced Flying Juniors in my youth, it had been a long time since I was on the racing circuit, and ORION had never been raced competitively before. She received a number of light-hearted "jabs" for being the only Mariner there with a bow pulpit, mid-boom sheeting, and other characteristics indicative of a cruising boat. Nevertheless, we managed to place a respectable 12th out of 22 boats. Not bad! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223935459-UYYYQPX9DQQ3IUACW1U2/16.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 2-8 Paul Sheppard is the owner of #16 CHANCE, the oldest known centerboard Mariner still afloat. Not many centerboard Mariners were produced in the first year of production in 1963, but Paul happened to get his hands on this one and did a fantastic job restoring her. He is the Fleet Captain of the Lake Champlain Mariner Fleet, and he is planning a fleet-level Rendezvous in the middle of July with an open invitation to any Mariner owner who wishes to join in. This picture was taken last year and shows Chance aground at the shale bar on Woods Island, Vermont. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144301162-WGLFCUK40ECTYY2C51P3/2024.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 9-15 Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) is shown here rowing skipper Dan Meaney back to his boat, #2024 CLEW SEA NUF. This took place during the 2012 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport when a group of seven Mariner sailors anchored their boats by the Seaport for one night and rowed ashore to check out the famous WoodenBoat Show before sailing the next day to West Harbor, Fisher's Island. It is an event that will hopefully be repeated this year at the end of June. I personally like Dan's hatch holder - a water bottle taped in position! (He has since installed something a little more reliable.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144307676-AQ5ZAALCGLN88HB57FMP/2186.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 16-22 Whenever skipper Bill Collins would set his genoa during the rendezvous from Niantic to Mystic in 2012 and 2014 (this picture was taken in 2012), he and his boat - #2186 GYPSY ROSE would be pretty hard to beat. His mainsail originally belonged to another boat, hence the different sail number. His daughter, Julianna, accompanied him on both trips and is a fairly constant companion on his other excursions. Bill recently sold GYPSY ROSE, but her new owners are enthusiastic and are looking forward to being her new masters; her new homeport will be Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144323735-P7DCCI8AKJPV8RLGDCKA/3043.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 23-29 Here is #3043 boiling along in blustery winds with three crewmembers onboard. She just sailed by a bell buoy as she approaches a lighthouse in some unknown location. This picture is from the 1977 O'Day Sailboats catalog which touts the Mariner as possessing "Day sailer convenience in a comfortable weekend cruiser." By the time this advertisement went to print, over 3,200 Mariners had been built, and another 500 more would come off the assembly lines before O'Day stopped manufacturing the Mariner in 1979. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144332835-D7R3OQET3F8NF9U75NYF/paulamae.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 30-Apr. 5 Stuart Marine has been manufacturing the Mariner since 1983, and although the output is nowhere near the quantity of O’Day Mariners, the quality is just as exceptional. PEARLY MAE is a 1989 Stuart Mariner and was recently re-sold to a new owner after a number of years in Union, Maine (where the picture was taken). She is loaded with goodies including a Coast Guard “safety package” made available through the manufacturer with items such as anchor and rode, life vests, paddle, pail, sponge, flare kit and horn. What a great-looking boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144270724-2W4FJFX0R6K180HM1IS0/933.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 6-12 Paul Puckett, of Denver, Colorado, recently completed a major renovation of #933 CLASS OF '64. He sent me a great e-mail that tells it all: "Here she is, completely restored and sailing at Lake Havasu [Arizona] a couple weeks ago. It took 2 1/2 years, but my expectations were more than met. She sails like a charm. I'm ordering a furler next week and will add grab rails and maybe a new rudder. If it weren't for the Mariner Class Association and all the encouragement I received from its members, I doubt I would have completed the project." Congratulations and well done, Paul! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144301132-QEEEAD1YPBMV4CJ0JLBI/2154.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 13-19 At first glance, you might suppose this is a brand new Mariner with everything looking so neat, trim, clean, and freshly painted. Actually, #2154 TUSSLE was built in 1971, and she is owned by Stuart Watson who made a number of cosmetic and practical improvements. Stuart attended the 2013 Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport and enjoyed it so much he participated with TUSSLE in last year’s event. Eric Lesniak took this great photo as they made their way down the Mystic River on Sunday morning heading back to the launch ramp. The motor is pretty appropriate, wouldn’t you say? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144325060-UUJUVVD45BSUUB1RPF9J/3507.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 20-26 #3507 was one of the last to be built by the O'Day Sailboats Corporation before they stopped producing the Mariner in 1979 after 3,771 hulls. This picture is actually from the "O'Day Daysailers" advertisement I have in my collection. #3507, with her crew of two, is sailing along a rocky coastline during a late afternoon sail. The setting sun is illuminating the white sails, making her stand out. One of O'Day's biggest mistakes was dropping the Mariner and other small craft in favor of the larger, more expensive models; they would shut their factory doors for good in 1991. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144273084-96FPV0XLOYR7RUS502QN/1574.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 27-May 3 I just love how James Hollister’s #1574 LIVELY is painted. The brown rubrail and sliding hatch and tan toerail all help to make the boat look like she’s wooden; the greenish portlight frames make it seem as though they could be bronze portlights with a heavy layer of patina after years of sailing in salt water. James and his son Nate, who brought LIVELY all the way from Maine, are guiding her through the Mystic River Railroad Bridge on the way back from a successful Mariner Rendezvous last year at the Seaport, and they have their kayak in tow. Photographer: Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144281750-3LTI9IPC130ZZUUBSWI6/2011Nationals.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - May 4-17 Three Mariners are battling it out as they head for the leeward gate at the 2011 National Championships at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. Dixon and Angie Pearce are in the lead in #707 KETCHUP, while Tom Boyer and Bill Clopp in #4059 GRUMPY GEEZERS (isn’t that a great name?) seem to have the edge on Newt and Greg Wattis in #2604 MY LIGHTNING. When the weekend was over, KETCHUP had come in an impressive third overall while GRUMPY GEEZERS and MY LIGHTNING came in fifth and sixth respectively. It was a great weekend for racing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144304065-O2OC9IAZ6JNZ7WRYRTEH/2170.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - May 18-24 Owen Reiche has been a crewmember onboard #2170 MAGGIE for a few years now. His first official rendezvous was back in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the building of the O’Day Mariner which took place at Mystic Seaport, although his mother was nine months pregnant with him at the time. He attended last year’s event (where this picture was taken) and plans on attending the Mystic trip again this year. Here he is, poking his head out of the forward hatch of MAGGIE while his mother, Erin, holds him. Erin and father Tim sure know how to start ‘em young! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144338333-V6IIQJ0WNJ5UE361TVWZ/riverton.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - May 24-31 Chris O'Brien makes the weather mark first in #2781 O'MITZVAH! with Frank Pelosi in #3599 close by his starboard quarter as Mariners at Riverton Yacht Club race on Wednesday, May 13th. Two-time Nationals champion Dan Walsh (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) is not far behind with Harry Mayer (#664 MARE) at the rear. This action shot and many more were taken by Byron Campbell, resident photographer at Riverton. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144310371-PF5CQNNFYMMP0SNI777E/2537.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 1-7 Bill D'Autrechy maneuvers into position in light airs just before one of the races at the 2009 Mariner Nationals at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey. Although the event happened in early September, the morning air was cool enough to warrant jackets and long pants before the sun finally warmed everything up. Bill has been racing for many years and is a veteran of many National Championships. He has also been Treasurer of the Mariner Class Association since 2009. As he frequently sails with his son, he affectionately named his boat GENERATION GAP. Thanks to Steve Hock for the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144334180-32NWAVE2XN7V1HG3KHLE/kettelhack.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 8-14 This beautiful pen and ink print is by Alice Kettelhack (1917-2003), a prominent artist based in Narrasketuck, Long Island. Entitled “Sailing the Mariner,” it was most likely drawn in 1972 and depicts a sailboat race with an older-style O’Day Mariner featured in the foreground and a mixed group of other sailboats in the background. It was at Narrasketuck where the Mariner Class Association was founded in 1966, and Ms. Kettelhack most likely witnessed many races with Mariners on Great South Bay. This print was recently found all the way in Chicago! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144338454-S2SABPE2U5KQW9JYTMSM/westonpainting.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 15-21 Rich Weston recently sold his #2290 SWEET CAROLINE, but he still loves the Mariner and has this painting hanging in his office. He writes, "This was given to me by me late mother as a gift for a promotion at work. She got it in Lewes, Delaware, and I also believe that is where they are sailing in the painting as well. The funny thing is that she just thought it was a nice picture of a sailboat and had absolutely no clue that it was a Mariner, the same boat I had recently purchased. As a matter of fact, I didn't even realize it was a Mariner until a year later when I looked at it closely and saw the Mariner logo on the sail. What are the odds?" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144281168-3H7GT2DF2RP5IAXVYSCT/2014.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 22-28 Matt Schiemer is a veteran of the hardcore Texas 200 event (220 miles in six days) with his Mariner, #2014 ODISEA. One of the improvements he made to combat 14 hours-per-day of hot, Texas sun burning him to a crisp was the addition of a bimini, something rarely found on a boat the size of a Mariner. He cut 18 inches off the foot of the mainsail, almost five inches off the boom, and reset some cheek blocks. He purchased the bimini from TaylorMade and sewed curtains for the sides. Matt writes, "I am very, very happy with this.... It makes a massive difference." Nice job, Matt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144287385-3ZVZX8TI4Y8ZMWLO02LM/2015rendezvous1.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 29-July 5 Mariners begin to gather once again at the state launch ramp in Waterford, Connecticut to participate in the Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport and the WoodenBoat Show. Nine boats ended up taking part, although only eight made the initial trip from the Niantic River to the Seaport. Although Friday's sail was somewhat disappointing, Sunday's sail home was a real treat with winds slightly abaft the starboard beam for most of the trip. The Show itself was fantastic with a lot of "eye candy" for wooden boat enthusiasts. More pictures and a write-up will be coming soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144291408-AXEOJ9ZXYH3C5VPPF21T/2015rendezvous2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - July 6-12 Mariner owner Alan Hlavenka sails his boat out of Narrasketuck Yacht Club, but he is also a professional photographer. He just happened to be in the Niantic neighborhood when the group of Mariners were getting ready to depart to Mystic Seaport, so he stopped by the launch ramp. He said to me, "I'll try to be there at the Seaport when you guys come!" Sure enough, as the line of Mariners made their way through the Mystic highway bridge and up the channel, there was Alan at the Seaport snapping away with his telephoto lens. Here I am motoring on my way to the anchorage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144941758-VTDJR2RXVZFLPFWKMPBU/Picture+194.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - July 13-19 Dan Meaney, owner of #2024 CLEW SEA NUF, is in the middle of raising the sails while his daughter, Madeline is at the helm. This picture was taken on the last day of the Mystic Rendezvous a couple weekends ago, and they are at the mouth of the Mystic River about to round the point at Noank and head back to Niantic. Dan has attended almost every annual Southeastern Connecticut Fleet Rendezvous organized since 2009. Last year, he attended with his wife and three kids in, as he put it, a "Mariner full of Meaneys"! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472222986768-0HV8DPAV8BIZRXJMD768/16.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - July 20-26 A few years ago, when I was President of the Mariner Class Association, Paul Sheppard approached me about starting a Fleet on Lake Champlain, Vermont. He now has seven members in his fleet, and after the success of several rendezvous in Connecticut, he wanted to do the same for Mariner sailors at the Lake. This picture of Paul, his wife, and his boat, #16 CHANCE – the oldest-known centerboard Mariner still around – was taken just yesterday by Bill Eggers who attended Paul’s first official (and highly successful rendezvous) this past weekend. Congratulations, and keep it up! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223088062-LSE5180EPHRF84473C6H/2170-2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - July 27-Aug. 9 Steve Hock, former Mariner owner and professional photographer, went sailing last week on the Chesapeake in his own Catalina 22 along with Tim Reiche in his O'Day Mariner #2170 MAGGIE. It was a five-day excursion, and Steve writes, "Tim says unofficially we covered 85 miles from noon Monday till about noon Friday. Two days of high heat and humidity with motoring and the rest pleasant with nice and even strong winds at times.Yes, we suffered some till the sun went down." This picture is of Tim passing Thomas Point Light, four miles south of Annapolis, on the way to their first anchorage in Selby Bay off South River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223153442-DI3UAMSF3STIY1M8M1LV/chesapeake1.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 10-16 Association President Russ Schuss is sailing #272 SIMPATICO in this shot taken by Eric Lesniak during last week's Mariner Class Rendezvous in the Chesapeake. Russ writes, "The Chesapeake Bay Mariner Rendezvous was a success, as much as I could tell. There were 9 Mariners and 13 people. Unfortunately some folks had to drop out. The day of launch was not the best, due to no wind. We motored to St. Michaels and there was one tow. The second and third days were good sailing days. There was a Pizza Party Sunday under the Hooper Light House, and a dinner Monday with awards at the Crab Claw Restaurant." Congratulations, Russ! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223182377-XCDPQXOBW38FO3HRNRQV/2862.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 17-23 Is the mast straight? Is the halyard wrapped up again? Ed Wise in #2862 CHRISTINA T looks aloft while at anchor during a recent cruise. Ed has participated in many races and cruises and recently attended the 2015 Mariner Class Association Rendezvous in the Chesapeake. He even received the “oldest sailor” award at the Rendezvous! Unfortunately, health issues have forced him to recently cancel his participation in the upcoming Nationals at Brant Beach next week, but he is home from the hospital and is on the mend. Thanks to Steve Hock for another great photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223198110-RZ1RQLJNCYZPI7GG6DMS/436.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 24- Sept. 6 I received a very nice e-mail this past week from Maasson Connor who writes, "I am a fan of your website, it has given me much inspiration! I purchased a Mariner a few years ago, #436. You have a picture of her in your 2011 archive. Attached is a new photo of her beached on Garret Island in the Susquehanna River. She is still lovely as ever and her new name is LE COUCH. I spent seven days on her, only stepping off to get provisions and to explore the upper Chesapeake. Thank you for the help and guidance you have provided through your website!" You're welcome, Maasson! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223263339-ZHCNM1XRMEN9N8NJBDC6/2015nationals.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 7-13 A couple weeks ago, the Mariner National Championships were held at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. 19 boats participated in a great regatta with high winds and clean racing with no protests. The boat in the foreground, #4052, was skippered by Rob Seidelmann who happened to come in first at his very first Nationals! The boat is a rare Spindrift Mariner produced by Rebel Industries in the short time in the early 1980s between the O'Day Sailboats Corporation and Stuart Marine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144265721-0Z9PNGAWBHAB3422RT9W/417.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 14-Oct. 4 Here is a great-looking bimini constructed by Charles Tosswill for sailing in his #417 old-style Mariner PEGGY SUE in his home waters of Ontario, Canada. He writes that after cutting down the height of the aluminum tubing and slightly reducing the size of the bimini, "I did not modify the mainsail, or boom. I use the topping lift to keep the boom clear of the bimini while at rest and while sailing. The sail shape does not seem to be affected by this while underway. When not in use, the bimini folds aft and just brushes the backstay. I've been very pleased with it. I'm 6'3" and have good head clearance, also good clearance from boom to bimini as shown."   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144296349-1P6DHRT0AGMN4R9ISOB2/2015rendezvous3.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 5-Nov. 8 It has been far too long since this site was updated, but I offer this picture taken during the 2015 Mystic Rendezvous. Steve Creighton (#629) is resting at anchor under the shade of his polytarp awning while Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW SEA NUF) and daughter Madeline are in the background setting up a cockpit cover of their own. Nine Mariners took part in the Mystic trip that weekend in late June, and a good time was had by all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223307965-H3SQ666TYRT8XPIJO0P9/2170-3.JPG 2015 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 9-15 After nearly a month of inactivity due to various other obligations, this site is back in action and will be updated more frequently! Steve Hock sent me this picture of Tim Reiche sailing #2170 MAGGIE during the summer. Steve writes that the shot was taken "south of Annapolis, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay on a very hot, 92 degree day. This was the first leg of an 85-mile, five day trip from Sandy Point, MD to South River, St. Michaels, Kent Narrows, and Chester River. The intense heat and humidity that day made an afternoon swim a necessity." MAGGIE is still in the water, but like ORION, her sailing days for this season are numbered. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144260676-AK94OJ3XK9MAQN6BTRWE/272.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 16-22 Mariner Class Association President Russ Schuss and his wife Elsie are pictured here motoring up the Mystic River during the 2014 Rendezvous. They race and cruise in their boat, #272 SIMPATICO, and this was the second Rendezvous they attended following the big bash of 2013. The big brick building in the background is an old factory dating back to the late-1800s and is located on the west side of the river where most industrial activity took place (shipbuilding primarily took place on the east side of the River). It is a beautiful destination that sailors never tire of visiting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144314797-VB6I9I7LT4DZ4I2UFIMJ/2714-2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 23-29 In May of 2012, photographer Steve Hock joined me in ORION, and Chris Albert sailed his #2714 DOG DAZE during a three-day trip from Niantic, Connecticut to Shelter Island and Greenport, New York. We sailed to Coecles Harbor and stayed in the anchorage overnight before sailing around the Island the following day headed to Greenport. This picture was taken shortly after dawn as we sailed in light winds and fog from Coecles Harbor and passed by Sag Harbor. Since then, Chris has done some major improvements to #2714 and has renamed her FLOTSAM. What a great trip that was! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223331113-R02VF43DEROKT1QHD88C/lesniakphoto.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 30-Dec. 6 A trio of Mariners make their way to Mystic for this year’s rendezvous. Nine Mariners participated in this annual event, including Tim, Erin and Owen Reiche (#2170 MAGGIE, right) and Peter Neils (#955, MINNOW, center). Since we anchored out, we needed some kind of transportation to get to shore, so we all towed various dinghies and kayaks. The trip there had flukey winds, and although I’m the only one with my sails up, I took them down soon after this shot by Eric Lesniak (#3485 SHOAL MATE) was taken and started the motor so we could get to Mystic in a timely fashion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144296400-S2YC8TCW276MC55YR0BL/2015rendezvous4.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 7-13 Jennifer O'Connor begins to put up the awning on her #1338 HOT FLASHES as Steve Creighton finishes his cover on #629. The covers on all the boats ranged from the simple and inexpensive to the complex and pricey! Both have just put their hooks down in the anchorage above Mystic Seaport as part of the 2015 Mystic Rendezvous. The first overnight was beautiful, but severe weather forecasted for the following night prompted both Jenn and Steve (as well as a few others) to leave a day early. Although the rest of us were able to ride it out, it's always a smart move to know your limits and not tempt fate. Thanks to Alan Hlavenka for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144306307-FRQY34R469ATKBIWOO67/2154-2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 14-20 Professional photographer Stuart Watson lines up a shot off the stern of his #2154 TUSSLE as he makes his way up the Mystic River during the 2014 Mariner Rendezvous. Stuart came by car to participate in the 2013 Rendezvous and was so impressed he made sure to go the following year with his boat. He has extensively restored TUSSLE, a mid-style Mariner from 1971, adding new portlights, a roller-furling jib, cabin-top handrails, and a beautiful paint-job that makes the boat look even better than new. He took hundreds of photos in 2013 and 2014, many of which are available at the Mariner Class Association's website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223361192-OCNZZSV2Z008IUGYOBEH/2015nationals2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 21-27 Skipper Chris O'Brien and crew Robert O'Brien keep an eye on their closest competitor astern as they round the windward mark in #2781 O'MITZVAH! and head toward the leeward gate during the 2015 Mariner Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club. Joyce Bartlett and crew Chris Scales are ahead in #2217, while #2537, skippered by Bill D'Autrechy and crewed by son John, are approaching on the right. At the end of the regatta, these boats would end up placing right next to each other in the Championship division; #2217 coming in 11th, #2537 taking 12th place, and #2781 taking 13th. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223378174-718JBIN0QOXVLPGRMSWP/1922-2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 28-Jan. 3 And so, I continue the tradition of the last "Picture of the Week" of the year dedicated to my own #1922 ORION. This shot was taken during the last sail we had for the season in the beginning of November. The sunlight against the mainsail really made it stand out against the dark blue sky above, and I couldn't help but snap a photo. ORION is now safely tucked away for the winter, and I am already dreaming of new adventures in 2016. On that note, I wish everyone happy holidays and good sailing with fair winds for next year. And keep those pictures coming! https://www.mariner1922.com/2013-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230560357-K3YRYFGR40G73VFI6FMF/996.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 7-13 Here is a great shot to start off this column in 2013. Dick Stokes, a semi-retired school counselor, owns two Mariners and keeps them at opposite ends of the country, one in Oregon and the other in Massachusetts. In this picture, Dick's mother, who just turned 85 years old yesterday, is at the helm of #996 sailing out of Oregon. It was a great sail, one where they saw a bald eagle "who decided that we looked like poachers eyeing its fresh salmon brunch." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230560357-K3YRYFGR40G73VFI6FMF/996.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 7-13 Here is a great shot to start off this column in 2013. Dick Stokes, a semi-retired school counselor, owns two Mariners and keeps them at opposite ends of the country, one in Oregon and the other in Massachusetts. In this picture, Dick's mother, who just turned 85 years old yesterday, is at the helm of #996 sailing out of Oregon. It was a great sail, one where they saw a bald eagle "who decided that we looked like poachers eyeing its fresh salmon brunch." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230591341-D884FHZTLXAYHXYLQ163/2010rendezvous.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 14-20 With all this talk going on about an O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous going on at the Mariner Class Association, I thought I would post this picture from a rendezvous to New London, Connecticut back in 2010. Although it was rainy and there were only three boats in attendance, we had a great time. We half-sailed, half-motored our way to New London, explored a nearby tall ship berthed for the weekend, and had a pleasant sail back. Here we are tied up at the floating docks near the train station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230650494-YN6V1LFY71LM8SJ3H3GL/2008nationals.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 21-27 This picture is from the 2008 Mariner National Championship Regatta at Surf City, New Jersey. It was a pretty competitive event as only three points separated the three top finishers in the President's division! Newt Wattis (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) took first prize in the Championship division, his fourth trophy. It should be noted that four of the top 10 boats were the old-style Mariner, indicating that the Mariner has maintained its one-design philosophy to make any Mariner from 1963 to the present equally competitive boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230689805-7W6G9KETYBL21D5H8K94/2186.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 28-Feb. 3 The owner of #2186 GYPSY ROSE, Bill Collins, was thrilled to attend the 2012 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Unfortunately, his aging outboard motor started acting up as soon as the event was underway, and he needed to be towed through the Niantic bridges and all the way up the Mystic River. Once he arrived in Mystic, he went to a local marine supply store and bought a brand new motor, ending his woes once and for all! This picture shows him motoring back down the Mystic River with his new outboard running flawlessly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230727161-HVK05X9Y8EPZ4H15D2ND/3237.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 4-10 Taken back in June of 2009, this shot shows Dave and Leslie Stapleford racing #3237 GREYHOUND on the eastern shore of Maryland. Only a few moments after this picture was taken, GREYHOUND was rammed by a larger sailboat in a misunderstanding of one of the rules of racing (the other boat was at fault). The incident took GREYHOUND out of commission after losing four feet of her starboard side, although the Staplefords were able to get her back in the water after a few weeks of repair work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230779617-R6L273L8JPSWA0Q1FW8I/stuartmarine.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 11-17 Stuart Marine has a number of projects in the shop this winter, including this 1969 Mariner. While Dave Whittier does have new Mariner orders, most of his business relies on refurbishing old boats and supplying parts. Notice the row of winterized outboard motors in the loft and the newer Stuart Mariner on the floor in the background. Dave intends to be a guest speaker at the upcoming O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut on Saturday, August 10th. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230808351-G8284PYDPEP744TD796G/2011rendezvous.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 18-24 Three Mariners are making their way down the Mystic River having participated in the 2011 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. That weekend, the Seaport hosted the WoodenBoat Show as they have for many years, and they plan to do so again this June. In the foreground is Tim and Erin Reiche in #2170 MAGGIE. Tim is doffing his cap to the Mystic bridgemaster (out of sight) who just opened the highway bridge to allow us through. Photographer: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230834722-3GC0DGSOWRU1T1WX025B/125.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 25-Mar. 3 Although the picture itself is a bit wrinkled, it is a fantastic shot of Mariner #125 shooting through the water. Built in 1964, this boat sports the classic features only found in the early style Mariners: small rear deck, open cuddy cabin, and dark blue stripe around the cabin and coamings to match the hull. This picture is from the 1964 O'Day Sailboats catalog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230878164-DUAECK1X2HMA3U9BYMX0/ballou.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 4-10 Richard Ballou, of New Hampshire, owns DREAM COME TRUE, and this picture was taken by Richard's wife from the north end of Three Mile Island. Richard writes, "Three Mile Island is a camp where campers stay in little cabins around the shore in much the same manner as they have for over 100 years. The camp runs for nine weeks each summer, and a whole new group of campers arrive each week. We attended, as we had for years, week nine. Actually, my wife and I met at Three Mile Island!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230909596-EC63KD4C1LA5P0W7F24A/4178.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 11-17 Here is a great shot of Stuart Mariner #4178 ROSALIE headed to Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts. Owner Edward Childs of Aquinnah writes, "We (my wife Elizabeth and I) were mostly becalmed, as one can see by the picture. We turned on the outboard to get into some wind and eventually made it to Cuttyhunk, about seven nautical miles from Menemsha Pond, where ROSALIE is moored." Picture credit: Mel Snyder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230964700-ZQQDC2QZQH7AO82GC4FS/3048.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 18-24 The fantastic pictures taken by Oly Shooter just keep on coming! Oly, owner of #1071 Sweet Kate, went sailing last fall with fellow Mariner owner Bob Chandler who sailed his own #3048 Sway on Percy Priest Lake, Tennessee. Bob writes, "We sailed two October days back to back. Both boats pulled up their centerboards and explored islands on the lake. Oly happened to be taking photos, and caught us in action on our return to the dock. Two perfect days!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230993298-2PUP4V5FUSOSRDOL2QRL/3306.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 25-31 Barry Waldman, owner of #3306 QUIXOTIC, sent me this picture shortly before he died of cancer in 2010. Even though he only owned his Mariner for a short time, he thoroughly enjoyed sailing and was very enthusiastic. This great shot was taken on Canyon Lake, Texas, a reservoir completed in 1964 and a center for recreational boating. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231022087-7QHC04HGV2JA6IY0SNMF/996-2.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 1-7 Here is another nice shot from multiple O'Day boat owner Dick Stokes! Besides owning Mariner #996 (pictured) on the west coast and #3684 on the east coast, he also owns an O'Day Daysailer, seen on the right side of the picture under the green cover. Dick writes, "I've sailed more in the last three and a half months than I have almost any previous year. Wet moorage ten minutes from home is such a gift!" Dick keeps his west coast boats at Willamette Sailing Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231050393-X33YTHIGOPZ99RHXT5RQ/4000.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 8-14 When the O'Day Corporation decided to end production of the Mariner in 1979 after a remarkable 3,771 boats, Rebel Industries' Spindrift One Designs bought the molds and continued production for only a few years before selling the molds to Stuart Marine in 1983. This Spindrift Mariner shown here is hull number 4000, the very first one made by the company in 1980. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231076162-5R0GS0ZQX91HDIVXZ6F6/3507.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 15-21 Like last week, this "Picture of the Week" comes from an old advertisement - this one from the 1978 O'Day Daysailers brochure featuring Mariner #3507. Still attached to the mooring, perhaps this couple has just set the sails and are preparing to start the outboard to get to windier waters. Or maybe they just returned from a pleasant afternoon and are about to take the sails down and button up their trusty Mariner, already looking forward to the next outing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231122893-YFYZ0BWX05BR1Z07I0YZ/2115.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 22-28 The third installment of "Picture of the Week" pictures from past advertisements comes from a 1971 ad featuring Mariner #2115 MUSICALE. A closer look at this picture reveals interesting sail-handling arrangements; besides the genoa sheet led through a track block and then up to a snubbing winch on a bracket and cam, there seems to be a second fairlead and cam mounted on the coaming another foot aft. One wonders how this sailing trip with a party of six has actually been going since no one seems to be smiling! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231162499-38TLQEGOWF8R84F2EOZB/2012rendezvous.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 29-May 5 Here are three mid-style Mariners at anchor during the 2012 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Of the seven participating boats, five were the mid-style, built during the short period from 1969-1971. Bill Collins (left) has just finished covering the main and putting the jib in its bag onboard #2186 GYPSY ROSE, Tim Reiche (middle) has hoisted a small anchor light on the headstay using the jib halyard onboard #2170 MAGGIE, and I have done the same onboard #1922 ORION (right) as well as put up the awning for the night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231227949-Z17F16BG57HDAI5QP4Z3/1922.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - May 6-19 Back in 2009, I sailed with my wife to Mystic Seaport and anchored overnight before heading back the next morning. Here, we have finished packing away our things and have come up to a nearby floating dock to hit the Seaport heads one last time before leaving. The Seaport strongly encourages visitors to come by boat and specializes in catering to transients. It is wonderful to stay overnight in a protected anchorage in such incredible surroundings. Notice the beautiful L. Francis Herreshoff-designed ketch ARAMINTA in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231308438-WR5TPAKVFBA71TOEIVSJ/2006nationals.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - May 20-26 After taking a week off, here is a new picture for this column taken back in 2006 during the Mariner Nationals at Narrasketuck Yacht Club. Winds started pretty light for that regatta but eventually picked up to become quite breezy. In this shot, Paul Coward in #584 is in the lead and is trying for his fourth Nationals victory, although skipper Newt Wattis in #2604 (not shown) would end up winning this race to claim his third trophy. Paul went on to win the following year's regatta at Brant Beach. Picture credit: Frank Koscheka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231338093-BEBIDLZKZYMI76BUQJAK/580.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - May 27-June 2 While David and Maureen Anderson currently own #2540 MOONRACER, Maureen's father bought #580 SEA BARB brand new back in 1966. Her family sailed and raced SEA BARB for about four years, and this picture was taken during the "inaugural cruise in the summer of 1966 from Marblehead to George's Island in Boston Harbor. My dad and brothers anchored near the Mystic River bridge and slept on the boat. This boat was my dad's pride and joy!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231425498-JQCQSM69JXRWPDRZ95BW/2714.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - June 3-9 In May of last year, Chris Albert in #2714 DOG DAZE joined me and photographer Steve Hock in Orion on a three-day trip to Shelter Island, New York. On the second day of our trip, we sailed past Cedar Island Lighthouse which has been standing guard over the entrance to Sag Harbor since 1839. Gutted by a fire in 1974 and abandoned, a movement is afoot to raise funds to have it restored. In the meantime, Chris has made many updates to his boat, including brand new sails, new hull gelcoat, and even a name change to Flotsam. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231588300-TFZE8ZVZSEKOO0YVH05C/1513.JPG 2013 Pictures of the Week - June 10-16 Charles "Bird" Fleming, of Atlanta, Georgia, has many old boats he has been restoring as part of "Bird's Boat Yard". The latest addition to the fleet is Mariner #1513 LITTLE GREEN BOAT, shown here following its first launch since being restored. The scenery looks more like the coast of Maine than Georgia! Charles prepared LITTLE GREEN BOAT for the Rudder Club Mug Race in Jacksonville, Florida this past May, a 30+ mile warm-up for the Florida 120 about a week later. Out of 71 participating boats, Charles came in 36th - not bad! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231651476-1758RRNZB9NEZEUXQDTG/2862.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - June 17-30 Photographer Steve Hock snapped this great portrait of Ed Wise and his boat #2862 CHRISTINA T anchored at Reed Creek, Maryland last summer. He sure looks like a proud skipper! CHRISTINA T is both a racing and cruising veteran, as Ed once participated in numerous regattas before switching over to becoming a cruiser. Both Steve (#3627 WHITECAP) and Ed have gone on several extended cruises together, and there is talk of perhaps another multi-day excursion in the southern Chesapeake Bay sometime this summer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231704679-1NI4U7NGHJ3SXVK3BYLL/essex.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - July 1-7 his past weekend, I sailed from Niantic to Essex with a friend and fellow Mariner owner and stayed overnight on a mooring at the Brewer Dauntless Marina. It was a great sail with perfect winds and good weather despite numerous forecasts that ended up being completely inaccurate (big surprise). After riding the launch to the marina and saying goodbye to my friend, I explored the familiar town on my own before taking the launch back to ORION. Once there, I was treated to this beautiful sunset at the end of the day. A great trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231758016-W99LS5EQVNXP53Z8M4AQ/2014.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - July 8-14 Matt Schiemer, owner of #2014 ODISEA, recently participated with his Mariner in the "Texas 200" event, a week-long, 200-mile cruise from Port Isobel to Magnolia Beach. Matt writes: "We were on the last leg, which was a real beauty. It was about the last ten miles and it was dead downwind to the finish line, wing-and-wing. We had been doing some laundry earlier in the day (things were getting a little funky on board as you can imagine), and we decided to hang some of it to dry on the boom and whisker pole." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231798221-I98IL35QDCPODFGPAF4Q/essex2.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - July 15-Aug. 18 Here is another picture from the Essex trip I took a couple weekends ago. Notice the chunky-hulled sailboats in the background with straight sheers and high freeboards. Quite a difference when compared to the eye-catching, beautiful design of the great Philip Rhodes. They just don't make them like the Mariner anymore, do they? (Well, actually, yes they do.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231847384-GQ9KO2OZYWCMV7A3PM55/2280.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 19-25 Finally! After a month-long haitus from working on this website, I'm getting back into the swing of things with a fantastic picture taken by Steve Hock during last week's O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. It was a phenomenal event with 18 participating Mariners and a turn-out of 60 people. This shot is of Bill Eggers and #2280 JULIE B as he and his two daughters, Jillian and Bridget, sail home from Mystic on Sunday afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231886328-B811UAJZEYXS780WZXNS/cooper.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 26-Sept. 1 Matt Cooper, of Grand Haven, Michigan, grew up sailing Mariner #456 as a teenager. After college, though, as Matt writes, "Life transitioned. Marriage, career, mortgage, a child, graduate school, graduate school again, etc. etc... fill in the blank. And then we were boatless." A few years later, Matt started "dreaming about the perfect next boat for our little family. A Mariner was the obvious choice." He purchased a 1974 2+2 (pictured above), and this photo is him with his wife's family on Burt Lake, northern Michigan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231915287-1KF1WJV5GP74N87R66T8/2013rendezvoustrio.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 2-8 Last month's Mystic Rendezvous had a gathering of 17 Mariners of all vintages, and this shot by Steve Hock shows three different boats waiting for the Mystic Railroad bridge to open as we were all headed back to Niantic. The boat on the left is Chris Albert's #2714 FLOTSAM, built in the mid-1970's; the middle boat is Dan Meaney's #2024 CLEW SEA NUF, built in 1970, and the boat on the right is the famous #20 LORELEI, owned by Bill Snyder. LORELEI was built in the very first few weeks of production and is the oldest known centerboard Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231978936-RX3D0FP1L5N7E0KEZPV0/mysticboats.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 9-15 Last month's O'Day Mariner Rendezvous at Mystic generated a lot of interest with the public who visited the Seaport. We were fortunate to have been placed at the floating docks that were not only right outside the Visitor's Center but right next to the Seaport's launch that ferried people from one end of the Seaport to the other. Visitors had to walk right by all the Mariners in order to get on the launch, and many people asked questions about the Mariner and the event itself. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232002051-WYOVK41HSJLNU4CV3CQJ/1417.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 16-22 A couple months ago, Lee Prim, of Mobile, Alabama, was on the hunt for a mid-style 2+2 Mariner. Despite the lack of Mariners in the Gulf Coast region, he found his dream boat on Craigslist 100 miles away: #1417 DULCINEA. Although he is "not that enthused" about the bow pulpit or high stern rail, he is very enthusiastic about owning a Mariner, and members of the Mariner Class Association have celebrated his purchase and offered advice and assistance. Here is DULCINEA ready for a beautiful afternoon sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232040234-3UHFN8XNU5733EPLJ9A3/2170.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 23-29 Here is another great shot from the camera of Steve Hock, this time featuring #2170 MAGGIE at the beginning of August with owner Tim Reiche at the helm on Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania. Tim and wife Erin trailered MAGGIE up to Niantic, Connecticut to take part in the O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Erin won the unofficial award of "Bravest Sailor" as the event was only two weeks before the due date of her first child! Son Owen was born on schedule - and thankfully not during the Rendezvous! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232087607-AIPU7OJHSYJETRBM7OBY/2862-2.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 30-Oct. 6 And the great pictures from Steve Hock just keep on coming! For five days in September, Steve (#3627 WHITECAP) and Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T, pictured here) made a 135-mile journey around Virginia's Lower Peninsula. Beginning at Jamestown and making calls at Pagan River, Hampton, Langley Air Force Base and Purtan Bay on the York River, they ended at West Point, Virginia. Contrary winds dogged the route and much motoring was required. Regardless, "hanging on the hook", the many bridge passages, and beautiful scenery made for a wonderful and memorable trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232120345-766W9ZOF6EOPVVWA24W3/1071.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 7-13 Percy Priest Lake, in Nashville, Tennessee, is where Oly Shooter and #1071 SWEET KATE call home. Although Oly has not sailed much this year "because 'life' has gotten in the way", he did manage to squeeze in a sail just a couple weeks ago and took this picture. He shot this photo with a "7mm fisheye lens which gives an interesting perspective to the photo. Notice the beautiful, clear water in Percy Priest Lake. We've had more rain than normal this year and the water is just lovely." Nice looking boat, too! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232151203-19I0MKWDP75UKZA0SF21/byron.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 14-20 Riverton Yacht Club hosted this year's National Championships a month ago, and the Mariner Fleet races there every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon. Photographer Byron Campbell snapped this great shot from the upriver dock during the Sunday series on September 8th. #1534 FROGGER (Dave Oldham) is in front, followed by #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE (Dan Walsh), then #1249 SILK PURSE (Dave Riley), and #664 MARE (Harry Mayer). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232207207-US0487W63WW49DNR9MAN/hoover.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 21-27 Brothers John and Howard Hoover participated in the 50th Anniversary Rendezvous this past August in #3501 SIRIUS. They weathered Friday's storm and arrived in high spirits for the event, and although both brothers are pretty tall individuals, they found sleeping overnight in the cabin to be fairly comfortable. Notice the cockpit awning they put up - it looks great! A month later, John took Sirius to the Riverton Yacht Club to compete in the Nationals, even sleeping onboard again during the weekend. Picture credit goes to Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232248355-XOJ8ZD47ARVQIGNUIAML/2026.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 28-Nov. 3 I always enjoy a great sunset shot taken from a boat, and this one by Rob Jones of Fork, Maryland certainly does not disappoint. Owner of #2026 NUNYET, he snapped this photo on a recent overnight excursion to Dundee Creek in the upper Chesapeake. Not that long ago, Rob restored his mid-style boat to truly like-new condition - just look at the reflections in the superbly varnished wood trim. A beautiful boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232275639-AZ08Q6BWUUPEK69JR9GL/hamptonpiers.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 4-10 Here is another fantastic shot taken by Steve Hock during his 135-mile adventure around Virginia's Lower Peninsula back in September. Steve sailed in his boat, #3627 WHITECAP (left) while fellow Mariner sailor Ed Wise accompanied him in #2862 CHRISTINA T. Steve writes that he took this shot of the two boats "docked in Carousel Cove at the Hampton, Virginia piers. That's the Hampton Air and Space Museum in the background. Great marina with nice facilities and central location. The whole area had great views all around." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232309475-3GSIG6LB8CKOCEVLGSWF/hock.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 11-17 A lot of pictures featured in this column are taken by Steve Hock, owner of #3627 WHITECAP, and this is a picture of him as we were sailing to Greenport, Long Island last summer. Many people do not know that Steve was a combat photographer for the Air Force, working for the 601st Photo Flight during the latter part of the Vietnam War. His stories are rather incredible, one of which is posted here. On this Veteran's Day, I salute you, Steve, and thank you for your service - as well as for all the great pictures you have contributed to this website! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232375315-XQ89CUG7PWMM1ARY0MEV/1417-2.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 18-24 Lee Prim took this great sunset shot of his Mariner, #1417 DULCINEA. Featured here in this column back in September, I could not resist another sunset picture, so here is DULCINEA anchored just off of the beach with a home-made cockpit awning up, ready for the evening. The previous owner must have been concerned about safety as #1417 sports a bow pulpit, a rather high stern pushpit, and sturdy handrails along the top of the cabin on both sides of the boat. Lee, from Mobile, Alabama, is excited about his "new" Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232410880-2X4AM30V4WQCSNY4BFBK/eniko.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 25-Dec. 1 During the Mystic Rendezvous in August, most sailors elected to sleep onboard their boats. This picture by Eniko DeMarco shows at least seven Mariners with different styles of cockpit covers, ranging from awnings to tent-style enclosures. Although Eniko and her husband were not able to take part in the event with their boat, she writes that it was "truly a highlight of our sailing careers. Good to be in the company of so many who share their love of the Mariner." How many Mariners do you count in this picture? I count twelve... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232445982-S30BJ4DQPANIY9VAVP7A/423.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 2-8 Bradley Utzka, of Jacksonville, Florida, bought #423 in January of 2012, although he "really had no idea what I was purchasing. I just wanted a winter backyard project. It was more work than I bargained for. Thanks to Don Casey's Sailboat Refinishing, the deck and hull came out very nice." He ended up naming his boat RESTORE ME - very appropriate after the many months of restoration which included all new interior woodwork, a custom companionway enclosure and electrical wiring. This photo is from his first sail on November 25th, 2012. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232481209-F24U9S28O7VGEIM4KIS6/272.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 9-15 Although #272 SIMPATICO is owned by Russ and Elsie Schuss of Pennsylvania, she is being skippered in this shot by a gentleman "trying out" the Mariner to see how it performs. He enjoyed it so much he ended up buying a Mariner of his own! SIMPATICO, built in the early part of 1965, took part in the Rendezvous event from August and was sailed expertly by her owners. Russ is the Lake Nockamixon Mariner Fleet Captain and has organized a few Fleet events and encouraged the growth of membership. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232516055-0I6BGCNYN2JUTM0MU5UG/percy.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 16-22 One of the aspects of the O'Day Mariner that makes it so versatile as a pocket cruiser is its 10" draft with the board up, allowing it to be safely beached. Robert Chandler of #3048 SWAY and Oly Shooter of #1071 SWEET KATE are taking advantage of that feature in this shot as they land near a campsite on Percy Priest Lake, Nashville, Tennessee. (SWEET KATE is sporting a hand-me-down racing mainsail from #584). Images of both boats were used extensively on memorabilia celebrating 50 years of the O'Day Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232563896-P80CT9YYD60GLYRPDQ6E/rendezvous.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 23-29 Besides promoting the Mariner and encouraging similar events, the Mariner Rendezvous back in August served a very important purpose: supplying me with lots of pictures to choose from for this column! Taken by Alice Hawrilenko from the Mystic River Highway Bridge, twelve Mariners are waiting for the bridge to open for the return trip on Sunday morning. The patches of wind you can see on the water eventually picked up to nearly 15 knots by the time we reached the starting point of Niantic Bay about four hours later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232589448-UXB8FR2J2Y3AI9DUCNFE/orionstern.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 29-Jan. 5 A tradition for the past few years, I end this year's column with a picture of ORION. This shot was taken by Eniko DeMarco at the August Rendezvous as ORION was tied up at the floating dock with all the other Mariners. I thought this was a pretty neat photo - be sure to check out all of her other pictures from the event here. So ends yet another year of "Pictures of the Week", and I wish all the viewers of this website - the regulars and the first-timers - the very best for 2014. https://www.mariner1922.com/2012-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472233282302-NZN0TBXVGZPVASPIR60E/pws3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 2-8 Here is a great picture to start this year off right. This is a late-style O'Day Mariner sitting on her mooring off Busby Island in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Named after William Busby who made the first mining claim in the Sound in 1893, the island sits at the entrance of Valdez Arm, a long corridor which leads to Port Valdez 24 miles to the northeast. This, of course, was the site of the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. Although the massive oil spill has left its mark permanently on the shoreline, it is nevertheless a beautiful and tranquil place to sail and explore today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472233282302-NZN0TBXVGZPVASPIR60E/pws3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 2-8 Here is a great picture to start this year off right. This is a late-style O'Day Mariner sitting on her mooring off Busby Island in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Named after William Busby who made the first mining claim in the Sound in 1893, the island sits at the entrance of Valdez Arm, a long corridor which leads to Port Valdez 24 miles to the northeast. This, of course, was the site of the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. Although the massive oil spill has left its mark permanently on the shoreline, it is nevertheless a beautiful and tranquil place to sail and explore today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234222929-7SWXTZQGDBJSE7PVPNKH/gilbert.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 9-15 For a number of years, illustrator Brian Gilbert has provided drawings for the Small Craft Advisor magazine each time they review a boat. This one appeared in edition #49 which reviewed the Mariner, and Brian has given me permission to post it here. The actual review boat, #4186, is a Stuart Mariner and was featured in this column mid-June of 2009. Brian is also an author, having published two books: Fix It And Sail and The Complete Trailer Sailor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234273287-L9MVQUH40003B5YO2DZP/1647.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 16-22 Jim Watson's #1647 NAUT-A-TOY has been featured in this column several times. This picture, as he writes, was taken on a mid-October weekend. "The weather was unseasonably warm, and the little sailboat seemed to be begging us to take her out to play one last time. As it was our last sail of the season, there were no thoughts for the little 'projects' that had not been completed this year. There would be enough time to plan for refinish and upgrades during the coming winter. Today was all about the sun and the wind and the little boat." Notice Jim's two kids on the V-berth below! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234317199-7FMXAN9Q704BHDWTGRL1/2862.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 23-29 Ed Wise has owned #2862 CHRISTINA T for many years now. Ed makes a number of trips with CHRISTINA T each year to places like Long Beach Island, New Jersey; Lake George, New York; Chincoteague Bay, Virginia; and even Long Island Sound in Connecticut when he joined the Connecticut Fleet's rendezvous last year to Mystic Seaport. "After a long day of sailing," Ed writes, "it feels great to set the hook and kick back, relax in the cockpit and take in the onset of a beautiful sunset." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234358427-Y4ORUU27CVEX7W0ZF9F3/2006nationals.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 30-Feb. 5 Taken during the 2006 Nationals at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, this shows #2376 BLON-DEE III and #738 GUMBY (using second-hand sails) moving along smartly in light winds. #2376 was bought new in 1972 by Art Leiz who still owns and actively races her today. In this regatta, however, BLON-DEE III was sailed by Art's two sons, Jim and Arthur Leiz, and they would go on to place second in the rankings. GUMBY, another active racer, is owned by Tom and Michelle Green who scored an impressive first-place finish in the President's Fleet the year before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234434103-UHOBOC1LS2PJHNWLNXIG/bandt.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 6-12 Ben Bandt owns a mid-style keel Mariner and is based in the Great Lakes region. This picture was taken during his first voyage with his boat and shows her tied up at a dock in the Huron Islands - notice the old railway at the bottom right extending into the water. Ben has been considering some serious offshore sailing in his Mariner, intending to make modifications and upgrades in order to sail from Lake Superior all the way to Newfoundland! He even considered changing the rig to a gaff-rigged cutter to experiment, although it is likely he will be staying with its current configuration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234458409-6H2XIWONWRS1T2K8LT6S/3468.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 13-19 Imagine sailing your Mariner in the summer almost every day, taking people out, sailing to various destinations in Wellfleet Harbor (Massachusetts) all day long, and getting paid to do so. That is exactly what Captain Gary Flomenhoft does with his #3468 SYNTROPICAL 2. Gary was an ocean lifeguard for 18 years before starting his sailing business which includes his Mariner. Since acquiring his Mariner in 2006, his business, Outer Cape Sailing, has flourished so much that he now offers charters in other boats to places like Buzzard's Bay, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234495481-HWQMI2JDRE5G77QCRJ6H/100.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 20-26 These great sailing days are coming again soon! This picture of Mariner #100 was taken by David Anderson who was sailing in his own Mariner, #2540 MOONRACER. A Maine resident, David writes, "We trailered our Mariner up to Sebago Lake for a day sail with the kids. We were headed south across the lake and spotted this Mariner. We told him he had the best [sail] number. He told us not to go too far as the wind dies around 2:00 pm. We took his advice, and, sure enough, it died just after lunch, which turned our boat into a swim platform." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234534801-VEB4FVGCIF7MC1TU1SD3/3054.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 27-Mar. 4 Here is a picture of #3054 beating through choppy seas as a powerboat blasts by in the background. Built in 1975, this particular Mariner sports a few unusual features such as a custom sheer stripe which curves downward at the bow as well as a loose-footed main. A closer inspection of the picture reveals that she is also set up for a genoa; white rollers on the shroud turnbuckles to prevent chafing from the genoa sheets are visible, and a genoa track with a turning block can be seen on the port coaming top with a small winch mounted just in front of it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234562118-0RDI0NBRXSGZ6ZKBP9P8/1685.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 5-11 Mariner #1685 LA MOUETTE was owned by a gentleman who kept her in Charlestown, Rhode Island. He set to work refurbishing her back in 2008. He installed brand new portlights, fixed some leaks in the hull, purchased new sails and refinished all the wood. LA MOUETTE is a true cruiser; she is fitted for a genoa as well as a storm jib, and a solar panel to recharge the battery can be seen mounted on the top of the mast. At the beginning of September 2008, however, she was put up for sale, and her whereabouts are now unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234606685-91KVX1RVKG6JGMDCN54P/735.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 12-18 Mariner Class Association member Marty McLean of Allentown, Pennsylvania is pictured here sailing his restored Mariner, #735 PROXIMUS at Lake Nockamixon State Park. Marty and family members are enjoying a sunny July sail demonstrating the Mariner's capability as a great family boat. Lake Nockamixon hosts a number of Mariner owners throughout the season; for a few years, a Mariner fleet was organized at the nearby Sail Club. While the sailing area is limited, it is still a beautiful area to explore. Thanks to Steve Hock for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234636992-GJQLN67529KT1ALVGVE7/1922.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 19-25 This handsome-looking boat is actually #1922 when she was still owned by Louise McCarthy. After I purchased #1922 from Louise in 2007, we kept in touch, and she later sent me this picture entitled "Lunch Break" she had taken in back in 2003. She wrote, "Two seasons ago, we were sailing and were hit with a hurricane that wasn't supposed to be there. It laid the boat over on its side and she came right back up again. We found out later the wind was gusting to 50 mph. She's a tough little boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234666836-4Q2PB19M55NHM4GUCHOM/2170.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 26-Apr.1 Tim and Erin Reiche, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, own #2170 MAGGIE. This particular picture was taken last year at Brant Beach, New Jersey, during the weekend of the Mariner National Championships. While Tim did not race, he did spend the weekend sailing around the area. He writes, "I went to cruise and got several odd looks when people asked what hotel I was staying at and, in response, I pointed out to my boat in the water." What a great sunset picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234717056-LUEP2YKDHXC81648YQLW/938.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 2-8 Taken during the 2008 Riverton Fall Wind-Up, this picture shows #938 with owner Glen Smythe and crew heading downwind. Photographer Read Howarth writes, "It was a crisp and windy fall day as the Riverton Wind-Up commenced. The winds blew upward of 30+ knots, so racing was halted on Sunday after one race." A closer look at the photograph reveals that #938, an older-style Mariner with the open cuddy cabin, has been retrofitted with mid-style portlights, although they are facing backward! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234742939-LOZXTJ6XVZGTJRGJD72J/1335.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 9-15 Jack Anderson, of Longwood, Florida, has owned #1335 CAVU since 2009. (CAVU is a pilot's term for "Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited".) He restored her in the winter of 2009 with new paint, new varnish, homemade (!) main and jib roller furler gear, a custom stainless steel bar on the stern for attaching various pieces of equipment, and he relocated the mainsheet to the transom so he could install a bimini, which Jack says is "flimsy aluminum and very thin canvas, but the shade is a godsend." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234790012-VQU3QWIWO1AA2U6Y3WZT/newman.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 16-22 Take a look at the great paint scheme of this boat! At first glance, you might think this Mariner, owned by Mark Newman of Centerville, Massachusetts, is a wooden sloop with canvas-covered decks like sailing boats of another time period. Mark's clever paint job with his mid-style Mariner has produced a beautiful work of art. Notice how the sliding hatch, rubrail and toerails on the foredeck have been painted to also look wooden. A custom forward hatch and teak handrails add to the look, and the painted portlight frames look fantastic. Mark writes that her restoration is nearly complete. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234819101-JQC4MFE18D8AC2DHHCFG/3595.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 23-29 One of the Mariner's advantages is the capability to sail and anchor in very "thin" water with its ten-inch draft. Here, Zach Katzenmeyer of Clinton, Mississippi, has anchored his boat, #3595, near Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, Alabama. His crew, Max, is searching for shells on the sandbar. There have been many times when Mariner owners have sailed their boats with only a foot of water beneath the keel, much to the amazement of onlookers. Zach's outboard motor gave out on this trip due to a torn fuel line, although he managed to sail all the way home without incident. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234853583-52O7DVG55DPFBPOTIUYF/3647.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 30-May 6 David Stone's #3647 BIGENUF has been featured in this column several times, and the fantastic pictures just keep on coming. According to David, this picture was taken as he was anchoring after a beautiful sunset "dinner-destination" sail in Gulf Breeze, Florida with friends visiting from Utah. After dinner, a violent thunderstorm swept through, but once it had passed, he and his friends capped off the day with a full moon return sail. BIGENUF was launched for 2012 on Easter weekend, and David even treated himself to a new set of sails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234906134-D54CSNCFMABD2FNVP3T5/riverton.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - May 7-13 All the various Mariner fleets are starting to get back into action! Here is the first race of the 2012 season at Riverton Yacht Club on April 25th. Frank Pelosi (#3599) and Dan Walsh (#2778) head toward the windward mark in steady winds. This picture was taken by Byron Campbell who has posted many photos of boats racing at Riverton over the past few years. He has just started a new 2012 sailing photos page and plans to update it weekly with each race. He enthusiastically writes, "The Riverton Mariner Fleet is open for business!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234935893-BD7O1KJ8SNVNL03BETHU/stetz.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - May 14-20 How neat would it be to have your Mariner painted by a professional artist? John Blackburn's (#2270) brother-in-law, Ken Stetz, painted this image of John's Mariner tied up at an inlet in Maryland on a very early summer morning. Ken writes, "I have sailed on that boat with John on a number of occasions, and this painting is the third time the boat has appeared in my work." Be sure to check out more of Ken's fantastic images at www.kenstetz.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234964494-YA59N83NG1DZNC4E6S88/2008nationals.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - May 21-27 The last time the Mariner Class National Championships were held at Surf City Yacht Club was in 2008, and this is a great action shot from that Saturday's racing. The gold boat, Bill D'Autrechy's #2537, is running neck-and-neck with Frank Pelosi's white boat (#3599), while Dan Walsh's Stuart Mariner, #4181, is close behind. The Nationals are coming once again to Surf City this August, and every Mariner owner is encouraged to join in the fun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234988216-767UVN1MWPUBPTB3YPUF/2714.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - May 28-June 3 This past week, Steve Hock sailed with me in ORION and Chris Albert sailed his #2714 DOG DAZE for a three-day trip from Niantic, Connecticut to Shelter Island and Greenport, New York and back. This picture was taken by yours truly of Chris motoring across Long Island Sound as we headed toward Orient Point. Despite calm winds the first day and intense fog the third day, we had an absolutely fantastic trip exploring places like Coecles Harbor and Greenport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235080498-9R0550QPQCJ2Q04SKVPZ/2714-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - June 4-10 Here is another great shot taken from the Shelter Island and Greenport trip that Steve Hock, Chris Albert and I took from May 23-25. This picture, snapped by Steve of Chris's boat, #2714 DOG DAZE, was taken in the beautiful anchorage of Coecles Harbor on the east side of Shelter Island. We had rafted up for dinner beforehand, and Chris eventually relocated a short distance away for the night. We were treated to this fantastic sunset before turning in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235118241-UP6OYED1MJ8LOLX45HQX/burntcoat.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - June 11-17 This picture, taken in 2006, shows a mid-style Mariner on her mooring in Burnt Coat Harbor on Swan's Island, Maine. The origin of Burnt Coat Harbor's name is not verified, although it is suspected that a Revolutionary War deserter symbolically burned his coat before fleeing to the island in 1776. The harbor is home to one of Maine's many famous lighthouses which has been in continuous operation since 1872. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235144443-77G7L4AHJI1OCICVAWG8/3306.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - June 18-24 Barry Waldman was the owner of #3306 QUIXOTIC who is pictured sailing here with his family in April 2010. QUIXOTIC has been featured in this column a few times since 2009, and I like to periodically remember Barry as he died of cancer just a couple short months after this photo was taken. Barry absolutely loved sailing, and he even built a model of his Mariner. His wife later told me how happy she was that Barry had a chance to enjoy his Mariner even if not for very long. Rest in peace, Barry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235212981-2WBN3VTYIMSH3T6B86RC/3485.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - June 25-July 1 Eric Lesniak, owner of #3485 SHOAL MATE, went sailing last weekend for the first time since 2010. Eric writes that his boat "never made it off the trailer last year with all the things on my 'to do' list. But this year, I did get her in the water, and Saturday, June 16th saw mild winds coming from the east. There are other things [I need to do for the boat], including some work on my trailer, but those will be for the really windy days when it's just too rough out on the Bay. It felt great to be back in the saddle!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235243587-ZVD28UPV5QINXZ22WZCU/rendezvous.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 2-8 This past weekend, the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet had their 2012 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport for the WoodenBoat Show. It was a fantastic sight to see six Mariners sailing together at one time! The first day we sailed to Mystic from Niantic; the second day was spent attending the Show and sailing to West Harbor, Fisher's Island; and on the third day, everyone sailed home. Boats from left to right are #2024, #2170 MAGGIE, #1922 ORION, #2186 GYPSY ROSE, #2714 and #2290 SWEET CAROLINE. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235334612-9FSEUKZPJKZQEWPF14SD/2186.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 9-15 Although the sail number reads "3172", this boat is actually #2186 GYPSY ROSE, owned by Bill Collins of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Bill and his daughter Julianna joined ten other sailors on the Mystic Seaport Rendezvous last weekend, and here they are sailing by Hawks Nest Point by West Harbor, Fisher's Island. Towing a small dinghy did nothing to slow him down - he remained ahead of most other sailors over the course of the weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235373311-GYYTTUN0SDEWJVK63ONT/2170-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 16-22 Here is another shot taken during the Mystic Rendezvous trip held at the end of June. This is Tim Reiche sailing #2170 MAGGIE and using sails from another Mariner (hence the different sail number). Besides his Dyer Dhow dinghy, his bow pulpit is also a new addition this year, a great help when anchoring singlehanded. In this picture, Tim has just entered West Harbor, Fisher's Island, and is searching for a place to drop anchor for the night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235406506-ORBQZAQ7UN1BUIYWAOJA/1545.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 23-29 Last week's "POTW" was of Tim Reiche's boat, and here is a picture taken by Tim of a fellow Mariner sailor. Tim writes, "I spotted Dan Mulhern sailing his mid-style #1545 while sailing on Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania on June 2nd. We both seemed to change course towards each other after recognizing such a nice-looking boat. Dan will be keeping his Mariner in a slip just one dock down from my slip. There is a growing number of Mariners on Lake Nockamixon which is a promising trend!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235442390-54ZHB7QXQ587TGDT53Q4/2862-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 30-Aug. 5 Black storm clouds did not stop Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T, pictured) and Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) from having a great time with their Mariners a few weeks ago. The two spent five days sailing and exploring the lower Chesapeake Bay area. On their trip, they cruised many rivers of the Bay and stayed on their boats overnight in remote anchorages. Steve writes, "If you have not tried some extended cruising, you are missing out on a really fun aspect of your Mariner's capability." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235496955-DYEE4OCPP9RPDYWKYLAK/4082.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Aug.6-12 "Today, the leaves are drifting down in greater quantities than last week. My LAPWING skims across the surface of the sea embracing the wind. She loves to haunt the shallow bays and coastal inlets of my native Boston. Now, in early autumn, each day we have spent together has been a gift." So writes Alice Hawrilenko, owner of #4082 LAPWING (named after a plover), in her blog back in October of 2008. Alice recently completed a remarkable trip to Martha's Vineyard and back through the Cape Cod Canal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235601061-2ONEMYGJREESVQ853UFR/2714-3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 13-19 Chris Albert's #2714 has already been featured twice in this column this year, but this shot deserves to be displayed here as well. Chris went sailing in his boat while photographer Steve Hock and I sailed in ORION during a three-day trip to Shelter Island and Greenport at the end of May. On the second day of the trip, we circled Shelter Island clockwise, and this picture shows Chris beating through the vicious currents at Conkling Point. You can see the multi-million dollar houses in the background atop Shelter Island Heights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235636421-XAU25TUG3M82FI2OWPEA/2012nationals.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 20-26 The 2012 Mariner National Championships last week went off without a hitch at Surf City Yacht Club in New Jersey, and this photo, taken by Tony DeCicco, shows some of the great racing that took place. Despite threats of thundershowers for Saturday, they managed to fit in four races with two more on Sunday. It was good, clean, fun racing - just as it should be. No protests were lodged, and all participants (a whopping 28 boats) had a fantastic time. A great success! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235662707-RAD2G8TLUGWNNTSPF8BY/1071.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 27-Sept. 2 Oly Shooter, of Tennessee, owns Mariner #1071 SWEET KATE. This picture was taken on Bear Island, one of the many islands in Percy Priest Lake near Nashville. Oly writes, "One of my favorite things about the Mariner is how easy it is to pull up the centerboard and beach the boat for a lunch break and/or a short hike before I resume sailing. Shallow draft is a huge advantage with the centerboard Mariner, and it doesn't compromise its sailing abilities for that advantage." Agreed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235698879-ND2KD0O9PRE6SR5F45OA/riverton2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 3-9 Byron Campbell, photographer at Riverton Yacht Club, was kind enough to send me another one of his photos for this column. "I took this picture from my boat on a Sunday race for Mariners. Harry Mayer is in the lead (#664 MARE) going about 'A' mark, with Dave Reily (#1249 SILK PURSE) second, and Dave Oldham (#1534 FROGGER) third with the Riverton shoreline in the background. The wind was pretty light that day, about 5-8 knots." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235781220-U8AUXGD8BQ9EAR0Y9SEC/oriontiltshift.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 10-16 Look at this tiny model of ORION motoring! Or is it...? This was actually taken at the beginning of August when my father and I took a short trip to Fisher's Island. Using a procedure called "tilt-shift" photography and adjusting various color, blur and focus parameters, most any picture that has been taken from elevation can be made to look miniature. We had a nice sail to the Island, although a visiting Yacht Club monopolized all dock space and light winds on the way home prompted us to motor for a while. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235807863-0IH2VZI1LCJN5ML0SV8S/2011nationals.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 17-23 Paul Coward is in the lead with Mariner #584 at last year's Nationals at Brant Beach (New Jersey) in this shot - he and crew Ginny Fine ended up taking seventh place overall. Mariners are wing and wing as they head toward the leeward mark, and you can even see #1922 ORION in the mix. It is worth noting that the oldest known centerboard Mariner, #20 LORELEI, was on the race course and can be seen at the very left in the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235855114-T7DLC3PNZLQ8FMKTD3VR/ellison.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 24-30 Karen Ellison recently purchased this 1976 Mariner she named PATIENCE. A pilot as well as a sailor, Karen has been maintaining a blog about her experiences. She writes, in a portion of her blog, "I was sailing! I headed out to Caswell Beach, crossed the channel and then turned back. Now I just needed to get back, lower the sails and get back into the slip. I had to try twice to get PATIENCE back where she belonged, but I didn't do any real damage, so I was happy. My first solo!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235900192-JT4QGB1V6KICRLD7INDC/2862-3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 1-7 Ed Wise's (#2862 CHRISTINA T) and Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) completed a fall cruise to Maryland's Eastern Shore on the Chesapeake Bay in their own boats. Their five-day trip included overnighting at Reed Creek, Grays Inn Creek, Gibson Island and a call at Annapolis for a look at the boating mecca as well as for a delicious crab cake lunch. The two covered about 105 sailing miles as well as some ten miles of motoring. In this photo, Ed Wise is sailing in strong winds near Sandy Point Light, Maryland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235978802-1J89LR5O7XLVG2DD6C2O/wattis.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 8-14 Surf City Yacht Club has a very active racing fleet of Mariners, but every once in a while, some of them get together to sail around just for fun. This picture is from 2010 when four Mariner families took a Sunday afternoon trip through the back creeks of Manahawkin Bay to sail in places they had never been before. Here, four-time Mariner National Championship winner Newt Wattis (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) and another member of the Club take a pit stop in one of the back creeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236024291-UUAW68OIYJK09UD35Y3W/2588.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 15-21 Colin and Ginny Steel are seen here motoring with their boat of 35 (!) years, #2588 CRAMOND in some marshes near Wayland, Massachusetts. According to Ginny, "The picture was taken in August of 2006 by our friend Alice when we were bringing CRAMOND from her mooring to the dock to take Alice and her husband Larry for their annual sail with us. Our guests, from a few days before, thoroughly enjoyed some challenging conditions off the New England coast after several days of strong winds. CRAMOND can handle it all!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236109408-BFAOVP43L7QBRUL0WUJ9/3214.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 22-28 This is a fantastic picture showing Drew Thompson and #3214 SWELL flying an asymmetrical spinnaker, courtesy of photographer Grad Dewar. Drew constructed a sprit that, according to him, "slides in an ABS tube, which is attached to a deck cleat. The rear of the pole goes from a shroud to an eye on the foredeck. The rope from the trailer bow eye goes through a ring at the end of the pole to transfer vertical loads to the bow eye. He goes on to write that the pictures were "taken at the start of a race. There was supposed to be more wind." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236139213-JIQZV6LG5XMQ25IAWW84/2154.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 29-Nov. 4 Stuart Watson, owner of #2154 TUSSLE, took this beautiful shot after spending a "12-hour day finally pulling last bits together to get TUSSLE down to her slip on the Northeast River off the Chesapeake Bay. I spent an hour cruising in complete silence and watching the sun set. It was a magical night of bird songs, water lapping on the hull, water fowl soaring around, light breeze and a reward brew! I stepped back to hank on the jib from using a furler for the last few years; I had a hankering to go old school this fall." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236180728-91TVX9N2L2KDKWEKCLHJ/3048.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 5-11 At the end of October, Mariner owners Oly Shooter (#1071 SWEET KATE) and Bob Chandler (#3048 SWAY) went out for some "fine fall sailing on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville." Oly continues to write, "We are at peak fall colors which made for some great photography. I was able to get some nice shots of Bob's Sway including a couple of action shots of the boat sailing to weather in a nice breeze." Be sure to take a look at those photos here, and while you are at it, check out Oly's movie he created. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236272160-7632CLQVNPCO49JB84E5/2862-4.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 12-18 Here is Ed Wise, aboard #2862 CHRISTINA T, enjoying a challenging sail down the Honga River near the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He and photographer Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) made a 100 mile plus trip over five days to test their sailing mettle. Overcoming some sailing challenges, the two battled hot temperatures, a boat breakdown and high winds to finish safely in Crisfield, Maryland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236312249-PNISMQM6TN6T3EIJV0HJ/ferry.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 19-25 On a mild November afternoon in Middle River, Maryland, Rob Jones took a crew of two (son Chris and new daughter-in-law Erin) out on his boat, #2026 NUNYET. The 8-10 knot wind forecast for Veteran's Day on the rivers of the Chesapeake was not ideal, but sometimes there is more to be enjoyed than a little wind in your sails. While they were on their relaxed excursion, Erin, a professional photographer, snapped a few photos to document the outing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236339919-5K3PNDO5I64IB30TMCVD/ellison2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 26-Dec. 2 Here is a great picture of Karen Ellison sailing in her 1976 Mariner PATIENCE, taken by John Barry. In this photo, Karen writes, she is "sailing into the sunset on the Cape Fear River near Southport, North Carolina." According to Karen, she purchased PATIENCE "to expand her sailing repertoire". Hurricane Sandy only brushed by her location in North Carolina, and PATIENCE comfortably rode out the storm at her marina slip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236385429-9MAZGQ2E6N69I70OB25B/2154-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 3-9 This may be the best year yet for the "Picture of the Week" column with pictures like this one. Stuart Watson's #2154 TUSSLE is shown here in mid-November with an incredible sunset dead ahead. Stuart writes, "TUSSLE and I like the latter half of the day to catch these sunsets blossoming over the waters across the Northeast River near Charlestown, Maryland. Even with zero-wind conditions we have time to relax and enjoy the serenity of the area." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236417828-EHL0W3CZUOSJOQHCNKRT/2290.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 10-16 This past summer, Rich Weston, with wife Natasha and daughter Chloe, joined the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet's Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Rich trailered their boat, #2290 SWEET CAROLINE, to Niantic and joined five other boats, sailing to the Seaport on Friday, Fisher's Island on Saturday, and back to Niantic on Sunday. Rich writes, "What a fantastic adventure we had! We had made new friends and never had a dull moment." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236448367-G40E3AMT0H552EEIT6G9/1071-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 17-23 Oly Shooter's #1071 SWEET KATE is captured here in a fantastic photograph taken by fellow Mariner sailor Bob Chandler (#3048 SWAY) during a sail on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee. This image, as well others of SWEET KATE and SWAY, are featured on some items in the Mariner Class Association's online store celebrating the 50th anniversary of the birth of the O'Day Mariner. Be sure to check out all the gear available to purchase. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236511467-3813B5JRGJXM5F20G2FA/3214-3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 24-30 This close-up shot, courtesy of Grad Dewar, shows Drew Thompson's #3214 SWELL moving along nicely in light airs during a regatta this past spring. Drew has made his Mariner a true racehorse for PHRF races, including adding a retractable bowsprit for an asymmetrical spinnaker. He has also slightly modified the mainsheet by adding a bridle at the transom - a configuration that is not acceptable for Mariner Class Association National Championship regattas, but PHRF racing is another matter! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236542940-VHMYLMDG93QH25MVPYZB/1922-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 31-Jan. 6 On this last Monday of 2012, I offer my own ORION as the final Picture of the Week for this year. This was taken during this year's "Rendezvous" to Mystic Seaport back in June. I had put the awning up, hoisted the anchor light and opened the forward hatch to let in a little cool air and was getting ready to relax for the evening when I took this shot of the sunset directly in front of me. It was a memorable trip. I hope everyone reading this website has a safe and healthy 2013. https://www.mariner1922.com/2011-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236935925-4HU342658OYAMJKD30XK/367.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 3-9 Mariner #367 starts off the new year with a picture of her cruising along on what looks to be a perfect sailing day. Early-style Mariners, like this one, have the advantage over the later 2+2's of having lower cockpit seats and therefore more comfortable backrests, although the non-self-bailing cockpits and the open cuddy cabins are not desirable for some. Early-style boats have also proven themselves on the racing grounds, winning 14 out of 42 National Championships. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236935925-4HU342658OYAMJKD30XK/367.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 3-9 Mariner #367 starts off the new year with a picture of her cruising along on what looks to be a perfect sailing day. Early-style Mariners, like this one, have the advantage over the later 2+2's of having lower cockpit seats and therefore more comfortable backrests, although the non-self-bailing cockpits and the open cuddy cabins are not desirable for some. Early-style boats have also proven themselves on the racing grounds, winning 14 out of 42 National Championships. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236960595-TJHGV3CZEVBB2XS1Y43Q/dockside.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 10-16 How nice it must be to have your Mariner tied up at your own personal dock! This boat is about to get underway on a lazy autumn afternoon in Virginia - the sailbag and supplies are on the dock, the engine is about to be uncovered and the lines will soon be cast off. This early-style Mariner has a nice custom wooden enclosure for the otherwise open cuddy cabin, complete with ventilations slats for a little air circulation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236983252-OENJA64YJ42VDUFGUU0Q/4188.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 17-23 While the majority of Mariners are based on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Mariners are actively sailed all over the country (and beyond)! Here is a 2003 Stuart Mariner, #4188 SEA JADE whose home port lies in Washington state. The different manufacturers of the Mariner - O'Day, Rebel/Spindrift, and Stuart Marine - all kept the basic original Philip Rhodes design and only made slight modifications, mostly confined to the cabin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237016662-LP3BDS0JRKXDXHPVPNK7/nationals2006-1.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 24-30 This picture was taken by Frank Koscheka at the 2006 Nationals held at Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island. What a treat for the residents of the waterfront homes to watch a Mariner regatta! The waters of Great South Bay are notoriously shallow, adding another dimension of complexity to the tactics of racing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237040187-NUL4O37RC25T9VGKVIC3/nationals1981.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 31-Feb. 6 In 1981, the president of Spindrift (brief manufacturer of the Mariner following O'Day) won the Nationals with a brand new boat (#4037). However, after the regatta, it was found to weigh nearly 40% less than O'Day Mariners, touching off somewhat of a controversy as no one wanted to tell the Class's only manufacturer that he had brought an illegal boat all the way from Michigan. After much discussion, #4037 was disqualified and all participants were moved up one place in Class records. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237072200-G1AJWXCGOR2LG5FUAVEQ/2240.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 7-13 While many parts of the United States have received a tremendous amount of snow this winter, Canada has been receiving its fair share of snow as well, and Ontario resident Jurgen Braunohler is seen here bailing out the cockpit of his Mariner, #2240 SEA VENTURE. He writes, "Check out [this] photo of the fun I've been having in Elliot Lake (Winter sailing in the driveway, Elliot Lake style)!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237099294-QRCUN5RDSEXZFSGXBPE1/2024-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 14-20 Here is a shot from last summer to remind us all of what's coming. This is Dan Meaney and a friend sailing #2024 on the second day of the 2010 Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous. We sailed from the Niantic River, anchored off of Bluff Point beach in Groton, and enjoyed lunch before racing home, sailing along the edge of a thunderstorm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237121762-OY4092B6NDQPJ5RVRRD0/1922-4.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 21-27 Four years ago this week my wife and I laid our eyes on ORION, sitting under a winter tarp at Surf City, New Jersey, so I humbly offer her for this week. She certainly needed a little care and attention, but she was in good shape and was launched that summer as-is before undergoing a big restoration the winter of 2007/2008. This website, documenting the projects, began at the same time and now receives about 1,400 unique visitors each week. Who would have thought! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237299101-JVWWVN7NUDQ76GYQMI76/6.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 28-Mar. 6 Here is Mariner #6 (!), manufactured in 1963 at the Fall River plant within the first two weeks Mariners were ever built. Like the Rhodes 19, she sports a full keel and has been actively sailed up until the last few years. Since then, she has been stored indoors in Libertyville, Illinois and is now for sale. Like many older Mariners, there have been some modifications to her interior, but to know this historic boat even exists is remarkable in itself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237318989-R4L79FGG2RF98M35RY6E/1117.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Mar 7-13 This is a nice shot of Mariner #1117 sitting in the fog at her mooring in Maine. There are a surprising number of Mariners that were bought new in the 1960's and 1970's and are still actively sailed by the original owner. The Mariner truly is the ideal boat for someone looking to downsize from a larger yacht or for a dinghy-sailor hoping to upgrade to a well-performing boat with a "big-boat feel". But you already knew that, didn't you? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237347076-XP9JUZR0T8VOIBIHJIYM/1908.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 14-20 Gary Haynes of Michigan owns Mariner #1908 BLUE PEARL, built in 1970. Here, Gary's son Ben and daughter Katie help to put BLUE PEARL in the water at Crystal Lake last May. Gary writes, "The boat has had many upgrades over the years... I have sailed it twice from Ludington to Petoskey on Lake Michigan, a distance of over 200 miles. These days it resides at Crystal Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan." Looks like a great spot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237377913-7PF1BD9J8HKAI5QB3LJ4/2376.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Mar 21-27 Although Mariner #2376 BLON-DEE III is owned by Art Leiz, Art's sons Jim and Arthur were the ones who brought her to second place during the 2006 Mariner Nationals at Narrasketuck, Long Island. According to champion Newt Wattis, "The well-known stories of the seaweed and shallow water [of the racing area] were true to form and provided additional challenges to all the sailors. Jim [and Arthur] demonstrated their local knowledge to consistently be near the top of the fleet." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237460494-T71UP64956EZZ6X9IHE1/fallwindup2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 28-Apr. 3 Taken by Read Howarth, this picture shows the 2008 Riverton Yacht Club's "Fall Windup", typically held mid-October of each year. Read writes, "It was a crisp and windy fall weekend. The winds blew upward of 30+ knots, so racing was halted on Sunday after one race. However, the previous day the sailors were able to complete five races. As always, the Riverton Yacht Club's hospitality was outstanding, with coffee and donuts before each day's racing and a keg on Saturday night." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237489008-9XD1091GQ5MHYMHI23YI/jumping.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 4-10 It is nice to see some new websites popping up of people refurbishing their Mariners. This picture is taken from a blog of a couple young men who have spent a lot of time and effort restoring their older-style boat. The sail number is "4", but their O'Day factory transom plate suggests the hull number is closer to the 100's. The Mariner truly is an ideal boat for all ages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237517052-LVWOOF1OJBG6MB28VL3T/3627-3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 11-17 Steve Hock made a remarkable journey with his Mariner back in May of 2010. Steve and a friend sailed WHITECAP, #3627, a whopping 140 miles over the course of a few days around the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The Small Craft Advisor magazine recently published a six-page article Steve wrote in the latest edition (No. 69, May/June) - it is a great read. Way to go, Steve! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237550211-7E2TI7941OH95DVFNF9H/KWSC.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 18-24 Florida's Key West Community Sailing Center has a fleet of four Mariners used primarily for teaching. The Commodore of the Center, Jens Nielsen, told me over the phone that of all the boats the Center has, the O'Day Mariner is the most popular, and they bought another one just this past Thursday! Plans are in the works to have the KWSC Mariner Fleet affiliated with the Mariner Class Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237576722-5ZXP3IN3AK5Z3BR6CKAE/freedom.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 25-May 1 Chuck Rubner of Sherrill, Iowa is fortunate enough to keep his Mariner FREEDOM at his own dock on the Mississippi River and sails her on a 32-mile-expanse between locks. He writes, "I sail from May until late October - I love it. My most enjoyable time is when I am on the Mariner. I am always visiting your website when I need info - it is very helpful." The black ball suspended above the foredeck is a "dayshape", an international signal identifying a vessel at anchor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237604493-D7TO5O5AVEBE37QLMVO7/1249.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 2-8 Here is a shot from April 19th, 2009 when the Riverton Yacht Club had their first race of the season. This great shot of #1249 SILK PURSE was taken as she boils along close-hauled. Owned by David Reily, SILK PURSE races regularly in Riverton's Sunday and Wednesday circuits, and she came in second place for both the Sunday Summer and Fall Series last year (out of 15 and 17 boats respectively). Picture credit goes to Rich Weston (#2290 SWEET CAROLINE). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237647790-RAEXC8FLO7WH5XQBU0OQ/2676.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 9-15 Taken by Frank Koscheka during the 2006 Nationals, this picture shows the famous "Gold Boat", #2676, skippered by Helmuth "Helmie" Meyhoefer. Helmie, one of only four Life Members of the Mariner Class Association, has won the Nationals a record 14 times. He once held the winner's trophy four times in four years (1977-1980), an accomplishment not equaled by any other racer (he has also come in second place eight times). He still actively races out of Narrasketuck. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237671878-B8BAUF2UJRD51IFN0ULI/3647-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 16-22 David Stone has taken the restoration of his boat, #3647 BIGENUF, to a new level with many custom enhancements and upgrades. Here she is, anchored after an all-day sail. David writes, "After a beautiful April sail in Pensacola Bay and the Sound, we anchored on the south side of Santa Rosa Island in Fort Pickins National Park and walked across the island to the Gulf of Mexico." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237705565-3RJEM93LC1N7KWDOOO0Y/2940-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 23-29 Bruce Linder along with girlfriend Kate worked extremely hard last year to refurbish Mariner #2940. This picture was taken last August at the Harriman Reservoir in Vermont. Bruce writes, "Deciding to sail to the back of this cove at Harriman Reservoir was a good idea, but the wind picked up as we started to reach the back. I had my friend Dan (in the photo) go pull the jib down part-way as I released it while Kate took the tiller. We took it all the way down rather quickly and coasted to the back." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237726331-PAS1OA8UVS6GGL8CTQ6T/1471.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 30-June 5 #1471 ANTIGUA is owned and is being restored by Ben Johnson who writes, "I sail her off of a beach where my grandparents own a house. This stretch of the beach is famous for the Brewster Flats, so-named because when the tide goes out, it goes all the way out - up to a mile, in fact, exposing long stretches of open sand. For most of low tide my boat sits high and dry on the sand, making the centerboard-model Mariner with its 10 inch draft a perfect boat for the flats." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237760039-AUAHYQRXI1BKJ7IXUQ2M/nationals2004.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - June 6-12 Entitled, "Heading Upwind", this great picture was taken at the 2004 Mariner Nationals at Surf City Yacht Club (New Jersey). That year, the winds on Saturday were gusting to 25 knots and the conditions proved to be challenging to say the least. One mast was broken, several boats were disabled and one even sank (!) at the leeward turning gate. The rescue boats certainly got a workout that weekend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237786276-EHLBA5VZJOQUI6883DWT/3595-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - June 13-19 This picture was taken in March of 2010 and features Zach Katzenmeyer's Mariner, #3595, beached inside Perdido Key at Orange Beach, Alabama. Zach said that it was his "first sail in the Mariner and the first sail since my eleven-foot Snark probably a decade ago. Needless to say, the Mariner left a great impression on our Spring Break!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237809070-XU16BEGB3Y5DR5FHVTU3/1357-3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - June 20-26 Paul DiMarco is pictured here sailing with his wife Gail a couple weeks ago in #1357 LAISSEZ-FAIRE during a Massabesic (New Hampshire) Yacht Club race. Paul writes, "In summer of 2010, my family and I took an excellent "Learn to Sail" program at the Club. We have since joined the Club, and... we try to get out sailing at least once a week on her, including the club races on Sundays. I get many compliments from other sailors on the lake about how nice my Mariner looks." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237841468-QW3IKEHMGWYXHA18DTIU/2011rendezvous1.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - June 27-July 3 This past weekend, a fleet of five Mariners and their owners and guests motored and sailed from the Niantic River eastward up to Mystic Seaport, a distance of about 14 miles. We attended the WoodenBoat show, stayed overnight on our boats and sailed back the next morning. It was a wonderful and memorable trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237885671-A9YO5TLQ0CBCXQ5LAOO8/2011rendezvous2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - July 4-10 Here is another shot from last weekend's Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport. Here is Tim and Erin Reiche's #2170 MAGGIE at anchor along with Chris Albert's DOG DAZE - notice MAGGIE's new cockpit cover from the Sailor's Tailor. While some may find it creepy, we anchored just a short distance away from the beautiful Elm Grove Cemetery, nearly in the exact same spot where my wife Liz and I anchored a couple years ago. Thanks to Steve Hock for the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237929728-FF8XYM1GXLFN7QXJR8UO/riverton2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - July 11-17 The Mariner Fleet at the Riverton Yacht Club (New Jersey) races every Sunday and Wednesday night, and this picture was taken during the Wednesday, June 1st race. Taken by photographer Byron Campbell, he writes, "The Mariners are headed for the finish line (right in front of the Pier), and it looks as if FROGGER (#1534 Dave Oldham and Fred Linden) is the leader. Harry Mayer in the dark green boat (#664 MARE) actually tacked and beat FROGGER to the line." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237971472-MVNRCWCAE0A96C5HITK7/2011rendezvous3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - July 18-24 The recent Southeast Connecticut Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport provided many excellent pictures including this one by Steve Hock. Taken from Orion, you can see Dan Meaney's #2024 on the left and Tim and Erin's #2170 MAGGIE on the right. We are passing through the Mystic River's swinging railroad bridge, and Mystic Seaport's beautiful wooden schooner Brilliant is following us. What a great experience that weekend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237996250-IFJF1VW4V349MYUHW0U9/KWSC-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - July 25-31 This picture is courtesy of the Key West Community Sailing Center and shows one of their five Mariners wing-and-wing. The purpose of the KWCSC is to teach sailing to children and adults alike, and their Mariner boats are by far the most popular. The KWCSC Mariner Fleet has become the Mariner Class Association's newest official Fleet, and at least a couple members of the Center plan to make the trip northward to New Jersey to race in the Nationals next month! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238021856-O201QR3THVL25Z1H11DX/20.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 1-7 Here is LORELEI, Mariner #20, looking like she might have just rolled off the production line. Having had her ups and downs over the years, a group of dedicated sailors from the Surf City Yacht Club have labored the past few months to restore her to racing condition, and what a great job they have done! She will be in the care of SCYC for the immediate future and plans to participate in local races and the various Nationals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238047504-6TIEESCFMN5EN502ASKZ/assateague.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 8-14 This absolutely beautiful photograph was taken by Steve Hock during a get-together on Chincoteague Bay (Maryland). After a day of heavy-weather sailing and a night of two thunderstorms, the group anchored on the second day off of Assateague Island and ate lunch under the shade of a tree on shore. That night they were hit with another thunderstorm but managed to return the next day on one long close-hauled tack. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238075239-H6O2WJNT6YI9H60SP06R/nationals2011-1.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 15-21 The 2011 Mariner National Championship was held this past weekend at Brant Beach Yacht Club in New Jersey. While light winds delayed racing on Saturday for a while and thunderstorms threatened Sunday's racing, all the races were completed with great success. 24 boats competed, including ORION (although we did not do very well this year), and a good time was had by all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238103054-A1D6VJNZEQF2AT7AYDMT/413.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 22-28 Mark Campbell's #413 EASTER is waiting for him at the end of his dock, ready to go for an evening sail. The gangway to the dock seems to invite you to walk down the steps to where the Mariner is beckoning. As I have mentioned before, I am a sucker for this kind of shot - who would not want their own private dock, their boat ready to go at a moment's notice? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238131895-ABKP824CSOF1TEUUN0B7/nationals2011-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 29-Sept. 4 There was a constant threat of showers and thunderstorms on Sunday of the National Championships, but two more races were squeezed in before the downpours came. I had retreated with ORION Saturday night to avoid having a five-hour drive home in the pouring rain on Sunday, and while I know I made a good decision, I did miss participating that final day. This is a great shot by Scot Ellis of Brant Beach Yacht Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238163631-N5WIO3ER2HX62OQ8O5J3/2540.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 5-11 David Anderson of Waterboro, Maine, completely restored #2540 MOONRACER to like-new condition. Here she is, according to David, "anchored at Damariscove Island, Maine (a nature preserve) after her first venture offshore (a ten-nautical mile sail from Pemaquid Harbor). Damariscove Harbor is about a half mile long and very narrow. Wife swam and daughter stayed onboard while son and I explored the island." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238188907-V641FVYS2JTWEEYQADPR/3755.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 12-18 Ben "Jamey" Duffey of South Carolina is lucky enough to keep his Mariner #3755 on a lift in Murrells Inlet. She is a true cruiser - notice the bow pulpit, bimini and roller-furler jib. Jamey writes, "She is ready, willing and able to sail whenever we want. Many people know the boat and like her looks, it's surprising how many. We actually have folks come into our little canal area just to see the boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238259994-VOWFUIZ0YPM2WE3VYUKE/1933.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 19-25 Built around the same week ORION was built, #1933 is owned by Howard Forder of Toronto. He rescued this boat after "five years to get it from holes in the hull, horrible paint jobs with house paint and general grunge to get it sailing today. It glided into the water in May this year." She resides at Scarborough Bluffs Sailing Club on Lake Ontario. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238280451-IGDEKZJOWWXZNL1YW3SS/depew.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 26-Oct. 2 When Wayne Depew purchased his 1967 Mariner, she was "a very misused boat." According to Wayne, her "ribs were all rotted, bunks rotted, the rubrail was in bad shape (leaking on the starboard beam from a collision), hull severely blistered, etc." He brought her to Stuart Marine who did a complete restoration from top to bottom. It was a tremendous amount of work, and she looks brand new! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238304072-TDZELJ17CYDKVPYOMKNT/3647-3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 3-9 Here is David Stone's #3647 BIGENUF at the Blue Angels end-of-the-season flight show on July 9th. David writes, "Thousands of boats were anchored closely together at Soundside Beach from the shore to half a mile out. Once in shallow water, I waded, pulling the boat backwards, right up to our front row spot on the beach and put up the awning." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238335602-ONP9JHUODBU3JB146G6K/nationals2011-3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 10-16 This great shot was taken by Scot Ellis at this year's Nationals in Brant Beach, New Jersey. ORION is in the middle of a boat sandwich racing downwind toward the leeward mark. We all came within mere inches of hitting each other with our hulls and spars, but no contact was made, and ORION sneaked ahead to get to the mark first. While we lost ground on the next leg and did not fare very well overall in the standings, we had a fantastic time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238367496-KSK1QEJI2AEH36W507ZJ/1767.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 17-23 One of the first Mariners I saw when I was searching for one to buy in 2007 was this boat right here, #1767 TXONI. A mid-style keel Mariner, she was for sale in a nearby town at a decent price, but I hemmed and hawed for too long. When I called to check out the boat, she had been sold two weeks prior. ORION entered the picture only a couple months later, and I am glad I waited! Nevertheless, the new owner of #1767 worked hard to restore her to full glory, and the results are evident. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238403915-F4H0ZZT24WUIZSZ9QP83/vongole.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 24-30 My wife and I traveled to Maine last week and stopped in to see Dave Whittier at Stuart Marine. Dave (right) has mainly been working on restoring and servicing both Rhodes 19s and Mariners, including this 2008 Stuart Mariner VONGOLE. It was great to tour the shop and talk a bit, and it is nice to see that he seems to be weathering the struggling economy and is continuing to provide us Mariner owners with parts and service. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238433715-G244ILE4D3SZS5PPKRFL/irene.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 31-Nov. 6 Since New England was recently hammered by a nor'easter, I thought it might be appropriate to post a picture of a casualty from Hurricane Irene. This poor Mariner was left on her mooring in hopes that she would come through unscathed, but alas, she was resting on the bottom by the time Irene passed by. Fortunately, Mariners are solid boats that do not require much effort to fix when they are broken. The partially-submerged outboard engine, however, might be a different story... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238458222-C6ZE65GGYDHHJLO6DBDG/1357-4.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 7-13 Paul DiMarco of New Hampshire has owned #1357 LAISSEZ-FAIRE for the past couple years, and here she is on her mooring as the sun comes up sporting a Sailor's Tailor cockpit cover. She is one of the last open cuddy cabin Mariners before O'Day started the "2+2" with an enclosed cabin and added quarterberths. Paul says that he raced her regularly this past season and she held her own against boats with much lower PHRF ratings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238505532-JZXUBYTKYF4BFZH9IRFG/mystic.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 14-20 Alan Hlavenka is a professional photographer based on Long Island, New York who is also a Mariner owner and a member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club. Alan happened to be in Mystic, Connecticut the same weekend the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet's 2011 Rendezvous took place at Mystic Seaport. He saw the five Mariners anchored nearby and took a snapshot of Ed Wise's #2862 CHRISTINA T and ORION. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238536299-OMOKU1WVSAGJH8RMWA5S/3048.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 21-27 Bob Chandler found his 1975 Mariner, #3048 SWAY, on Craigslist and brought her home to Nashville, Tennessee to fix her up. This photo, taken on Percy Priest Lake by another Mariner owner, Oly Shooter, shows Bob and his family after "a great day of family sailing." Bob goes on to write: "Our usual day of sailing ends with us anchoring in a cove, having a picnic, and cruising back to the dock. Sailing is such a great family activity and the Mariner is perfect." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238565009-3K2CD8FS6CPSW01M9JTL/664-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 28-Dec. 4 Harry Mayer has owned #664 MARE for many years and is an active participant at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. A past Fleet Captain, he came in first place for Riverton's Sunday Summer Series, won the President's Fleet division at the Mariner Nationals in 2010 and was awarded "Most Improved" at the 2011 Nationals. This photograph is courtesy of Byron Campbell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238593200-13Q0800ZDHO66D7I5ZYP/3214.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 5-11 Here is a great shot of Drew Thompson sailing #3214 SWELL (as Drew says, "Add water, maybe it gets bigger") with spinnaker flying at the beginning of July. Like many Mariner owners, Drew spent a long time repairing and upgrading, including adding seven layers of fiberglass to the centerboard trunk to reduce flexing. He has ordered an asymmetrical spinnaker and looks forward to trying it out in his home waters of Ontario. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238615902-1UA9Q3X7JVSN7CM2UFHG/1071.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 12-18 Oly Shooter's #1071 SWEET KATE was captured when, as Oly writes, "My wife and I were sailing on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee. It was only our second time on the boat. We had been working on the boat for the previous three months and this was our 'shake down' sail. The Mariner is the perfect fit for us. We find the boat to be very stable and easy to handle. She sails well and has those lovely classic lines that we admire so much." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238642131-PXQ8F8XS2MK9CHEWZC5T/436.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 19-25 This is a great picture of Mariner #436 sitting at her mooring as the sun is on its way down. A 1965 boat, the coamings and the cabin top still retain the original blue they were painted when they rolled out of O'Day's factory in Fall River, Massachusetts. Notice, however, the attractive wooden rubrail and the cabin enclosure fabricated by her owner. Also like the original boats, the mainsheet is set up as a "Crosby" style where individual blocks are mounted on the aft end of the boom and near the transom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238668617-WCTON1NHHG64ODGLIHL1/1922-5.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 26-Jan. 1 For this year's final "Picture of the Week", I humbly offer my own ORION once again. Taken in the middle of November, 2008, she is sitting at her mooring in the fog shortly before being hauled out for the winter. Orion is the only boat left on the Niantic River. This peaceful picture shows a fairly colorless landscape save for the boat and channel buoys in the background. https://www.mariner1922.com/2010-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238818687-D21JGWGP5ROLTBSCCJGU/707.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 Here is a good action shot to start the year off right. This is Mariner #707 KETCHUP, owned by Dixon Pearce of Manahawkin, New Jersey, competing in one of the National Championship regattas in years past. A member of the Surf City Yacht Club, KETCHUP is an active racer - this past September, Dixon and his wife Angie came in second in the Mariner Class (out of seven boats) at the Yacht Club's 61st annual regatta. Thanks to Read Howarth for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238818687-D21JGWGP5ROLTBSCCJGU/707.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 Here is a good action shot to start the year off right. This is Mariner #707 KETCHUP, owned by Dixon Pearce of Manahawkin, New Jersey, competing in one of the National Championship regattas in years past. A member of the Surf City Yacht Club, KETCHUP is an active racer - this past September, Dixon and his wife Angie came in second in the Mariner Class (out of seven boats) at the Yacht Club's 61st annual regatta. Thanks to Read Howarth for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238862467-AXO12IV40ZCC9R0J83CV/2707-3.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 11-17 Mike and Jan McCormack are shown here racing their Mariner #2707 VINLAND during the 2009 Labor Day Sailboat Race on Sebec Lake, Maine. Although there were only four boats competing (including a Hobie Cat, an International 110 and O'Day 20), everyone had a wonderful time and there was even a trophy presentation following a reception. VINLAND is currently at Stuart Marine in Maine for some work over the winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238893561-WKBR9P9QT12Z3LQAK59M/ghost2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 18-24 Here is Roger and Sally Livingston sailing GHOST (#4096) this past summer on Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Roger writes that this is when they were "sailing with the Northeast Trailer Sailors... mostly MacGregors. It was a beautiful day, but when the winds picked up in the afternoon, the Mac's dropped their sails and motored down the Bay. We continued to sail, and even with their 50 hp motors, they didn't catch us until late afternoon." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238918699-GC9G3XLI4VFDLVAXSG9S/1647-4.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 25-31 One of Jim Watson's projects last year was to paint on the name of his boat (#1647). He writes, "I played with lots of names. Nothing too serious, mind you, as it is a pretty small yacht. I'd always collected model sailboats, and I'd owned a Laser for years. But this was the first 'real' sailboat. It was definitely not a toy. Ah-hah... So, NAUT-A-TOY was born." Here she is tied up at Sturgeon Lake, ready for 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238948277-V5IJ2DX0PRDKPWC2Q242/30-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 1-7 This shot was taken by Bill Hicks back in June of 1965, and it shows his friend Bob Wester securing Mariner #30 MICES for "the first trip to the salt." Bill writes, "Joan (wife) and I rigged a homemade trailer for the keel model and pulled MICES from Lake Lanier near Atlanta to Panama City, Florida for a cruising vacation. We had a ball." Check out the follow-up to this picture (August 31st-September 6th of 2009). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238979593-3IBZFDSSXIPXQPF5IA0O/1588.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 8-14 This is L'EMERAUDE, Mariner #1588, during a September sail last year. Owned by Hubert Cormier, she is one of the many Canadian Mariners and is sailed in New Brunswick. She is one of the "mid-model" boats, retaining the mahogany coaming tops, forward hatch and the classic "bump-top" cabin from the earlier-style boats, but made into a "2+2" by raising the cockpit floor and adding two quarter berths as well as enclosing the cabin. One would be hard-pressed to find a nicer-looking boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239001160-1JVSVXZ1E51MN5TNAFNF/1357.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 15-21 Paul DiMarco lives in New Hampshire and owns Mariner #1357 ABIGAIL. He writes, "Here she is pictured with her prior owner on Lake Massabesic in Auburn/Manchester, New Hampshire. I began refinishing the cockpit sole and coamings with epoxy/varnish. I hope to have her back on the water in May." A towing mishap with a tractor nearly put ABIGAIL through Paul's living room window, but a quick last-minute maneuver saved his house - and, more importantly, of course, his boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239032139-LVQPK9ZQHQWI10M8UDL2/1418.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 22-28 Jeff Freedman purchased his 1969 Mariner REALITYWAVE in 1976, and, according to him, he has "waxed the hull every year for the past 35 years." Here is a picture of Jeff with Bart Kaplan as crew finding "a clear lane with plenty of Barnegat Bay breeze on an upwind leg of the 2008 Nationals at Surf City [New Jersey]." She has raced competitively in a number of the past National regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239057975-7CKAF99BDNAYQ1RJY0UY/1848.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 1-7 Nick and Eniko DeMarco are the proud owners of Mariner #1848 Rover. Nick writes that this picture "is one of our favorites of all time." The DeMarco's ROVER is part of the Mariner Fleet at the Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island, New York. Narrasketuck has the distinction of hosting the very first Mariner Nationals in 1967, and this year it will be held there in July. According to Nick, however, "the best sailing days are in the fall." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239083733-FU2ULLPXW2ZIERXBBGVP/barata-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 8-14 This beautiful picture is courtesy of Andre Barata of Santa Clara, California. He and his wife took their recently restored 1967 Mariner to Lake Tahoe last year. Andre writes, "The wind was really slow that day, but the beautiful emerald green water and the mountains in the background made you forget about time. We anchored our Mariner at the Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe and went for a hike. I couldn't help but stare at the boat the whole time." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239104815-EMMS5127E6E9QT3NWH6H/1922-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 15-21 Since today is my wife's birthday, I humbly offer this picture of her sailing with me onboard ORION. This was taken on the day of ORION's first launch in Connecticut (July of 2007) as we took a short sail around the Niantic River. Notice that this shows ORION before her major restoration which occurred that winter. Liz has been very tolerant of my boat obsessions, so today I say "thank you" for her tolerance and patience! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239145769-RL0AB834UHZBJEV90JJ8/3086-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 22-28 Peggy MacDonald and her husband Larry Lewack live in Vermont and own Mariner #3086 WINDIGO. This picture was taken during a "camp-cruise" to the northern islands of Lake Champlain last year. When asked to provide a caption for this picture, Peggy offered several, including "Hot Babe Wanders Near Broken Down Boat", "Comely Woman Emerges From the Sea", and "She's Holdin' Up Good (the boat, I mean)"! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239174531-3IZP1LS4ULY5WFU93CQG/nationals2008-1.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 29-Apr. 4 This picture, taken by Read Howarth during the 2008 Nationals at Surf City, New Jersey, shows Dave and Leslie Stapleford's #3237 GREYHOUND followed by Tom Boyer and Bill Clopp in #4059 GRUMPY GEEZERS (what a great name). The first race started in 5-10 knots of wind, eventually picking up to 15-20 by the last race that day. The Staplefords would go on to place fifth in the President's Fleet, while Tom and Bill took fifth place in the Championship Fleet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239207428-MFTLY8YH059LRXQ1P7TM/rendezvous.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 5-11 The Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet organized a day-sail Rendezvous at the beginning of October last year. Here is Chris Albert (foreground, #2714 DOG DAZE) and Dan Meaney (#2024) sailing on the Niantic River. Although the original plan was to meet up with three other boats on Long Island Sound, a small craft advisory kept the participants in the more protected waters of the River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239234993-2FGI2B3I5B15C859VXH9/fallwindup.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 12-18 Taken in October of 2008, this shot is from the 2008 Fall Windup at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. Here they are dodging the nearby moored boats as they head for the weather mark. Boats from left to right: #664 MARE (Harry Mayer), #2604 MY LIGHTNING (Newt Wattis), #3599 (Frank Pelosi), #3441 MOON (Chris Calhoun), and #938 PUPPY 2 (Richard Martin). Thanks to Read Howarth for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239275315-OY20WP5ISNH3NL7VFCM0/3595.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 19-25 This beautiful late-afternoon picture of Mariner #3595 was taken by her owner, Zach Katzenmeyer of Starkville, Mississippi, this past March. She is "anchored for the night inside Perdido Key, Orange Beach, Alabama. [This was the] first sail in the Mariner [and the] first sail since my 11' Snark probably a decade ago. Needless to say, the Mariner left a great impression on our spring break!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239297428-M7ORIT3WFJBRA784UOHX/riverton.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 26-May 2 Riverton Yacht Club's last race of the season occurred on October 11th, and this great shot shows Chris Calhoun (#3441 MOON), Fred Rapp (#919 RAPP-A-TACK), Chris O'Brien (#2781 O'MITZVAH!), Harry Mayer (#664 MARE) and Dave Oldham (#1534 FROGGER) duking it out at the starting line. Photographer Byron Campbell writes, "Interestingly, I believe that FROGGER was last at the start but first at the finish for the first race." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239363660-PJU55LZE65F540NT0HLN/ad.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 3-9 Chuck Hawley, expert sailor with over 40,000 miles under his belt ranging from ultra-light sleds to the maxi-catamaran Playstation, serves as West Marine's VP of Product Information. He writes, "My family owned [Mariner] #143 for over 30 years, and it sailed out of Santa Cruz and at Fallen Leaf Lake in the Sierra. Great boat... I did sleep aboard when I was a kid, and it was always a great adventure." This picture is similar to #143 and is from an old advertisement. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239386564-ZLODJ0C4WS3IU3YUQ3S5/3306-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 10-16 Having already made an appearance as a "Picture of the Week" last December, #3306 QUIXOTIC deserves to be featured again. Owner Barry Waldman, hoping to get pictures of QUIXOTIC underway last month, "dropped my youngest son Matt on shore and he clicked away. After we picked him up, he said we were too far away, but what I got is what I got." Looks good from here, Barry! QUIXOTIC received new running rigging, blocks, and new sails at the end of last year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239430289-FOVEUOG2697WYJJO35SI/3441.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 17-23 Here is another great shot taken by Byron Campbell at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey. Chris Calhoun is at the helm of #3441 MOON as she glides by the Yacht Club pier. MOON has made regular appearances on the Yacht Club's racing circuit. Riverton is a tricky place to race; last year's Nationals proved that knowledge of the Delaware River's intense current is crucial to planning one's strategy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239460611-E27HK8OGJ4XSDOIY439N/1880.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 24-30 Taken during the 2008 Mariner Nationals at Surf City, New Jersey, this shot shows #1880 as she heads for the windward mark. Owned by Steve Goldberg and crewed by Hank Schleckser, they eventually took second place in the President's Fleet. Surf City Yacht Club, host to the largest Mariner Fleet in the Association (and from where Orion was sailed before I bought her), will be holding practice races this coming Sunday, May 30th. Thanks to Read Howarth for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239481258-7J8GP0HKE4D3RMR58AQM/3627-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 31-June 6 Steve Hock, owner of #3627 WHITECAP and VP Communications of the Mariner Class Association, recently returned from a remarkable five-day trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He and a friend sailed 140 miles, experiencing pristine beaches and marshes, battling weeds and mosquitoes, dodging sandbars and exploring beautiful places quite possibly never seen before by human eyes. His narrative has been accepted for printing in an upcoming Small Craft Advisor edition! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239504322-RHI2HFRKZT57YJJHSTU0/tiltshift.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - June 7-13 Look at the detail of all these Mariner models! Or are they...? This picture was actually taken by yours truly at the 2009 Nationals at Riverton and slightly altered with the focus area narrowed, colors enhanced, and other techniques known as "tilt-shift photography" to make everything appear miniature. These boats are getting ready to be launched on Saturday morning. Light winds plagued last year's Nationals, allowing only two races on Saturday and one on Sunday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239523839-KBYAWC10I9I12UPSE302/2372.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - June 14-20 William and Claire Mangum of North Carolina own #2372 REBECCA and enjoyed a spectacular sail late last year. William writes, "This was truly a perfect day on Lake Norman - changing patterns of clouds and sun in a deep-blue mid-October sky. Claire, my wife, said it was just like the sky in Ireland, before she snapped the picture. The wind was a steady, gentle breeze." He also wrote in a previous e-mail: "I love the Mariner. Seeing her sheer from a distance makes my heart go pitter patter." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239546702-QLZ20RSRL0B3QGGNW072/1130.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - June 21-27 This fantastic shot of Mariner #1130 was taken by her owner, Scott Cummins. At the end of May, Scott and his friend took this picture "of the Mariner at rest... after a seven-hour trek across the southern part of Kentucky Lake and back. You can't tell from the picture, but we had good 12-15 knot breezes for most of the day. I tried to get some action shots, but none came out as well as this one." What a great picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239569966-BWT7RCM09FI40M2OMNSQ/2253.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - June 28-July 4 Mariner #2253 was prominent in many advertisements for O'Day Sailboats from 1971-1973, including one of the first advertisements featuring the new streamlined cabin top. I now have 21 different O'Day Sailboats advertisements on this website from 1966 to 2010. If you have an old ad featuring the Mariner I do not already have, please contact me - I would love to add it to this website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239596051-6ZF5VC0RSYLWFH4DU8S6/pasdedeux.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - July 5-11 Stuart Marine continues to repair, refurbish and restore old Mariners. The boat pictured here is PAS DE DEUX, a 1965 keel Mariner that has been restored to better-than-new condition. The extensive work has included new paint inside and out, the addition of a battery with a compass and Garmin GPS unit, new wood panels and cockpit sole, new hardware, new cushions, new opening portlights - new everything! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239623176-C2EXW7QZ88ZRWE2OK4E4/ebwhite.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - July 12-18 This picture was taken by yours truly back in October of 2007. It was nearing sunset, and I took this shot as I approached Niantic Bay. The quotation is by E. B. White, famed author of books such as Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little and father of noted naval architect Joel White. This and many other quotations relating to the sea can be found in the compilation Essays of E.B. White. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239662697-JOP52U9IKYH6BYYJ0CVI/2023.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - July 19-25 Greg Allen of Dothan, Alabama owns #2023 CONSTANT SORROW. This picture was taken as he was "sailing in the eastern end of Choctawhatchee Bay between Freeport and Destin in the panhandle of Florida. My buddy took the photo from his 1973 Buccaneer." When asked about the name of his boat, he writes that his friends "refer to it as the boat of constant sorrow, borrowed from the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239691404-4V69432MJF03WQEIZ3RY/rendezvous2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - July 26-Aug. 1 Mariners are graceful under power as well as under sail. Chris Albert and daughter Michelle in #2714 DOG DAZE are followed by Roger and Sally Livingston in #4096 GHOST as they motor toward New London this past Friday during the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous. It rained almost the entire day on Friday, and the winds were non-existent until we were well on our way home, but we still had a great time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239740285-G72M8QF9GWTQUSOHD09R/2940.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug 2-8 Bruce Linder and "first mate" Kate have worked very hard to restore Mariner #2940. Residents of Springfield, Massachusetts, they took their boat out on the 16th of July, the last day of their vacation. Bruce writes, "We went back to an area off the main pond at Otis Reservoir where we had swam before. This time, wanting to get a little closer to shore, we dropped anchor about 50 feet out and tied to a tree leaving the boat in 2-3 feet of water. Had a blast." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239770058-PLAVVRQY3P702ESE648T/3485.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 9-15 Eric Lesniak finally got the chance to sail his Mariner, #3485, after refurbishing his centerboard. However, his sea-trial was short-lived. "After finally getting underway, two pop-rivets on the boom bail sheared off from the downward stress of the mainsheet. So I quickly gave everything else a once-over, dropped sail and motored in to replace the corroded pop rivets - all four of them. It was a very hot July day, but after eleven years of no sailing, it felt great to be back in the saddle!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239790130-O8T4X926U8WE4H6S7QWF/narrasketuck.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 16-22 The Narrasketuck Yacht Club is home to a pretty impressive number of Mariners, and this picture shows several of them tied to pilings and also on trailers. Active since the start of the Mariner Class Association, Narrasketuck has seen its share of good times and bad through the years, but Mariners have always had a constant presence. The Mariner Fleet there is continuing to rebuild after a short period of slow activity, and the Club was proud to host the 2010 Nationals at the end of last month. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239808448-6NOLTBCTD6R41U5QLUYX/3599-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 23-29 This great action shot was taken during this past Nationals. Skipper Frank Pelosi and crew Joseph Law are sailing Mariner #3599 on a windward leg of one of the races. Members of the Riverton Yacht Club Mariner Fleet, Frank and Joe came in third place in the Championship Fleet - they had come in second at last year's Nationals. Frank is also the current Mariner Fleet Captain at Riverton and has been a member of the Class Association since 2008. Thanks to Alan Hlavenka for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239828476-O8284N1P4GTGJDK4YYT0/2290-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 30-Sept. 5 Rich Weston is the new VP of Membership in the Mariner Class Association, and he and a friend recently trailered Rich's boat, #2290 SWEET CAROLINE, from Riverton, New Jersey to Lake Owasco, one of the Finger Lakes in New York. Rich writes, "What a great time we had. The lake was quiet and peaceful during the week, and most times I was on the water I was the only boat in sight." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239857183-SMR5MMR24LXHETPFG1LI/2170.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 6-12 Tim and Erin Reiche have just completed a total restoration of their boat, #2170 MAGGIE. This shot was taken shortly after launching at Lake Nockamixon, PA. Tim writes, "The boat found water today and we had a blast. I'm holding off on good vinyl boat letters from a local company so these numbers are just laminated and taped to the side of the hull." Congratulations! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239880825-PA1YB6VB7HPFWGNG41Y4/2707-4.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 13-19 This fantastic picture is of Mike McCormack's #2707 VINLAND during September 4th's Labor Day race on Sebec Lake in Maine. Mike writes, "The night before the race Hurricane Earl was approaching up the east coast... Overnight we had heavy downpours. In the morning it was overcast and still raining... By 1pm race time it was partly cloudy with a temperature near 70. An amazing weather transformation! It was very exciting racing." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239905028-H47LG32HLOLSRUB2T89O/1589.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 20-26 A surprising number of Mariners were produced at an O'Day factory in Canada, and this boat, #1589 BLUE EYES, owned by Jonathan Demers, is one of them. Jonathan sent me this picture of him sailing on Lac-au-Sorcier (The Sorcerer's Lake) in an extremely secluded spot in Quebec. He writes, "I'm probably the only sailboat that ever went there. The only thing is, I better not mess up, because there's not too many people around [to help in case I get into trouble]. It's just such a great place, though." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239931371-9ROP9YNZ2HZRJ0KFTG48/4096.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 27-Oct. 3 Who says sailing in the rain isn't fun? Roger and Sally Livingston (#4096 GHOST) sail down the Thames River past the Groton sub base (General Dynamics) in the rain during the 2010 Southeast Connecticut Mariner Rendezvous. While it rained all day on Saturday, everybody wore their foul weather gear and closed the hatches, and we had a good time despite the conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239965498-KX4PB3ZJ27GRHV5W5DJ6/2282.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 4-10 A couple weekends ago, Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) and Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T, pictured here) met at Public Landing, Maryland and sailed their boats to Chincoteague Bay. Steve writes, "Sailing was great! I got [to Public Landing] and went north to overnight. Ed got there later Thursday night. We met up Friday and sailed together and overnighted together. It's really a great location and I'll definitely go back." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240004342-2K0CLEYL1EJX7DH6M55X/1534.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 11-17 Riverton Yacht Club photographer Byron Campbell sent me this picture taken on July 21st during the Wednesday night summer racing series. He writes, "The guy (crew) in the photo is Fred Linden sailing on FROGGER, #1534 which is owned and operated by Dave Oldham (hidden by the mainsail). They are racing for the finish line!" FROGGER is a veteran of the racing circuit having participated for many years in Sunday and Wednesday racing series as well as many National Championship regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240028233-ELZQ7YV7YZIQR91VGA2G/664.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 18-24 Taken during the 2010 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club (Long Island, New York) back in August, this shot shows Harry Mayer and George Bader heading for the windward mark on the second day of racing. Their boat, #664 MARE, came in first place in the President's Fleet that weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240050857-NLGAG2GB2OGGZ1OBO789/1922-3.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 25-31 I usually dedicate this column to pictures of other Mariners, but this week I shamelessly present ORION as the "Picture of the Week". This was taken last week before my afternoon sail to Jordan Cove. Standing on the beach, I put the camera down as close to the water as I dared, and the result was an interesting perspective of the boat and the sand under the water. There are not many boats left on the Niantic River, and it is getting time for ORION to be pulled out of the water soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240076224-R6E9FAN0BIN8USHJFLLR/1357-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 1-7 Paul DiMarco, owner of #1357, just started sailing and racing regularly this summer - this picture was taken during the Richmond Cup race at the Massabesic Yacht Club (New Hampshire). He crewed on his friend Bill's Catalina 22 for most of the season but finally decided to try his own boat in a race with Bill as his crew in the picture above. They ended up finishing last, but after the Portsmouth Ratings were applied they actually beat three other boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240106557-AHIMMK9H80X4A3KGYLJ7/3007.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 8-14 Andy Atwater keeps his Mariner, #3007 at the Lake Glendale Sailing Club in Pennsylvania. While he enjoys sailing her by himself, he also enjoys his position as a sailing instructor at the Club. As Andy writes, "Our Club - starting its 47th year - has a sailing camp every summer. We teach kids in the Sunfish, but I try to get the kids out on a bigger boat so they can see the similarities. (And no, we didn't take them all out at once!)" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240129243-PG23Y9ABWTSNCDKG7S4V/1580-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 15-21 Bill Hicks owned Mariner #30 MICES for a few years beginning in 1965, but "the only flaw was the keel on the boat. I was able to soon trade for #1580 - a centerboard boat - and the rest is history." Here is #1580 Victory anchored at the entrance to St. Andrew's Bay, Florida. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240154025-FD6UNVU9A8SLK3KX5AZR/2604.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 22-28 Newt Wattis is a member of the Surf City Yacht Club (New Jersey) and sails #2604 MY LIGHTNING. This past summer, he writes, "four Mariner families took a Sunday afternoon trip through the back creeks of Manahawkin Bay to sail in places we have never been before. Some places were about as wide as a Mariner and quite challenging with wind shifts from the preferred direction. Next year we are planning a couple more back creek adventures." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240178906-FSG2ESW7OC03K2DHYSBC/stuart.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 29-Dec. 5 Stuart Marine, the current manufacturer of the Mariner, is offering a "Pick Up and Repair" service for the winter. They will come and pick up your boat for free, bring it back to their Rockland, Maine facility and perform whatever work you request, including having them wash or repair your sail, winterize or repower your outboard motor, or make sure your trailer is up to snuff. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240202035-IWYKXE4NXIDKIGYZAYCV/nationals2008-3.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 6-12 Here is a fantastic action shot courtesy of Read Howarth from the 2008 National Championships at Surf City, New Jersey. #3599 (skipper Frank Pelosi and crew Mike Baldacchino) has rounded the windward mark and is surging ahead as #584 (skipper Paul Coward and crew Ginney Fine) is in hot pursuit. High winds dominated Sunday's racing and made for an exciting finish with only one point separating first and second place in the Championship Fleet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240221662-ON7GTGR0U66ZT1WGMMRP/3647.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 13-19 How nice it is to have your boat ready to go at a moment's notice! David Stone's Mariner, #3647 BIGENUF tied up at his mother's home on Pensacola Bay in Gulf Breeze, Florida. This was David's "first weekend back in the water after 17 years in my back yard and six months of restoration. [This shows] the mouth of Gilmore Bayou with Dead Man's Island in the background. Across the Bay is Pensacola. It's good to be back in the water!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240249557-W71Y4YMJATI6TZK4G8LB/3306-3.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 20-26 Barry Waldman, owner of #3306 QUIXOTIC, was a member of the Mariner Class Association for only a short time, but he made a lasting impact on the Association. After experimenting with various pieces of clothing and iron-on Mariner logos, his efforts inspired the creation of the Association's online store which features items for sale with the Mariner emblem and class logo. Last Friday I learned that he succumbed to cancer a few months ago - rest in peace, Barry. You will be missed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240278228-14P5349XG7GN5JFASDWS/killian.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 27-Jan. 2 Ed Killian's son took this great picture of their boat CAROLINE's mainsail during their last sail this fall, and what a perfect way to wrap up another year of fantastic "Pictures of the Week". That makes 112 different Mariner shots since this website was first created in November of 2008. And, for all of 2010, this website has averaged a remarkable 1,300 unique visitors per week. https://www.mariner1922.com/2009-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240416555-M0VC4VRO0MICHUKJ8XBK/4096.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 These great sailing days are coming again! Here is Roger Livingston sailing #4096 GHOST in a regatta on Webster Lake, Mass. He writes, "This year's race (August 30th) was sailed in almost perfect conditions... you can see I am getting beat by a 1963 Mariner with original sails. I finished in the middle of the pack and had a great time." That's what sailing is all about, Charlie Brown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240416555-M0VC4VRO0MICHUKJ8XBK/4096.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 These great sailing days are coming again! Here is Roger Livingston sailing #4096 GHOST in a regatta on Webster Lake, Mass. He writes, "This year's race (August 30th) was sailed in almost perfect conditions... you can see I am getting beat by a 1963 Mariner with original sails. I finished in the middle of the pack and had a great time." That's what sailing is all about, Charlie Brown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240441669-ILTYFICWY0M1NZKUGK3E/2703.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 12-18 Back in the summer, Jim Schwarz (#2703 IMPROV) raced in the Tuesday night series on White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Jim writes, "On that particular evening, the winds were consistently over 15 knots with gusts well over 20. I raced a Catalina Capri 22 for five years... and always dreaded windy races like this one. Now with the Mariner I love these conditions - it's a blast. We finished first that evening well ahead of bigger boats." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240462429-KSSMICV8WC1G3EVQTPSS/2471.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 19-25 Gary Flomenhoft (SYNTROPICAL II) took part in last year's Wellfleet Regatta in Cape Cod, Mass. According to Gary, "There were three Mariners racing and four Rhodes 19s. The wind died so the guy was probably standing up looking for wind." Gary has a lot of first-class sailing experience, and he gives sailing lessons and charters his Mariner during the summer season from Wellfleet Harbor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240485550-LM4MNL5W13V49PLJQIE0/1647.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 26-Feb. 1 I love this picture of Jim Watson's NAUT-A-TOY, #1647 - All you need to do is hop in, raise the sails and cast off the lines. This day was only the fifth or sixth time Jim had taken her out, and he "was still in the process of fixing her up, but she was in fine shape for an afternoon cruise that day." NAUT-A-TOY is one of the rarer keel boats, offering spacious accommodations in the cockpit and cabin with the absence of a centerboard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240554934-TJFZ3YLQTY050BZF5BTE/athome.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 2-8 How many of us wish we could have our boats at a dock right off our own front yard? While this picturesque summer scene shows a Mariner waiting for a lazy afternoon sail down the river, we can only wait for the return of summer sailing as we dig our Mariners out of the snow in our backyards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240576456-IYDPV0KD7PMVDEAHKTHI/ghostwinter.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 9-15 Although typical for this time of year in New England, this sure is a depressing picture! Here is another shot of Roger Livingston's GHOST the first winter he owned her. Roger writes, "Every morning I would look out my kitchen window wondering if spring would ever come. Sailed Saturday (iceboat), but it is not the same." Roger had titled this picture "Long Winter". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240598950-F4D2TVYR9ZAEVBJER1G8/3033.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 16-22 This tranquil picture of Deborah Barber's Mariner, #3303, is entitled "Lonely Sailboat". She writes that her boat is "the only sailboat at our marina west of Dardanelle, Arkansas on Lake Dardanelle on the Arkansas River. We had to make our own concrete anchor and have to wade out to her each time we sail." Mariners truly can be found in every corner of this country! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240621774-2MWVASQNNFYGJ8AIXIGB/ladystclaire.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 23-Mar. 1 This is Bill Larson's LADY ST. CLAIRE after receiving the finish coat of Interlux Brightside "Fire Red". She is one of the few Spindrift Mariners built between 1980 and 1981, after O'Day stopped making Mariners in 1979 and before the molds were bought by Stuart Marine in 1982. The most distinguishing feature of Spindrift Mariners are the double portlights on each side of the cabin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240648329-B7H1WAH6TFRFE7CM4UFC/1703.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 2-8 Here's a picture of #1703, recently bought in Minnesota by Eric Bluhm. The title of this picture is, "New captain gets a look at her first command." Eric writes, "My oldest daughter, Rebecca, 15, got her ASA basic keelboat certificate late last summer, and... it was time for the family to get a boat. Once the snow-bird owner was tracked down, we made a deal and brought it home February 20. Come on summer!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240667706-I1BNEALTGS9P7NYM5OKN/nationals.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 9-15 Time for an action shot! This was taken during the 2008 Nationals held at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey. There are three "generations" of O'Day Mariners shown here: the early style boats with an open cuddy cabin (#584, #707, #738, #1091); the early style 2+2s with the "bump top" and forward hatch (#1418, #1535, #1741); and the later style 2+2s with the streamlined cabin fronts (#2537, #3237, #3569). 23 boats total. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240691393-7C9BLLJ5KCHL5BP3XHZ2/pws.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 16-22 This beautiful picture was taken by a fellow named Jason on Prince William Sound in Fairbanks, Alaska. This is officially the farthest north a Mariner has been documented at which to reside! Jason had bought this Mariner last spring and sailed on a two week trip in July and a four day trip in August. His two week journey logged 250 miles (sailing half the time and motoring the next) - he even caught an 80-pound halibut! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240710884-FPCGPEPHG84VRF7PQLMM/2707-2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 23-29 It is hard to follow up last week's picture of such a beautiful sunset, but I would say this does the job. This is Mike McCormick sailing #2707 on Sebec Lake in Maine - you may remember it was another picture of his that started off this "Picture of the Week" column back in November of 2008. Be sure and click on #2707's link under "Other Mariners" to check out pictures and more from his five-day cruise on his Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240730312-WH3XQLJ0G8ZHZ1JCAXJ8/nationals-2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 30-Apr. 5 Here is a great shot from last year's Nationals at Surf City. These are two early-style 2+2's, #1880 (Steve Goldberg and Hank Schleckser) and #1771 (Bill Cooper and John Quigley), approaching the windward mark. In the "President's Fleet", Steve would eventually take second prize and Bill came in 8th. This year's Nationals will be held at Riverton Yacht Club from September 18-20th. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240750976-MPXPJOJ4H3L2NIPQTDT4/1647-2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 6-12 Not many Mariners out there have a fixed keel, but NAUT-A-TOY has one. Here, Jim Watson's Mariner #1647 (see the Jan. 26-Feb. 1 Picture of the Week) is about to enter the water to begin a new season of sailing in Toronto, Canada. Be sure to check out his videos listed in the menu at the top of the webpage especially video #2 when he encounters elephants (!) on Sturgeon Lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240789485-G1R57XNN2OUQBFCK3RGE/12.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 13-19 This picture, taken in 1963, is one of the oldest pictures ever taken of an O'Day Mariner. This is hull number 12, skippered (and currently still owned) by Bill Mears on Lake Lanier, Georgia. Bill Hicks, owner of this photo and friend of Bill Mears, "I have owned several boats but the centerboard Mariner is the best one ever." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240810109-U1ZD2PKNRYTAXPK3OA7W/200.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 20-26 Here is another older-style Mariner, Mike and Linda Wicklein's MISS L (#200). She is berthed at a marina on the Chesapeake Bay. Mike writes, "This is the first boat that we've owned. I've always enjoyed sailing and boating with friends and have wanted to do this for some time. The opportunity presented itself and now we have our own. There are three other Mariners docked next to us." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240840266-J6NYL24KHY28D4CJM7HR/2290.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 27-May 3 Rich Weston is the proud owner of Mariner #2290 (the sail number is actually incorrect), and he recently joined the Riverton Yacht Club as well. He writes, "I got SWEET CAROLINE in the water last Saturday for the first time (for me) and it sailed great." He goes on to say that, unfortunately, his wife "got to the Yacht Club too late to take pictures of us out in the river with the jib up." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240866057-IVDNGFFJFE37NIVFLZBF/3415.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - May 4-10 Here is Bruce Franz and Neil Carey in #3415, the THOMAS J. SWEENEY, rounding marker #9 on the Nanticoke River during the Bivalve (MD) Thursday night races in 2004. This great shot is courtesy of Tim Fuhrmann who writes that "the Sweeney consistently placed at the top of the Bivalve fleet racing against the much faster Tanzer 22s. It got so bothersome to the Tanzer leaders that they voted and created a Tanzer one-design class in order not to be embarrassed by being beaten by the SWEENEY." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240910320-K6IHBPLF4UBRKUEYQUYF/firstrace.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - May 11-17 The Riverton Yacht Club (New Jersey) had their first Sunday afternoon Mariner race almost a month ago on April 19th, while many more of us Mariner owners were still struggling to get our boats in the water! The dark-blue hull is #1249, SILK PURSE (David Reily) followed closely behind by #2781, O'MITZVAH! (Chris O'Brien). The black-hulled boat is #664 (Harry Mayer) with #2842 in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240945517-4NXDG4AIIQIJMVJ0U3D0/3121.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - May 18-24 Bob Wood (Mariner #3121) is 84 years young and is a founding member of the 11-year-old West Coast Trailer Sailing Squadron (WCTSS), located on the West Coast of Florida. This photo is of him sailing on a windy day last November on an outing to Lake Harris in Lake County. Besides owning #3121, Bob also owns an O'Day 20 he keeps in Maine for summer sailing out of the Northport Yacht Club on Penobscot Bay. Thanks to Ron Hoddinott (founder of WCTSS) for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240980517-C2B4VQR1F3KCX2VC52DS/harincar.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - May 25-31 Tim Harincar has been a professional internet website engineer for 13 years. In 2004, while shopping for a boat to own, the "Mariner was on my 'short list' of daysailers that I was considering... and was doing illustrations of a number of boats/sailplans." He drew this remarkable sailplan of the Mariner with Adobe Photoshop. Be sure to check out one of the other websites he owns and operates - SailBlogs.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240998726-MMTR8FTMOTV3UKS75FRV/ryc.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 1-7 Rich Weston, owner of #2290 SWEET CAROLINE and member of the Riverton Yacht Club, snapped this picture of Mariners back in the middle of May. They are, starting from the top: #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE, #2448 SECOND WIND, #3599, #2290, #1534 FROGGER and #919 RAPP-A-TACK. Riverton Yacht Club has one of the largest Mariner fleets in the nation - last year 13 boats participated in the Sunday Summer Series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241054865-7HQ586FUZS7P5NUQKG8F/1573.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 8-14 At the end of last month, Steve Hock, owner of Mariner #3627, took this picture at Lake Nockamixon, PA. It was, in his words, "A beautiful day for sailing here. Too bad my boat is in Indiana." (But not for long - Steve picked up his "new" Mariner this past Saturday.) This great shot shows #1573 4 SAIL skippered by Ralph Hall, the Mariner Fleet Captain at the Nockamixon Sail Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241082103-HGZ0CWPG5S1KE02RJKJ4/4186.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 15-21 For their January/February 2008 edition (No. 49), the good folks at Small Craft Advisor reviewed the O'Day/Stuart Mariner. They test-sailed #4186, a 2002 Stuart Mariner at La Conner, Washington, and this great shot is one taken during that day. It was thoroughly reviewed and given high marks - it is definitely worth a read. There are a bunch of pictures and lot of insightful quotes by other Mariner owners. Thanks to Joshua Colvin and SCA for permission to use their picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241105515-QXKX9KW6CGRH65O4RDNE/3237-3.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 22-28 This picture of Dave and Leslie Stapleford's #3237 GREYHOUND was taken several moments before a collision during a race. Dave writes that "GREYHOUND is out of commission after losing four feet of her starboard side. It seems that rookies don't understand the proper application of rule 16.2." Repairs are underway and she should be back in the water in a couple weeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241137957-BLD209JPHSWG4CUHERAC/essex.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 29-July 5 This website was a day late in being updated as my wife and I sailed in ORION from Niantic to Essex and back Sunday into Monday. We rented a mooring at the Brewer Dauntless Marina and stayed overnight at the famous Griswold Inn before heading back this morning, and I shamelessly present this picture as the next "Picture of the Week." ORION is visible on her mooring at the end of the historic Main Street. A wonderful trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241169788-EBBL9DJL78YZW8NK5JUB/223.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - July 6-12 Mariner #223, FINALLY, has been well cared for since Joe Lallande took ownership of her in 1995. Joe writes, "Stuart Marine restored the floor boards last year, and this year we had the hull and interior repainted, centerboard cleaned and primed, etc." The fantastic paint job is evident by checking out the mirror-reflection of the trailer winch in the hull. Joe sails her on freshwater "Long Lake" in northern Maine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241193040-C0LS1ITJWRND5E6TSXVF/nationals-3.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - July 13-19 The Notice of Race for the Mariner Nationals in September has just been posted, so I offer this picture as the next Picture of the Week. This shot is from last year's Nationals as the boats all head for the leeward mark. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241213103-P1SVVPLGXMSECO0IBEWK/notforsail.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - July 20-26 Tom Katula, past Cleveland State rower and assistant coach, "wanted a boat that I could row from Cleveland to Key West and be able to live aboard it. The trip involves stopping at cities along the way to work with Habitat for Humanity." His search for a boat ended when he found Mariner #3010, stripped her of all sailing hardware and ballast, and transformed her into a rowboat (named NOT FOR SAIL). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241235447-105XTA6HVAVU7UWNRJAR/model.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - July 27-Aug. 2 This is a scratch-built model made of a Mariner - quite a work of art by Barry Waldman. He writes, "On this particular model, most of the wood is sassafras. I like sassafras because it sands easily...not too hard, not too soft and looks really great after staining. The centerboard and rudder are walnut. For this model I only had the profile and top view we see in the old Mariner ads...no true plans." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241256036-RQQVBXJX2KBBVWRNSFAV/3507.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 3-9 This picture of Mariner #3507 is from one of the last O'Day Mariner advertisements (1978) I have been able to find, and it is a beautiful shot. Be sure to check out more pictures and ads by clicking "Old Mariner Ads" at the top menu bar. If you own an old O'Day catalog, brochure or flyer that features the Mariner, please e-mail me as I am always hoping to add to my collection. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241274929-ACK5L7OUEP4Y9IMJ3G2S/2170.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 10-16 Tim and Erin Reiche are the proud owners of this early-style 2+2 named MAGGIE. Tim writes, "Here is a picture of MAGGIE on the shore of Lake Nockamixon for a family picnic. We finally found a suitable motor... we bought it from a gentleman who owned an O'Day Day Sailer who was kind enough to knock $25 off the $125 price tag because we were fellow O'Day owners." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241308238-AFXF76Y62W3U69TL3QZO/4172.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 17-23 Dave Chambers' #4172 is currently for sale in Michigan, but that hasn't stopped him from using it when he can. He writes, "After 20 years of sailing Potter 15's, O'Day Javelins and the like, the Mariner is just so much more boat. [This] picture was taken by my wife, Thea, last week during a morning sail on South Manistique Lake in Michigan's upper peninsula." He even confides, "I'm not convinced I want to sell her." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241327945-2I6CNHX6E2VNSWEDT5HW/zoomie.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 24-30 Fred Carlson restored his 1972 Mariner ZOOMIE with great results. Here is his pride and joy anchored at Dog Island, Florida. He writes, "We sailed for 30 miles before getting to Dog Island. The sail was great with the wind increasing to about 20 knots giving us an exciting finish to the trip. The sail home was just as exciting with my GPS recording a top speed of 11.5 mph while surfing four-foot waves." Amazing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241346599-AO6AAR1P4JZGRNQZECLK/30.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 31-Sept. 6 This picture from 1965 shows #30 MICES, owned by Bill and Joan Hicks in Panama City, Florida. The fixed keel on #30 created problems for ease of trailing, so Bill traded the boat for #1580 which has a centerboard. Bill writes that he "moved up to a CT34 Cutter for 15 years; however, I still have the Mariner. Sold the big boat and am cruising the coast of Florida in the Mariner. It is the best boat a man can have and still live on land." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241371774-RFDFG6UL9YATQ2Z0KZQF/3733.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 7-13 Scott Dronen's Mariner #3733 was made in 1979, the last year O'Day manufactured Mariners before concentrating on larger boats. This serene shot is of his pride and joy moored on Cotton Lake, near Detroit Lakes, in Minnesota. This is actually his second Mariner - his first was a 1975 model, but he upgraded to this boat two years ago. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241388224-XD5NPK4RUBLGXSYISV5H/1871.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 14-20 Eric Flower, owner of #1871 and a member of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet, sailed to Flat Hammock (a small spit of beach just north of the West Harbor, Fisher's Island entrance) with a couple friends last month. Eric writes, "We decided it was a good time to eat lunch and get a better look at nearby North Dumpling Island until the sailboats racing in the background sailed through the area." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241409696-U4BCO5Y3QY3MMUPA8S5Y/nationals2009-2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 21-27 This is one of the "breezier" moments during the 2009 Nationals at Riverton. The light air which plagued us over the course of the weekend only allowed two races on Saturday and one on Sunday. ORION came in 10th out of 22 - not too bad for a first showing and for a boat meant more for cruising than racing. This picture was taken by Louise McCarthy, ORION's previous owner and whom I finally met in person for the first time this past Saturday! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241440770-QP8S8NM2BNMQ201Q8M9Q/333.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 28-Oct. 4 Tracy Tomlinson, of British Columbia, has worked hard to restore and customize his Mariner, #333 TIME O'DAY. Here she is afloat at the Quadra Island Canada Day celebrations of this year. According to Tracy, "She... has carried me all through the Gulf Islands and Desolation Sound area. I get a lot of comments from other folks sailing big yachts about how good looking and sound she still looks. Kinda like her captain!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241466250-QVHMRUL30NDIG5GO2LL3/1252.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 5-11 John Pacetti writes that he "purchased my Mariner [#1252] back in March and have been sailing her happily all summer. This picture was taken in northeast Ohio on West Branch Lake." The open cabin was the style for the earliest generation of Mariners from 1963-1968. This particular boat was made in 1968, just before they closed the cabin and added two quarter-berths, thus creating the Mariner 2+2 around Mariner #1385. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241495847-G19201CAFD3E1VX8Q8DK/1731.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 12-18 Jason Idler is the proud owner of MEAGAN (#1731) that was one of the few boats built in Brampton, Ontario. He writes, "Here she is, barely floating off the sandy bottom, at the dock behind my house." Jason came to this boat after six years of windsurfing. The stiffness of the Mariner in heavy winds became apparent to him one Sunday: "After really pushing the boat... I'm the most excited about it I have been." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241524129-GTO4JBXU7D8FLHAMXP9D/3627.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 19-25 Steve Hock, owner of #3627 WHITECAP, took this picture at Sandy Point Park Marina (on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis) before heading out for sail with his wife during the summer. They "sailed upwind to Baltimore, about 17 miles before turning around (a really fun sail)." Steve is also a professional photographer and was on hand at the 2009 Nationals in Riverton last month. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241548167-NF9D39BNFWBCL70XY2I6/2024.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 26-Nov. 1 This is a shot taken during the Southeast Connecticut Fleet's Rendezvous earlier this month. It was a blustery day (a Small Craft Advisory was in effect), and we beat up the Niantic River to where we had some protection and calmer winds. Dan Meaney is at the helm of #2024, and Chris Ely, a recent member of the Association joined him as crew. It was a great way to wrap up the sailing season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241568260-0EO50SBGQUGBSTMUEMRB/1580.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 2-8 Bill Hicks, of Atlanta, Georgia, owned Mariner #30 (see the April 13-19 "Picture of the Week") before eventually upgrading to a 2+2 for more comfortable cruising. This is #1580 with Bill sailing with family on St. Andrew's Bay, Florida. Bill writes, "I have trailed all over the south to lakes and down the coast of Florida from Panama City to Key West. [The Mariner] is the best boat a man can have and still live on land." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241587361-V4UE76R41OHXUTF5B1NB/2537.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 9-15 The first Mariner Bob Tarantino (now Class Association President) owned was #2537 (now owned by Bill D'Autrechy, Association Treasurer). Bob writes, "When I had it I first used it as a family boat and then got interested in racing. I began racing with my son as crew and when he got older, my daughter took his place." The trend continued after Bill bought the boat - he now races it with his own son and has named her GENERATION GAP. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241614534-4IXLAWNMOE9JKR6P15W6/3086.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 16-22 Peggy MacDonald of Burlington, Vermont, proudly owns Mariner #3086 WINDIGO. This was taken on "Day 3 of our annual cruise Lake Champlain camping trip. Tidying up Windigo and hanging our laundry in the calm and sun of Barn Rock Cove. Our tent was pitched 200 feet above the boat on a precipitous over crop. We woke to a dozen anchored boats also dodging the three-foot whitecaps the evening before." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241648426-VTSN2CA71L6GTE3YCMNM/560.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 23-29 Steve Clark owns #560 COOL BREEZE, an early style Mariner he keeps in immaculate condition. In the summer of 2005, he and his son took Cool Breeze for an extended cruise at the Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior - here they are tied up at Isle Royale. There were few other people, and at one point they went two days without seeing anyone else. Their remarkable story is recounted in the 2007 Summer Notice to Mariners newsletter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241685549-K4PQX0DYE3O45IY3MRGP/barata.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 30-Dec. 13 Andre Barata took his 1967 Mariner to Lake Sonoma in Northern California back in October. He writes that it is "a beautiful lake, not very wide except for the end, close to the dam, but with excellent wind. It was my second time sailing a Mariner. It was my first time trying in-boat camping. I loved it and will definitely try it again in the summer." Although his boat has been renovated, he writes that "there is still a lot of work left. Is any boat renovation ever done?" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241727066-WWW0WRAN5EGV0PB0SHW4/3306.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 14-20 Barry Waldman acquired #3306 in June of this year. He named her QUIXOTIC, sailed her all summer, and began restoration projects in October. This particular picture was "taken at the slip with some Photoshop enhancement." He sails QUIXOTIC on Canyon Lake, Texas, about an hour north of his home in San Antonio. He also writes, "Having never sailed a 19-footer, it was a new experience. The more I sailed her the more I liked it. By September, I had fallen in love." Welcome to the club, Barry! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241761385-MTTW82IPZEVQ7LGPABZ9/pws2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 21-27 Here is another outstanding shot of a sunset taken by Jason up in Fairbanks, Alaska (see the March 16-22 "Picture of the Week"). There are not many places as beautiful as Prince William Sound in which to sail - the coastline offers countless islands and fjords, a few of which have tidewater glaciers. While Prince William Sound continues to be altered by the effects of the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989, it nevertheless is a most rewarding and stunning place in which to sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241781056-B12LW3TOFLF8FJUM4CPQ/1922.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 28-Jan. 3 For the last "Picture of the Week" for 2009, I humbly offer this picture taken of ORION on September 30th of this year. At 6:30 in the morning, the sun had just started to appear, and my father was able to capture this shot of ORION on her mooring. I wish you all a wonderful New Year - keep in touch, keep sending pictures, and don't forget to visit your Mariner every now and then during the winter months to remind her Spring is coming. https://www.mariner1922.com/2008-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241906701-XFZZ51HI5OQV47AAU2O5/2707.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 10-16 Sailing pictures don't get much better than this - lots of wind, waves, and laughter. Mike McCormick writes: "I wouldn't have normally gone out on a big windy day like that but I was signed up for our race and so we went out. Also the wind was increasing over the few hours we were out there. That really increased my confidence with this boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241906701-XFZZ51HI5OQV47AAU2O5/2707.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 10-16 Sailing pictures don't get much better than this - lots of wind, waves, and laughter. Mike McCormick writes: "I wouldn't have normally gone out on a big windy day like that but I was signed up for our race and so we went out. Also the wind was increasing over the few hours we were out there. That really increased my confidence with this boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241924159-PZT4E77NSYGDGGYIUSJ2/3599.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 17-23 Here's a nice shot from the Mariner Fall Windup at Riverton Yacht Club. This is boat #3599 with skipper Frank Pelosi and crew trying to keep the boat down in winds gusting to 25 knots. Thanks to Read Howarth for the great picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241939460-QYY4ODDDS6MXZ37BRQWH/4134.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 24-30 This picture is of Greg Tkal's Mariner #4134, MON AMIE, moored at Galway Lake, New York. Greg writes that MON AMIE is "now living at Saratoga Lake in New York (about 20 miles east of Galway Lake). This photo was taken this fall." Too bad we won't be seeing any more days like this for a while. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241966042-9QZJF9M4JMBFJ3HYWPN0/rainbow.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 1-7 How often do you get to see two rainbows, and with one of them leading right to your Mariner? Bob Breckenridge writes, "I am the fourth owner of the 1969-71 produced 2+2 and had just launched it for the first time and brought it home to our house on Lake Superior just before it started raining." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241998590-U4B9VINHJ16Q9PCPN9KB/3582.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 8-14 Igor Rabkin of Worcester, Massachusetts has labored to restore his Mariner, #3582, DOUBLE TROUBLE. This fine shot shows "a great day of sailing on Webster Lake in MA." Those with sharp eyes might notice the new IdaSailor rudder DOUBLE TROUBLE is sporting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472242027443-LUKPOXW6RDHBRK4KNCWL/3237.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 15-21 Dave and Leslie Stapleford's Mariner #3237, GREYHOUND, competed in the 2006 Choptank Cup - a 34-mile race on the Choptank River in Maryland. According to Dave, "The race went well for us and we held 9.6 knots from the Sharp Island Light back to the Choptank Light. Quite a fun ride." I should say so - they came in first place on corrected time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472242051808-0M4PYZHUSFK12F21EHH2/kilgore.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 22-28 This was one of the first images I ever found online when searching for all things Mariner-related. The caption of this picture reads: "Doug Kilgore's 1968 Mariner, THE WINDWARD RAIL, is shown during an exhilarating sail last summer, on a beam reach and kicking up a wake." Thanks to Mike McIntire over at "I Heart O'Days" for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472242081790-XC81WSEJYQOZTEMFZ8G8/3237-2.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 29-Jan. 4 I just have to include this picture of GREYHOUND racing in the 2006 Choptank Cup - you can see another picture of GREYHOUND in action under the Dec. 15-21 "Pic of the Week". The lighthouse is the Sharps Island Light and marks the farthest point of the racecourse. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2007 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481264407-TVQCV6KTJRLZH3V3SF3C/Sailing1.jpg Sailing 2007 One of the first times sailing! My wife and I are in the Niantic River. Notice the older Moorhouse mainsail since replaced with North. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481264407-TVQCV6KTJRLZH3V3SF3C/Sailing1.jpg Sailing 2007 One of the first times sailing! My wife and I are in the Niantic River. Notice the older Moorhouse mainsail since replaced with North. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481330008-3VOLEF9ZZRC2X5T2SLB2/1+-+On+the+hook.JPG Sailing 2007 Orion on the hook. Both sail covers were bought from Ameriseam with "Sea Spray" color Sunbrella.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481387931-E54Y0LIAPXW2GDDGBJMD/2+-+Niantic+Bay.JPG Sailing 2007 Sailing in Niantic Bay. I have not yet received my new roller-furler jib and hardware.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481451034-460V76T6NAP41YJ93MYL/4+-+Harkness+Point.JPG Sailing 2007 My halyards run down to the base of the mast, through blocks, around the hatch with a deck organizer, and through rope clutches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481492955-SK5XQ2R4ZS4DJSZKGK3B/11+-+Approaching+New+London.JPG Sailing 2007 The old compass, original to the boat, was replaced with a new Ritchie. New London harbor is in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481534180-TNGWWPQXH4Q8DHLOV80O/22+-+Approaching+Millstone.JPG Sailing 2007 Headed back after a great day's sail, Millstone is in sight, marking the entrance to Niantic Bay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481597291-LIQOPCP4DHMFDEMZZ65V/21+-+Headed+Home.JPG Sailing 2007 Getting toward late afternoon - a wonderful time of day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472481652866-AVDO65YM60WGN8KYLICW/24+-+Entering+Niantic+Bay2.JPG Sailing 2007 Getting toward sunset. Do I have to go home? https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2008 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486204382-ZYQ5BZNUNVOCXI03PU2N/nan+rail.JPG Sailing 2008 May 3rd, 2008 - sailing with my friend Hector Benalcazar (#3429). I'm towing him through the old 1907 Niantic Railroad Bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486204382-ZYQ5BZNUNVOCXI03PU2N/nan+rail.JPG Sailing 2008 May 3rd, 2008 - sailing with my friend Hector Benalcazar (#3429). I'm towing him through the old 1907 Niantic Railroad Bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486249026-3ER9LEC1Y7POZ5CPWJMG/starboard+bow.JPG Sailing 2008 It was a heck of a windy day. I haven't had a chance to trim the jib! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486342405-K9Q90DKI8BZ8Q5NVCJYU/starboard+beam+big.jpg Sailing 2008 Blasting along at hull speed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486396936-TPDVM3QQDISCXTSEDADT/starboard+quarter2.jpg Sailing 2008 McCook's Park is in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486441209-UQVYQAZFZNRQVEQ80K48/Pictures+012.jpg Sailing 2008 August 8th, 2008 - sailing with my father. I'm walking forward as I try out my new Tiller Tamer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486487843-Y4G6Z7CW2EL80CTXSAM7/Pictures+014.jpg Sailing 2008 Although I can only do this in light winds, it does give me the opportunity to get another perspective while sailing solo! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486548621-AHN6TS7JY39I0DRE69UB/DSCF0379.JPG Sailing 2008 September 30th - Took an early fall trip around Black Point to Giant's Neck, Niantic. The weather was just right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486627132-5YB8HKSMDZSX54E81CLU/DSCF0388.JPG Sailing 2008 Here's a shot of my friend Hector as we return from Giant's Neck. I haven't yet cleaned the seagull "residue" from the sail cover.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486714761-03NM1AQ9QAV3B6318CDT/Sailing+038.jpg Sailing 2008 October 30th, 2008 - anchored up the Niantic River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486752995-8FF7ZNVA3B97W46ORWFZ/Sailing+020.jpg Sailing 2008 Rowed ashore in my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE to explore Turkey Point beach and some woodland paths. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486872890-47GTLS2C8T5T5KTDRVBM/Sailing+025.jpg Sailing 2008 ORION is just visible through the trees atop a nearby cliff. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472486941111-5LJB9NJCITMODEO0ZBA5/Sailing+036.jpg Sailing 2008 The paths through the woods are simply beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472487010036-6F2AVPYJWV1DM0JZITQ2/Sailing+041.jpg Sailing 2008 The TRUE LOVE is still there, patiently waiting for me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472487018052-JZRK4LXP7NVAX3U7SR0C/Sailing+046.jpg Sailing 2008 What a gorgeous time of year. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2009 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506649438-I2P0MQX6SED833Z0TX5K/Pics+001.jpg Sailing 2009 May 6th, 2009 - headed to New London. I am about to shake out the reef in the main as the wind has dropped a bit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506649438-I2P0MQX6SED833Z0TX5K/Pics+001.jpg Sailing 2009 May 6th, 2009 - headed to New London. I am about to shake out the reef in the main as the wind has dropped a bit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506733591-11Q54UMSNP5MT5H8FD01/Pics+006.jpg Sailing 2009 The tiller-tamer does make it easier to attend to different things for a few minutes at a time. The nuclear-power plant Millstone is in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506773464-ID7Y9XCPT4YJOGGD0QWY/Pics+008.jpg Sailing 2009 I flew my new asymmetrical spinnaker single-handed - what a thrill! The main and jib combined makes 185 square feet of sail - the a-sail alone is 205. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506818411-R4ETFE8M6KW7HAEMEWSG/Pics+010.jpg Sailing 2009 The a-sail's tack block should be centered (it slipped). I didn't have the sheets run properly, so I fouled the sail attempting a jibe. Better luck next time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506862889-4FM6YQL3IU1QPERXS9L2/Pics+016.jpg Sailing 2009 Back at the mooring. The IdaSailor rudder retracts completely out of the water, so there is no need for anti-fouling paint, and the tiller-tamer keeps it in place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506914669-GFAE3ZMDO3MZ19Q21MXE/Mariner+026.jpg Sailing 2009 May 19th - sailed off of Pine Island, Groton. Uninhabited and owned by UCONN, a Revolutionary War veteran who owned 2/3 of the island was buried there in 1788. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506953845-XGLWJ897U0WZA27QZC1E/Mariner+027.jpg Sailing 2009 Grabbed a mooring "stick" by Pine Island to put away the asymmetrical I had just flown, read a magazine and take a short nap. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472506997364-T4BX4FXADCJTNV2FRIVL/Mariner+019.jpg Sailing 2009 You don't see these every day! Here is the AMISTAD off of Fisher's Island heading to New London to be available for tours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507045866-SI0NWSTVE4D26XKOVSG6/Mariner+030.jpg Sailing 2009 Stopped at the Niantic Bay Yacht Club on the way home to stretch my legs. Not many boats in the water yet! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507081421-IACM1IG9GIZ055T1RXYG/Mariner+028.jpg Sailing 2009 The Mariner's large cockpit makes her seem larger than 19 feet. Many people have estimated Orion to be between 23-26 feet long! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507113969-EBAEH93NB0VKMO5YGTE6/Sailing+009.jpg Sailing 2009 June 28th - sailed with my wife Liz from Niantic to Essex and stayed overnight. Here is ORION on her mooring off of the end of Essex's historic Main Street. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507161755-N3U42EJ61G1TOGUV9MRV/Sailing+013.jpg Sailing 2009 The next morning we motored back down the Connecticut River before setting our sails. Here we are passing underneath I-95 headed for the railroad bridge.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507285712-S2TT8JOSA8WI32679G54/m1.jpg Sailing 2009 August 7th - sailed with Liz to Mystic Seaport to stay overnight. We anchored just north of the Seaport by the Elm Grove Cemetery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507342167-WHW60LKWWW94YZU11AA7/Mystic+011.jpg Sailing 2009 Mystic is a beautiful place, especially when viewed from the water. Here is ORION at anchor with beautiful historic houses in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507384928-VRK0PM6FVHKW2LHRCOFK/Mystic+017.jpg Sailing 2009 We left Saturday morning after briefly tying up to a floating dock to use the restrooms. The L. Francis Herreshoff ketch ARAMINTA is in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507607866-NTGVT09W1Q0ELBXY072D/Mystic+024.jpg Sailing 2009 We passed the Morgan Point Lighthouse at Noank. This is now a private residence! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507676726-S9ZVWACOTYZRC6QZHKJ7/Nationals+003.jpg Sailing 2009 September 19th - Here is ORION nestled in with other Mariners in Riverton, New Jersey, waiting to be launched to compete in the Nationals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507853292-V974JZDN2GGVX7ZZZ0QT/Steve+Hock+041.jpg Sailing 2009 ORION proved to be an able racer, coming in 10th out of 22 boats over the course of the weekend. Here she is rounding the leeward mark. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507897298-DTYM59F18SSEY079NYJ4/Rendezvous+018.jpg Sailing 2009 October 10th - Sailing with Chris Albert (foreground, #2714) and Dan Meaney (#2024) during the first annual Southeast Connecticut Fleet Rendezvous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507941210-4P8BTCQAIFLZU7HDT5CR/Rendezvous+020.jpg Sailing 2009 A small craft advisory kept us from meeting with three other boats a 2-hours' sail away; we stayed in the Niantic River and ate lunch at a nearby beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472507988504-8BTDJ20AT3HMGM6O0B9N/Last+Sail+019.jpg Sailing 2009 November 3rd - The last sail of the year. The old 1907 railroad bridge was stuck in the "down" position, so I stayed in the River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472508033660-APDSOB7WDOQ67ZI46WW3/Last+Sail+006.jpg Sailing 2009 I passed a gentleman motoring his beautiful Noank sloop-style boat to the nearby launch ramp to haul her out for the season.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472508071534-BWY05JX4A207W02R6SJY/Last+Sail+013.jpg Sailing 2009 One of the remaining boats on the River happened to be the sister to Mariners - a Rhodes 19. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472508101574-PYB8PE4GDUOC9Y8VL2OY/Last+Sail+021.jpg Sailing 2009 Back on her mooring after removing cushions, mainsail, rudder, boom, and all interior items. She'll be hauled out this coming Sunday, November 8th. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2010 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472508792198-EA85CBWFVVXFURPZEIVT/Sailing+016.jpg Sailing 2010 April 19th, 2010 - first launch of the season! Despite some launching mishaps, she finally got to her mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472508792198-EA85CBWFVVXFURPZEIVT/Sailing+016.jpg Sailing 2010 April 19th, 2010 - first launch of the season! Despite some launching mishaps, she finally got to her mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509260908-FI3YNPDHKGKDPINKDVQU/New+London+001.jpg Sailing 2010 June 8th: Sailed to New London and docked at the free floating docks by the train station, walked up the street and grabbed some lunch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509308715-KZOS75OZY1OB830YZKN5/New+London+002.jpg Sailing 2010 The wind was blowing 15-20 most of the time, so I was unable to get many other sailing pictures on this trip - I had my hands full! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509401043-UZQH7301G0TBNP0TWE1D/IMG_0150.JPG Sailing 2010 July 17 - My wife Liz and I took friends and family to see fireworks out in Niantic Bay. Yes, Virginia, seven people CAN fit in a Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509446403-786WIHMFRW35JFKIX3DB/IMG_0517.JPG Sailing 2010 July 23rd: The first day of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous brought very light winds. Here I am motoring to New London. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509506347-NN02RVN6UQC70FRVGSAP/Rendezvous+021.jpg Sailing 2010 Here are the three boats (#1922 ORION, #4096 GHOST, and #2714 DOG DAZE) in New London. We had a great time despite the calm wind and rain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509627888-DKBZ0769VY4DIJYTCSS2/Rendezvous+039.jpg Sailing 2010 July 24th: Here I am sailing the following day to Bushy Point Beach, Groton. On this second day of the trip, Dan Meaney joined me in #2024. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509679607-E129ITIQLAHQR9NHJBM5/Rendezvous+046.jpg Sailing 2010 Dan is anchored here with a friend having lunch before sailing back home. Check out the Google Photos album for more pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509899344-DIOBWUUBI2AVUUFJG0ON/1-+Giant%27s+Neck.jpg Sailing 2010 August 31st - Spent most of the day sailing to Giant's Neck. Here I am anchored next to a beautiful catboat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472509962815-S27H8F5RCIVZKHG32C8U/9+-+Giant%27s+Neck.jpg Sailing 2010 After lunch, I explored the nearby cove and marshlands in my Dyer Dhow. Click on this link to see more pictures from this day trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472510172842-FO147M8DV6COYK0I507Z/Jordan+Cove+138.jpg Sailing 2010 October 20th - Sailed around Millstone to Jordan Cove and hooked onto a mooring to read a magazine, listen to music and take a nap.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472510220105-4HIHGT09H7C6T1BPBQLC/Jordan+Cove+150.jpg Sailing 2010 It was a wonderful way to spend a fall afternoon. Check out many more pictures in the web album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472510403171-WCOLU93CZ45XX2WHMCWF/Last+Sail+003.jpg Sailing 2010 November 2nd - Decided to take one final sail out in Niantic Bay before hauling ORION for the winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472510490230-VVMH9KC6WODT2GRDP7DF/Last+Sail+008.jpg Sailing 2010 The "winter wind" had arrived, gusting anywhere from 5-15 knots and constantly changing direction. The windchill was 38.2º - it was cold!   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472510542991-2VEYUFIN9Z0HSUBJJO5V/Last+Sail+009.jpg Sailing 2010 After a two-hour sail, I decided to pack it in. Here I am motoring up the Niantic River channel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472510590503-EZRQTAJOXLCW847YXUUJ/Last+Sail+016.jpg Sailing 2010 Safely back on her mooring. Next week I'll haul her out, bring her back home and start the winter maintenance. Farewell to the 2010 sailing season! https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2011 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472511116241-JJ9DUSKYAL6ORLO7ZSM2/Launch+025.jpg Sailing 2011 April 10th, 2011 - She's in the water! It was a very smooth launch with no mishaps. This is the earliest launch date she's ever had. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472511116241-JJ9DUSKYAL6ORLO7ZSM2/Launch+025.jpg Sailing 2011 April 10th, 2011 - She's in the water! It was a very smooth launch with no mishaps. This is the earliest launch date she's ever had. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472511899210-9POC589NUA5DEHWF5N6N/sailing+008.jpg Sailing 2011 May 27th: Went out again in the Bay after some morning fog had lifted. The wind picked up nicely, and I enjoyed a steady 8-10 knot breeze. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472511957966-BH80600TDRTI2YEZL3TZ/sailing+013.jpg Sailing 2011 I had the chance to fly the 215-square-foot asymmetrical spinnaker - what a blast! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472511995722-PMWZKA4E6XGF74V1CE3H/sailing+015.jpg Sailing 2011 Nice to see the sun illuminating the sails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512089584-LLQX6ZZN5SQ7VGME28M1/Group.jpg Sailing 2011 June 24th-25th: The 2011 Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous commenced as we sailed from Niantic to stay overnight at Mystic Seaport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512139268-19NJJ5JQPPWL15SE1VYM/Orion.jpg Sailing 2011 It was the weekend of the famous WoodenBoat Show, and we set our hooks in the nearby anchorage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512194069-COXICCRVRARJHJOBQ0UU/Delivery.jpg Sailing 2011 My Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE got a workout that weekend shuttling Mariner sailors back and forth between their boats! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512227630-IA6PAVWNKYB3RX8SVRJW/Tim3.jpg Sailing 2011 The whole event was an outstanding success. For more information and pictures, check out the photo album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512367513-QVVDTMUXTZZJHCGIXYHB/Nate_Dad.JPG Sailing 2011 August 13th: My father and I went to New Jersey to compete in the 2011 Mariner Nationals. These four pictures were taken by Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512406812-T2IM8FBYFPRLPBY4TQWD/Surging+ahead.jpg Sailing 2011 Here is one of the few times we actually had people behind us. ORION showed her colors fairly early as a cruiser, not a racer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512447833-U6XZHNRVK6CNGCOJUSQT/OrionCompetes.JPG Sailing 2011 This is more like it. Headed for the windward mark while the other boats in the background are already headed for the leeward gate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512530165-3ZC7KB2MGHKAPWRWAKJO/LiftingOrion.jpg Sailing 2011 Lifting ORION out of the water using a four-point bridle is always somewhat of a nerve-wracking experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512736932-UFYWHD4CS17BOHJIDK8B/Halloween+204.jpg Sailing 2011 November 7th: Hauled ORION out of the water and power-washed the bottom and topsides. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512787931-FUPHHYJLCSJWEWPPBY2J/Halloween+210.jpg Sailing 2011 Here she is, all ready to go. Another sailing season gone. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2012 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513189293-G9HFLGRXFMWUQKWSXAZP/sail+002.jpg Sailing 2012 April 25th - She's in the water! It wasn't until the following week that I had my chance to take her for our official first sail of the season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513189293-G9HFLGRXFMWUQKWSXAZP/sail+002.jpg Sailing 2012 April 25th - She's in the water! It wasn't until the following week that I had my chance to take her for our official first sail of the season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513222064-UPRZ75P6DAXUG4G9AFDD/sail+007.jpg Sailing 2012 This year, ORION is sporting a brand new carbon-fiber boom, courtesy of my father (a Christmas present). A great addition! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513263505-UZJRZF14JT6MPBAPMH1F/Greenport+005.jpg Sailing 2012 May 23rd - I went on a three-day trip with friends Steve Hock and Chris Albert (who sailed his own boat) to Shelter Island and Greenport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513297349-BTDC3EDM82ADFPAVE1ED/Greenport+019.jpg Sailing 2012 After crossing Long Island Sound, we anchored for the night at picturesque Coecles Harbor and ate dinner on my new cockpit table. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513337855-PBYNB9Z9ABD0HNV2SPZO/Greenport+021.jpg Sailing 2012 Coecles Harbor provided absolutely stunning views; this sunset across the harbor also shows we had the normally popular anchorage all to ourselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513367412-8MZS10BON89ALPC4DHA5/Greenport+026.jpg Sailing 2012 The second day we sailed around Shelter Island to visit Greenport before we went home the next day. More pictures are in the web album here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513465134-LXENZE0EDV2FVREWB9BS/Rendezvous+009.jpg Sailing 2012 June 29th-July 1st: The Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet sailed again to Mystic Seaport for the WoodenBoat Show. Six boats launched from Niantic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513529447-OLUF9U901YM53AHDH2VO/100_1835.JPG Sailing 2012 We had a nice, steady breeze sailing to Mystic, and a day later, we had good winds heading over to West Harbor, Fisher's Island. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513565581-DVE1GOD1IZYZ7XEKN021/Rendezvous+111.jpg Sailing 2012 Despite a windy night with lumpy conditions, we had a good sleep in the anchorage before heading back home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513615162-JZ1R3P0OTSXIPZ09NVI8/100_1864.JPG Sailing 2012 It was a great event, and it was a pleasure to see six Mariners all sailing together at one time. See all pictures at the web album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513772633-A0CP1AL45MORYP0EKVYR/Picture+006.jpg Sailing 2012 August 1st: Paid a visit to the nearby Niantic Bay Yacht Club to buy some lunch. Notice the fleet of Optimists racing in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513901982-ROIFYMZ0V1T9D33WGSYS/Picture+009.jpg Sailing 2012 The Yacht Club is a friendly sort of place with lots of activity. It will be quite a different sight in just a few short months! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472513929115-1DUNLFKQKXBLNQH16TK0/Picture+011.jpg Sailing 2012 Marionette, an S&S-designed Dolphin 24, is, in my opinion, the prettiest boat at the Club. More information on her can be found here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514198740-Y9XPGYCLPH6VJXII2PGU/Picture+014.jpg Sailing 2012 After a quick lunch, I sailed around Millstone Point to Jordan Cove and anchored for a bit to read before heading home. A wonderful afternoon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514335978-NWLYMLWNJ449U7QW6SGH/Pictures+013-2.jpg Sailing 2012 August 31st: Went for a short sail with my dad to Bartlett Reef Light, a 3.5-mile sail from the Niantic bridges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514298123-N765Z4L4HXXWIHPTVU3R/Pictures+006.jpg Sailing 2012 The wind at the mooring was only about 5 knots, but once in Niantic Bay, it picked up to nearly 20. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514401921-U60SNT2ZZS2IJK5X0TPP/Pictures+009.jpg Sailing 2012 The current was whipping past the Light, creating heavy chop over the reef which we avoided. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514525131-O99OVTE6T2ZUSK1KKE72/Pictures+019.jpg Sailing 2012 It was a short trip, but a pleasant one, especially since it has been a few weeks since I've been out on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514638060-50XZPPZPG0472KCFJIIG/Last+Sail+025.jpg Sailing 2012 Oct. 4th: I took what I considered to be my last sail for the season and went around Black Point to Giant's Neck, anchoring by Griswold Island. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514668280-G45EIVVBGEVUXKI4OK7Y/Last+Sail+020.jpg Sailing 2012 It was a very windy sail there, but once in the lee of the island, I put up the awning, took in the beautiful sights and even took a short nap. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514699697-TX5HNM5MGS8A7KZJVHVX/Last+Sail+035.jpg Sailing 2012 Later on that afternoon, I headed home. The winds were absolutely perfect, and it was a great way to end the sailing season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514779207-DVS1CPFOTQZXKACKROOB/Last+Sail+037.jpg Sailing 2012 Once through the new railroad bridge, I spotted my nemesis! View more pictures of this trip at the online web album. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2013 daily 0.75 2016-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569109009-HIUSXGLVG6OD7MGQBNL3/Mariner+001.JPG Sailing 2013 June 6th: Went for sail in Niantic Bay. The new railroad bridge has been completed, replacing the old 1907 King bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569109009-HIUSXGLVG6OD7MGQBNL3/Mariner+001.JPG Sailing 2013 June 6th: Went for sail in Niantic Bay. The new railroad bridge has been completed, replacing the old 1907 King bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569216273-8WBKV6DZG06LNARQLH48/Mariner+002.JPG Sailing 2013 It was a great day to test the new roller-furling jib and also the new boom vang setup - both worked flawlessly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569272370-VXG8D4W6O8Y606WWGEWR/Mariner+004.JPG Sailing 2013 I even saw an interesting rainbow-effect in the sky as I was headed around Millstone to Jordan Cove!   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569325314-OYGOG9YW0Z682MQL3K1W/Mariner+008.JPG Sailing 2013 Once in Jordan Cove, I hooked onto a mooring, put up the awning, and relaxed for a bit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569412115-QBL8EI74DR1EWOV6VPMR/Mariner+007.JPG Sailing 2013 I knew the cockpit table would come in handy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569489514-Q432P1TSX5UQU69QWL07/Mariner+011.JPG Sailing 2013 After a few hours, I headed back home. Boy, it sure is nice to have ORION in the water again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569556987-ADKW0EBHG40KRWC2E1HR/Essex+001.jpg Sailing 2013 June 28th: Sailed for an overnight trip to Essex with my friend Jay Sullivan. It was a great day with ideal winds allowing us to sail there on one tack. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569605875-N6KQAIOD5HJKCICWKTRE/Essex+009.jpg Sailing 2013 We were wing-on-wing heading up the Connecticut River, and Old Lyme Draw opened just in time - the second after I took down the whisker pole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569671263-YA38Q6CYVTOKQ264Q4Z6/Essex+019.jpg Sailing 2013 We sailed past the Old Lyme Marina where many beautiful boats were moored in front of many beautiful houses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569721917-GT986H2NHYSZREPB3N2K/Essex+045.jpg Sailing 2013 We got a mooring at Brewer's in Essex, and as Jay went home I enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the cockpit of ORION. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569771509-ZYCGQ0JV7YQYNAEN52GB/Essex+056.jpg Sailing 2013 The sun tried to come through the next morning, but rain clouds in the vicinity for a few more hours kept bringing some showers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472569846521-UZ7F00WWR1UKLR0WS4WU/Essex+062.jpg Sailing 2013 My father met me in Essex to sail home with me, and we explored some marshes on the way. It was a great trip - check out the full online album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570180029-M5ESSG7O1OQJFEIWA0WZ/IMG_2436.JPG Sailing 2013 August 9th: The biggest sailing event of the year happened this weekend for the O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous from Niantic to Mystic Seaport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570061536-9K3J2TVRX3JIUQQDM5WP/DSCN2554_424.JPG Sailing 2013 A whopping 18 boats took part over the course of the weekend, and it was a fantastic sight to see so many non-racing Mariners together! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570108795-Q41OZ59SNGTYKC81OE97/P1010314.JPG Sailing 2013 Despite an incredibly rough journey on Friday, Saturday had bright sunshine. Many visitors stopped by our boats check them out and chat a while. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570247457-BQD4UXA6KXRHC1ABVJA8/SAWP0658.jpg Sailing 2013 It was, simply put, the best sailing experience of my life. Be sure to check out all the other pictures at the online web album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570512877-OL97S1DDKRSR1WCJX2YP/Mariner+002.JPG Sailing 2013 October 9th: I sailed over to nearby McCook's park and anchored nearby, enjoying a good lunch and the beautiful scenery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570511836-W0ABMCSI4FDQ18WQX4VD/Mariner+006.JPG Sailing 2013 There are a surprising number of boats still in their slips at the Niantic Bay Yacht Club. Sailors are wanting to extend their season as long as possible.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570519919-5EKV55BVUD3UV2KMEST4/Mariner+009.JPG Sailing 2013 Even the presence of a large outboard motor does not detract from the great lines of this catboat moored off of my parents' house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570518797-XI8JY1KHBLYL5NK9VYH3/Mariner+015.JPG Sailing 2013 Back on the hook. I snuck in a couple more sails before ORION came out of the water November 5th. It was a great season! https://www.mariner1922.com/2017-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2018-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483317245779-7GSBO4P782IJS6H3GD2M/mysticsunrise.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 2-8 With the dawning of a new year comes a picture of a sunrise taken last August at the 2016 Mystic Rendezvous. This was taken at about 6:00 a.m. from ORION's forward hatch after the first night tied up at Mystic Seaport's floating docks. The sunlight is illuminating the historic houses on the western side of the Mystic River, and a slight breeze is just starting to build across the way. Directly ahead and just to the left is Appelman's Point, the site of several shipyards through the 19th century, most notably that of Charles Henry Mallory. The Seaport is built on the site of the famous Greenman shipyard; both Greenman and Mallory shipyards dominated Mystic shipbuilding from the 1830s until around 1880. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483317245779-7GSBO4P782IJS6H3GD2M/mysticsunrise.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 2-8 With the dawning of a new year comes a picture of a sunrise taken last August at the 2016 Mystic Rendezvous. This was taken at about 6:00 a.m. from ORION's forward hatch after the first night tied up at Mystic Seaport's floating docks. The sunlight is illuminating the historic houses on the western side of the Mystic River, and a slight breeze is just starting to build across the way. Directly ahead and just to the left is Appelman's Point, the site of several shipyards through the 19th century, most notably that of Charles Henry Mallory. The Seaport is built on the site of the famous Greenman shipyard; both Greenman and Mallory shipyards dominated Mystic shipbuilding from the 1830s until around 1880. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483915861694-Z8N77VASF2M0BFO7HT71/riverton.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 9-15 This great shot comes from the lens of Byron Campbell, resident photographer at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey. Taken back on September 11th, this race was part of the fall Sunday Series. Seven Mariners participated, and according to Byron, it was a "nice day with a good breeze." Here, the boats are getting prepared for the second race, reaching back and forth near the starting line. Soon they will be jockeying for the best position to get the best and most advantageous start in clean air and on a tack favoring a leg to the windward mark. Once the horn sounds, all the boats will be right on the starting line and the beat to windward will begin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1484500112216-AZJX7A0XT9GICNJXAEZM/2024.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 16-22 In the middle of last July, I went sailing in Niantic Bay with Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) and Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW SEA NUF, picture here). The winds were light, but we nevertheless had a great time sailing around the Bay and visiting the Niantic Bay Yacht Club to get some hamburgers from their Galley Restaurant. CLEW SEA NUF is a mid-style Mariner like ORION, and although she has snubbing winches and tracks for a genoa, Dan finds the working jib to have plenty of sail area. He has made a point to attend almost every Southeastern Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous since they first started in 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1485208507438-INWVBYUS73L2K4R7OL55/knefley2.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 23-29 Bernie and Helen Knefley sail in light winds on the way to Mystic Seaport during the 2016 Rendezvous last August. They take great care of their late-style Mariner named CAPTAIN PAPPY, and it was a pleasure to have them join the group of nine other Mariners for their first Rendezvous. While tied up at the Seaport, they took out folding high-backed chairs, complete with cup holders and other amenities, and set them up in the cockpit, just as comfortable as could be; it gave other cruisers some good ideas! When he's not sailing, Bernie is active as an ordained minister in Pennsylvania - what a treat to talk with him and his wife. Photo credit: Dan Meaney. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1485817423821-9X1JMQV5XLAHDIKSND60/eggers.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 30-Feb. 5 Jillian Eggers stands by with the bow line as father Bill and sister Bridget maneuver #2280 JULIE B toward the docks at Mystic Seaport. They - and sixteen other Mariners - had weathered stormy conditions en route from Niantic to Mystic during the famous 2013 Mariner Rendezvous, and by the time all the boats reached the Seaport, everyone was pretty wet and tired yet thrilled to be there. Close observers may notice a custom traveler mounted on the transom with the mainsheet cleated off there through a cam; this frees up the cockpit, although perhaps at the expense of better mainsheet control. #2170 MAGGIE is in the background, also making an approach to the floating docks. It was a memorable weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1486343334396-O1XY3QO8O7C41NU1PUQV/2011Nationals.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 6-12 Skipper Dan Walsh and crew Tom Slook charge ahead on a port tack in #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE while skippers Dan Goldberg (#1880), Dave Stapleford (#3237) and Chris Duncan (#1048) hold their course on starboard during the 2011 Mariner Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. The three boats on a starboard tack have right of way, and judging by this picture, Dan is probably about to shove the tiller over to swing his boat around to follow suit. It can be a risky maneuver so close to other boats, especially when going over the starting line, but it can also pay off if timed just right. Dan knew what he was doing - he ended up placing second, far ahead of his competitors shown here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1486943615847-JUNF8DEWO44E630MDDR6/sway.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 13-19 Bob Chandler and family sail on Percy Priest Lake, Nashville, Tennessee in October, 2012. #3048 SWAY is running dead downwind with her mainsail on one side and her jib on the other. There are several terms coined for this setting of sail, including wing-and-wing, wung out, goosewing, and others. The old-timers refer to it as "readin' both pages," although that term is more applied to schooners with the main set to windward and the fore to leeward. SWAY was photographed by fellow Mariner owner Oly Shooter in #1071 SWEET KATE - the two of them had a great afternoon on the Lake with many fantastic pictures taken. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1487522843811-ZO2A0980JGKTG6O8LSO7/hilaire.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 20-26 Although there is still snow on the ground here in Connecticut, I cannot help but dream of days to come like the one pictured in this great shot. Nick St. Hilaire is jumping off his 1965 Mariner HELLO KITTY with his son, while Nick's wife is taking the picture. Nick writes that he "sailed in Lake Champlain for a number of years and then trailered to the Gulf coast of Florida. It was damaged by a storm while moored/docked a number of years ago. I began restoring it last year to share the hobby with my son. The centerboard is great for when the water gets skinny in upper Tampa Bay." The storm cloud behind them gave them a good fresh-water rinse as it passed over them! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1488063367187-TK10B0W7ANRUFZAZLRTX/hirondelle1.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 27-Mar. 5 I was pretty proud when I finished designing my cockpit awning, and then I saw this. Eric Bluhm made an absolutely incredible fully-enclosed, rain-proof, screened cockpit cover for his boat, #1703 HIRONDELLE, like none I have ever seen. Eric contacted me when he was first restoring his boat, and he even had his hull painted with almost the same custom color as my own. He did a lot of work on HIRONDELLE, but nothing compares to the work he did for his boat tent. Although he sold his boat back in 2014, his website detailing his work for the tent and other restoration projects is still available, and it is most certainly worth a look. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1488846245086-0WYM2EOSIMSUW0YKZ7WR/IMG_9858.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 6-12 #3485 SHOAL MATE has just been launched by Eric Lesniak as he and his daughter Jessica prepare to take part in the Second Annual Lake Champlain Rendezvous. Eric writes that Jessica is holding SHOAL MATE "at the launch ramp on Hathaway Point in St. Albans, Vermont, prior to our sail to Burton Island State Park. The ferry to Burton Island uses the dock adjacent to the launch ramp, so we were pleased to launch and sail before it returned. Lake Champlain is a great place to take a Mariner. I can't wait to go back!" Eric is the current President of the Mariner Class Association and has taken part in number of rendezvous with his superbly-restored, late-style Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1489361937537-1RBZPVGJX1Q3TOPB8EMW/3584.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 13-Apr. 2 Luke Deikis's #3584 rests calmly at anchor this past September as the sun goes down on the Hudson River, near Little Stony Point, just north of Cold Spring, New York. Luke writes, "The depth rises abruptly from 92 feet to about 6 feet, then holds there for a long gentle slope to the shore, making a shallow calm cove backed with a natural beach that most sailboats can't enjoy. With favorable tide and wind I made it there from my home mooring (Peekskill) by lunch, then left the beach to the day-trippers while I explored a new sailing grounds all afternoon in an increasingly sporty wind. When I returned to the cove to drop anchor for the evening I had it to myself, and the Mariner's shallow draft let me cuddle into the shallow calm waters. I had a restful night's sleep before sailing home the next morning." Sounds like a perfect overnight trip to me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1491187615366-IWTAE7IPKU3HAD8HED4A/bella2.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 3-July 6 Seagulls will not come near Bill Ferrato's Mariner, #2209 LITTLE BLUE, as she is guarded by Bella, one of the boat's watchdogs. Bill, from Bethpage, New York, took this picture at Napeague Harbor and writes, "During the hot summer days, the dogs lay in the shallows and watch the seagulls land on the boat. Bella, a very high energy, curious dog, races out to the mooring to shoo them away. Up the doggy boat ladder and onto the boat she goes. She will stay there all day if no one comes to get her in the dinghy, a bit annoying after the third or fourth time, but I can't blame her." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1499468565228-VYZ1RAUU7F5DJHEF58HJ/bootstripe.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - July 7-29 After several months of a haitus, I am now hopefully back in action to update this website and get things back on track. Between work, home, selling a house, building a new one, and many other things, I have had to put this website on the back burner. My boat has not even been launched for the season yet! But that will change beginning tomorrow as ORION finally makes the splash to herald in her (short) 2017 sailing season. This picture was taken just a few days ago as my four-year-old son, Harrison, helped me paint the bootstripe. He did a great job and (mostly) stayed within the tape! (I followed along closely with a paper towel, just in case.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1501428104490-N5OKAALGFB411NULCZRF/20170727_102948_resized.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - July 30-Aug. 6 This past week, 14 sailors in eight O'Day Mariners sailed from Niantic, Connecticut to Essex as part of the Mariner Class Association's "Westward to Essex" Rendezvous. Despite encountering light winds and some motor trouble, the fleet enjoyed the great weather, the fantastic facilities at Brewer's Essex Island Marina, a tour of the Connecticut River Museum, a cruise aboard the ONRUST (a replica of the 1614 ship Adriaen Block used to explore the Connecticut River), wonderful food at the Griswold Inn and a catered dinner from Marley's Cafe. There were nothing but smiles during the entire event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1502382199773-X865LCE4O1DJSB1JNXWA/IMG_3674.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - August 7-20 Last month, Luke Deikis of Peekskill, New York, went sailing with a friend aboard #3584 DOROTHY for a multi-day cruise around Long Island Sound. He writes, "I planned 12-20 miles a day and I was glad I did. The week we were out had pretty mild winds (with a few very sporting evenings thrown in to keep it fun), plus two days of just glass. Mileages like this let us get moving whenever we got around to it, and even with lackluster winds and half-assed consideration of tidal currents still make it to our destination each evening." He uploaded a bunch of pictures but also writes: "I think there are exactly zero sailing pics. It turns out it's impossible to take a worthwhile pic of sailing a Mariner from within a Mariner." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503074044937-K73270NJBPKYBUFS0DAW/IMG_0454.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 21-27 Tim, Erin, and son Owen motor #2170 MAGGIE up the Connecticut River during the 2017 Mariner Rendezvous at the end of July. Once at the mouth of the river, the wind died off almost completely, and the eight-boat fleet turned on their motors for the remainder of the trip to Brewer's Essex Island Marina. The mid-style Mariner is perfect for kids like Owen who have their own forward hatch to peer out of! Although the Reiches live somewhat far away in Pennsylvania, they have attended every Rendezvous here in Connecticut since 2011. I think that makes them honorary members of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet, wouldn't you say? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503928605849-VILLTPI6LSA1B073XTIA/Tom+and+Roger+on+Ghost.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 28-Sept. 3 This sure would make a good publicity shot, wouldn't it? This is Roger Livingston sailing Stuart Mariner #4096 GHOST with his son Tom as crew during a recent race at Webster Lake, Massachusetts. Roger writes, "It was a perfect day for sailing although we had the rail in the water for most of the race." Roger came in fourth overall and managed to beat another Mariner entered in the PHRF regatta. He and his wife Sally participated with GHOST in the 2010 Rendezvous, and they remain active sailors at their Webster Lake sailing club. Although Roger's (successful!) battle with prostate cancer prevented him from attending this past "Westward to Essex" Rendezvous, he hopes to come to the 2018 rendezvous now that he is officially cancer free! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1504493059250-PO9DW1W3OW4U5FGV7VE5/Schiemer.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 4-10 Matt Schiemer owned #2014 ODISEA for a number of years, most famously participating with her in several Texas 200 events. These grueling, endurance-testing gatherings are rapidly becoming popular in the small sailboat world, and Matt - along with the late John Alesch in #2607 ANCIENT MARINER - represented the O'Day Mariner in style. Here is Matt anchored at one of the checkpoints, clothes drying on the boom, bimini and aft awning in place, taking a well-deserved break. Although Matt recently sold ODISEA, he remains active on the Texas 200 planning board. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1505140298008-AL8GV92GDRKK0QQBBUUY/hotflashes.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 11-17 The winds may be light, but that doesn't stop Jennifer O'Connor from speeding along in #1338 HOT FLASHES during the 2014 Mariner Rendezvous. She's sailing with borrowed sails out in Niantic Bay with her friend as crew on her way to Mystic Seaport at the start of the event, and the open Niantic River railroad bridge is in the background. Jenn hand-crafted several different awnings for HOT FLASHES, including a fully-enclosed cover with bug screens with roll-up sides. Although she has since sold her Mariner, it was great to have her participate in three consecutive Rendezvous from 2013-2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1505753125011-M5UTTE9YP6SRRXNXUA6R/1241.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 18-24 Here is Ulises Fohl’s #1241, an early-style Mariner plowing through her home waters of Miami, Florida. She was for sale about a year ago, but not much else is known about her. However, she seems to be in great condition with her topsides sporting a nice shade of dark blue with a red cove stripe and red bottom paint. Her genoa jib, set on a roller-furling foil, is also dark blue, and her mahogany coaming tops are well-varnished. Her upper and lower shrouds have plastic covers to prevent the jib from chafing on them, a wise precaution that greatly extends the life of the jib. It’s a fantastic shot of #1241 under sail on a perfect day for sailing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1506373562396-6BBLGCVECXHEMSPE1FPN/nationals2.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 25-Oct. 1 The Mariner National Championships were held at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey a couple weekends ago with seventeen Mariners competing for the winner's trophy. Congratulations to two-time winner Rob Seidelman sailing Spindrift Mariner #4052 who came in first four out of the six races, with Frank Pelosi (#3599) and Jim Erwin (#3187) finishing second and third respectively. Steve Creighton (#629 BLIND SQUIRREL), veteran of many races and rendezvous, won the President's Fleet division. It was a challenging regatta as light winds plagued the fleet, but the professionalism of the Riverton Race Committee, the excellent hosting by the Yacht Club, and the camaraderie of all the Mariner sailors made for a great event. Photo: Byron Campbell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1506945792526-R3XXJBTDWH3F3K3CYNQ5/CIMG3402.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 2-8 At the beginning of September, solo sailor Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T) went on a five-day cruise on the Chesapeake with Steve Hock and Russell Schuss. According to Steve, Ed's boat kept ahead of the other two just about all of the time. Steve, an ex-Mariner sailor (now in a Catalina 22), is a professional photographer and was a member of the Mariner Class Association's Executive Board for a few years. Russ is a past President of the Association, and while he actively sails his #272 SYMPATICO, he elected to cruise in his more roomy O'Day 222. During the cruise, they experienced everything from no wind to too much wind, but they all arrived home safely and with many stories to tell. Here is Ed blasting across the Chesapeake Bay on one of the more windy days of the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507550901390-7M0LHYO0TDRRSQ2NPE2L/ladymsea.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 9-15 Michael Maus, of West Palm Beach, Florida, writes, "After selling my 1966 Pearson Commander in Chicago in 2011, I came to a very quick conclusion that if/when I moved back to my native Florida, an O'Day Mariner would check all of the boxes (primarily trailerable and beachable)." When he eventually made the move, he purchased this 1969 mid-style Mariner at the beginning of 2017 from another Floridian and began many projects, such as painting the entire boat, working on the centerboard, and installing a bilge pump. He named his boat LADY M SEA after his wife, and they have "done a handful of intercoastal cruises and sandbar beer drinking, making modifications to rigging and tweaking the boat to our needs. Hurricane Irma came along and I had to stash the boat in a friends warehouse."   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1508173880784-L73FV97F2J2KOELPN32S/crowley.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 16-22 Charles Crowley posted this picture on the Mariner Class Association's Facebook page a while back, and I wanted to share it here as it's a great one. He's sailing an early-style Mariner with a home-built enclosed cuddy cabin - and don't you love the small yacht ensign on the transom? While O'Day Mariners of this vintage (1964-1968) look almost identical to the mid-style boats (1969-1971) when viewed from their profiles, two giveaways can quickly determine the difference. First, only the early-style boats sport the blue-striped cabin and coamings. Second, the cabin portlights are half-circles on both ends. Mid-style boats - besides all the various cabin and cockpit differences - removed the stripe and had trapezoidal portlights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1508778436998-OTUVA8VCYIE9GHOB1MUO/bentley.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 23-29 Mark Bentley passes the Saybrook Breakwater light as he heads home in INVICTUS during the 2017 "Westward to Essex" Rendezvous this past July. This was the second year Mark joined the group for the annual Rendezvous; he sailed with everyone to Mystic Seaport last year and got into a bit of trouble with his motor and centerboard on the return leg. He was successfully rescued, however, and he was happy to redeem himself this year when he came to Steve Creighton's rescue. Steve's #629 BLIND SQUIRREL was experiencing motor trouble toward the end of the event (and shortly after this picture was taken), so Mark towed him about six miles home. Steve was very appreciative! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1509380704473-9H9BK3JBRIDUHTSOI8KP/rivertonreily.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 30-Nov. 5 Skipper Dan Walsh takes the lead in #2778 during the David Reily Memorial Regatta just a couple weeks ago on October 15th. This regatta was held at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey, in memory of one of their own members who was a long-time owner and racer of Mariner #1249 SILK PURSE. #1249 - under new ownership - took part in the race and can be seen on the left side of the picture. This event marked the end of weekly racing for the Riverton Mariner Fleet for the year; Riverton pushes their season later than most other fleets. Their attention will now be focused on cleaning up the Club and preparing to hunker down for the winter. Picture credit: Byron Cambell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1509973215282-YI2SMMX7CUUVXXOJVTHX/maggie.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 6-12 Tim Reiche motors #2170 MAGGIE from her slip at the Nockamixon Sail Club, Pennsylvania, to the launch ramp for her end-of-the-year haul-out last week. MAGGIE was the very last one to vacate the docks at the Club, and photographer Steve Hock was on hand to not only assist in her retrieval from the water but also to take some great shots with his camera. While it looks like Tim is hanging his head in disappointment knowing his sailing days are officially over for the season, Tim claims he was actually averting his eyes from the sun. ORION will soon follow MAGGIE; she's scheduled to end her season this coming Saturday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1510595530677-DZ4UKRNHS2XS29756SQI/ppl.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 13-19 Oly Shooter's #1071 SWEET KATE is carefully beached and tied to a tree on Hole-In-The-Wall Island on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee. This picture was taken back in late October of 2012, and Oly had gone sailing with friend and fellow Mariner sailor Bob Chandler (#3048 SWAY). The two of them took a number of excellent photos of each other's boats under sail during this outing, and a few of them were used as promotional pictures by the Mariner Class Association in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the building of the Mariner. It was a perfect sailing day with beautiful foliage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1511203975223-ZRDY9XFEJ6L8JYTMGGHR/IMG_0523.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 20-26 It's all smiles aboard #2280 JULIE B during the 2017 "Westward to Essex" Rendezvous back at the end of July. Captain Bill Eggers is at the helm while wife Teresa stands in the companionway and daughter Jillian sits on the cabin top. It's Thursday afternoon, and the group of eight O'Day Mariners are headed back from Essex to Niantic after a great time at Brewer's Essex Island Marina. Soon, Jillian will hank on and raise the jib as all the boats sail down the Connecticut River. JULIE B has a unique, home-made traveler system across the transom that allows the middle of the cockpit to remain free from the mainsheet. The Eggers have participated in several rendezvous since the first National event in 2013 at Mystic Seaport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1511788242938-DDJRV4ODKE5FD0ZSALC4/DSC_0339.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 27-Dec. 3 Since today is my birthday, I decided to post a picture of ORION in this column, which I usually reserve for other boats. This shot was taken in May, 2016, when Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) and I went for a three-day trip in our boats across Long Island Sound. We went through Plum Gut and made various stops at Orient Point, Coecles Harbor, Sag Harbor, Greenport, and Orient, and we had a fantastic time despite light winds the first two days and fog/rain the second day. This particular shot was taken by Chris as we approached the Orient Point lighthouse on the first day. Although the water looked like there was wind coming, it was actually just the turbulant water of the Gut. Very deceiving! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1512434199352-N0Z7HKI6WNBJ6G63A8XJ/leiz3.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 4-31 Art Leiz bought his Mariner, #2376 BLON-DEE III, brand new from the O'Day factory back in 1972. Since then, as an active member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club, he became the President of the Mariner Class Association and later the Class Measurer, raced his boat in countless National Championship regattas (winning three times with his son at the helm), and was even awarded the honorary title of Life Member in 2010. Now approaching 80 years of age and dealing with family health concerns taking up much of his time, he reluctantly sold his boat in May of this year after an astounding 45 years of ownership. He does hope, however, to crew for the new skipper in the 2018 Nationals at Narrasketuck! This great picture by Alan Hlavenka shows Art and his son (also named Arthur) on their way to victory at the 2014 Nationals, the last time the Championships were held at Narrasketuck. https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1 daily 0.75 2025-08-07 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2025/8/7/essex-rendezvous-2025 monthly 0.5 2025-08-07 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2024/8/9/new-london-rendezvous-2024 monthly 0.5 2024-08-09 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2023/8/23/mystic-seaport-rendezvous-2023 monthly 0.5 2023-08-24 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/s/2022-mariner-national-rendezvous monthly 0.5 2022-10-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2021/8/27/mystic-seaport-rendezvous-2021 monthly 0.5 2021-08-28 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2019/9/20/mystic-seaport-rendezvous-2019 monthly 0.5 2019-09-20 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2019/1/7/stonington-rendezvous-2018 monthly 0.5 2019-01-07 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2018/8/9/windcheck-mariner-rendezvous-2018 monthly 0.5 2018-08-09 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2017rendezvous monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2015rendezvous monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2014rendezvous monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/planning monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/restoring monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2013rendezvous monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/2011rendezvous monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/boatshow monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/mijoy3 monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/mijoy2 monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/articles-1/mijoy1 monthly 0.5 2017-08-17 https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2017 daily 0.75 2017-12-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503066565374-RB2UW2GBTO77QVB2KFLY/IMG_0416.JPG Sailing 2017 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/5996f77edb29d612b1195406/5996f795bebafba6e467e0e0/1503066005053/ Sailing 2017 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503066091114-E3LLH16XIUDD3G7OQUKX/IMG_0411.JPG Sailing 2017 July 18th: ORION had a very late launch this year since I moved from one town to another, and my first official sail wasn't until today. This is the latest launch she has ever had, except for the very first year when I bought her. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503066091344-JPDOFUMKHYGMO7QUUL3K/IMG_0413.JPG Sailing 2017 I went sailing out in Niantic Bay and swung around by the Niantic Bay Yacht Club - all the docks were filled. I thought about stopping by and getting a burger from their cafe, but I wanted to keep sailing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503066117300-SZG8S7F0NPSDHK6G4RVW/IMG_0416.JPG Sailing 2017 The wind was light enough so I could shake out my asymmetrical spinnaker. It takes about five minutes to completely rig, but once it's up, it's a lot of fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503066123549-YTEH485KDZAV3HF8AR05/IMG_0418.JPG Sailing 2017 Back on her mooring. This weekend, I'll be taking out some family and friends to see fireworks in Niantic Bay, and in a week, she'll be leading a group of O'Day Mariner sailors to Essex for the annual Rendezvous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503067284737-8TGTLBEGWF8T5IV11CJI/IMG_0431.jpg Sailing 2017 July 25th: Eight O'Day Mariners and fourteen sailors gathered at the Niantic River launch ramp once again to take part in the annual Rendezvous. This time, instead of going to Mystic Seaport as we have for the past four years, we went to Essex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503067293328-25ATL6YMD47TN3FAJWBN/IMG_0445.jpg Sailing 2017 Winds were really light, but we managed to sail all the way to the mouth of the Connecticut River before it finally died away to almost nothing. We motored through the railroad bridge and the rest of the way to Essex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503067313936-A8ZQ4NPNMWIO4VCI32L8/IMG_0460.jpg Sailing 2017 Brewer's Essex Island Marina was a great place to have a rendezvous, and they were great hosts. We all stayed at floating docks right next to each other, although we were surrounded by larger powerboats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503067316063-MYK4XAV68K7D8QJQD9NQ/IMG_0478.jpg Sailing 2017 The following day's weather was absolutely gorgeous, and we engaged in a number of activities including touring the Connecticut River Museum, going for a cruise on the ONRUST, and eating a catered dinner in the evening right by our boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503067706739-GE26GEB8SKROR45ZPCQG/dan2.jpg Sailing 2017 We sailed back to Niantic the morning of Thursday, the 27th. We had a good sail from Essex down the river - here I am approaching the lighthouse at Saybrook. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503067763229-3VHLRZ6COQFWQWJAM7ZI/IMG_0561.JPG Sailing 2017 Light winds plagued us once again, and we ended up motoring home. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic event, and everyone seemed to enjoy it! Be sure to read my write-up on the event and check out more pictures in the Google photo album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1504299279829-5RQG273VASNRXPBEEHQG/IMG_0589.JPG Sailing 2017 September 1st: I managed to get away from work for an hour or so. I rowed out to ORION with the trusty old SportYak. You can barely fit two people in it, but, boy, it's light, solid, and steady as a rock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1504299277492-UCW9SKIZO2VIJK39SOM9/IMG_0594.JPG Sailing 2017 Although you can't tell it from this picture, it would occasionally pick up to about 15 knots with gusts to 20 in the Niantic River, so I put a reef in. ORION settled down and handled the gusts just fine with reduced sail area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1504299302341-5DUKLFYQ72A4V137CZMN/IMG_0597.JPG Sailing 2017 Already, the mooring field in the River is getting pretty vacant. There are some other boats that were on their moorings nearby, but this area is usually pretty clustered with boats this time of year. Have people been hauling out their boats early? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1504299302093-M79VPCHJE3GZKLMRIZ9D/IMG_0599.JPG Sailing 2017 There were a few more boats on their down river, and I passed a few other sailboats that were underway, headed down the channel to go out into the Bay for Labor Day Weekend. After this picture was taken, I shook out the reef in the main and had a great downwind run back to my mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507556480445-ZFDOQYUXDSPSRZ1JS25O/IMG_0646.JPG Sailing 2017 Friday, October 6th: I finally got the chance to check on ORION following Hurricane Jose. She was calmly swinging on her mooring with no issues (except for a scummy waterline which I scrubbed clean). I took off all the extra securing lines and took her outside the bridges to stretch her legs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507556477391-585FVXZ15EW0XT7VPIEC/IMG_0648.JPG Sailing 2017 There was absolutely no wind out in Long Island Sound, so I ended up motoring around Millstone into Jordan Cove to have lunch. At slack tide, it only took about 45 minutes to get there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507556504271-JANN3XRWMKFBR9MGN8BX/IMG_0650.JPG Sailing 2017 I put the awning up and set up the cockpit table to eat my lunch. It was hot in the sun, but the awning made everything a lot more comfortable. Unfortunately, there were a bunch of persistent black flies that kept trying to use me for their own lunch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507556507730-ZVEEI4TDSV4QG12UKD42/IMG_0652.JPG Sailing 2017 Although the area is dominated by the structures of the Millstone nuclear power plant, it has never bothered me, perhaps because I grew up always looking at it. Additionally, the surrounding landscape - including this beautiful wooded shoreline - offers alternate views! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507556534814-QVCY9L4G1KRW2VBRJDXA/IMG_0653.JPG Sailing 2017 Sometime after noon, the wind started to fill in a bit. Not much, but just enough to make good headway against the outgoing current. I had a great sail all the way back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507556539629-DQI3EFK36DG619TVKGXD/IMG_0660.JPG Sailing 2017 The warm weather made it seem like it was still summer, but I know ORION's sailing days are numbered for 2017. I'm going to try to sneak a few more days of sailing in before she's hauled out for the winter which will most likely happen at the beginning of November. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1513975015267-8DVCVS4P2MX3R9NSZRKE/IMG_0661.JPG Sailing 2017 November 11th: After a long period of inactivity, I finally took ORION out of the water to prepare her for the long winter months. I backed one side of the trailer up on a ramp so I could power-wash the bottom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1513975210043-8Y8MDMDUX92BKMZ5047U/IMG_0665.JPG Sailing 2017 It was a race against the clock to get everything squared away before the sun went down, but the engine was winterized, spars and gear put away, and the bottom cleaned. My buddy Greg kindly came with his truck to trailer ORION a couple days later and brought her to Northford where she went in her garage bay for the winter. The sailing season of 2017 - the shortest so far - officially came to an end. https://www.mariner1922.com/2018-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2019-01-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1514865548727-7XFZ38DRMJP1BJJ4OE97/image-asset.jpeg 2018 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1514868200324-FKHR4NH8UPCUMJ9L9UV6/20170725_121833_001.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 1-14 I didn't have a chance to end the 2017 Pictures of the Week column with ORION like I have done for the past few years, so ORION starts things off for 2018 instead. This picture was taken during the 2017 Rendezvous from Niantic to Essex by Jack Lorraine (#1469 TWE). We were headed toward the Connecticut River in light winds, and I was at the rear of the group. I set the asymmetrical spinnaker and make some progress; by the time we reached the mouth of the river, I had managed to claw my way to the very front. Jack snapped this photo as I passed by. Overall, it was a memorable event, and I’m already looking forward to this year’s event. I hope everyone has a great 2018 sailing season! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1514864165640-E2XR2NQWELJGX55MV5IE/20170725_121833_001.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 1-7 I didn't have a chance to end the 2017 Pictures of the Week column with ORION like I have done for the past few years, so ORION starts things off for 2018 instead. This picture was taken during the 2017 Rendezvous from Niantic to Essex by Jack Lorraine (#1469 TWE). We were headed toward the Connecticut River in light winds, and I was at the rear of the group. I set the asymmetrical spinnaker and make some progress; by the time we reached the mouth of the river, I had managed to claw my way to the very front. Jack snapped this photo as I passed by. Overall, it was a memorable event, and I’m already looking forward to this year’s event. I hope everyone has a great 2018 sailing season! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1515990458444-S9UFZ7AYPCICLMRM6OHX/2707.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 15-21 Mike McCormack's #2707 VINLAND has the distinction of being the very first Mariner featured in this "Picture of the Week" column back in 2008. He posted this picture of VINLAND on Facebook about a year ago, and it's great to see that he still owns her. He sails and races on Sebec Lake, Maine, and he also manages a website with a webcam of the lake. VINLAND will not be back in the water for a few more months yet, but it is pictures like this that keeps Mike and us other Mariner sailors counting down the days until the next sailing season begins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1516632698787-N3MNV40CL9SG9ZJNOD91/tow.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 22-28 On the way home from last year's Rendezvous to Essex, we were able to sail all the way down the Connecticut River. However, due to light, shifting winds around the massive supports of the I-95 highway bridge, we found it necessary to take the sails down and motor underneath, remaining under power until we passed through the nearby railroad bascule bridge before raising our sails once again. As we were taking our sails down, Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) radioed that his outboard wouldn't start and couldn't get underneath the highway bridge. Fortunately, Bill Eggers (#2280 JULIE B) and his family were close by and were able to throw him a line and tow him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1517237178194-9W9683NGGW7RFX83CMEN/pepper.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 29-Feb. 4 Dave Getchell is sailing his 1972 O'Day Mariner PEPPER in light air off of Rockland, Maine back in 2013. PEPPER sports a roller-furling jib using the CDI luff-foil furler, although Dave elected to keep the size of the sail to that of a working jib and not a genoa. Of particular interest is the fully-battened, radial-cut mainsail, highly unusual for a Mariner - and, of course, not legal for class racing. (But who cares if you don't race?) Despite the light winds, it looks like those aboard PEPPER are having a great time, even the dog down below, who, according to Dave, "is sleeping on a pile of jib sheets as normal." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1517842668932-4YL1Z4BU9L8CU9HRIM2T/osprey.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 5-11 Skipper Dick Dixon is shown here at the helm of his early-style O'Day Mariner OSPREY in a photo dating from the early 1970s. He's sailing with a couple of friends and is being closely pursued by two other friends in an unidentified sailboat, one of whom took this picture. The gentleman on the leeward side of the cockpit seems unfazed at the angle of heel while Dick and his other crew have planted themselves on the high side. Not much more is known about this particular boat; I was just happy to stumble across this old picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1518446083226-LWRV6T2NV9CCLNVSFCJJ/1703.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 12-18 What do you do during the winter months when there's snow on the ground and sailing isn't an option? Make the mother of all Mariner cockpit tents, of course! Eric Bluhm is sheltered underneath his creation aboard #1703 HIRONDELLE a few years ago. Eric, when designing this enclosure, wanted plenty of space including standing headroom; a full, waterproof cover for rain; screens for ventilation; a large, opening doorway; and window curtains. The end result was a huge success, tested during many sailing trips - check out his webpage here. Although Eric has since sold his boat (tent included), he had been inspired by my website and undertook a few similar projects I tackled - he even painted his boat the exact same color as ORION! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1519050080269-DBBRH8AKO3FDPQQ4NFTI/wise.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 19-25 Skipper Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T) blasts through lumpy swells during a four-day excursion with friends Russ Schuss and Steve Hock. According to Steve, they "experienced quite a variety of weather and sailing conditions" while visiting Crisfield, Maryland and Jane's Island State Park during their cruise to Honga River and Fox Creek. Ed has owned CHRISTINA T for several decades and has participated in several Rendezvous here in Connecticut. Although some of us were worried by some recent talk of him looking for a larger, more comfortable cruising boat, he assured us he has no plans to sell CHRISTINA T. In fact, he plans on coming up with her to Connecticut once again in August to attend this year's Rendezvous to Stonington. Thanks to Steve Hock for the fantastic photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1519656342474-SFQGBYF6X8Y8XEDJKSTV/shipshapes.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 26-Mar. 4 What do you do when someone gives you an O'Day Mariner for free? If you're the Discovery Center in Traverse City, Michigan, apparently, you put in on land and build a deck around it. That's what they did back during the winter of 2015-2016 when they created their "Ship Shapes" outdoor exhibit in their courtyard. The Discovery Center was founded in 2007 and encompasses a nine-acre campus; it is home to several water-focused non-profit organizations including The Maritime Heritage Alliance, Traverse Area Community Sailing and the Traverse Tall Ship Company. Their website is worth a look, and while it's a shame this O'Day Mariner's sailing days seem to be over, it seems to be playing a very prominent and visible role in the Center's expanding bayfront property. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1520263855111-ERFYYVOD4P5X8Y1HB5HM/casamorada.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 5-11 I love when a state-of-the-art establishment incorporates the O'Day Mariner, a boat designed over fifty years ago, yet time-tested and still in demand today. Such is the case for this restored, old-style Mariner with sails bent on, ready to go, tied to a dock at the Casa Morada in Florida. The Casa Morada is an "upscale, sixteen suite, privately owned hotel inspired by the informal character of the Caribbean", and one of the options guests have is to rent this little beauty for a daysail. With the palm trees blowing in the breeze and this Mariner waiting patiently, it makes me want to jump in for a sail right now - how about you? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1520822297977-BXJFGO9X7D17HSCNOBHH/3468.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - March 12-18 For fifteen years, US Coast Guard-licensed Captain Gary Flomenhoft has managed a sailboat charter business called Outer Cape Sailing in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. For twelve of those years, he has owned and used #3468 SYNTROPICAL 2 as part of his enterprise, taking customers out from June to September in Wellfleet Harbor for daysails, beach picnics, seal watches, sunset sails, and sailing lessons. Customers typically fill up his calendar every year, and his website is packed with great information and an easy online-booking system. Although his charter business has been highly successful, Gary is looking to sell it since he is relocating, and his highly-customized Mariner is up for sale as part of the business or as an individual boat. Not a bad way to earn a living, I'd say! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1521465770405-08ONMG4KVFB2M66L5N4P/173-1.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - March 19-25 It's no secret I'm a sucker for Mariners in sunset shots, so I was happy to come across this photo of O'Day Mariner #173 THE FREE. In 2012, this boat was in a pretty dilapidated state in East Quogue, New York, and her current owner found her tucked back between some trees with just the bow sticking out and the word "FREE" spraypainted on the port and starboard bow (hence her name). Over time, she underwent an impressive restoration with new wooden stringers, the removal of the original head and plumbing, new cabin plywood, a rehabilitated centerboard, and fresh paint and varnish. She came out looking spectacular - check out this website for more about her restoration with a ton of great pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1522034633412-KUK2TL6Q2IPKRK6LHNNO/2676-2.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 26-Apr. 1 This past Wednesday, Helmuth Meyhoefer, skipper of the famous "Gold Boat" #2676, passed away at age 79. He was a long-time member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club Mariner Fleet and was a past Commodore and Life Member of the Club. Helmie won an astounding fourteen (!) Mariner National Championship regattas on his home turf as well as at Brant Beach, Surf City, Spray Beach, and Newport. (It's worth mentioning he also placed second eight times.) A former helicopter pilot in Vietnam and a Senior Captain with American Airlines, the legend is that he would fly over the Championship Regatta locations to check out the air current flow for optimum racing performance. Whatever his pre-race tactics actually were, he was nearly unstoppable on the race course and will forever be known as the greatest Mariner champ in history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1522677003356-WJSY4H3ZYMZG6MV7KJDB/unchispitomas.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 2-29 While the vast majority of O'Day Mariners are located on the east coast of the United States, they are found all over the globe, from Norway to Australia. Wilfren Tacoronte's boat, #3108 Un Chispito Mas, is a little closer to home in Puerto Rico, and she is regularly cruised and raced in several local regattas. Here she is, sitting calmly on her mooring, waiting for the next race. Since it is not necessary to abide strictly by Mariner Class rules when racing other styles of boats, Wilfren has made several upgrades, including the RudderCraft kick-up rudder and split adjustable backstay. The Mariner is still a highly competitive racer - not bad for a design over fifty years old! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1525092722129-IKS58W8D7LJ1RB3IYD7B/campbell.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 30-May 13 Doug Campbell is affiliated with the Red Dragon Canoe Club, one of the oldest boating clubs in the country (founded 1883) and located on the waterfront of Edgewater Park, New Jersey. He is part of the growing Mariner Fleet at the Club and sails an early-style Mariner named BLUEBIRD. Located not far from the Riverton Yacht Club on the Delaware River, the Red Dragon Canoe Club is home to at least four or five O’Day Mariners. This picture was taken this past November when he sailed on a grey, overcast day. In regards to being able to sneak in some late-season sails, he puts it best when he writes, “November sailing: Like getting an extra Snickers from the vending machine.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1526304178765-TPVUPEOKKTVQN0FEM5Z4/valere.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - May 14-20 In the late 1960s, O’Day Sailboats approved the construction of Mariner sailboats outside of the United States, specifically in Norway (made by the “Selco” company) and in Australia. There, they were produced by Quest Marine as the “Quest 19”, and apparently, they were even building the early-style Mariners as late as the 1980s. This mid-style O’Day/Quest Mariner from Australia is actively raced by Valere Oddoux in Queensland. Notice some custom features he added, including a lengthened mast requiring two sets of spreaders, a square-top mainsail with full-length battens and an array of rope clutches on either side of the cabin. Portlights have been covered by the racing number “408”. Earlier this month, Valere and his crew were forced to jury-rig a new mast during a race when this lengthened mast failed; fortunately, there were no injuries and everyone got back safely. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1526911246623-T9OMPG7B96V118A5FMK7/173-4.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - May 21-27 Back in March, I posted a photo of O’Day Mariner #173 THE FREE, and here’s another great picture of her sailing. She had been found in East Quogue, New York with “FREE” spraypainted on her bows. She was given a lot of help by a few ambitious, young sailors, and she has a new lease on life thanks to them. While I suspect it might be time for a new set of sails soon, given the various patches on both main and jib and odd mainsail window, and although the tack on the main has not been secured, it doesn’t stop them from enjoying a fantastic sail on a perfect summer’s day. Skipper and crew are all smiles as they enjoy the results of their hard work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527477774587-V9OUIKIM8R9UIWRQ081P/3599.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - May 28-June 3 Frank Pelosi sails Mariner #3599 this past Wednesday during the weekly Wednesday night racing series at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey. According to photographer Byron Campbell, it was a “breezy and nice evening” with all the fleets racing in their own classes, including Mariners, Lightnings, J-22s, Flying Scots, and cruising sailboats. Riverton started their sailing season earlier than most of the other clubs with Mariner fleets; their first day of racing was at the end of April. Riverton also remains active late into the sailing season with boats in the water long after other Mariner fleets have packed up for the winter. Frank is an experienced racer with #3599 - the past three times the Nationals have been at Riverton (2017, 2013, and 2009), he placed second overall. Picture credit: Byron Campbell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528084589172-REXCP8S0TUTUWFE5M6NE/2008.jpeg 2018 Pictures of the Week - June 4-10 After O’Day stopped producing the Mariner in 1979 in order to concentrate on larger models and the new “modern” O’Day 19, the molds were sold to Rebel Industries/Spindrift. Only a few years later, the molds changed hands yet again, this time bought by Stuart Marine of Rockland, Maine. Stuart Marine has officially been manufacturing the Mariner for more years than O’Day did, although their output is nowhere near that of O’Day. This picture shows a 2008 Stuart Mariner sporting a roller-furling jib, bow pulpit, and swim ladder. Whether an O’Day, Spindrift, or Stuart Mariner, they are all similar enough that they can be raced as a one-design fleet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528728938897-ULFRG43QDOGB1FIK9FXH/kwcsc.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - June 11-17 Sailors are enjoying a great sail in a mid-style O’Day Mariner at the Key West Community Sailing Center last summer. Only a couple months later, in September, Hurricane Irma smashed into Key West and heavily damaged the Center, capsizing all five Mariners. Inexplicably, the Center, knowing a hurricane was approaching, made no effort to take the Mariners out of the water beforehand. Furthermore, instead of repairing them afterward, they simply dragged them out of the water, crushed them with a crane, and threw them away like old coffee cup. The pictured boat is now in pieces in a landfill when it could have been fixed with even a small amount of effort. A very sad and completely unnecessary ending for all five boats. (Can you tell I’m still upset about this?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1529358391732-74R3O4AGHPX2ECEQ4BS7/IMG_0726+in+mud.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - June 18-July 1 Actor Humphrey Bogart drags the AFRICAN QUEEN with Katharine Hepburn through the muck and mire of the lower Ulanga River in East Africa… Actually, this muck and mire is located on the shore of Riverton right by the Yacht Club! On a windless racing day, and only a short distance from the docks, the crew of this Mariner has elected to get into the shallow, soupy water and pull their boat back to shore since paddling apparently won’t work in this muck (and motors are not allowed for racing). The Delaware River is a bit of a tricky place to sail with strong currents and flukey winds, but nevertheless, the Club is host to a large number of O’Day Mariners with races two days a week from April to October. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530500076320-QNMXFL7QPTQQSY3QLT4G/4134.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - July 2-8 With the Fourth of July just a few days away, I had to post this picture from a couple years ago. Greg Tkal has been a member of the Mariner Class Association for over a decade and actively sails #4134 MON AMIE at Ballston Lake, New York. With flags flying, his Mariner certainly makes an impression during the Seven Lakes Sailing Club’s Independence Day Boat Parade in 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531109516003-OM47RS6OXKQ5BJQY834Z/2026.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - July 9-22 How many of us have wanted a talented artist to paint a picture of our boat for us to display? Robert Jones, of Fork, Maryland, received this portrait of his boat, #2026 NUNYET, from his son’s father-in-law, Habbie. According to Robert, Habbie “took a photo from the flying bridge of his trawler, and used that to make the painting. I actually had no clue he was such an artist. It was a nice surprise!” Robert bought NUNYET a few years back from her first owner who also happened to be an O’Day dealer back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. After spending an entire summer restoring her, he finally got her in the water that September. During the restoration, Robert writes, “For the life of me, I couldn't come up with a name I liked, and when passers by asked if I had come up with a name, I kept saying, ‘Nunyet’...” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1532405083640-B53KX6K285K95RA0B6RD/leeprim.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - July 23-29 Lee Prim’s DULCINEA sits contentedly off a beach near Mobile, Alabama with an anchor deployed forward and a stern anchor keeping her from swinging around. The 1,417th Mariner ever made, DULCINEA is actually one of the very first “2+2” models with the enclosed cabin, raised cockpit sole and added quarterberths. She has a somewhat unconventional paint scheme with a bootstripe and bottom paint that follows the sheer and not the waterline. Her mast is raked back more than most, and her backstay adjustment is very robust. She also sports both an aftermarket bow pulpit and stern pulpit (or “pushpit”). Lee has done a lot of beach cruising with DULCINEA, electing to stay onboard for some nights while in a tent on the beach for others. A well-used and well-loved Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1533009094388-CT8H2Q23SLHPUHHZ495V/IMG_0512.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - July 30-Aug. 5 Skipper Bill Eggers and daughter Jillian smile as they enjoy their morning coffee onboard their #2280 JULIE B. It’s the final morning of the 2017 Mariner National Rendezvous to Essex, Connecticut, and it won’t be long until everyone’s gear gets packed up and stowed for the trip home. Bill is wrapping up a four-year stint as Newsletter Editor of the Mariner Class Association, and all his work has been greatly appreciated. Bill and Jillian are veterans of Mariner rendezvous here in Connecticut, attending events in 2013, 2014, and 2017. They’ll be here again with JULIE B at the end of this week to attend the 2018 Rendezvous as we sail from Niantic to Stonington. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1533651688275-IKQTXTEQDJ4XY7T2YWXV/DSC_0401-1.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 6-12 Ten Mariners are lined up at the transient dock at Stonington Harbor Yacht Club in Connecticut as the sun sets. This past weekend, eleven Mariners and twenty-two sailors participated in the 2018 Mariner National Rendezvous, sailing from the Niantic River to Stonington. (One Mariner couldn’t fit on the transient dock, so it was tied up around the corner on the dinghy dock.) Winds were light on Friday, but they picked up off of New London for a great sail there. Saturday was a bit of a washout, although everyone had a great time exploring the town and visiting the Yacht Club’s clubhouse. Sunday was absolutely beautiful with perfect winds for the trip home. All in all, it was another successful rendezvous with many memories made and friendships renewed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1534188324739-M25KFJQ1A4EF3JT1SW4S/DSC_0336.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 13-26 Alan Schaeffer in #2470 SIALIA sails with son Joseph and daughter Lydia during the 2018 Rendezvous to Stonington. It’s Friday, August 3rd, and they’re on their way with ten other Mariners, passing the rocky shores of Waterford heading to the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club. Alan, a resident of Mystic and a Mystic Seaport employee, is towing a small wooden dinghy he built himself based on a larger Atkin dinghy design. It was slow going through Twotree Island Channel with frustratingly light winds and an incoming current, but a breeze off our starboard quarter picked up significantly off New London, allowing for a fast ride all the way to our destination. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535378597678-HB7HV5GJV9A1BN55TWKU/CIMG3613.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 27-Sept. 9 Skipper Steve Creighton sails with crew Joanne McCarthy as they head toward Stonington during the 2018 Rendezvous at the beginning of August. Although the winds are fairly light, they are just enough to keep everybody moving against a strong incoming current. They are sailing in Steve’s #629 BLIND SQUIRREL, named after the famous phrase, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.” She’s an early-style Mariner and is raced often; she certainly kept ahead of almost all the other participating boats that weekend. Steve and Joanne trailered BLIND SQUIRREL up from New Jersey as they have done for at least four other rendezvous. Thanks to Steve Hock for the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1536548772451-FMQG532OKXMPK41GHHU1/DSC_0434.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 10-16 Dan and daughter Madeline Meaney sail past the Red “2” marker at the southern gate of the Thames River channel at New London. They’re sailing their mid-style Mariner, #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF during the 2018 Rendezvous at the beginning of August, on their way back to Niantic from Stonington. The western end of Fisher’s Island is in the background, the destination of the 2012 Rendezvous. Dan will become the new President of the Mariner Class Association following the National Championship regatta next weekend - congratulations, Dan! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1537238803560-HSB05RETNWYJAKMWKTE3/nationals1.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 17-30 Contestants make their way back from Saturday’s racing during the 2018 National Championships this past weekend at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, Long Island. Twelve racers competed for the trophy, and Dan Walsh (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) came in first for his fourth Championship victory, having previously won in 2009, 2012, and 2016! Racers from all of the “big four” fleets - Narrasketuck, Brant Beach, Surf City, and Riverton - participated in this year’s event, and full details will soon be posted at the Mariner Class Association’s website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1538436646747-4KC60VNTU3VNN1ZYCQV8/nationals3.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 1-Nov. 18 Here’s a great action shot from the Nationals a few weekends ago at the Narrasketuck Yacht Club on Long Island. Dan Walsh in #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE is in the lead and is on the port tack in clean air while the rest of the twelve-boat fleet is on starboard. This is was taken a few minutes after the starting gun was fired for one of the two races on the last day of the event, and Dan ended up coming in first for the whole regatta. Narrasketuck has hosted the Nationals fourteen times since 1971 and is considered the birthplace of the Mariner Class Association back in 1966. Photo credit: Alan Hlavenka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1542641694590-JNTTY25CUUBNFXUZ476M/DSC_0419.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 19-25 After not updating my website for a ridiculously long time due to an intense workload, I’m finally getting around to getting some activity going again around here! Here is a great shot of Chris Albert sailing #2714 FLOTSAM during the 2018 Mariner National Rendezvous back in August. He is sailing back to Niantic from Stonington, and with Fisher’s Island in the background, the wind has increased enough to warrant a reefed main. A zippered bag along the length of the boom allows him to easily stow the main when at anchor, and his genoa, all from Mack Sails, adds welcome sail area, especially in light winds. Chris is now the Vice President of Membership with the Mariner Class Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1543244686512-2HNT26SHG8XKFUKGOHWV/3048.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 26-Dec. 30 Bob Chandler proudly stands by his Mariner, #3048 SWAY as she sits by Hole-In-The-Wall Island on Percy Priest Lake, Tennessee. The picture was taken by fellow Mariner sailor Oly Shooter (#1071 SWEET KATE), and the two of them beached their boats to explore the island. SWAY sports a coveted bow pulpit as well as well as convenient handrails on the cabin top, and her gold-anodized spars were produced in recognition of George O’Day’s Olympic gold medal won in 1960 for sailing in the 5.5 meter class. Both SWAY and SWEET KATE have been featured on Mariner Class Association gift items at the Association’s online store - they are both very photogenic boats! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546119831728-9O3NQ9F4COE2NOYVCHAN/20180805_110145_986570681.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 31-Jan. 6 These past few months have been extremely busy for me on multiple fronts, and I regret not keeping this website and this column more up-to-date. However, starting this week, I will be able to dedicate more time to it as I did before, and I hope you’ll come back and visit often. In the meantime, as I have done for several years now, I end the year with a picture of ORION herself. This was taken during the past Rendezvous to Stonington in August. On our return trip to Niantic on Sunday afternoon, the wind started out light yet freshened to give us a great sail home, and this picture was snapped while still on a long tack to Fisher’s Island. I wish everyone a wonderful New Year with great sailing in 2019! https://www.mariner1922.com/custom-hatchboards-1 daily 0.75 2018-05-22 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/t/5b046f228a922d98a3ceb8d9/1527002656870/ Custom Hatchboards https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/5b04360a88251b9e5e7e8dbd/5b043620aa4a99b7ce3221ce/1527002656870/ Custom Hatchboards https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004092091-DH0VXC95PDDP6LL8B8K6/20170926_063034.jpg Custom Hatchboards The original design with two representations of the constellation Orion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527003963896-2TMTWPD8121JJISHR6Q8/20170928_075116.jpg Custom Hatchboards The first sketch of the constellation and ORION sailing. We decided it looked a little too “much”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527003985288-E78V28FUQBY5V3EL1VFU/20170929_090047.jpg Custom Hatchboards The second idea was to have the constellation in the background, but from far away, it looked like a smudge. We were getting closer, though! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527002713151-790VZ6V0HZ9ZNPK50JKU/20170926_063034.jpg Custom Hatchboards The original design with two representations of the constellation Orion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004111979-1Z8ZEFQOH2HY4HJB5OJK/20171003_232508.jpg Custom Hatchboards The final drawing with ORION and just the stars of the constellation. This looked better to me - a little more muted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004039440-79SFWZZFK7IMMDQPQA9I/20170926_063034.jpg Custom Hatchboards The original design with two representations of the constellation Orion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004412799-IM8TBVLBTCUXDYAGCQQ1/20180202_195835.jpg Custom Hatchboards Will purchased a beautiful piece of half-inch marine-grade, sapele mahogany ribbon strip with birch core plywood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015713072-KS98YFZ1P9ZURPH0OEM3/20180302_063435.jpg Custom Hatchboards The preliminary sketch of ORION on the hatchboards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004932632-8F3XU1TPM16GVFSFGOSH/20180220_093759.jpg Custom Hatchboards He made an executive decision to change the orientation of the stripes - fine by me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015774173-8BBR79Q1I8G4MVU1R18Q/20180307_121023.jpg Custom Hatchboards Will beginning the burning process. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015853915-DE7RAPNL8O8H3X5O1ZNX/20180307_121037.jpg Custom Hatchboards Getting the details of the outboard motor just right by looking at a photo of ORION on his phone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015918903-35O6UZURLZ2KLZSG52B1/20180307_121051.jpg Custom Hatchboards Working on the lettering for the name on the transom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015979638-IZMD2JJF6IABNIHLS4A5/20180307_121101.jpg Custom Hatchboards Outlining the name and hailing port. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016096624-74YV55YJFXP84QWZC4MT/20180307_133751.jpg Custom Hatchboards Detailing the curvature of the port bow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016132109-EEYCNMO7X45R1H5ZBCUC/20180307_133802.jpg Custom Hatchboards A close-up of Will’s work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016248539-4BKX6QJAVH203I7NV8ZE/20180307_201521.jpg Custom Hatchboards The hull completed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016367490-1Y9ANJTKDO30OLOS6SAL/20180309_141202.jpg Custom Hatchboards Mast, rigging, and sails completed on the top hatchboard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016309217-DGNE2RBGZNUMJOFRXNLP/20180403_122211%280%29.jpg Custom Hatchboards ORION completed with the constellation Orion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016436753-IDYG5BYAFEUDGN1ZV4CO/20180403_122415%280%29.jpg Custom Hatchboards The master showing off his creation! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016483227-P0V0G6AE6H8XAZUHDJ8S/20180403_122419.jpg Custom Hatchboards The completed design. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016546302-WAEUBE4D2QR8GYHR64A8/DSC_0545.JPG Custom Hatchboards The new hatchboards on ORION. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2018 daily 0.75 2019-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528687214051-HQSKEMSGAHZRR7B4IJOR/Launch2.jpg Sailing 2018 June 9th: After a very long winter and spring, ORION was finally launched for the 2018 season. Projects completed included new cabin paint, touch-up hull paint, stripped and re-varnished coaming tops (eight coats of Epifanes), and new hatchboards (courtesy of Will Gilmore). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528687214051-HQSKEMSGAHZRR7B4IJOR/Launch2.jpg Sailing 2018 June 9th: After a very long winter and spring, ORION was finally launched for the 2018 season. Projects completed included new cabin paint, touch-up hull paint, stripped and re-varnished coaming tops (eight coats of Epifanes), and new hatchboards (courtesy of Will Gilmore). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528687242687-RSTGLO2G58FTI6QOH2RD/Launch1.jpg Sailing 2018 It was a careful yet hasty launch, and the mainsail cover looks a little sloppy. But I hope to be back in a few days for our first official sail, so I’ll have a chance to make everything look nice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528832440669-S3M7MDGVLRFLB320EK0Q/IMG_0693.JPG Sailing 2018 June 12th: Went for a pleasant sail in Niantic Bay to check the rigging and make sure everything worked properly. The wind was light most of the time, but the air was nice and cool, and it was a great day to have our first shake-down sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528832443821-0NFAIWES89O2BT5T7STH/IMG_0696.JPG Sailing 2018 I sailed by the Niantic Bay Yacht Club but didn’t have time to stop and walk around. There are still some empty slips, but the Club is almost full. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528832456442-2IWSUGIFT8M713O6V1WZ/IMG_0697.JPG Sailing 2018 It sure is nice to see those new custom hatchboards Will made for ORION as she swings on her mooring. I’m really happy the way they came out and how the design is subtle enough to make you want to look a little more closely if you pass by. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528832462043-0MK0ZLN1NE07XQUOGHGY/IMG_0699.JPG Sailing 2018 ORION is all tuned up and ready for this sailing season. In less than a couple weeks, my wife and a bunch of friends will be sailing with me to Essex for a few days, just like when we went back in 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530905634778-AV33ZV631RSTMNHIAQ5N/essex1.jpg Sailing 2018 June 24th: I took my wife and a couple friends sailing to Essex for a couple nights. Light winds forced us to motor most of the way to the Connecticut River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530905763002-YZFM3V42YUHUX3FMRBX4/IMG_0715.JPG Sailing 2018 After arriving at Brewer’s Dauntless Marina, I was assigned a mooring ball directly off their fuel dock. While I usually enjoy solitude on a mooring farther out in the field, it made it easy for the launch operator to get me and drop me off! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530906143831-14JJ64V5MANM6Y5QBR49/IMG_0745.JPG Sailing 2018 ORION sure looked tiny on her mooring next to all her neighbors! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530906243119-C0S49E8VZZ1S6IWCDUQB/IMG_0728.JPG Sailing 2018 We took a trip up Selden Creek much like we did back in 2016. It’s a pristine, narrow creek separating Selden Island from the rest of the mainland. A beautiful place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530906444006-D1OEKRTS0RCLF6HHNPED/IMG_0742.JPG Sailing 2018 I also had the chance to explore a remarkable cemetery bordering on Essex’s North Cove. All the old names from the 1600s and 1700s are here - Pratt, Hayden, Lay, Bull, Bushnell - and so many more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530907606496-HKLQYYBQGU640LUMOFK3/IMG_0754.JPG Sailing 2018 Since it was high tide, we took a quick tour into Lord’s Cove through a very shallow gap by the northwest corner of Goose Island. We then motored to the mouth of the Connecticut River and then sailed home. See more pictures at the Google Photo Album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531282628640-M4U66BTZR9748KG8XVMP/IMG_0763.JPG Sailing 2018 July 10th: I went sailing with my friend T Tack Ryan who is looking to buy a Mariner. He lives in Niantic, just a short distance away from the River where ORION is moored! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531282661501-UQ1OZA04VIXWFXWJ48QU/IMG_0764.JPG Sailing 2018 It was a great day for sailing - not a cloud in the sky and a good breeze to keep us moving. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531282661509-5LHHQ9XK55AN56B5MGZ3/IMG_0765.JPG Sailing 2018 The wind held pretty steady from late morning to early afternoon, and it really was a perfect day to be on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531282667128-DVO18HV904I2X9TRXJ24/IMG_0768.JPG Sailing 2018 We stopped by the Niantic Bay Yacht Club on the way back to get some lunch at their restaurant. A day well spent! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531855873446-ZKCE452IHHMUMPCNJ96F/IMG_0771.JPG Sailing 2018 July 17th: I went sailing in the Niantic River, anchoring upriver in the mooring field to clean the boat and relax a little under the awning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531856013657-2B1JW0YYQTNRN6G06WRI/IMG_0772.JPG Sailing 2018 I made sure to anchor nearby the MAC SIURTAIN, a beautiful cruising cutter named after decendants of the Norman knight Jordan de Exeter (?-1258). While fitted out for serious cruising, Niantic is her home base. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531856269060-PZGZ618W01BGAZUB49IU/IMG_0777.JPG Sailing 2018 While sailing, I was pleased to come across another Mariner! I’ve seen her moored on the Waterford side of the River, but I’ve never seen her under sail. We exchanged pleasantries, but I’m afraid we didn’t get a chance to talk at length. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531856470211-RW6NWBG3PLUH8VLZHADC/IMG_0778.JPG Sailing 2018 The skipper of #2531 didn’t seem in the mood to chat for very long, but I hope we get the chance to meet again. After taking a bunch of pictures, I sailed back to ORION’s mooring and made sure to button her up tight since a small storm was in the forecast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535652989550-KE49XWUJJZRQMEG06XRQ/DSC_0327.JPG Sailing 2018 August 3rd: Eleven Mariners gathered for the 2018 Rendezvous, sailing from Niantic to Stonington. It was great to see so many boats assemble in Niantic again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535653009405-IJCV2BTUF8ATK04I4RFN/CIMG3602.jpg Sailing 2018 We had light winds once we passed Millstone Point, but fortunately, it picked up off New London, and we had a fantastic sail the rest of the way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535653049860-AIEP8Q23YLRNFNFFJ6G5/DSC_0371.JPG Sailing 2018 We all stayed on the transient dock of the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club. Here’s Tim, Erin, and son Owen onboard #2170 MAGGIE shortly after tying up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535653365792-O6HV2ZY9AZLRCHHCKLH7/CIMG3648.JPG Sailing 2018 Saturday was pretty much a washout, but I managed to sneak in an afternoon sail between downpours with Jack Lorraine (#1469 TWE) and Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535653087942-6CYDY6ZCU4TS56HUS5GJ/DSC_0382.JPG Sailing 2018 We got together for a group picture before having a wonderful catered dinner provided by the Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535653909582-H14GYCDFKV7H44XQ6ARS/DSC_0404.JPG Sailing 2018 The rain on Saturday evening finally went away, and I took this photo of all the boats at sunset. Every Mariner has a unique color! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535654068150-7RYZO300Z09UTKSPB1YI/DSC_0430.JPG Sailing 2018 We had a building breeze on Sunday, and although we had a long beat home, the current was with us and we were able to sail at top speed all the way back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535654080160-SF2B9ZW2L4F92PDI3P4V/20180805_110145_986570681.jpg Sailing 2018 For a ton of pictures, check out the Google Photo Album here. Regretfully, I didn’t have many more chances to sail after that due to many obligations, but I expect to do a lot more sailing in 2019 - with many more pictures! https://www.mariner1922.com/2019-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2020-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546885835795-8WJ0OQ9KUXJTUPU3MG30/chispito.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 7-13 Wilfren Tacoronte bonds with his six-year-old son as he literally “learns the ropes” beside their #3108 UN CHISPITO MAS. Based in Rincon, Puerto Rico, Wilfren enjoys sailing almost the entire year, and UN CHISPITO MAS is well-maintained. She has a fantastically bright color scheme, and her portlights were replaced at some point. Wilfren added a kick-up RudderCraft rudder which allows the blade to be fully retracted out of the water, and a split backstay keeps the mast perfectly centered, unlike the conventional O’Day backstay whose chainplate is slightly offset to accomodate the transom-hung rudder. Wilfren is one of four members of the Mariner Class Association from Puerto Rico, and he frequently races in local regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546885835795-8WJ0OQ9KUXJTUPU3MG30/chispito.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 7-13 Wilfren Tacoronte bonds with his six-year-old son as he literally “learns the ropes” beside their #3108 UN CHISPITO MAS. Based in Rincon, Puerto Rico, Wilfren enjoys sailing almost the entire year, and UN CHISPITO MAS is well-maintained. She has a fantastically bright color scheme, and her portlights were replaced at some point. Wilfren added a kick-up RudderCraft rudder which allows the blade to be fully retracted out of the water, and a split backstay keeps the mast perfectly centered, unlike the conventional O’Day backstay whose chainplate is slightly offset to accomodate the transom-hung rudder. Wilfren is one of four members of the Mariner Class Association from Puerto Rico, and he frequently races in local regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1547479650238-32RK222ATSBMCCNEK0FU/271.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 14-20 Scott Klein’s #271 GO BLUE is bowling along, close-hauled and rail down on a perfect sailing day. Scott and his crew are hiked up on the windward side as far as possible with the main and jib sheets tight. #271 was produced at O’Day’s Fall River plant early in 1965, one of 180 Mariners built that year. According to O’Day’s Vice-President of Sales, Jim Hunt, Mariner production would reach its peak in 1970-1971 with eight boats rolling out of the shop every week - that’s more than one a day! Scott is a member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club on Long Island, New York, and he raced GO BLUE in last year’s Mariner National Championships, coming in third in the President’s Fleet division. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1548196250778-BM3ODTLA6PIDNK91TSG3/sunrise.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 21-27 The sun rises over a bunch of O’Day Mariners berthed at Mystic Seaport during the 2016 Rendezvous. Ten boats and sixteen sailors participated in this event, and Mystic Seaport will once again be the Mariner Class Association’s National Rendezvous destination for 2019 schedule for August 2-4. This picture was taken by Chris O’Brien, skipper of #2781 O’MITZVAH, who ended up sailing to Mystic from the Niantic River launch ramp alone as he got stuck in traffic and couldn’t launch with the rest of the fleet that morning. He arrived in the late afternoon, and it was great to have him participate. A racer at Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey and a veteran of several Rendezvous, he recently sold #2781 yet purchased another Mariner and hopes to take part in this year’s return trip to Mystic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1548640989218-RBBCQUEY9FGEEU7LWPYA/stone.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 28-Feb. 3 Look at the smiles onboard David Stone’s #3647 BIGENUF! Everyone is having a great time, even if BIGENUF is simply tied up to the floating dock. Based in Pensacola, Florida, David has made many modifications to #3647 which was built in 1978, only a year before O’Day stopped making the Mariner. Besides a battery installed in the cabin which powers everything from cabin and running lights to an automatic bilge pump, BIGENUF sports new cabin top hardware, a roller-furling jib, a kick-up RudderCraft rudder, a lazy-jack system for the mainsail, and much more. David only needs a two-horsepower outboard since he doesn’t need to battle much of a current where he sails. This saves a a lot of weight on the transom and helps reduce drag. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1549299543159-FUKPJLWXLCNUF1JU8HUY/2026.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 4-10 There is something pretty special when you can anchor your boat off an inviting and secluded beach, spend time to explore ashore and come back to find your boat waiting for you, ready to continue on an adventure. Rob Jones is doing just that with his #2026 NUNYET as she stays peacefully tethered in the lee of an island while the sun is high overhead. NUNYET has been the recipient of many upgrades courtesy of Rob, including a bow pulpit and an elaborate, custom-made pushpit which, among other things, supports several solar panels to power his onboard battery. Rob never races NUNYET as he much preferes to spend time daysailing and cruising near his residence in Fork, Maryland, and his boat is definitely a perfect fit for him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1549899666182-7041J6QF8Z1IV8OKD25H/curley.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 11-17 This great shot was taken during one of the “Sunset Sails” offered by Eric Hansen, otherwise known as “Captain Curley”. Based in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, Eric is a former employee and manager of Captain Gary Flomenhoft’s Outer Cape Sailing business which takes people out in an O’Day Mariner in the Wellfleet region of Cape Cod for three-hour daysails in the summer. In 2016, Eric duplicated Gary’s long-running business with his own O’Day Mariner - even operating out of the same harbor - and established Captain Curley. According to his website, he offers sails to Jeremy Point (a secluded beach across the harbor), a sail just before sunset, or have your own customized cruise extending up to six hours. His Mariner, TOMOKA, like Gary’s SYNTROPICAL II, is perfect for taking people out around Wellfleet Harbor, although one can’t help but wonder what sort of competition exists between the two businesses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1550519220069-PXBHP49EZF8GT8VFMKJQ/paterson.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 18-24 Yes, this is actually a Mariner! This is Anthony Paterson sailing DAYO with his crew on the Noosa River in Queensland, Australia. It is certainly heavily modified for racing with a fully-battened mainsail, custom traveler and a double set of spreaders. Not only that, a home-made bowsprit pushes the jib tack out a little more and provides a place for the tack of an asymmetrical spinnaker. Check out the small platforms built over the cockpit coamings for hiking out! Despite all these modifications, you can still identify DAYO as either an early- or mid-style Mariner by the bump-top cabin and the forward hatch. It sure seems like Anthony and his crew are having a ton of fun, and isn’t that what the Mariner is for, no matter how it looks? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1551110024943-P9WAY9EE2WXZQ52WRROW/spikejones.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 25-Mar. 3 Lieutenant Colonel William “Spike” Jones, USAF Retired, shared this photograph taken in 1971 of his father’s early-style O’Day Mariner. His father purchased this Mariner “upon his return from thirteen months on the ground in South Vietnam. He learned to sail at Cam Ron Bay during break from the war there. He taught me how to sail, on this nineteen-footer, in the St. John’s River, and in doing so, introduced me to a passion I still enjoy today.” After serving in the Air Force as an F-15 fighter pilot, Lt. Col. Jones survived a massive stroke which paralyzed the left half of his body. Since then, he has authored two books and currently lives with his wife of 37 years in Carrollton, Virginia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1551676871735-JJ5XS0O917ARMKDY25AU/morley.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 4-10 #1007 RHAPSODY sits at her berth in Watertown, Massachusetts back in 2013. This early-style Mariner has a somewhat unusual paint scheme of blue decks, and her gold-anodized mast is a replacement, taken from a late-style Mariner from the mid-1970s. RHAPSODY served for a while as a live-aboard boat - yes, you read that correctly - and the young woman who lived aboard her spent quite a bit of time and effort outfitting her cabin to retain heat in the winter and keep cool in the summer. She posted numerous updates on the forums and was even invited to speak at the 2013 50th Anniversary Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport. Shortly afterward, RHAPSODY was abandoned at her boat yard when her owner purchased a larger boat elsewhere, and her fate remains unknown today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1552310288314-BBH4IWU5WWUKIJ5WA6RW/RobertDyer.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 11-31 One of the best things about a Mariner is its ability to sail right up to a beach, just as Robert Dyer did on a lake near his home in Texas. Before Robert bought his mid-style boat, #1822, she had previously been registered in Maryland, Florida, and Arkansas! Robert writes, “We pulled it off the mountain up on Lake Greer last year and are slowly getting it all fixed up in proper Bristol fashion. Boat maintenance can usually be done Johnny Cash style, ‘One Piece at a Time,’ leaving plenty of opportunity to sail whenever conditions are best, and this day was one of the very best: early fall while the water is still warm enough to swim in but not oppressively hot as it is during the summer. The beach here has a nice gravelly bottom to it instead of the usual silty clay, and it slopes off into deep water fairly quickly which makes it great for swimming. It is also easy to pull up on to and cast off from. There are some fairly deep woods back in here, fun for exploring, and its a great place to build a campfire.” Looks like a fantastic place - and boat - to me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1554168118870-ZL4TZ0MZNNRLAMM5A7WV/caborojo.jpeg 2019 Pictures of the Week - April 1-May 12 Cabo Rojo is a region on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico, and there is a marina there called Marina Pescaderia. They host an annual regatta, and this year the regatta took place February 9-10, and there were several Mariner entries! Here is a great picture taken by Manuel Portela, owner of a Mariner named CHAMELEON (stay tuned for an upcoming Picture of the Week featuring this boat). It looks like ideal sailing conditions, although a rain squall came through shortly after this picture was taken. No matter - the skies cleared again and the regatta continued. For those of us who live in the northeast, we are very jealous of those who are able to enjoy their Mariners year-round! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1557755312940-O02M3OAW7ZYHV092SWA0/1543.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - May 13-19 Well - it has certainly been a long time since I have updated this website, and I hope I can finally start keeping things more current around here. This is a great sunset shot of John Swansey’s newly-purchased #1543 back in January after he had launched it for only the second time in North Carolina. He writes, “I sailed with main only, as I was singlehanding and didn't want to risk falling off the bow. I noticed many things I'm really getting to like about the boat. Accelerates nicely in light air, and responds well to the tiller: smooth control, neither sluggish nor twitchy - just right. Points well. With the board down, I can move around the boat without jerky rolling.” Since then, John has launched a few more times and has made many improvements to both his Mariner and the trailer. He recently wrote, “I have loved the lines of these boats from when I first saw one in a photo. I really like having the boat on a trailer in the driveway, where I can easily tinker with it a few minutes at the end of the day. I should have done this years ago.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1558357351137-UYIJR28YCOLH0Z15UMCO/CIMG3609.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - May 20-26 Skipper Dan Meaney sails with his daughters Madeline and Erin Meaney aboard #2024 CLEW SEA NUF during the 2018 Mariner National Rendezvous from Niantic to Stonington. #2024 is a mid-style boat like ORION and has an overhead cabin arch instead of a mast support pole, allowing a lot more freedom of movement and comfort when overnighting. (Nevertheless, Erin much prefers to sleep at night on the dock.) Dan has participated in every single Rendezvous here in Connecticut since I first started organizing them back in 2009, many times with Madeline. He is currently the President of the Mariner Class Association and intends to sail in this year’s Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Photo courtesy: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1558918388324-QHO6XKMI5SGF9LH3J0ZT/DSC_0353.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - May 27-June 2 Skipper Steve Creighton and crew Joanne McCarthy are all smiles as they sail near the Stonington breakwater during the 2018 Rendezvous last August. Light winds hampered progress on the way there from Niantic, but once off New London, the breeze freshened and everyone enjoyed a lively romp all the way to our destination, the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club. Steve’s boat is #629 BLIND SQUIRREL; he both cruises and races his early-style Mariner. During this particular rendezvous, BLIND SQUIRREL showed her racing stripes as Steve and Joanne left everyone behind on the way back to Niantic and arrived first. In fact, they arrived so far ahead of everyone else that they even had time to anchor off the beach by the Niantic Railroad Bridge and go swimming before the rest of the fleet caught up to them! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1559568401051-DLR5VZ9RQJ4C7JZO79AV/173-5.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - June 3-9 Here is a great shot of #173 THE FREE sailing under mainsail alone as the sun begins to set on the horizon. Built in 1964 - the second year of Mariner production - #173 has had many owners over her past 55 years, and in 2012, she was found on the side of the road in East Quogue, New York, with the word “FREE” spray-painted on both sides of her bow. A few young folks found her and fixed her up, and she is sailing once again in fine condition. Her roller-furling jib could use a little more tension along the luff for better performance and so it furls a bit better, but the decision to sail with just the main in these strong winds helps keep THE FREE on her feet for a more comfortable sail, especially since the main doesn’t have reef points. And, with the bone in her teeth, it looks like she’s moving right along! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560134776912-HC0LH9TG55UQPM4G4KBI/rdcc.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - June 10-16 Members of the Red Dragon Canoe Club (RDCC) Mariner Fleet race just this past Saturday on the Delaware River, just a stone’s throw away from the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. According to the RDCC, "the wind was blowing 10 to 12 knots steadily from the east when racing began with seven boats on the starting line. The fleet - the largest in recent memory - was comprised of four O'Day Mariners, one Laser, one Venture and one Hunter 27. There were three races, with the lead changing hands repeatedly in each race and a nice sharing of finishing places.” The RDCC, founded in 1887, is one of the oldest boating clubs in the country and is housed in the Civil War-era Shipman Mansion. It’s great to see this Mariner fleet not only active, but growing! Photo credit: Del Rife. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560740404696-7AVU3LR61MOJB7X8HRKL/gov.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - June 17-23 Harry Mayer’s #664 MARE has a slight lead over Bill Mills’s #599 SILK PURSE, while Steve Creighton’s #1362 BLIND SQUIRREL is close behind during Riverton Yacht Club’s “Governor’s Cup Race” just this past Saturday. A total of 33 boats in six different class competed for the trophy with five Mariners racing in their own class, and the results will be published soon. Begun in 1949, the Governor’s Cup was so named because the trophy was donated by New Jersey Governor Alfred Eastlack Driscoll (1902-1975) in 1949 as a perpetual trophy to encourage the skippers of each racing class to have a greater number of boats entered each year and keep them sailing in every race. While in office the governor made the trophy presentations. This photo was taken by Riverton photographer Byron Campbell - be sure to take a look at all his excellent photos at his website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1561340665437-ZANFWRR4G51O3UC28KRE/1543.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - June 24-30 John Swansey’s #1543 was “Picture of the Week” about a month ago, but this great shot taken of his son Ned deserves a spot of its own. They just returned from “a great sail, steady 10 knots gusting to 20. I love the way she handles, and moves through the water. All the mechanical parts perform flawlessly now. Still need some cosmetic work, though the black hull looks nice and shiny enough for now. I'm dreading the day when I will don my XXL Tyvek suit to sand and grind the interior to prep for fiberglass repair and paint. I may do my first overnight before then.” While trailering #1543, John and Ned “leave the main sail on the boom and remove them as one unit with the mainsheet attached to make setup and takedown go faster. (I store the boom and sail indoors when not sailing.)” She’s a great looking boat, and it sounds like many fun adventures are in store for the Swanseys. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1561950783861-1V76T3DFNRJV3110J6EH/curley2.jpeg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 1-7 Here is another great shot taken during one of the “Sunset Sails” offered by Eric Hansen, otherwise known as “Captain Curley”. Based in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, Eric takes people out in an O’Day Mariner in the Wellfleet region of Cape Cod for three-hour daysails in the summer. According to Eric’s website, he offers sails to Jeremy Point (a secluded beach across the harbor), a sail just before sunset, or have your own customized cruise extending up to six hours. His Mariner, TOMOKA, is perfect for taking people out around Wellfleet Harbor. This picture shows the sun setting behind Great Island as the group of sailors return from Jeremy Point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562555055451-ZL3GTO6734GT1A3P84F8/selco.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 8-14 From 1968-1969, the O’Day Sailboats Corporation (owned by the conglomerate Bangor Punta) licensed the early-style Mariner molds to several international builders including a company called Selco in Norway. (According to an extremely rare Selco advertisement I happen to have in my collection, they also were licensed to build the O’Day Widgeon and Javelin.) While it is unknown how many Mariners they actually built, there are still some Selco Mariners out there, including this one currently owned by Lars Christian Haaland from Oslo, Norway. The hull and cabin seem to be consistent with O’Day Mariners, although the portlights are slightly modified with a more rectangular look to them. According to Lars, a second Selco Mariner had been abandoned at the boat yard where he keeps his boat. Fortunately, Lars’s boat association adopted the abandoned Mariner for its own use. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563162692573-FGK1EJIQYMLX0A2JWGAT/norarose.jpeg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 15-21 It’s not often you see an O’Day Mariner outfitted with ten-foot oars - although one Mariner was converted to a two-station rowboat back in 2009 - but Bruce Robbins has successfully done that with his #3200 NORA ROSE. This picture was taken at Island Beach State Park in New Jersey at the beginning of July, and Bruce reports NORA ROSE is all ready to participate in the Mariner National Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport a little less than three weeks from now. As it turns out, Bruce worked at the Seaport forty years ago, so the event will be somewhat of a homecoming for him! Regarding stowing the oars when not in use, Bruce writes that they “will just squeeze into the cabin, the blades aft, and we slide them aft to the transom.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563763830457-MOA72RWAXJK1K3AD5A93/140803MA_Mystic-287.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 22-28 Skipper Bill Collins gets help from his daughter Julianna as they attach the sail cover on #2186 GYPSY ROSE after sailing to Mystic Seaport during the 2014 Mariner National Rendezvous. An active sailor here in Connecticut and also a participant in the 2012 Mystic Rendezvous, Bill moved to New York shortly after the 2014 event sold GYPSY ROSE to another gentleman in Plymouth, Massachusetts who owned her for a few years, renamed her NANTUCKET and, regretfully, hardly ever sailed her. This past March, #2186 was up for sale again, and this time, she was bought by Dave Oatley of Blairstown, New Jersey. As it turns out, Dave will be attending the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous in two weeks for the first time, yet #2186, now a Rendezvous veteran, will once again grace the docks of Mystic Seaport, albeit with her current name of NANTUCKET. Quite a homecoming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1564408229265-191LCH583K0W6QZFFF4K/2714.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 29-Aug. 4 Michelle Albert smiles as her father Chris motors #2714 FLOTSAM down the Mystic River during the 2014 Mariner National Rendezvous. Chris sails FLOTSAM quite frequently during the summer months, and he has made many upgrades to his boat including Mack Pack sails, a kick-up RudderCraft rudder and a hand-me-down bow pulpit. He and I sailed our boats together for a couple three-day excursions across Long Island Sound to Greenport, Long Island in 2012 and 2016. He has participated in every Rendezvous since the very first one in 2009, and Michelle has occasionally joined him as crew. They both will be returning to Mystic for this year’s Rendezvous this coming weekend. Thanks to Stuart Watson for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1564975440320-UB6573H2IYMT84FFMNBH/DSC_0505.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 5-11 Lydia Schaeffer attaches the Mariner burgee to the port shroud of #2470 SIALIA, skippered by her father, Alan with her brother, Joseph along as crew. They are motoring out into Niantic Bay at the start of the 2019 Mariner National Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport this past weekend. Alan is an employee at the Seaport and keeps his boat in Mystic, but he trailered it to the launch ramp on the Niantic River so he could sail with nine other O’Day Mariners. We were met with light winds on Friday and motored about half of the time, but everyone had a great time visiting the Seaport and the downtown over the course of the weekend. We all returned today and were rewarded with a spectacular sail home. All in all, it was another incredibly successful event, and I am very grateful to all those who participated. Stay tuned for many more pictures coming soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1565574674879-PWSXR1I82R5OEOYRIKZS/DSCN0251_548+-+Copy.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 12-18 Last weekend was the Mariner Class Association National Rendezvous, and it was a spectacular event at Mystic Seaport here in Connecticut. Ten O’Day Mariners from all over and twenty sailors participated, and we had a fantastic time. The Seaport allows the Mariner Class Association - and absolutely no other transients, I might add - to use floating docks they only make available for their own exhibits or for special events like the annual WoodenBoat Show and Antique Boat Parade. It makes life a lot easier for us Mariner sailors, and we are very, very grateful for this special privilege. This picture was taken by Steve Hock and shows all of us standing on the docks on Saturday afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1566186926321-HVVAJL3KCSR71W4DTLPT/DSC_0601.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 19-25 Dave Oatley sails #2186 NANTUCKET during the 2019 Rendezvous just a few weeks ago. #2186 participated in the 2012 and 2014 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport as GYPSY ROSE; Dave bought her earlier this year after she had been renamed and somewhat neglected. He signed up for this year’s event to the Seaport and was joined by sons Jackson and Bennett, and all three had an absolutely fantastic time. In this shot, NANTUCKET is nearing Fisher’s Island and about to tack to head back to Niantic on Sunday afternoon, August 4th. The wind had filled in nicely, and everyone enjoyed a great sail back home, the perfect way to end the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1566785440212-R4Y2WA4NC6Q3QT30JV1X/DSCN0207_524.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 26-Sept. 8 The morning fog begins to dissipate as the sun rises over Mystic, illuminating the historic houses of nineteenth-century ship captains on the west bank of the Mystic River. It is Saturday, August 3rd, and seven Mariners can be seen tied up to Mystic Seaport’s floating docks near the Visitor’s Center - three more are out of sight to the right of this picture. Shortly before this shot was taken by photographer Steve Hock, there was fog as thick as pea soup over the area, and the air remained still for some time. Slowly, though, as the sun rose and the fog lifted, a beautiful breeze wafted through, and it turned into an absolutely beautiful day. Mariner sailors enjoyed several behind-the-scenes tours previously arranged at the Seaport as part of the 2019 Mariner Class Association National Rendezvous, and while many went downtown and explored the area, some folks were content just to stay put and soak up the gorgeous scenery all weekend long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1567997696972-LXUVX4RI8J8635GJ1WR8/nationals.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 9-15 Skipper Dan Walsh and crew Randy Swartley (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) get a little too close for comfort with Skipper Bill Watters and crew Tim Gallagher (#860 BLACK ICE) during the 2019 Mariner National Championships on August 24th at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. The first day of the Nationals was very breezy, but four races were held nevertheless which proved to be both exciting and challenging. Sunday’s racing was cancelled, unfortunately, due to high winds; Mariner Class Association Racing Rules prohibit racing during sustained winds of 25 knots or over, so only the four races from Saturday were counted. Dan and Randy ended up winning the regatta (Dan’s fifth championship), and Bill and Tim would come in seventh out of 18 boats. Thanks to Brant Beach Yacht Club for the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1568640607129-6R7JJB3Z4TB2EICAYF7A/bruce.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 16-22 Bruce Robbins (#3200 NORA ROSE) takes a picture of Mariners docked at Mystic Seaport from his homemade Whitehall skin-on-frame dinghy during the 2019 Mariner National Rendezvous at the beginning of August. An avid rower, Bruce brought along his rowboat so he could explore the Seaport’s watercraft up close and from a unique vantage point. This early-morning shot of the fleet was taken from underneath the transom of the 123-foot L.A. DUNTON. Built in 1921 as a fishing schooner and added to the Seaport’s large vessel collection in 1963, she is facing a much-needed restoration and is currently berthed with her masts unstepped and bowsprit removed. Nevertheless, she remains as majestic as ever, and it is a pleasure for us Mariner sailors to tie up nearby and enjoy the incredible atmosphere of being surrounded by historic watercraft of all sizes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1569245209497-NZ7MSOC1TUIPCKF8D6HB/A2CF7176.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 23-29 Eric Daniels’s Mariner #3449 floats in her home waters for the very first time after being launched last week following an extensive restoration. Eric’s projects have included repairing serious cracks in the transom, painting the entire boat, and even making new O’Day Mariner logos using a 3D printer. He writes that he still needs to “fabricate a few caps over the gudgeon bolts, tune the rigging and build a few jigs to optimize raising the mast. A lot of prep went into getting to this point but suspect you are well aware of the work required!” He also writes that it has been a bit of a “Pandora’s Box” once he started tackling the various projects, and he has been learning a lot about epoxy and fairing, though he’s “pretty certain there are more lessons ahead.” He still needs to come up with a name for #3449, but his main goal of launching her in the fall has been met. Congratulations, Eric - she’s a winner for sure! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1569875550420-N2UINWUD1MA8E3RK06DG/DSC_0527.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 30-Oct. 6 Eric Flower sails his #1871 SEAFLOWER with wife Joanne and a friend during the 2019 Rendezvous at the beginning of August. They are headed to Mystic Seaport in light winds off the coast of Waterford, and although it was slow going at the start, they thoroughly enjoyed being onboard SEAFLOWER as Eric has made a number of upgrades and improvements to his boat. Besides new paint inside and out, SEAFLOWER now sports a premium sound system with speakers in the cabin and cockpit, lighting, bedding, window shades, an electrical panel, cushions, aft swim ladder, jib roller furler, bow pulpit with lifelines, and more. She was the hit of the Rendezvous as everybody gathered around her during the “Open Boat” time on Saturday night when all the sailors shared snacks with everyone else and checked out all the docked Mariners. Eric also “won” the Open Boat hour by sharing his “snack” which was by far the most popular: ice cold beer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1570455263562-UY2NECY7LQIMXIWRM5H2/Rendezvous+011.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 7-13 Ten years ago this week, the first official Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous was held in the Niantic River. Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW SEA NUF, foreground) and Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) joined me for a daysail up the Niantic River on October 10th, 2009. While three other boats were scheduled to participate, a small craft advisory kept them at home. Nevertheless, the three of us, along with guest Chris Ely crewing on Dan’s boat, had a great time, sailing around the river, beaching the boats at Turkey Point for a lunch, and then sailing back later on. Dan and Chris have participated in every Rendezvous since then, and both are currently serving on the Executive Board of the Mariner Class Association as President and VP Membership respectively. These two guys have been with me from the very beginning, and it is a privilege to sail with them and call them friends. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1571024954007-BVILB32NI4JVSQ48BWCV/DSC_0578.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 14-20 Steve Hock takes a picture of me as I take a picture of him crewing for Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T) as they motor down the Mystic River this past August during the 2019 Mariner National Rendezvous. They are on their way back to the starting point of Niantic on the Sunday morning of the event, heading to the Mystic Highway bridge just south of Mystic Seaport. The two of them made the trip with CHRISTINA T all the way up from Pennsylvania. Although they experienced trailer troubles shortly after entering Connecticut and missed launching with the other Rendezvous participants, they managed to get their trailer repaired and made the sailing trip on their own, arriving at the Seaport only a couple hours behind the group. Ed bought #2862 new back in 1974 and has owned her ever since, making him one of the longest continuous owners of a Mariner in the Mariner Class Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1571668351816-P6A0IE8UOS4YT7ZC3SQZ/mariner18424.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 21-27 Skipper Chris O’Brien and his crew concentrate as they slice through the waters off Narrasketuck, New York during the 2018 Mariner Nationals. For many years, Chris has been a member of the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey and had owned #2781 O’MITZVAH, participating in local and national Mariner regattas as well as Mariner Rendezvous in Connecticut. Not long before the 2018 Nationals, however, he sold #2781 and purchased this racing Mariner, #3599, from another Riverton racer. It is a bit of a challenge to race at Narrasketuck if you are not used to the shallow waters; racers have to be careful not to let the centerboard down too far or else it will drag in the mud. Nevertheless, Chris and his crew did very well, coming in third out of twelve boats, and even scoring a first place in one of the six races of the regatta. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572226735943-BL6S3WO1VB5E0XICBAD5/2016+Mariner+Nationals+281.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 28-Nov. 3 Skipper Rob Boetticher with crew Mike Lusty (#3151) manage to keep ahead of Newt Wattis and Dixon Pearce (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) rounding the windward mark during the 2016 Mariner Nationals at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey. Tom McKay and Brian Botwinick are not that far behind in #1535 CHEAP THRILLS. Twenty-two Mariners competed for the trophy that year, and it would eventually be won by skipper Dan Walsh and Randy Swartley (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) who had also won it in 2009 and 2012 and would go on to win it in 2018 and 2019. Of the three pictured, #2604 came in fourth overall, #3151 eighth, and #1535 eleventh. Surf City has been confirmed as the site of the 2020 Nationals, scheduled for July 25th and 26th, and this will be their eleventh time hosting the regatta since 1980. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572836881422-YP09BQHB7Q9YQW59B821/Halloween+Mariner.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 4-10 Halloween was just this past Thursday, and this great picture comes from Mike Hansen of Southgate, Michigan. His boat, #4040 BREN MARIE, a rare Spindrift Mariner, is in his backyard, ready for Halloween - check out the skeleton sitting on the cabin top. Mike writes, “So I present to you my Mariner friends. A gaggle of way-ward souls without order or logic. A pre-apocalyptic pumpkin carving group. This could be a crew but it would be a crew that was kidnapped at night and awoke on a ship far out to sea. This is most of my family. These are victims of a random photographical moment. This photo also shows the versatility of the Mariner. Beyond a wonderful sailing vessel and my therapeutic tool it is a great back drop for pre-Halloween antics and senselessness. I am the guy near center in plaid with the white T-shirt. The three characters on the left of the picture, my daughters, are incorrectly using a sextant.” A fantastic photo! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1573486362382-PZIB2JBQHZU214T6LHXD/pr.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 11-17 While most boats in the northeast are bedding down for the winter, the Mariner Fleet in Puerto Rico is actively racing! This shot was taken during a race last weekend with absolutely gorgeous weather. #3665 is closest in the foreground with a Rhodes 19, #3215, directly behind it. The dark-colored Mariner in the left background is #2443 CHAMELEON. A surprising number of Mariners can be found in Puerto Rico, and pockets of Mariners are spotted internationally, including Norway and Australia where O’Day granted a license to build them in those locations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1574090516944-D8BOZIFOKW99IDQ8WE66/IMG_2120.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 18-24 Dave Oatley and his sons (#2186 NANTUCKET) along with Alan Schaeffer and his son and daughter (#2470 SIALIA) motorsail on Long Island Sound headed to Mystic Seaport during the Mariner Class Association Rendezvous this past August. Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM is ahead of them while I’m in front with #1922 ORION towing my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE. Harkness Park in Waterford is to the left, and the entrance to the Thames River is near the center of the photo. The wind was a bit fickle that first day of sailing, and there was a period of time when it had petered out to almost nothing. If I were by myself, I wouldn’t have minded waiting around until some wind came back to fill my sails; but with nine other boats in the group and a destination to get to, we started our motors to give us a little boost. The wind filled in off the Thames River, and we had a great sail to Noank before motoring the rest of the way up the Mystic River. Photo: Eric Flower (#1871 SEAFLOWER). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1574690955783-NRHA4WDFBWBZNQXHF983/IMG_0777.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 25-Dec. 1 Back in the summer of 2018, I was sailing in the Niantic River and happened upon another O’Day Mariner I didn’t recognize. I sailed over for a closer look and identified her as #2531 EALA, a boat that I remembered seeing on a mooring on the Waterford side of the river. A gentleman was at the helm with a woman (presumably his wife) as crew, and despite my cheerful exclamation of, “Hey, nice boat!”, my presence went largely unacknowledged and they preferred to keep their distance. Oh well - some folks like to keep to themselves, and I understand that. EALA is in great condition, and you can see that she is sailing with a genoa for a bit of extra speed. Her mainsail has reef points, and a small claw anchor is rigged on the bow, which doesn’t seem to detract from her good looks. I didn’t see EALA on the river this year; I hope she’s around for the next sailing season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1575297553663-OGPVREIFJPZD6REJD3P9/2290.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 2-8 For a few years, Rich Weston, of Haddonfield, New Jersey, owned #2290 SWEET CAROLINE and was a member of the Riverton Yacht Club. While he raced #2290 and participated in many Club activities, he also took part in the 2012 and 2013 Mariner Rendezvous here in Connecticut, bringing his wife Natasha and daughter Chloe with him. This particular picture was taken during the 2012 Rendezvous when we sailed and anchored for one night in the anchorage near Mystic Seaport, then anchored the following night in West Harbor, Fisher’s Island. Unfortunately, Rich experienced motor trouble which required him to be towed both coming and going to our destinations, but various sailors stepped up and helped him without hesitation. Although Rich later became a the Vice President of Membership within the Mariner Class Association, he didn’t hang onto #2290 very long; he understandably bought a slightly larger boat with a roomier cabin since both he and Natasha are over six feet tall! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1575859175542-ME4QAULY31OTXB7E7HKU/3485.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 9-15 Eric and Kathy Lesniak smile for the camera - in this case, photographer Steve Hock’s camera - as they make their way in #3485 SHOAL MATE from Niantic to Stonington during the 2018 Mariner Rendezvous. It’s a beautiful day, and although the next day was a total washout, we had good sailing both going to Stonington on Friday and returning to Niantic on Sunday. SHOAL MATE is a later-style Mariner with the rounded cabin top and forward hatch removed, but Eric installed a new hatch on the forward deck. Other upgrades have included CDI roller furling gear, new opening portlights, and a Lehr propane outboard with homemade propane tank holders on the transom. Residents of New Jersey, Eric trailered SHOAL MATE up for Rendezvous here in Connecticut in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018; although he didn’t bring his boat in 2017, he drove all the way up just to participate in Saturday’s events before heading home. Last year was the first year he wasn’t able to come at all, and we missed him! Here’s hoping he’ll be back for 2020. (How about it, Eric?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1576509539716-R17I28FGPB9VX0UDVKVC/1338.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 16-29 Jennifer O’Connor adjusts the boom tent on #1338 HOT FLASHES while tied up at the floating docks at Mystic Seaport during the 2014 Mariner Rendezvous. An early-style Mariner, #1338 received a lot of attention under Jenn’s ownership including a new paint job and many custom additions including home-made roller furling gear and several different awning and cover configurations, all made by Jenn herself as she is an accomplished seamstress. One large full-cockpit enclosure is made of bug screen material with waterproof flaps that can roll up when not in use and drop down in the event of rain. A lot of work went into making HOT FLASHES a comfortable mini-cruiser, and she participated in the Mariner Rendezvous from 2013-2015. Unfortunately, Jenn sold her Mariner the next year in favor of a powerboat, but it was great to have both her and #1338 sail with us for a few years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1577670889145-UG07PLUI459F498DM1L4/20190802_173722.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 30-Jan. 5 While this column is generally reserved to feature other boats, it has been a tradition to end the year featuring ORION. Here she is, berthed at Mystic Seaport during the 2019 Rendezvous this past August with my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE tied alongside. I have owned ORION now for nearly thirteen years and TRUE LOVE for nearly thirty; they will celebrating their 50th birthdays next year as they were both built in 1970. In this picture, TRUE LOVE has her mast stepped and is rigged for sailing as ORION comfortably sits with her hatches open and awning up, awaiting any visitors that come down the dock looking to chit-chat. TRUE LOVE frequently tags along with ORION acting as a tender, and any slight drag encountered while towing is outweighed by the handiness and sheer pleasure of rowing and sailing this little vessel. I wish all of you a very Happy New Year and a great sailing season in 2020. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2019 daily 0.75 2019-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562125410153-OBOV4Q537ZJ8XUO1T7KI/20190702_155432.jpg Sailing 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560177048544-4Q493KJFPSPMD6SH6GAK/outside.jpg Sailing 2019 June 5th: ORION finally emerged from her garage to be trailered up to Niantic. Over the winter, she received new bottom paint (which will last three years), new bootstripe paint, and two fresh coats of varnish on all the wood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560177054657-F3I6SVT9V1C2V5NBWJHM/mooring.jpg Sailing 2019 June 8th: The Niantic River tide was high enough to allow a beach launching from my parents’ place, saving a lot of time instead of going to the launch ramp in Waterford. She doesn’t have her mainsail bent on yet, but hopefully I’ll do that this coming week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560369626394-FS6Z202IS9R63LJJXEK1/sailing2.jpg Sailing 2019 June 11th: The first official sail of the season. It was very blustery, so I only sailed with the main up, and I’m glad I did - it proved to be plenty of canvas for the conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560369714693-DLKR4ZTZ142Y71B15QZ8/sailing1.jpg Sailing 2019 The mooring field up the Niantic River was pretty empty except for this powerboat and a few sailboats, but I’m sure it will fill in as the summer kicks into high gear pretty soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1561602153856-CXADKTQWFCZWFXB18OMQ/20190626_140116.jpg Sailing 2019 June 26th: my first time out in Niantic Bay. I sailed over to the Niantic Bay Yacht Club and got a late lunch from their restaurant. While there, I met up with my organ instructor and colleague Ezequiel Menendez who keeps his boat there! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1561602156731-4S8WA4PBGSO4GVC9YJER/20190626_144241.jpg Sailing 2019 He went sailing on ORION with me briefly before I dropped him off at his boat on a mooring. He invited me to go racing with him later that afternoon, and I accepted! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562123453793-6ONR20NHCWMKGL5L0UVF/20190702_125822.jpg Sailing 2019 July 2nd: Took a short trip around Millstone Point to Jordan Cove. It was cloudy with a nice breeze; I got there very quickly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562163540224-7L98CGFS9TW0JXIXR2Q4/20190702_155432.jpg Sailing 2019 The clouds broke up and the sun came out just as ORION got back to her own mooring. It was a great afternoon sail - just what the doctor ordered. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562768264010-9MGBJ1PPJG0VNYNMPG4Z/20190709_151340.jpg Sailing 2019 July 9th: I went sailing with my father today in the Niantic River. We don’t usually have the opportunity to sail together, so I’m glad we got the chance! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562768273947-ABUW3KWSK8IQZXMHOSN3/20190709_151405.jpg Sailing 2019 We rigged up the asymmetrical spinnaker and gybed back and forth all the way up the River until we ran out of room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563332634186-KJKQ9YT1ZDQK49AGYXX5/IMG_0855.jpg Sailing 2019 July 15th: Liz, Harry and I sailed to West Harbor at Fisher’s Island for the afternoon. We had a great breeze, and the current was with us, so we averaged about five knots all the way there from Niantic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563332667464-W2S7OBZ1L5NYPJYKO5PH/20190715_160333.jpg Sailing 2019 The transient moorings in West Harbor were all taken, so we went further out and anchored in the designated anchorage. It was a long row against the wind and current to the Fisher’s Island Yacht Club! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563332690515-1CBRL84X8OQZLNSZ3YAS/20190715_173450.jpg Sailing 2019 We got ice cream at Topper’s and explored the absolutely beautiful beach by the Hay Harbor Club before heading back to ORION. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563332707540-8KS0Z4EXDSEZA823JWAY/20190715_205839.jpg Sailing 2019 We sailed as much as we could before the wind finally quit for the evening. With the running lights on, we motored home with the sun setting behind Millstone in the distance. Check out this new Google Photo Album of the trip to see many more pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563744093201-4W7ZN04AHRP06SY8LLQE/20190720_200549.jpg Sailing 2019 Saturday, July 20th: Took friends and family out to see fireworks in Niantic Bay. There are nine - yes, nine - aboard! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563744100033-U6H3FCEV4C93M5I6JMJR/20190720_210512.jpg Sailing 2019 We anchored off of McCook’s Beach with front-row seats to a spectacular display. Although it was one of the hottest days of the year, the evening was absolutely perfect on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1564512863850-FI2RRO60WFSU2PPRX1L9/20190728_134119.jpg Sailing 2019 July 28th: Took my friends Amanda and Stephen out sailing for an afternoon. We sailed around Millstone Point to Jordan’s Cove and anchored for a little while. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1564512831371-F20VGTSPGZ6OJCCJTDEV/67750874_2123670881263447_8632053884572925952_n.jpg Sailing 2019 We went swimming for a while, and Stephen even tried his luck at fishing. Not a bad way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon in the summer! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1565238252054-WUF5007ESO7T3Q1D10SK/20190802_101320.jpg Sailing 2019 August 2-4: The Mariner National Rendezvous took place once again at Mystic Seaport! Ten boats and twenty sailors took part - here is most of us just before leaving the Niantic River launch ramp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1565238271240-SC9T80FHHBF84EFZWF7S/DSC_0516.JPG Sailing 2019 We had light winds going there, but we did manage to get a little sailing in. Here is Dave Oatley with his sons sailing #2186 NANTUCKET in the foreground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1565238310206-VCYC6QPMDHZH8MUVPVSG/20190802_163125.jpg Sailing 2019 We arrived without incident and had a fantastic few days there. We went on several special “behind-the-scenes” tours and explored the Seaport and the entire Mystic downtown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1565238338171-KGE0HSNUYWFCTDAT8A43/DSCN0316_518+-+Copy.JPG Sailing 2019 We had a perfect breeze for a lively sail back to Niantic, and the whole weekend was a great success. 148 pictures are now available at my Google photo album, and photos from other Rendezvous participants can be viewed here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1566616716364-QZU20TNWAAUEKE7QBXX8/20190823_173351.jpg Sailing 2019 Friday, August 23rd: I went with my wife, son, sister-in-law, and her two daughters to Turkey Point in the Niantic River. I beached ORION since it was a nice high tide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1566616741517-MTOBW4CFHEJY9R51LAYQ/20190823_173332.jpg Sailing 2019 We went swimming for a while before heading back home. No sailing on this short trip since there was no wind, but it was good to spend time on the boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572389522506-15UA9SF7KW4PGZZZFF5B/20190919_123450.jpg Sailing 2019 September 22nd: On this last official day of summer, I went for a wonderful sail around Black Point and anchored off the long bar on the west side. I put the anchor out and the awning up to relax a bit and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572389529257-PQONDP23X2RFPTZUVIZH/20190919_122643.jpg Sailing 2019 There was nobody around except for a solitary fisherman and a persistent seagull. I made lunch - yes, I shared some with the seagull - and sailed home, although I had to motor some of the way back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572389549776-YQO5E0M8ZHNKZSDT16V0/20191024_125258.jpg Sailing 2019 October 24th: I went sailing with my father on the Niantic River. The wind was a little gusty, and the air was chilly. The winter wind is just starting to make an appearance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572389556342-3BD5Z3O1RY97B570QIVM/20191024_130830.jpg Sailing 2019 This would be the last sail for the year, and it was a perfect way to end a fantastic sailing season as we enjoyed the spectacular fall foliage. We sailed near Sandy Point and Keeney Cove before heading back to the mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572390324078-9MY9UOK964G2G673HSSS/20191029_120302-2.jpg Sailing 2019 October 29th: I guess I need to face the inevitable and realize it is finally time to get ORION ready for the winter. I brought her to the beach, emptied her and took the mast down, and I plan on taking her out of the water this Friday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572663531342-32F4NG8RCP151V73OEAC/20191101_135705.jpg Sailing 2019 November 1st: Hauled out ORION, finished cleaning out the cabin, and gave her a powerwash. She’ll be spending the winter in Niantic this year, shrink-wrapped and ready to begin the 2020 season hopefully in mid-April. Another great sailing season has officially ended! https://www.mariner1922.com/2020-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2021-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1578349360512-76SBXM8X7T640OYC4RB9/CIMG3696_536.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1578349360512-76SBXM8X7T640OYC4RB9/CIMG3696_536.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1578931403642-EJ373MXV8Y1WXHOQHFUE/1.00+mariner.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 13-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580135258203-II564KTR47JAA19J8C9R/Picture+147.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 27-Feb. 2 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1586227475036-681AYNM93GAIRNUCMAZZ/Lutz.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 6-12 Wayne Lutz stands proudly next to his Mariner STE. MARIE on Powell River, British Columbia. After first sailing a remote-controlled sailboat from his float-cabin home on Powell Lake and spending a couple seasons sailing a Laser, Wayne and his wife Margy found an O’Day Mariner on Craigslist in 2016 and have been happily sailing her ever since. Both are retired educators from Southern California and have lived full time in Canada since 2008, and Margy writes that “Wayne likes those brisk breezes, but I’m happy with the gentle steady ones.” Check out an article by Margy about learning to sail on Powell Lake published here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580738135639-JG1NFA0HUBVB86P27MQL/maggie.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 3-9 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1581352052315-31NCXPF4ZB11RWY8NJNC/albert.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 10-23 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1582582304399-5CPFAQY4XL3526GMC4NI/i-P76MWcV-X5.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 24-Mar. 1 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1583174100966-ZRQ62XFJAZU1W7ZZ59J0/4knots.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 2-8 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1583787483924-KYO23JTYRR7BBVNS3Q47/1963%2Bad.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 9-22 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!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1584939024476-Z6A4TWVO4KZIVB8MLGX1/CIMG3667.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 23-29 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1596429846076-KR2IXB20OSURVFBG14WZ/3582.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1585539470446-H17T9S39URVMJKG1HQD3/2537.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 30-Apr. 5 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1586228242188-UUMKB4WTYB0II3L1KSRE/Lutz.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 6-12 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1586786183545-9YST1ZQWLG1GEIXL50XK/DSCN2496.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 13-19 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1587348335226-87V5HR58IZI4YMKH2S2N/2018Nats.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 20-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1588015572128-9W3Z5NK75D1Q5O2XC5IX/Oatley.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 27-May 3 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1588561150877-T471PH1VF062HX23CAMT/governorscup.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - May 4-10 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589250212188-72FZMGW57LF3X8RFF47K/WintersWait.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - May 11-17 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589842706320-2K86OFNWMR1O250AT10H/3214.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - May 18-24 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.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590974771925-SAOKK8KM4ERC0B6INUZE/curley.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - May 25-31 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590973349603-SPF3HCIXZPFA1VTQVHWA/olivier+blanc.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 1-7 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1591586038917-7P9WVVSB40JID7NIEDCD/4093.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 8-14 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592188788784-YMACBF0JXRNI2N5Y80DF/140803MA_Mystic-41.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 15-21 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592796257535-E2P2EB7HSN0G4MI1408U/Beached+6.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 22-28 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1593393447537-8D4HTPQLHDWZUU3574X7/IMG_6559.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 29-July 5 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594006805887-WV14ZM70MD9GX69ULJBO/2923.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - July 6-12 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594605972584-SMB2SW836CIRGC7XNAV2/3081.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - July 13-19 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1595220126020-RNW951JA5VNT7CUAEGX4/Que+Sera.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - July 20-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1595816711498-C4B4QTJJP71KE8VT7LW7/Gott%2BMariner.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - July 27-Aug. 2 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1596430205032-S7MSCSU0GB36EIHMYMI5/3582.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 3-9 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1597117440848-43M20AI4WM57MTQI83XG/Lively.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 10-16 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1597683548328-9TAVM38SNU6WN2VEUCEE/JulieB.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 17-23 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1598239679594-7ISX8LBKQRDP983T7VIL/Channell.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 24-30 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1598841817834-N8R1ONFHLV46ZX95MKNP/3491.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 31-Sept. 6 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599528409289-Q2X65PFCIZA6OLHLHITR/3274.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 7-13 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!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1600049255652-0C40XZRFGZ4P0QUWHBBY/1464.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 14-20 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1600694066315-U2PEU3UMNIQ4N65VXA2C/3295-2.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 21-27 #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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1601299234972-G2RPJR44IOD1TJFFUUUV/IMG_20200809_113126.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 28-Oct. 4 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1601862924853-8AZTUP33I0XYHAOF8HJG/DSC02817_874.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602556356542-06B35VDJ6KC2U4B3GCGG/2663158_1_D4912FB6-DC01-49AB-9A5D-B98751C05A73.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 12-18 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603075358049-NIJT5L2N89L2KZ6630AS/barnfind.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 19-25 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603675840126-DFJGW1P98EB56MTW918R/paikea.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 26-Nov. 1 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1604277106527-8Z5PFLRXISR0XVXE0VRT/nationals.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 2-8 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1604928919815-D2L2ROXSWYO153MTEMXH/reiche.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 9-15 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1605498241822-1X061DG8ZOFPCW6T43T0/Hefel.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 16-22 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.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1606149413911-I5783MDVNJ2TC0JFWRBM/3589.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 23-29 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1606750701722-4G5GSWWQ222J1DVV86UK/20200807_141332.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 30-Dec. 6 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607308190460-WC63ERC290WL2VZ0OMQR/2016+Mariner+Nationals+329.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 7-13 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607917506172-H9RBG81NTIPYV1J30ZTQ/stuart.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 14-20 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1608518992661-J1MNYLFUHUQ2M2IQQM5O/DSC02825_856.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 21-27 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609129831281-GC809N4Z4GMEEO2FIBLP/Orion3.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 28-Jan. 3 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. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2020 daily 0.75 2020-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590175954698-7LF2RBV3PTEQIPWD2H3D/20200521_123838.jpg Sailing 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590175983984-XMO105TEEHOB74J832DI/20200521_121718.jpg Sailing 2020 May 21st: Although ORION was launched back on April 25th, lousy weather and other commitments kept me from sailing her for the first time until today. But what a day it was - perfect winds, sunny skies… who could ask for more? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590176018622-4UBH44BJJK5D7MOOXJRE/20200521_123838.jpg Sailing 2020 Once out in Niantic Bay, I hoisted the sails, shut off the outboard, and watched as ORION roared along between five and six knots in ideal conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590176019122-EQMNKVF5Q5XTVZMCO0JZ/20200521_123747.jpg Sailing 2020 I sailed by the Niantic Bay Yacht Club - how very strange to see the docks totally empty because of the Coronavirus pandemic. A couple boats were on their moorings in the mooring field, but nothing happening at the Club itself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590176035952-QSJZRCAUMKBEE8ET0UX0/20200521_133856.jpg Sailing 2020 Coming back through the bridges, even my nemesis, the MIJOY 747, was tied up to her berth, with no activity whatsoever. The BLACKHAWK was also dormant tied up on the other side of the channel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590176036394-HOYGWJ5F0BKN947U6M57/20200521_134054.jpg Sailing 2020 The sportfishing fleet was inactive as well. At this time of the year, all of these boats would normally be out fishing with loads of customers. But not this year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590176047126-1NP6HF75ZSEFBJ7UUTZM/20200521_135752.jpg Sailing 2020 I put ORION back on her mooring and went back to work. Although she is still one of the only boats on the Niantic River so far, I’m sure I’ll start to see more as the summer gets closer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590976305078-JEG9AHSKRDSJGEGNDX1K/20200531_163624.jpg Sailing 2020 May 31st: Enjoyed a nice afternoon sail in the Niantic River with my wife and son today. Northwest winds 10-15 knots and temperatures in the mid-60s were perfect conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590976305576-EQDZNL1K7ETZ4WWHJ1O1/20200531_164330.jpg Sailing 2020 With whitecaps on the river, I elected to sail under mainsail alone. Even without the jib, we were able to roar along at hull speed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592800105166-NHBPPBRM0DOCKY6YVAMF/20200604_135837.jpg Sailing 2020 June 4th: I sailed over again to the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, only I anchored just a couple of hundred feet away to relax in the cabin with the portlights and forward hatch open. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592800108121-K5439D786HMDP6YMSOG2/20200604_143610.jpg Sailing 2020 Afterward, I had a brisk sail wing-and-wing back toward the railroad bridge. A great afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592800109575-71QQ4DBW1PWG049H5ANQ/20200618_125751.jpg Sailing 2020 June 18th: I motored out into Niantic Bay and spotted another Mariner sailing under jib alone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592800110893-KXEXRPDGP6O0ZFA4226S/20200618_130243.jpg Sailing 2020 It was Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM, out for a short sail as well! We sailed around the Bay in light winds before heading back mid-afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1593812319308-GE8ZPR60XRVG0J996RLS/20200702_134321.jpg Sailing 2020 July 2nd: Went for a great sail with my father! My outboard starting acting up a bit, so instead of risk getting into trouble out in the Bay, I elected to stay in the Niantic River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1593812369079-6DNXWLR8FVDHD0VO2AO7/20200702_140321.jpg Sailing 2020 While sailing, we managed to get the outboard running smoothly again and motored as far up the River as we could, passing near the site of the old Beckwith Shipyard from the early 1800s (where the catamaran can be seen near the right of the picture). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594952419887-NCBW9UVXN2B782CRWFJB/20200716_143521.jpg Sailing 2020 July 16th: A brisk wind of 10-15 knots prompted me to put a reef in the main as I went out into Niantic Bay to investigate a tall ship at anchor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594952480671-YN2L8DERZUJECGFTCV6S/20200716_174728.jpg Sailing 2020 It was the unmistakable shape of the United States Coast Guard Barque Eagle, always a beautiful sight. It has been a long time since she has anchored so close by! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594952474964-QEDVPI2733HDST6QQLNU/20200716_174559.jpg Sailing 2020 The cadets were all dressed in their bathing suits and had clearly just come out of the water. They were also retrieving two large, pink flamingo floats - something tells me this was not a work day! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594952471045-L4ZVD4563OKWGDUSDXB5/20200716_174038.jpg Sailing 2020 It was a rare treat to be able to sail so close to her. I took a few last pictures before heading home, roaring through the water at over six knots on a beam reach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602713650114-X5HR0IFUFHKAAH16DOKP/hurricane1.jpg Sailing 2020 August 4th: As Tropical Storm Isaias skirted the western part of Connecticut, it brought some rain and a whole lot of wind to Niantic. I received a frantic call from my mother telling me ORION was dragging her mooring and was slowly heading for the beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602713650288-VDY37EZOUSG18CG6N39K/hurricane2.jpg Sailing 2020 Through the heroic efforts of my father who managed to swim out and start the motor to keep ORION from dragging, a disaster was narrowly averted. Check out the update I posted here to read the full story with more pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599835097375-ISD0ET48TO25BNVHE803/20200807_091922.jpg Sailing 2020 Friday, August 7th: 14 Mariners and 38 sailors from seven different states gathered at the Niantic River Boat Launch to participate in the 2020 Mariner National Rendezvous. We had a great time despite having to adhere to strict guidelines due to Coronavirus concerns. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599835099911-78K6DDDSKUKJL240UPDY/20200807_143000.jpg Sailing 2020 We stopped and anchored for lunch at Bushy Point Beach in Groton before continuing up to Crocker’s Boat Yard in New London. We had light winds all the way there, but it was still enjoyable! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599835131302-H3SZ9S1S6FV5FCZFB6X4/subpolice.jpg Sailing 2020 On Saturday, after touring nearby Fort Trumbull, some of us sailed around in perfect sailing conditions. I sailed up the Thames River and got a little too close to Groton’s Naval Submarine Base, so they sent out a patrol boat to keep an eye on me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599835160588-J3PCAVZRKGN3P86ONMAH/20200809_125352.jpg Sailing 2020 Sunday’s trip back to Niantic was uneventful, and some folks had to resort to using their motors when the wind died off Millstone. Nevertheless, everybody had a fantastic weekend! Check out more pictures here and also a short video of Mariners departing the Niantic River here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599835186826-QPY8DF890XWMSNE2QI2T/DSC_0721.JPG Sailing 2020 September 6th: I had a quick afternoon sail right after church and happened to meet up on the Niantic River with Spencer Clapp, a Niantic resident who recently purchased a Mariner and now keeps it at Three Belles Marina! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599835198736-NG2QZZHXAE4ZA934HE24/DSC_0724.JPG Sailing 2020 I went on the east fork of the River into Keeney Cove, but I had to turn around as the wind picked up mightily and I was quickly running out of room to maneuver. A pleasant sail nevertheless. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602712694193-9EO091FQFMCZJ9G7JOUH/20201011_151552.jpg Sailing 2020 October 11th: After a few daysails here and there during the month of September, I took ORION out into Niantic Bay intending to stop for lunch at Jordan Cove. The wind was 10-15 knots with seas 2-3 feet, so I put in a reef and hung on as I pounded upwind. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602712689973-HJPDI2VH1I7VOYR2AU1G/20201011_153934.jpg Sailing 2020 To my horror, while on a port tack, I saw the starboard lower shroud had somehow lost its clevis pin at the chainplate and was flapping loosely against the cabin side. I immediately rolled up the jib and lowered the mainsail to relieve pressure on the mast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602712678064-V75HCSUKTXP2VM4NZSHR/20201011_170731.jpg Sailing 2020 As the boat was bouncing around, I managed to find a tie-wrap to secure the shroud to the chainplate so it wouldn’t flap around anymore, and I attached the main halyard to the chainplate as a jury-rigged shroud. Thankfully, I had enough gas to motor home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602712681523-4Y1EXSEVDE8U1F3MK4PS/20201011_161525.jpg Sailing 2020 That marked the last sail of the season for me. When I motored back into the River, I beached ORION at my parents’ beach, emptied her cabin, removed her mainsail and rudder, and put her back on her mooring until she was hauled out October 28th. https://www.mariner1922.com/2021-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2022-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609724700946-P67CSGDI35LDCU4IAHD9/IMG_5078-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609724700946-P67CSGDI35LDCU4IAHD9/IMG_5078-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1610335039202-XYWO3WM2U3RNACLVR431/584.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 11-17 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1610944256696-TF6C1IUX3NQR0C8XACG9/DSC02811.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 18-24 #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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1611581392433-H24B05BLKNQXXX64F7K0/jurgen.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan 25-31 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?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1612155410850-MNF4VVA72P10D7JT7O64/tent.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 1-7 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1612739838338-9LVPMI7D5JLD8CZ4PAU4/rdcc.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 8-14 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). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1613365199694-PKEV4HJMEBNQL5S564N7/IMG_0521.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 15-21 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1613962341166-HU07PP949GGKZZRIONYY/735.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 22-28 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1614605804618-4WXFORF600LZ8WSEWLI8/272.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 1-7 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1615212298926-H9M4T6G1E8B4CKTK7FYV/sunnydays.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 8-14 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1615773214561-VZ78RDA7XTZXJARSXZQC/Preparation1.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 15-21 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616377695287-PWW6GRMKEXOU57U9KC74/sunnydays.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - March 22-28 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616981947084-OQPUR8LS1E8Y2RU0PWNN/bb.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 29-Apr. 4 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1617589454427-5OMLLX87EMXN3MWOOKBK/2676-1.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618197267848-1RJS3NX9F1QWOO7TDZAH/2862.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 12-18 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618797799714-QBCXD8CJHNM1SA8PJY38/4041.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 19-25 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1619402852635-RDRVMZQY2L4MJVKSUI6N/1464.png 2021 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 26-May 2 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1620044685610-KLAI8DX9XB6SZ7X4EKWN/DSCN0294_555+-+Copy.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 3-9 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1620651139157-D7K9FYC4Z6QE3515IOIU/IMG_0942.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 10-16 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621217858621-THFIIZ7ZM9LFWXP5672M/mariner18316.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 17-23 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621997510830-DJH2C42A4DCWR4P8DAGI/bluebird.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 24-30 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622511361420-Q9E8PSUUQ9F0F1UAU28R/duluth.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 31-Jun 6 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1623032029263-VDU3N7MYKE1NK0AZ66N4/83.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - June 7-13 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1623641176958-PL8CQ8AYS1KB7LEQ2HYG/140711229.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - June 14-20 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1624376169285-O35N8SRPG91LEHVANH66/20200807_142229.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - June 21-27 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1624849110162-9U3O4ZNBDFNUSABKAS9F/stuart.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - June 28-July 4 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625454632657-ARR8DX1C3DNEOGHT19T8/witsoe.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - July 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626056236244-1H0HUAVO0K4ZTGNOO26A/campbell.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - July 12-18 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626663542849-KKY7IOJ32GDG1GUHGOW9/50258661587_82305a0a11_o.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - July 19-25 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1627270123872-YGACR7MSJZRK53V1D4I4/RNT_5173.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - July 26-Aug. 1 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1627875020958-RNJPM1FNGWOPK1N7X0ZZ/caborojo.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 2-8 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1628480233355-R1ZJDA2VQKJDY804BGRM/20210805_194958-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 9-15 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629131820217-DFJMVOGPWNPYXFCZ0LBE/DSC_0127-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 16-22 #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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629691757262-U3RTG0KRCLVQG0B0J6MQ/DSC_0138-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 23-29 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630293287187-LEPUZKDU9C3ITYMELS9T/flathead.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 30-Sept. 5 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630892209998-2GON2HRY93EVOA5UI9FR/sunk.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 6-12 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1631531547611-AFXRKUBNHK76V9OAJ08A/2931325_0_62A4395C-2CF4-4828-ADAC-82D6A4447269.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 13-19 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1632106898436-CMRVDIR6YJ9IV9SQHUQN/20210806_172435-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 20-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1632707238343-KH04M7BSC9D3HB4B5D9T/ThunderRoad.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 27-Oct. 3 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1633312298268-U1QU8F7WP9CE9A2PE7XY/2831.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 4-10 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1633918973933-CDIBKL48PMP7NLLDTDUU/DSC_0072-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 11-17 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1634525336601-OMGIP5CBHOC3HHYLAV77/RNT_4977.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 18-24 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635124097591-7N2199GBNH0H0LH1AA1V/193066216_185569853478836_4182762129577334731_n.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 25-31 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635765999229-IY1NTFY9BI4JYPR5A2A9/DSC_0132-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 1-7 #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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1636341071875-SQN9E44INN1C8KKMYKCU/RNT_5842.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 8-14 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1637022819152-PGUAOEPVP1BTMBFBEYBY/Avey.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 15-21 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!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1637553198563-9OL5XC257BARMU4E49X8/IMG_5555.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 22-28 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1638192472505-2TB576KNCIIWVN5N0MUH/20.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 29-Dec. 5 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1638758365112-ODYOCHGRD4LHGPQJHWT8/DSC_0074-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 6-12 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1639402807788-WMOLX1JJOOKPX4SMO7XE/IMG_0453.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 13-19 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1639970728119-X9RCRNGGABD0JRFX90HG/taylor.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 20-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1640579073116-9AQ7RCADFL918IHSR10T/IMG_0802.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 27-Jan. 2 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! https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2021 daily 0.75 2021-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002220896-RHRDRCZRVNMQ5S8RZBLJ/IMG_4615.JPG Sailing 2021 April 17th: Launch day! It took me a little longer than anticipated to get ORION ready to launch, and we missed the high tide. An hour later makes a big difference! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002220896-RHRDRCZRVNMQ5S8RZBLJ/IMG_4615.JPG Sailing 2021 April 17th: Launch day! It took me a little longer than anticipated to get ORION ready to launch, and we missed the high tide. An hour later makes a big difference! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002910645-D4HQQ8TKAXSC4UXC7DZR/20210417_161657.jpg Sailing 2021 Fortunately, we were able to muscle her off the trailer, and I motored her out to her mooring where I put on the boom, bent on the sail, and made her ship-shape and ready to go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002443298-07B06VRYYHHBTMO6FUTE/20210422_101300.jpg Sailing 2021 April 22nd: The following week, I didn’t have much time to go out, and it was very windy, so I opted to simply motor up the Niantic River and anchor by Keeney Cove. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002444456-2U37N3Q7QFESK1IM9J0C/20210422_102532.jpg Sailing 2021 I grabbed a stick mooring instead, rested a bit, and made some work phone calls before motoring back to the mooring. Not a bad way to spend a blustery spring lunchtime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002589857-WQSWRS3J0GDDENTNLY6C/20210513_090141.jpg Sailing 2021 May 13th: After a few weeks without sailing due to high winds and rainy weather, I was finally able to take ORION for her first official sail of the season! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002590418-1KCGKSTGT3DEUQVQ0XV5/20210513_104615.jpg Sailing 2021 It sure was odd to motor past the empty berth of the MIJOY 747. I wonder what will happen to the docks and building now that, after over 70 years, she is no longer in Niantic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002595850-E55HMMB88PMRAXUW5ADI/20210513_105621.jpg Sailing 2021 Light winds quickly gave way to a steady 5-10 knots from the southwest, and it was a fantastic beat upwind. ORION loved stretching her legs after a long winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621002597170-XG24SC1MLM41FO4NHWGP/20210513_121257.jpg Sailing 2021 As we rounded Black Point and headed toward the anchorage in Giant’s Neck, the clouds rolled in and it got rather cold. It was a glorious sail home, and I even brought out the asymmetrical spinnaker for a final romp averaging 6.5 knots over three miles! See a lot more pictures in the Google Photo Album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622859310615-698YBVB3HEMA2UA5A4UD/20210520_131904.jpg Sailing 2021 May 20th: Another great sailing day. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a lot of time to spend on the water, so I decided to sail over to Niantic Bay Yacht Club to see how many boats were in the water there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622859310776-7IEB65BYJRPMF79INP52/20210520_133038.jpg Sailing 2021 The docks were mostly empty, and a big crane was tied up to the transient pier. It then dawned on me the docks were only just being installed in advance of Memorial Day Weekend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622859330038-0SKD1JJ7IZ9LVDA0CI9B/DSC_0007.JPG Sailing 2021 June 3rd: Overcast skies and almost no wind didn’t keep me from motoring around Millstone Point to Jordan Cove for lunch, passing by the bell buoy south of Little Rock on the way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622859326664-FY40G3X1V9YJT2LWI488/DSC_0011.JPG Sailing 2021 This Tartan 31 was the only boat moored on the east side of Millstone. In another month, the mooring field will have another dozen or so boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622859316931-K3ZFWUIVRBA22YGR1PC2/20210603_114951.jpg Sailing 2021 I anchored and had a pleasant lunch of clam chowder and coffee (heated on my portable butane stove) along with a fruit cup and cookies, all from my stores I keep onboard in a sealed, plastic tub. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622859317180-2IQR4S0TJ0XFWTJRGEKZ/20210603_122856.jpg Sailing 2021 It wasn’t long before fog started rolling in and the rain began to fall. I quickly packed everything up and sailed home, hugging the coastline and keeping a close eye on my compass to avoid the rocks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625282857318-GXJSRALHPRJYUL3F3NH0/20210701_130719.jpg Sailing 2021 July 1st: I managed to sneak in a quick sail before a line of thunderstorms rolled through. I stayed in the river and enjoyed a little light-air sailing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625282857356-C3FIKW6I3FQC6XO1CAL0/20210701_131442.jpg Sailing 2021 I was happy to see the catboat HANNAH M back on the river after a year’s absence. She was for sale last year, and I’m glad her new owner continues to keep her in the area. What a great boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626390879675-K8IHB1BA7LQNXPEKIIJN/20210715_131958.jpg Sailing 2021 July 15th: I had a nice afternoon sail in the Niantic River. It was almost high tide with a steady yet light breeze from the south, so I ventured up the left fork of the river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626390881177-WUA2J6TRXT4992ORHGYW/20210715_133721.jpg Sailing 2021 I beached ORION at Turkey Point and enjoyed a light lunch on the beach in the shade. It was nice to sail back home over the sandbars since it was high tide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630698390884-752NI5XNX7WDH9DAZ4H1/20210722_115321.jpg Sailing 2021 July 22nd: I motored over to the launch ramp to meet my good friend, Mike Harten, to take him for a sail. He’s a great guy and a fantastic jazz upright bassist! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630698389909-F0AXGZ3WXK6NU42ZWAB2/20210722_133134.jpg Sailing 2021 It was a great day to go sailing, but it took us both by surprise when there was absolutely no wind and it very quickly roared in blowing over 15 knots, forcing me to reef! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630698399523-7D2D36C7Z331LVLZWWDF/20210806_151104.jpg Sailing 2021 August 6-8: The Mariner National Rendezvous was held with 14 participating Mariners. We all launched from the launch ramp and went to Mystic Seaport for a fabulous weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630698441702-D53P9YHESQ06ZOPHUQZZ/IMG_0802.jpg Sailing 2021 I took a bunch of folks out sailing who made the effort to drive to the event. Here I am sailing with Nick and Eniko DeMarco from Narrasketuck, Long Island. Check out the Google Photo Album of the event here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630698414770-90F35EFDYVTFC49U86FK/20210827_141257.jpg Sailing 2021 August 27th: I took my nine-year-old son sailing up the river to go swimming at Turkey Point beach. This was one of his final vacation days before school, and we wanted to do something special. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630698427685-QS72OME9ZUCRJ2ES7SDW/20210827_142129.jpg Sailing 2021 We beached ORION, tied her to a tree, and swam for a good hour or so. The water temperature was like being in a spa! We finally left when some teenage powerboaters started zooming dangerously close to us in the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630698433401-MZP25H6SG390PAG99JL0/20210903_110021.jpg Sailing 2021 September 3rd: I sailed up the river and hooked onto a mooring to have a quick lunch and bail out any water that had collected from the remnants of Hurricane Ida. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630698443817-EE9DQJHIK95C4AUTACYU/20210903_131539.jpg Sailing 2021 The nearby mooring fields are practically empty; many boaters who pulled their boats out of the water for Hurricanes Henri and Ida have elected not to put them back in for the season. ORION, however, will most likely be staying in until November to take advantage of the beautiful autumn sailing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635211215428-XPQD1IQFSX6H3C7D7TUH/20211007_112025.jpg Sailing 2021 October 7th: After several daysails out in Niantic Bay, I decided to take advantage of the high tide and tow my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE up the river to explore Keeney Cove. What a beautiful spot! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635211213313-YRAY694YYT95IAOIQMJI/20211021_131215.jpg Sailing 2021 October 21st: With temperatures in the low 70s and the wind a steady 5-10 knots, I spent a wonderful afternoon in the river, stopping for a brief time to anchor and have lunch in the nearly-vacant mooring field. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1636159860592-8PO334FPUKKFK12G2RQA/20211028_142059.jpg Sailing 2021 October 28th: I took ORION for her last sail of the season, enjoying the Oswegatchie Hills foliage up the Niantic River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1636159891386-O2MNLGDMTYAWKBIG2P34/20211104_112138.jpg Sailing 2021 November 4th: With my sister’s help, I unstepped the mast at the beach and hauled ORION at the Mago Point launch ramp before trailering her home to Northford. Another successful sailing season has ended! https://www.mariner1922.com/2022-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2023-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1641178699739-I8E0EQAS6FMCY9KYGPO7/910.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 3-9 What better way to begin this column for the new year than with a Mariner featured for the first time! This is Kerry O’Sullivan at the helm of his #910 CLARELLANN racing back in 2018 at the Mariner National Championships held at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, Long Island, New York. Kerry has just rounded the windward mark, and his crew has already poled out the jib to run downwind wing-and-wing. The crisp, new sails are just about to be trimmed, and no doubt the centerboard - probably partly raised already due to the shallow racing area of Great South Bay - will be raised some more to reduce drag and eke out just a little more speed. After the first day of racing, the entire fleet of racers are divided up into two divisions with the top racers competing in the Championship Fleet and the bottom racers competing in the President’s Fleet. Kerry ended up coming in first in the President’s Fleet Division - a fantastic result! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1641178699739-I8E0EQAS6FMCY9KYGPO7/910.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 3-9 What better way to begin this column for the new year than with a Mariner featured for the first time! This is Kerry O’Sullivan at the helm of his #910 CLARELLANN racing back in 2018 at the Mariner National Championships held at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, Long Island, New York. Kerry has just rounded the windward mark, and his crew has already poled out the jib to run downwind wing-and-wing. The crisp, new sails are just about to be trimmed, and no doubt the centerboard - probably partly raised already due to the shallow racing area of Great South Bay - will be raised some more to reduce drag and eke out just a little more speed. After the first day of racing, the entire fleet of racers are divided up into two divisions with the top racers competing in the Championship Fleet and the bottom racers competing in the President’s Fleet. Kerry ended up coming in first in the President’s Fleet Division - a fantastic result! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1641780449333-2G7218V6L9F1I3DF08JD/durgin.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 10-16 Chuck Durgin keeps his Stuart Mariner in Mill Creek off of the Chesapeake Bay, and instead of hauling her out at the end of the sailing season, this year he elected instead to keep her in the water. He writes, “So far it's been mild weather, water temperature is 45 degrees, bottom paint seems intact, and the small family marina uses a system to prevent ice build up when conditions warrant.” Unfortunately, just a few days after writing this, Mill Creek was hit with nearly nine inches of heavy, wet snow, and Chuck had to shovel out his boat, unbending the sails and removing the outboard. He still plans to keep her in the water, though, ready to take advantage of those milder winter days to sail around the area when most other Mariners are packed away until spring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1642390250478-QYP8XCTOCAFAAPABL5EM/MikeDee.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 17-23 Now here’s a Mariner ready for some serious cruising. This is Mike Dee’s mid-style O’Day Mariner at anchor, and just look at that fabulous cockpit cover! Although it does not cover the entire cockpit, its height practically transforms the companionway area into its own comfortable room. Notice the boom has been raised up to accommodate the cover, and the end of the boom has been lashed to the backstay to keep it in place. Many cockpit covers are draped over the boom, but this cover - complete with tubing, like a bimini - is independent of the boom entirely. Its screens provide plenty of ventilation, and the forward hatch is open to facilitate air flow inside cabin itself. Even though the jib is not attached at the moment to its roller furler, you can tell it’s a genoa jib by its accompanying hardware, the stand-up block on a track on the side deck near the after part of the cover. While there is absolutely no wind and the ensign on the backstay hangs limp, Mike has tied off the halyards with bungee cords to prevent them from slapping against the mast during what promises to be a most enjoyable night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1642994117053-U1DNLR0N4Z7LAXB0SAGG/White.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 24-30 Skipper Tom White stands proudly next to his Stuart Mariner, hull number 4166 LETTIE at his home in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. He writes, “My first sailboat was an O'Day Mariner, 1960's vintage. We kept it at our home on Lake Murray, SC, when we lived there. With relocations and a growing family, I wasn't able to sail it, so I sold it. I have missed the Mariner and decided last year that the time was right, so I bought a 1997 Stuart Mariner. Our new Mariner, LETTIE, is the 2+2 design, with quarter berths extending under the cockpit, in addition to the v-berth. To accommodate that, the cockpit floor is raised from the old designs. It also has two small cockpit drains (which clog easily, sadly). I recall one time in South Carolina coming home from work after a few rainy days, and finding our [early-style] Mariner sunk in shallow water. After that challenge, I thought cockpit drains would be good to have, and I appreciate having them now. I'm looking forward to getting LETTIE back on the water in the spring.” And I’m looking forward to seeing more pictures, Tom - she looks fantastic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1643596228748-8IEPQMS29UYIWSFBPWWF/BMR.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 31-Feb. 6 The detached deck of a Stuart Mariner is suspended above its hull as BMR Services in Florida carefully reassembles the two halves after an interior restoration. It’s not often that one gets to view the complete separation of deck and hull, and it certainly gives one a unique perspective. Notice the three stiffeners underneath the bow of the deck; when working up forward with a mooring line or anchor, it is good to have a firm surface under your feet with no flexing. Just before reassembly, a thick bead of 3M 5200 caulking will be squirted all the way around the lip of the hull to prevent leaks, and once the deck is lowered and put into place, the inner rubrail liner will be put on with either screws or rivets. The vinyl outer rubrail will be snapped and hammered on over the inner rubrail liner, and the results will no doubt look spectacular. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1644206452760-EGD1XM42WKJU31M1YSSE/436.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 7-13 O’Day Mariner #436 SWIPPERT was built in 1965, and she still sports a lot of her original features from nearly 60 years ago. Most noticeable is the blue stripe which wraps around her coamings and cabin, the classic look of the early-style Mariner. Her mahogany coaming tops most certainly have been refinished and are in excellent shape, and her original jib sheet leads and fixed cam cleats are on the cabin top. The owner of #436 cleverly made a custom hatch for otherwise-open cuddy cabin, and he also elected to mount his four-horsepower Johnson outboard motor on an adjustable bracket attached to the transom instead of directly onto the opening in the aft “deck” visible just above the rudder. This allows the outboard to drop further into the water, a real advantage especially if one only has a short-shaft motor. SWIPPERT was for sale in Maryland back in 2010; her current whereabouts are unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1644804044474-5C7RRL9NCJU6SCRNQSFT/DSC_0040-2.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 14-20 Harald Hefel (#1998 NETTICKS) stands astride his boat and #3200 NORA ROSE as skipper Bruce Robbins and crew Mural Rao prepare their boat at the start of the 2021 Rendezvous last August. They spent the previous night aboard their Mariners at anchor in the Niantic River, and with the sun up and more Mariners arriving at the launch ramp, Bruce is beginning to unpack the mainsail while brother-in-law Mural is hanking on the jib. Bruce and Mural have attended several Rendezvous over the past few years, and although this was Harald’s first, he is by no means an inexperienced sailor; he has owned NETTICKS for a few years now and has even trailered her all the way to Florida. A native of Bregenz, Austria, he currently resides in Pawcatuck, Connecticut and is as strong as an ox - he is a professional mason and frequently works with his son who is a mason as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1645411989492-PZAMQJ1S9SHE8I3S20EG/Gallina.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 21-27 Charlie Gallina, of Merrick, New York, blasts along in Middle Bay on the south shore of Long Island last September. Charlie writes, “My ‘new to me’ 1977 Mariner #3428 came with a genoa and a jib. I have yet to sail single handed. The boat has two sets of blocks and winches mounted on the rails that I use with the the genoa and a set of cockpit pulleys that I use with the jib. My crew is holding the genoa sheet in the photo but he can use a cam just forward of the winch to tie it off. Middle bay is small, skinny water so we never stay on one tack very long.” Charlie’s Torqeedo electric motor, while expensive, is light-weight, saving a lot of stress on the transom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1646006091607-1E4KDKOXAT3E4HLBI6MR/735.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 28-Mar. 6 How’s this for a patriotic paint job! This is Sandra Shipp’s #735 NAUTI, an early-style O’Day Mariner now based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Check out the red stripe that wraps around the bottom of the cabin near the deck and continues on the coamings. Her registration numbers are red as well as her mainsheet! A new member of the Mariner Class Association, Sandra writes, “I have owned, with partners, an O’Day Mariner for quite a while now, called NAUTI. She is fully in my possession now, and I have began a restoration of her.” Although another boat listed in the Association has been long identified, based on her sail numbers, as Mariner hull #735, Sandra provided a picture of her O’Day factory-stamped hull plate confirming her boat as being the actual 735th Mariner built. While it is doubtful the true identity of the other boat will ever be determined, the other owner has graciously agreed to modify the identity of his boat to #735W, the “W” for WILDFLOWER - the boat’s new name. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1646623549278-MG40UENJGESFDZRQUFU4/Wales.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 7-13 This beautiful shot is Adam Wales’s O’Day Mariner resting off a Maine Island near Acadia. Adam lives on Mount Desert Island in Maine, and he writes, “My teenager and I sailed the Maine Island Trail a few years ago from Portland to Southwest Harbor… all sail and oar, no motor. A great 9 day adventure!” His trip was even published in the 2018 summer newsletter of the Maine Island Trail Association. He bought his Mariner in 2016 and spent a lot of time fixing it up with his son, Eli, and when they embarked on their journey, according to the article, “overall, the trip was the dream they imagined it would be.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1647832183788-2RQ1ZYDAW4FKFOECKLN6/image-asset.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 14-20 The rising sun glints off the starboard portlight of Glenn Fitch’s mid-style O’Day Mariner, #2225 KATE, as she rests calmly on her mooring in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The pristine green gelcoat is original, and it is in remarkable condition consider KATE is 52 years old this year. Glenn writes, “This is my 1970 after a fresh buffing this year after 20 years of neglect. Incidentally I was told that the gold spars were a 1971 feature but this boat was purchased late in 1970 and the salesman made a point of mentioning he was sweetening the deal with this new color rig.” The spars were gold anodized by the O’Day factory as a way of recognizing George O’Day’s gold medal won as a sailor in the 1960 summer Olympics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1647830990957-6QWO0F75FMH7GKZN87EA/RNT_5020.JPG 2022 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 21-27 Sailing is one of those sports or hobbies that can be enjoyed by different generations within one family. Such is the case with skipper Newt Wattis (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) who now regularly races with his granddaughter at Surf City Yacht Club on Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Newt, a long-time racer at Surf City and five-time Nationals champion, is a fixture within the Mariner community, frequently matching prospective owners with Mariners for sale; he introduced me to #1922 just over fifteen years ago. He cherishes the opportunity to sail with family, and he was the driving force to have the Mariner Class Rules amended last year to allow two or more family members to co-skipper in one boat. This was to encourage Mariner owner family members to share the skippering experience in a regatta or even in the middle of a race instead of requiring the same skipper for the entire regatta, and the amendment passed almost unanimously. This picture was taken during the 2021 Nationals, and Newt and his granddaughter came in eighth out of seventeen boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1648422830873-R5KNX3RCY1XVTZGJJ0XB/Lipson.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 28-Apr. 3 While most Mariners are located on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Mariners can be found all over the world; this particular Mariner is located approximately 10,000 miles away in Australia! According to owner Bill Lipson, “We live and sail out of Shute Harbour in the Whitsunday Islands in Australia. A protected waterway behind the Great Barrier Reef with 74 coral fringed islands, it is a sailing paradise.” In the late 1960s, the O'Day Sailboats Corporation sold the rights to build the Mariner in Australia, and they were manufactured by the company Quest Marine and produced as the "Quest 19" right into the 1980s. You can see the design is of the early-style Mariner, and although the rudder profile is different, it might not be original. And just look at the scenery - it certainly does look like, as Bill writes, a sailing paradise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1649042737935-1X46LXAZSZWOJRVOP32H/hawrilenko.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 4-10 Stuart Mariner #4082 LAPWING begins to bury her rail as skipper Alice Hawrilenko races her on Little Sarasota Bay, Florida. She writes, “We have a little club called the Pelican Cove Sailing Club. It is not private. Anyone can join if they sail a boat under 28 feet with keel/centerboard/dagger board. An eclectic group of boats engage in chase races for two weeks each month October through April. We have a wonderful time. Handicaps are reset after each two week series and close finishes are the norm!” Alice was the Newsletter Editor for the Mariner Class Association from 2010-2014, and she has remained an active Association member. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1649633895808-6GFE3NSVE8N7BWFGJ3FW/IMG_5291.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 11-17 There’s nothing quite like the excitement of purchasing your first Mariner, and Caroline Megan is all smiles standing in front of O’Day Mariner #2009 recently purchased together with her husband, Peter. The boat was for sale at Stuart Marine up in Rockland, Maine where newer Stuart Mariners have been in production since the mid-1980s, and this picture was taken inside Stuart Marine’s shop. Peter writes, “I surely have some cosmetic work to do but happy to report boat #2009 appears sound. Dave [Whittier] at Stuart Marine was terrific for us. So happy to have purchased this fine old dame from him!” She’s the same mid-style vintage as ORION and still sports her original green gelcoat which seems to be in great condition for a 52-year-old boat. Best wishes to you both with your “new” Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1650252770669-1HBNCIN1WRNT930NH4GI/1866.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 18-24 A number of years ago, Steve Hock, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, purchased #3627 WHITECAP and sailed her for a few years. He eventually sold her to “move up” to a Catalina 22, but once the Mariner bug has bitten, it’s hard to shake, and he recently began a search for a Mariner once again, this time for a mid-style O’Day model. He found one and quickly bought her. Steve writes, “After a week and a half of sorting out and repairing and rehabbing this and that on my recently acquired 1970 (#1866) model, I finally got on the water for a float / leak test and a solid hour of running on the little Tohatsu 3.5 with no issues. All went well… no surprises. Beautiful day on Lake Nockamixon, PA for a two hour cruise with lunch aboard.” Wife Rita and friend (and past Mariner Class Association President) Russ Schuss holding the docklines, Steve took this picture. A professional photgrapher, many pictures in this ‘Picture of the Week’ column were taken by Steve. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1650855895761-JW0XYU4N9KN496TISLSD/DSC_0109-2.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 25-May 1 Bruce Robbins’s #3200 NORA ROSE rests at a floating dock at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut during last year’s Mariner National Rendezvous. It is early in the morning, and the wind is just beginning to stir in patches on the Mystic River. If the picture was zoomed out a bit more, one could see the beautiful catboat BRECK MARSHALL on the left and the historic fishing schooner L. A. DUNTON on the right, both owned by the Seaport; pretty nice company, I should say! Bruce and his brother-in-law, Mural Rao, have participated in a few Rendezvous with NORA ROSE, and they plan on coming to this year’s event scheduled for August. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1651500977966-SOA46V695F6WRK29C8MJ/image-asset.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 2-8 Brad and Caroline’s #3582 SWEET SADIE heads west in a moderate breeze during the last day of the August, 2021 Mariner Rendezvous. It was a cloudy day which certainly made for comfortable sailing, and the northerly winds - unusual for August - kept all of us going at a pretty good clip as we returned to Niantic from Mystic Seaport. There are several features that make SWEET SADIE stand out, including a fantastic, light-yellow paint job on the hull; white bottom paint beneath a thin, dark blue bootstripe; a black rubrail; an aftermarket bow pulpit; running lights on the bow; and double reef points in the mainsail. Brad’s interest and expertise in motors was put on display that weekend as he helped to diagnose or fix three balky outboards, earning him the title “Rendezvous Mechanic.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1652062225185-R4QG4ON7GXMAIJZIM8Q3/738.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 9-15 Skipper Tom Green and wife Michelle sit on the windward rail as they beat to windward in high winds during Saturday’s racing of the 2019 Mariner National Championships at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. Barnegat Bay is covered in whitecaps as #738 GUMBY thrashes upwind; high winds would persist throughout the day and even increase through the next day, cancelling racing on Sunday and limiting racing scores to the four raced that day. #738, while an early-style Mariner, exhibits a cabin-top cut-out allowed by the Racing Rules to mirror the companionway of a mid- and late-style Mariner. Tom and Michelle are veteran Mariner racers, and they eventually placed 10th out of 22 boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1652669389270-ZSCMSJEUSAPQY3FEU2UE/2280.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 16-22 This Wednesday, registration will open for the 2022 Mariner National Rendezvous from Niantic to Essex, Connecticut, so I thought it appropriate to feature a picture from 2017, the last time Essex was the Rendezvous destination. Here we have Bill Eggers’s #2280 JULIE B getting underway to sail back to Niantic at the close of the event. There’s a good breeze as Bill, wife Teresa, and daughter Jillian head south down the Connecticut River, and JULIE B relishes having a genoa jib to pull her along smartly. The docks of Brewer Dauntless Marina are in the background, and the white steeple of the First Congregational Church of Essex, actually located a half a mile away at the top of Main Street, pokes up above the trees at the extreme right of the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1653272221183-A5I9AM7MRBHDDJECFAWW/1418.JPG 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 23-29 Skipper Jeff Freedman, his wife, Tess and another crewmember sail #1418 REALITYWAVE during a race last June on Lake Onondaga, New York. Although the winds are light, Jeff knows how to get the most out of his Mariner and she is moving right along. He writes, “We still race REALITYWAVE in our Sunday Handicap series at Onondaga Yacht Club here in Liverpool, New York adjacent to Syracuse and win more than our share of races. We have owned REALITYWAVE since 1976, fully 46 years now and still wax her every spring. I once asked someone how long she might last. The answer came back... ‘longer than you will!’” Jeff continues, “We actually gave away our Mariner cabin cushions to one of our new Mariner sailors since at our age we prefer a bit more space and amenities when cruising overnight.” The Onondaga Yacht Club has four Mariners now, and with a fifth sailor interested in the boat, there’s talk of starting a new Mariner fleet. Who would have thought that a boat designed nearly 60 years ago would still be generating enough interest to start a new fleet? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1653882815768-069RT1S9YCM6KFPUEUMK/3627.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 30-June 5 Last week I featured an O’Day Mariner sailing on Lake Onondaga, New York, and here is another O’Day Mariner which is also a member of the Onondaga Yacht Club. This is #3627 beating to windward during the last race of the 2020 season at the beginning of October that year. She sports a bow pulpit and a simple trolling motor for getting her to and from her slip at the Club, and keen-eyed observers may even notice “3627” in decals at the very top of her mast. It’s a little hard to tell, but the aft half of her coaming tops are covered in wood; at one point, a previous owner had constructed an elaborate yet rather unsightly wooden pirate ship-like rail in a horseshoe shape around the transom. The next owner prudently removed this rail yet kept the flat wooden pieces on the coaming tops. This owner was none other than photographer and close friend (and the Association’s current webmaster) Steve Hock who named her WHITECAP and later sold her. It’s nice to know #3627 is still active and cared for. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1654481591296-T0XPUZEJNOCFJUKSDRRQ/735W.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - June 6-12 There are some people who fix up their boats just enough to look decent, and there are others who go far above and beyond to make their boats even better than how they came out of the O’Day factory. This is David Satter’s early-style O’Day Mariner, and the improvements he has made are truly remarkable. Notice the custom curved tiller, the mirror-shine hull paint, the white and tan deck paint, the absolutely gorgeous paneled cabin doors, the clear forward hatch, the short bowsprit with the claw anchor and deck pipe for the chain, the two portlights on one side, the brown-painted rubrail to look like wood - and this is only what you can see on the outside! The inside is just as remarkable and will be featured in this column at a later date. While unrecognizable from her earlier incarnation as #735 PROXIMUS (see October 17-Nov. 6, 2016), her hull number has since been determined not to be #735; her true identity remains somewhat of a mystery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1655086589239-C2O1AROM2PVA7O5OS4H3/invictus.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - June 13-19 INVICTUS, a 2013 Stuart Mariner, rides on her mooring near commercial fishing boats as a small chop kicks up in the harbor. Factory reconditioned in 2019, INVICTUS is one of the most upgraded and tricked-out Mariners out there. Besides standard features such as a roller-furling jib and a custom paint job, she also sports a full compliment of electronics and is for sale through Stuart Marine at the rather heart-stopping price of $49,950. When Stuart Marine bought the old O’Day Mariner molds from Rebel Industries in the early 1980s, they were quickly deemed to be too worn out to be usable. Naval architect Jim Taylor was hired to take the lines off of an existing Mariner so new molds could be made. Stuart Mariners are nearly identical to O’Day Mariners, and they are able to be raced together as a one-design class. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1655697916339-9CBZNRZDMEU5UE4KUTQ1/texas200.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - June 20-26 Brandon and Brian Fetterman celebrate after completing the Texas 200 event this past weekend in Brandon’s early-style O’Day Mariner THUNDER ROAD. According to their website, the Texas 200 is a “Raid”-type event; that is, it involves a scheduled gathering of small boats traveling more or less in company from Point A to Point B over a period of several days, camping along the way. The Texas 200 goes through the Laguna Madre and the bays of South Texas for five to six days and about 200 miles. Held annually since 2008, the event is an endurance test of both boats and sailors, and this year there were 90 registered boats, four of them O’Day Mariners. Congratulations to all participants, most especially to the Fettermans and the other Mariner sailors! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1656299072197-N2LMC6X8P8YR9T8NM2F7/3189.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - June 27-July 3 Even when winds are somewhat light, O’Day Mariners are able to make good headway as is shown here by skipper Ron Pryer and his #3189. His sails are not overly trimmed; he and his crew are sitting on the leeward side, allowing the boat to heel just a bit and keep the sails full; and #3189 is comfortably making knots, putting smiles on the sailors’ faces. Ron sold his boat last month, and the new buyer benefited from many of Ron’s improvements made in 2021, including new sail covers, new Stuart Marine custom cockpit cushions, cabin wiring and a new battery, new bottom paint as well as inside the cabin, new running rigging - the list goes on. A great boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1656902438813-NHRO336ATFGNK4Z6YXV2/DSC_0232.JPG 2022 Pictures of the Week - July 4-10 Alan Schaeffer motors his newly-acquired mid-style Mariner, #1692, across the shallow waters of Hallock Bay on Long Island, New York as the sun sets. Alan sailed in company with me, Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM), and Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF) during a trip to Greenport this past week; click here for more details about the trip. In this picture, we were searching for a place to anchor, and we entered Hallock Bay in the northeast corner of Orient Bay. Our centerboards and rudders were raised, and when we anchored in a small creek, we awoke the next morning to find our boats aground! Alan has owned #2470 SIALIA for many years, although as of late he had been looking for a mid-style Mariner with more comfortable cruising accommodations. He found #1692 for sale in New York and bought her, and this was his first real trial sail. #1692 passed with flying colors, and we all had a great time on the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1657509880811-KX1UDAY32MAT2J2H33OG/verret.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - July 11-17 Mark Verret’s late-style O’Day Mariner SPARKY is beached at one of the stops during the Texas 200 event this past June 13-18. A couple of weeks ago, I featured in this column another couple of Texas 200 participants, Brandon and Brian Fetterman, who also successfully completed the event; in fact, four Mariners took part in the 88-boat fleet. Mark writes, “We were close hauled and slicing through three-foot waves in 20 knot winds for about eight hours. SPARKY came alive and performed flawlessly. This was only my third time sailing her and it was the moment I experienced for myself what a grand boat a Mariner is.” Be sure to read more about Mark’s experience in the upcoming Notice to Mariners newsletter which will be published soon by the Mariner Class Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1658115663752-8X1XQR2554HKBB78ZPQ8/1572.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - July 18-24 Lately, a number of sailors have been searching specifically for the mid-style O’Day Mariner built between 1969-1971. Mark Walters, of Rochester, New York, certainly didn’t have to look very far to get his. He writes, “My parents bought Mariner #1572, a 1969 2+2 centerboard model, in the fall of 1987 here in Rochester, NY. I was a bit over one year old at the time, so I don't recall a time the Mariner wasn't around. I took over the responsibility for the boat in 2020 and plan to keep her sailing on Lake Ontario for the next generation. Prior to my parents purchasing #1572, it had at least two different owners. I found out that the (presumed) original owner took her to compete in the 1971 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club where she finished every race, pretty cool! Rumor has it that the boat has also been sailed across Lake Ontario at least once.” How neat to see Mariners kept for multiple generations! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1658718412652-878SBBDI7134SLNZU34O/painting.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - July 25-31 Every once in a blue moon, a Mariner pops up as the subject of artwork. Tim Harincar made a superb Adobe Photoshop illustration (see the Picture of the Week for May 25-31, 2009); Brian Gilbert made a drawing for Small Craft Advisor magazine (see January 9-15, 2012); Ken Stetz painted a few watercolors (see July 7-13, 2014); and Alice Kettelhack made a pen an ink print (see Jun 8-14, 2015); just to name a few. This beautiful oil painting was recently discovered by fellow Mariner sailor Alan Schaeffer who saw it displayed by the Old Lyme Art Association here in Connecticut. The artist, Steve Linde, is an incredibly accomplished painter who recently retired from the Newington Connecticut School System where he taught Art for 43 years. This great painting, entitled “Dry Docked”, shows a late-style Mariner covered by a tarp while it rests on its trailer in an overgrown field with its mast stepped. The oil painting is for sale for $1,200, and while it might be a little out of my price range, it would certainly be a worthy addition to anyone’s home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1659362651878-I3F2CAX29VUUSLWUK190/PR.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 1-7 A group of four Mariners with their crews rest at Club Náutico de San Juan after racing at San Juan Bay, Puerto Rico last weekend. Participant Miguel Casellas Sastre writes that they always race with a crew of three because the winds are always around 14-16 knots, and they like the extra ballast! The eventual winners of the event, Robbie Ramos, Robbie Ramose Jr., and Ricky Barreto, sailing BLACK DIAMOND, had to fix their starboard spreader in the middle of one of the races. Miguel writes that it “almost broke while racing when a gust of wind approximately 22 knots hit them. In order to keep their hopes alive, they managed to replace their badly bent spreader with an aluminum hiking stick with the same diameter.” It was a fantastic regatta attended by the San Juan Mayor, Miguel Romero. Congratulations to the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1659931218577-NT9AKXPBEB93IQKGBG9P/20220806_064632.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug 8-14 This past weekend, 15 Mariners and over 40 sailors participated in this year’s Mariner National Rendezvous. This picture shows a whole bunch of Mariners tied up to the docks at Safe Harbor Essex Island, Connecticut, early Saturday morning. We had a great sail on Friday to the marina from the launch ramp on the Niantic River, and on Saturday, we spent time in our boats touring Selden Creek upriver and sailing back to the marina in high winds before exploring the town in the afternoon. That evening, we had our “Open Boat” time on the docks where we shared goodies and snacks, and we sailed back to Niantic yesterday morning. A full write-up of the event will be published soon as well as a shared Google photo album, so check back occasionally for updates. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1660533765183-0P8CIQ34FEUX9AOCHAIS/DSC_0281-2.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 15-21 While this column is generally reserved for boats other than my own, today is my son’s tenth birthday, so I’m hijacking the column this week to feature him at the helm of ORION. This was actually taken back in July of 2019, about a month before he was to turn seven years old. We had just slept aboard the boat in the Niantic River after sailing to West Harbor, Fisher’s Island the day before, and we were headed upriver the next morning to do some exploring. There was absolutely no wind that early, so we fired up the outboard and towed my Dyer Dhow dinghy TRUE LOVE behind us. We anchored off of Turkey Point and rowed into shore to hike some of the Oswegatchie Hills Preserve trails, then we went swimming at the small beach there before making our way back home under sail. It was a great couple of days, and I hope we can go sailing again soon. Happy birthday, Harry - I love you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1661279714299-N2BUU42OTFCT0HGR6HUN/Mariner+Nationals+-+2022+-+Riverton+Yacht+Club.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 22-28 Even though I’m a day late updating this column, I wanted to be sure and post this picture sent to me by Miguel Casellas. A resident of Puerto Rico and a member of the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet, he traveled up to Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey last weekend to participate in the National Championships in a borrowed boat, #3122 (seen in this picture out in front of everyone else)! According to another competitor, the winds were frustratingly all over the place, but that didn’t stop anyone from having a great time. Miguel writes, “You guys are a class act. Thanks for your hospitality and all the details. We really enjoyed your club and the people. Camaraderie was second to none. Racing was challenging and great. No protests and a gentleman atmosphere in the water. We are definitely visiting you back.” More details and pictures about the Nationals will be forthcoming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1661771677321-2R5ZBAD75T12FDYSSNLC/DSC_0281-2.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 29-Sept. 4 Although Rebel Industries only produced a handful of Mariners under their Spindrift One-Design label in the early 1980s, many are still sailing today, especially in the Michigan area where they were first built before Rebel moved to Florida. This Spindrift Mariner, #4046 GREBE, hails from Goshen, Indiana and sailed with fourteen other boats during the Mariner Rendezvous at the beginning of August here in Connecticut. Skipper Richard Worsham is at the helm with daughters Loretta and Eleanor, and friend Jesse Stotzfus is on the foredeck. While GREBE has a new paint job with a dark blue hull and a buff cabin top and deck, she still has her original, blue-striped sails, the same color scheme displayed on the very first Spindrift Mariner in their 1981 advertisement featuring #4000. Richard and crew traveled quite a way to participate in the Rendezvous, and they were all smiles the entire weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1662345123340-782F2MPRU8DP6S94LW3J/IMG_7044.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 5-11 For the past number of years, the typical Mariner Rendezvous itinerary has been to sail to a destination on Friday, hang out at the destination on Saturday, and sail home on Sunday. This past Rendezvous, however, we took a Saturday morning excursion from our home base of Essex up the Connecticut River and motored through the narrow, Everglades-like Selden Creek which separates Selden Island from the Lyme mainland. The Island, known as Selden Neck State Park and home to several trails and campsites, is a popular place for kayakers, boy scout groups, and other boaters with shallow-draft boats which are able to nose up to any one of four small beaches. This picture was taken at the northernmost beach and campsite where five Mariners beached together so everybody could enjoy a great swim before returning to Essex. Having the ability to beach the Mariner is one of its many assets! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1662986256884-CNQXOA2JWN08DHVY21NP/MariNat-34.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 12-18 Notice anything unusual about this picture? Keen-eyed observers will recognize the portlights on this Mariner have been installed backwards! (The tapering edge of the portlights should be facing forward, not aft.) One wonders if this was a mistake at the factory or an owner modification. Nevertheless, the positioning of the portlights had no bearing on #938’s sailing ability last month during the Mariner National Championships at Riverton Yacht Club; sailed by brothers Bobby and Billy Martin, they won the entire regatta and brought home the winner’s trophy. Terry Fennell, regatta coordinator writes that Bobby and Billy “came home to sail the river they grew up on in the family Mariner #938 and showed what a lifetime of sailing, a little river knowledge, and new sails can do.” Racing conditions were challenging with winds bouncing around the river in all directions and strengths, but every participant had a great time. Congratulations to the Martin brothers! Photo: Becky Seidelmann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1663602191139-LKOQUEB1B07RZ9IAKOH6/1095.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 19-25 The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge and the skyscrapers of Philadelphia loom in the background as skipper Bob Corney sails #1095 YIN YANG during the 2022 Mariner Nationals last month at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. According to Bob, the wind was incredibly frustrating as it blew from all directions in strengths varying from nothing to fifteen knots. Racing is particularly challenging on the Delaware River as the current is fierce; racers have known to drop anchor in light winds during a regatta to prevent themselves being swept off the race course. Bob was the Mariner Class Association’s Secretary and Treasurer for a term in the late 1990s and then served two terms as President from 1999-2003. He just recently rejoined the Executive Board by taking on the role of Chief Measurer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1664195108026-JZIVIY3PSB8KRG4CD6VZ/maggie.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 26-Oct. 2 Skipper Tim Reiche peers ahead as he motorsails #2170 MAGGIE up the Connecticut River with his wife Erin and son Owen during the Mariner Rendezvous this past August. They have just passed underneath the Interstate 95 highway bridge, and the railroad bridge - “Old Lyme Draw” - can be seen in the background. The Reiches hail from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and they have only missed one of the annual Rendezvous here in Connecticut since they first started attending in 2012. Tim has outfitted MAGGIE to be a comfortable cruiser by adding removable foam blocks in the cockpit to support a platform which converts the cockpit into a double bed at night. He has also rigged a portable air conditioning unit to his gear along with a full cockpit enclosure, and he and his family sleep just fine during hot and humid conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1664806340357-4J63OAV8O2MYKFYDI1TA/IMG_4271.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 3-9 As I have said before, I’m a sucker for sunset shots, and this great one is courtesy of Hunter Stump who took this picture back in 2016. A native of Southampton, Long Island, he spotted Mariner #173 in between some bushes near his home with “free” spray-painted on both sides of the bow. At just sixteen years old, he took the boat and completely restored her and even named her “The Free.” Up here in the northeast, many boats are being put to bed for the winter, and the opportunity to take more sunset shots like this will have to wait until next season. ORION is still in the water, but it won’t be long until she returns to her shed here at home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1665368969106-T5PJSQY0CJ3F43CP7QV7/fudge.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 10-16 O’Day Mariner #3468 PHOENIX sits idly at her mooring as a morning breeze just begins ruffle the surface of the water. Her owner, Brian Fudge, actually lives here in Connecticut but has family property in Michigan where PHOENIX is kept during the summer. Notice the 2:1 jib sheets and the mainsheet all the way aft instead of the typical mid-boom or Crosby setup. Notice also the small rainbow pictured above the boom. Brian writes, “I love this boat - I searched long and hard to select a model and then this actual boat. It's perfect for our spot in Michigan where we need to pull up into shallow water to dock.” Looks like a great boat to me! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1665969242822-WG5DD1BN80R9IJDZVFIP/Satter.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 17-23 David Satter’s early-style O’Day Mariner WILDFLOWER was featured in this column back in June, and she deserves to be featured here again. She has undergone a remarkable transformation under Dave’s ownership with new paint, added portlights, a bow anchor roller, custom woodwork and much more. Dave writes, “After two years of working on her I'm just happy everything is working well. Just little things have to be addressed, mast gate, getting my centerboard winch to work smoother. Maybe a topping lift. The lithium battery I bought for my electric motor has been great. No gas motors on the lake here [in New Jersey]. I'll get my old Johnson 4 hp tuned up this winter so I can sail other places. For now, I'm going to bring her back home and tinker with things. I should be able to get her in the water early next year.” What a beautiful boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666664561267-61JRDHSVMIPHJ0B72AX9/bosket.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 24-30 Yet another beautiful sunset shot with a Mariner! This is Curt Bosket’s Stuart Mariner, #4195 ALIKAT whose homeport is Waukesha, Wisconsin. A breeze is still up as the sun is going down, but ALIKAT is safely anchored for the evening in this snug harbor. She sports a number of conveniences that Stuart Marine added when she was built, including a roller furling jib, bow pulpit, stern swim ladder, topping lift, and lazy jacks for the mainsail. Two snubbing winches and jib sheet tracks on the cockpit coamings indicate the jib is a genoa. The boom is situated unusually high; this allows for a great field of view under sail and the ability to use an effective vang. However, there is the risk of the aft end of the boom hanging up on the backstay during a jibe, but so far, ALIKAT has behaved herself just fine for her owner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1667220431996-8UO1GE8I08H8WEYCXLRA/PXL_20220806_135621333.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 31-Nov. 6 During the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous back in August, Mariner sailors motored their boats up the Connecticut River from Essex through the narrow Selden Creek. There are a number of incredible houses on both sides of the river, and we passed this one situated on the Lyme riverbank as we neared the entrance to the creek. That’s Alan Schaeffer in his O’Day Mariner #1692, and while it looks like he could run aground at anytime, the picture is deceiving; there is about ten feet of water almost right to the edge of the rocks. Alan owned late-style Mariner #2470 SIALIA for a number of years but wanted a mid-style Mariner (like ORION) as they have some cruising advantages, such as a forward hatch for ventilation and no mast support pole which inhibits movement in the cabin. He found #1692, and while he still needs to name her, he has already had several successful cruises in her and finds her to be just what he was looking for. Photo: Dave Oatley. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1667792329251-SZXBHVWRZCSW2TGUF36B/jurgen.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 7-13 Jurgen Braunohler proudly stands next to his mid-style O’Day Mariner, #2240 SEA VENTURE. The year is 2010, and he has just purchased her and brought her to his home in Elliot Lake, Ontario so he could work on restoring her. A highly-experienced sailor, Jurgen kept in touch with me over the years, sending e-mails about the work he was doing and recalling past sailing adventures, and he would always make a point to wish me a happy birthday. Ill health in recent years forced him to slow down his restoration work, and when Covid hit, he wrote, “When this blows over, I'll get back to [the restoration]. I do want to cruise a bit in the North Channel, one of the reasons I moved here… I'm very attached to this boat.” Not having heard from him in some time, I was devastated to learn just recently that he passed away last November from pneumonia after undergoing several serious surgeries. Fair winds, Jurgen - you are missed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1668433201279-8I4BZQKMVLRVGMCHHPU2/IMG_5424.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 14-20 With a gathering of this many Mariners, it can only mean one thing: either a Rendezvous or a regatta! In this case, it’s the latter, and this picture shows Mariners resting at the docks of Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club in Puerto Rico after this past Saturday’s race. Racer Miguel Casellas writes, “There were seven Mariners and three Rhodes 19. We sailed a total five races: two Saturday, three Sunday. Saturday: 10-16 knots; Sunday: 6-8 knots. Joanne McCarthy and Steve Creighton brought to Puerto Rico their Mariner [from New Jersey!] to sail with us. Newcomer José Fullana was the winner sailing with Efraín Lugo - Quantum Sails. The first four boats had a great and close battle for the top spots the whole series. Saturday there was a great party and Mariner sailors celebrated with fellow competitors from other classes.” It sounds like a fantastic event - congratulations to all the Mariner sailors! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1669000034843-BNFJEM9RNHK2PWIKH3X9/_DSC0178_1539.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 21-27 Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF) sails just behind Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) as they pass by some rocks in the Connecticut River during the Mariner Rendezvous to Essex this past August. Both boats have adjustable outboard motor brackets which help keep their motors well clear of the water to prevent drag. Dan and Chris both live here in Connecticut and were the earliest members of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet organized in 2009. They also are the only skippers, besides myself, who have attended every single Mariner Rendezvous - fourteen consecutive years. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1669600028647-0CDNJAI8OHIG56IQYHJ1/1975.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 28-Dec. 4 Here's a great drawing done by Gary Patton in 1975 which was printed in that year's spring edition of the Mariner Class Association’s Notice to Mariners newsletter to advertise the upcoming Nationals. In 1975 the Championships were held in Mobile Bay, Alabama, the only time the Nationals went below the Mason-Dixon Line. The invitation to sailors in the newsletter read, “The Mobile Mariners cordially invite you to visit our fair city. Let us entertain you - and let’s see just how hot some of you Yankee sailors really are! We don’t wish to resurrect any of the ‘late unpleasantness between the States’ - but we might just even up the score a bit! Y’all come!” Nineteen boats made it to the start line - an excellent turnout. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1670099731593-Z1MIXB7XCJPDADXEW92Q/susan.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 5-11 Susan VanHolstyn’s mid-style O’Day Mariner rests on her cradle at Lake Leelanau in Leland, Michigan. The sun is going down after a great day on the water; Susan writes, “New mainsail, Mariner logo, awesome sailing, anchoring and swimming. Made a new harness to lift mast up to prevent swaying. It worked well.” The jib has been secured in its bag and the mainsail is waiting to be covered, and the raised cradle keeps her far enough out of the water so anti-fouling bottom paint isn’t needed. While sailing on a lake can be tricky with unpredictable wind shifts, there is no tide to worry about, and it allows for lifts and cradles to secure boats without fear of them being damaged by currents. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1670814023660-OGQD3O3P7SZ6TRNHS845/stuart.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 12-18 A worker at Stuart Marine in Rockland, Maine applies a fresh coat of bottom paint on a 1987 Stuart Mariner as part of an extensive refurbishment project. The sturdy wooden cradle supports the Mariner at a nice height; it is tall enough to work comfortably underneath the boat, and with two fluorescent lights attached to the bottom of the cradle, there’s no chance of missing a spot! Stuart Marine is the current manufacturer of the Mariner, first started by a gentleman named Stuart Scharaga in 1982 and shortly afterward bought by employee Dave Whittier once Stuart decided he wanted to return to the real estate business. The Mariner has been produced by Stuart Marine for 40 years - more than twice as long as when the Mariner was built by O’Day Sailboats, its original manufacturer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1671426299849-J36GH1PE1QXC9HCW34XA/20220807_101417+%281%29.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 19-25 This is a bit of an odd sight - three Mariners sailing in nearly windless conditions with their mainsails reefed. However, there’s a good reason for this. It was the last day of the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous back in August, and the forecast predicted winds upward of twenty knots as we made preparations to return home from Essex, Connecticut to the Niantic River Launch Ramp. Almost every boat tied a reef in their mainsail before leaving the dock, and even though it made for slow going as we sailed through the lee of Hayden’s Point in the Connecticut River, once we came around the corner by the Interstate 95 highway bridge, the wind hit us full force, and we were all grateful we had prepared ahead of time. Brad W. and Caroline DiDomenico’s #3582 SWEET SADIE is in the lead, Chris Albert’s #2714 FLOTSAM is in the background, and Richard Worsham’s Spindrift Mariner, #4046 GREBE with the multi-colored mainsail is bringing up the rear. Photo: Bruce Robbins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1672021106589-D09MJA2FI9XFZZSOSKM7/Orion2019.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 26-Jan. 1 It has been a tradition to have my own ORION featured in this column the last week of the year, so I humbly offer this photo taken by Steve Hock. It’s the final day of the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous, and I’m standing on ORION’s cabin top as the motor idles, waiting for the Mystic River highway bridge to open with my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE in tow. The large white house in the left background with the stone retaining wall is actually the site of several shipyards that once built and launched many schooners and full-rigged ships back in the mid-1800s. Now a private residence, the area is filled with historic houses once owned by shipwrights and ship captains. Mystic Seaport was our Rendezvous destination back in 2019, and it will be again this coming year. I wish everyone a happy New Year and a wonderful sailing season in 2023! https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2022 daily 0.75 2022-11-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1651951275992-6RRJMQNJQJ6VT6JSBYPM/20220423_120642.jpg Sailing 2022 April 23rd: ORION finally came out of her boatshed, and I prepared to take her up to Niantic for her spring launching. I tied the mast down, made sure the tires were properly inflated, and away we went. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1651951275992-6RRJMQNJQJ6VT6JSBYPM/20220423_120642.jpg Sailing 2022 April 23rd: ORION finally came out of her boatshed, and I prepared to take her up to Niantic for her spring launching. I tied the mast down, made sure the tires were properly inflated, and away we went. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1651951419688-949HR3V342E20XP7FEUA/20220423_163027.jpg Sailing 2022 With help from my father and son, we brought ORION to the Niantic River ramp to avoid the difficulties we faced last year when trying to launch her from my parents’ beach. It went flawlessly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1651951493793-2YCVWLER9O1UAJXROVII/20220505_121539.jpg Sailing 2022 May 5th: I took ORION for her first official sail of the season in the Niantic River. It was an absolutely gorgeous day with a steady breeze, sunny skies, and high tide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1651951656840-HZG49TUQ39WTR0M02XMP/IMG_9627.jpg Sailing 2022 I happened to meet my sister, Rebecca, at a nearby floating dock, and while we were talking, along came Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) who was headed out through the bridges! It was nice to run into him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1655507499267-VL4YWA8KUQDP0KW15SZ7/20220526_145212.jpg Sailing 2022 May 26th: Had a fantastic sail in steady winds of 5-10 knots. I went around Millstone Point and anchored for lunch, heading back shortly afterward. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1655507499707-KJQM6GD8DDSG2NMHYJ4R/20220608_131440.jpg Sailing 2022 June 8th: Took my friend Alan Schaeffer out for an enjoyable afternoon in Niantic Bay. We started out with a reefed main and jib, then reefed main only, then eventually full sail, then main only. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1662752306123-SET10FFMQ4OJDQQ04DJ1/20220628_201522.jpg Sailing 2022 June 28th: I sailed in company with Alan Schaeffer (#1676), Dan Meaney (#2024), and Chris Albert (#2718) across Long Island Sound for a three day trip to Shelter Island and Greenport. The first night we anchored in Coecles Harbor and enjoyed a fantastic sunset. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1662752309809-ADKLVAI1WF2A5BM007VG/DSC_0232.JPG Sailing 2022 On the second day, after circumnavigating Shelter Island and visiting Greenport, we sailed up Orient Bay to Hallock Bay where we anchored for the night. Check out all the pictures of the trip here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012607876-N64YI0LUMRZ050MU7MQP/20220728_131320.jpg Sailing 2022 July 28: I sailed in the Niantic River for a couple of hours and took the opportunity to check out a couple of large boats that had recently arrived in the mooring field. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012608005-VTYI8Z8Q92KGIS3K8LMQ/20220728_131428.jpg Sailing 2022 This large cutter was moored nearby an enormous catamaran, both from the Virgin Islands. It turns out a sailor from Niantic purchased both boats with the intention of chartering them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012645181-M0B2LIDG1B7RXXW0LL4Y/DSC_0249.JPG Sailing 2022 August 5th: The start of the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous! Here, ORION is rafted up to Alan Schaeffer’s #1676 at the Niantic River launch ramp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012644787-N3CZGFAYSVKHZOF4SF6U/DSC_0301.JPG Sailing 2022 Fifteen Mariners attended the event, sailing westward and up the Connecticut River to Essex. Here are some boats that just passed underneath the I-95 highway bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012658943-GB6C4M9VL5BCHAA75N8X/DSC_0317.JPG Sailing 2022 Over the course of the weekend, we explored the town, sailed up the Connecticut River through the picturesque Selden Creek, and enjoyed being in the company of so many other Mariner sailors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012658466-C67ISUZ45D7EQOUEKNU9/DSC_0326.jpg Sailing 2022 It was one of the best Rendezvous we have ever had. Be sure to check out a massive photo album here and also my write-up of the event here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012614927-FC9YLH9N0TSLM6EUIYFU/20220901_133853.jpg Sailing 2022 September 1st: After a few weeks of not being able to get out on the water, I was able to enjoy a couple hours anchored up the Niantic River. The awning was a real blessing on a hot day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012624864-BI4691R4M6Y5D3S006I2/20220908_143508.jpg Sailing 2022 September 8th: Another nice day for a sail. The wind was light, and with the tide going out, I decided to sneak out through the bridges into Niantic Bay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012622233-ZN4GKEG9BHHC6ATMPDL3/20220908_131700.jpg Sailing 2022 I saw a familiar sail headed my way, and it was Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM! He and I have crossed paths more times this year than in all the other years combined. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012615526-V1WDLNS2HDCHMX1EQDB9/20220908_125820.jpg Sailing 2022 The light winds allowed us to sail close to each other and have a lengthy conversation without having to pay so much attention to sail trim all the time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012630358-ZQ07QKZ8DQ1GA6GEK4XY/20220929_103949.jpg Sailing 2022 September 29th: It was a blustery day with strong north winds kicking up whitecaps on the water. I put a reef in the main before I left the mooring and stayed in the river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012630757-7AOQREL4EIGCZXIYXBEH/20220929_133945.jpg Sailing 2022 Anchoring up river, I made myself lunch in the cabin. The butane cookstove allowed me to heat up a can of clam chowder and make a mug of coffee, perfect for a chilly fall afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012637575-6MH0JOCZB42RHJN4OP4Y/20221006_115302.jpg Sailing 2022 October 6th: I motored ORION over to the launch ramp to meet my friend Christopher Grundy and take him out sailing. The glassy surface of the water did not bode well for an exciting sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666012638518-SV20ZN1TM832YI9R9AGV/20221006_125905.jpg Sailing 2022 However, the wind picked up nicely, and we had a fantastic afternoon blasting around Niantic Bay. Be sure to check out Christopher’s website here - he is an unbelievable baritone soloist. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1667824583352-IWP3LUIKX7ERCRBRHODR/20221027_123726.jpg Sailing 2022 October 27th: I took ORION for her final sail of the year in the river. I sailed with only a reefed main, and I’m glad I did as it was very breezy and extremely gusty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1667824584785-UYD4YYXWA0YH5JT72L52/20221027_124312.jpg Sailing 2022 I sailed through a few large patches of leaves being carried away with the outgoing tide. Lots of beautiful colors, even in the water! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1667824835182-HF8U71KRORI1Y3FVAN4B/20221103_105839.jpg Sailing 2022 November 3rd: With help from my father, I dropped the mast and motored ORION over to the launch ramp. The mild day with no wind was perfect for hauling her out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1667824838204-E3FIUV96NLO5XYXHKXKU/20221103_125000.jpg Sailing 2022 After bringing her back to my parents’ house, I power-washed the bottom while my father helped winterize the motor. I then brought her home to her shed in Northford for the winter. Another sailing season has come and gone! https://www.mariner1922.com/2023-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2023-12-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1673816714732-19QUZDXR32C9U6YRAY2R/584.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1672624719428-DVD1JVJYMAY5T5ODYFVC/MissSteak.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1672624907381-AF05BC89WYW6FVQ307EY/MissSteak.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 2-8 Happy New Year! To start the year off right, here’s a great picture of Jarrod Spangler’s beautiful 1967 O’Day Mariner MISS STEAK sitting at her mooring in Kittery, Maine. Jarrod launched her this past May, and she is in excellent condition for a 56-year old boat. The custom red lettering on the transom matches the bootstripe which, in turn, contrasts with her dark blue bottom paint and sail cover. The snubbing winches and lack of a roller-furler indicate MISS STEAK uses a hanked-on genoa jib, no doubt stored in the cuddy cabin alongside her rudder which is unshipped while on the mooring. Her outboard motor is tilted far out of the water; there’s no chance of it catching on her mooring pennant. A close inspection of the picture reveals small running lights on top of the transom and on the starboard side of the cabin denoting the presence of a battery. All in all, she is an outstanding boat in a perfect location for Mariner exploration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1673230776399-N7BM76JD7RE4M2S6B8L8/3504.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 9-15 Terry Moulton has been involved with Mariners for many years and has served on the Mariner Class Association’s Executive Board in various capacities, including Vice-President (1995-1996), President (1997-1998), and Newsletter Editor (2020-2021). More recently, he has been involved with refurbishing old Mariners at his house in Deptford, New Jersey and reselling them. Here he is pictured sailing #3504 BAY LADY sometime around 2005. Terry writes, “The person with me was Willis Gray who is a long time member of Surf City Yacht Club. We were in a race. Maybe a National at Surf City. We decided to go off on a port tack. I remember saying to Willis, when he asked why we were doing this, “We are going off on our own to surround them!” It accurately worked out and we won that race!” Picture credit: Chris Cox. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1673815103491-P44GGLSWDA7V8CR4I36R/584.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 16-22 How’s this for an action shot? Skipper Paul Coward and his crew hike out on the cockpit coaming of O’Day Mariner #584 during the 2019 Mariner Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club, Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Tom and Michelle Green are keeping pace in the backround with another old style Mariner, #738. Whitecaps are all over the place as they blast through the water with winds topping 20 knots; winds were so stiff on Sunday, in fact, the race was canceled for the day and final scoring was based on Saturday’s racing only. Out of 22 participating boats, Paul placed eighth, a respectable finish in a highly competitive field. Don’t let the dirty rubrail fool you into thinking #584 isn’t in good shape - she is a veteran racer and has helped Paul win the National Championship first place trophy four times: 1989, 1999, 2004, and 2007. Picture credit: Becky Seidlemann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1674439119441-PL8RPTGO06ABDESADIHT/1866.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 23-29 Steve Hock’s #1866 WINDY sits at her berth at Essex Island Marina during the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous last August. Steve had previously owned a later-style Mariner, #3627 WHITECAP, but he sold her a number of years ago. This past spring, he happened upon this mid-style O’Day Mariner - the same style as ORION - with an enclosed cabin and forward hatch with the classic “bump-top” cabin top. He had been searching for a mid-style model for a while, and when this boat came on the market, he jumped at the opportunity to buy her. The awning provides great shade in the hot sun, and the opening forward hatch certainly makes staying in the cabin much more comfortable in the summer weather. Right now, WINDY is sitting under a tarp waiting for warmer conditions, but Steve is already putting together a list of spring projects to get her in tip-top shape. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1675037072557-BQ836RAON2HUP9ON2EJ0/MariNat-03.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 3-Feb. 5 Skipper Sebastian Casellas, a member of Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey, looks back to keep an eye on his nearest competition during one of the Mariner National Championship races this past August at Riverton. He’s sailing an early-style Mariner and is keeping just ahead of another early-style Mariner (#664) skippered by Harry Mayer. Sebastian’s father Miguel, sailing as crew, can be seen just below the boom and lives in Puerto Rico. A Mariner owner himself, he is an active racer in the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet and made the trip to Riverton Yacht Club to sail with his son for the Nationals, earning the award for “Farthest Traveled.” He and Sebastian came in fifth overall out of a fleet of fifteen boats, and Sebastian also won the award for “Best Rookie Skipper.” There are many racers in the Mariner community who sail with their families, passing down the love of sailing and competition to the next generation. Photo: Becky Seidlemann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1675635956350-WTBA71D1B44JK2K0HVB3/Mandolin+Wind.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 6-12 Onondaga Yacht Club, in Liverpool, New York, is home to three O’Day Mariners, and this mid-style Mariner is one of them. Here is MANDOLIN WIND competing in last September’s Devore-Mahoney race on Onondaga Lake, and she is in great condition for a 50-year-old boat, especially the wood coaming tops and cabintop handrails. Although the jib tack is unusually high off the forestay chainplate, especially for racing, it offers an excellent view underneath the jib to keep an eye on nearby competitors. The Yacht Club was founded in 1883 and chartered February 3, 1886, making it one of the oldest boating organizations in New York State. This race was actually won by another O’Day Mariner, #3627 KATIE, the Picture of the Week for May 30-June 5, 2022. Photo credit: Onondaga Yacht Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1676249959274-TYGJ7275LG4A7WNEMK3T/735W.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 13-19 Good Lord. Dave Satter’s work on his early-style O’Day Mariner #735W WILDFLOWER continues, and the results are absolutely stunning. He writes, “I had some great old mahogany boards so I cut and finished them for ceiling strips to be applied to the V-berth hull in the cabin. Along with having new cushions made. Should make the V-berth feel a little more comfortable than just the fiberglass hull. I went with three-inch thick cushions. Wanted it to be comfortable but not lose too much head room.” Look at those beautiful shelves, cabin sole, cabin light - what a fantastic job Dave has done. Who wouldn’t want to go cruising in this Mariner with a cabin like that to relax in at the end of a long beat to windward? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1676864739816-PWZ5DB6WG9W3JTTU8Q4J/3322061_1_River.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 20-26 Look at the incredible reflection in this picture! One of the advantages to taking a photograph in perfectly calm conditions is that you get two images at once. It’s not quite six o’clock in the morning in early June, 2019 in Michigan, and while cars and trucks are going back and forth across the bridge in the background, David Raithel’s #2344 SHADOWFAX at rest at her mooring in Michigan with not even a breath of wind to disturb the water’s surface. Regretfully, David is selling SHADOWFAX after coming to the decision he and his family don’t use her enough to justify keeping her although, as David writes, “She is an absolutely beautiful boat and we love the time we get to spend on her.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1677466356384-PHDJU17F3R4CJ0UELN1M/DSC_0032-3.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 27-Mar. 5 #3200 NORA ROSE rides at anchor in the Niantic River as the last rays of the sun shine on her before dipping below the horizon. It’s the evening of August 5th, 2021, and skipper Bruce Robbins with brother-in-law Mural Rao had trailered NORA ROSE up from New Jersey during that day to participate in the Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport with thirteen other Mariners. Her sails have yet to be bent on, but otherwise, she is ready to go, complete with a small yacht ensign on the transom which will no doubt be removed soon as protocol dictates all flags flown should be stowed at sunset. Bruce and Mural have sailed in a number of Rendezvous over the years, and word on the street is that they’ll be returning with NORA ROSE for this year’s event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1678074660201-RASWI0P2E43JZGYYJQZ0/_HLA2344-2.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 6-12 In 2015, the Mariner Class Association’s National Rendezvous took place on the Chesapeake; nevertheless, at the end of June, a group of Mariners sailed from Niantic to Mystic Seaport to visit the WoodenBoat Show. As all the Seaport’s docks were filled with exhibiting watercraft, we all brought dinghies and anchored in the anchorage just above the Seaport. In this picture, Tim and Erin Reiche have anchored their ever-photogenic Mariner, #2170 MAGGIE, just south of the historic Elm Grove Cemetery, their nine-foot Dyer Dhow KITTY tied alongside. It just so happened that Alan Hlavenka, a photographer and Mariner sailor from Narrasketuck Yacht Club in Long Island, was in the area and spied a bunch of Mariners coming up the Mystic River. Grabbing his camera, he dashed to the Seaport and snapped a bunch of photos as the fleet approached the anchorage, and he later sent me his fantastic images; this is one of them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1678678142004-50NDWTCM66W1CKW21UV6/2511.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 13-19 While the vast majority of O’Day Mariners may be found on the eastern seaboard, they can be found all over the United States - and beyond. This is #2511 resting at her dock on a lake in central Kentucky. Her jib isn’t bent onto the CDI roller furler yet, nor is her rudder attached, but her mainsail is on and a small trolling motor is ready to give a little extra propulsion. There’s no rush to get her going with almost no wind on the lake, although the ripples on the surface of the water in the background look promising. What a luxury to walk across a short ramp to a small floating dock where your Mariner is waiting for you. That’s one of the nice things about sailing on a lake: there are no tides, so a trolling motor suffices and the dock layout is relatively minimal. Who wants to stroll down this dock and simply step aboard #2511 to go for a sail? I do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1679280419705-FY5Y2IO9K723RWKAH6X7/pr.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 20-26 Back in the middle of November, seven Mariners participated in the "Discover the Caribbean" regatta held at Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club in Puerto Rico. Two races were held on Saturday and three on Sunday with Mariner racing in their own one-design class. Miguel Casellas (O'Day Mariner #3122), who traveled from Puerto Rico up to Riverton Yacht Club this past August to race in the Nationals, reports: "The first four boats had a great and close battle for the top spots the whole series. Newcomer Jose Fullana was the winner." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1679868851022-75SORKQ0K6RN2J8307IT/watters.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 27-Apr. 2 Another picture taken just a few days ago from the beautiful sailing grounds of Puerto Rico. Here is Bill Watters with crew Tim Gallagher, members of the Brant Beach Yacht Club Mariner Fleet in New Jersey, who traveled down to join the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet at Villa Somar in Salinas and enjoy the marvelous racing conditions there, something they hope to do frequently. According to host Miguel Casellas, “Villa Somar has a private yacht club owned by the Ramos Martin family. Robbie Ramos Martin is the owner of the fast [O’Day Mariner] BLACK DIAMOND, a local rocket and winner of many Mariner regattas in Puerto Rico. [The yacht club] is right in the mangroves overlooking the world famous anchorage Salinas Bay.” Miguel also writes that “Bill is donating sails and the templates to our fleet. A true gentleman. In reciprocity, we are donating to him lots of Puerto Rican sunshine, turquoise waters and plenty of beer. We are having a super time.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1680488093246-L8EEQ8JCM9IBJB6B7RAR/DSC_0234.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 3-9 The sun has set, and skipper Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) works to set up his cockpit tarp before taking in his burgees and settling down for the night. It is the end of June of last year, and Chris, Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF), Alan Schaeffer (#1692), and I had sailed our boats across Long Island Sound, stayed one night in Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island, and had found refuge the second night up a very shallow creek in the northwest corner of Hallock Bay in Orient, New York. It is hard to tell, but there is only about a foot of water underneath Chris’s keel; in fact, we all woke the next morning to our boats aground in the soft creek mud. No matter - we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise and breakfast before the incoming tide lifted our boats just enough to allow us to carefully power our way out of the creek and into Orient Bay. It was a wonderful trip, and pleasant evenings like the one in this picture stay with us through the winter months as we plan and dream about adventures during the next sailing season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1681091931030-ND2D4V33G9I5RUKU7VY8/DSC02817_874.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 10-16 Skipper Mike Hansen motors his Mariner, #4040 BREN MARIE in the Niantic River at the start of the 2020 Rendezvous to Crocker’s Boat Yard, New London. Although the Coronavirus pandemic had slackened a bit by August of that year, it was still raging around the country; nevertheless, the Rendezvous proceeded as planned with sailors keeping their distance from one another. Mike and his wife trailered their boat all the way from Michigan to take part in the Connecticut event, and it was the first time many of us - myself included - had seen a rare Spindrift Mariner, produced for only a few years by Spindrift One Designs once they acquired the molds from the O’Day Corporation in 1980. While Spindrift Mariners are lighter than O’Day Mariners, the main aesthetic difference is immediately recognizable by the addition of a second portlight on each side of the cabin. Although very few Spindrift Mariners were actually built, two have now participated in the Annual Rendezvous, and one - #4052 - recently won the Nationals in 2015 and again in 2017. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1681693185591-L5O4OVPV8VZZZ9YBF5OI/3075.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 17-23 Back in January of 2021, the Facebook page of Good Old Boat posted this great black-and-white picture taken by photographer Chris Cooper of O’Day Mariner #3075 sailing in shallow water. The Facebook posting reads, “Transport yourself to a simpler time, with easy choices, joyful living and a clear-eyed outlook - then grab that mood and bring it into your present. This O'Day Mariner could have been snapped decades ago, but it's just a few summers back.” Good Old Boat magazine, while primarily focusing on the rehabilitation and restoration of larger cruising boats from the “classic plastic” era, occasionally features the Mariner; they even published an article of mine about ORION’s restoration in their July/August 2014 edition. O’Day Mariners are indeed good old boats! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1682297742408-T5TXLEIV3M1NQLAM2ES0/dronen.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 24-30 There’s nothing quite like having your Mariner readily available for a sail, patiently waiting at the end of your own dock. This is Scott Dronen’s #2231 in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, sails up and waiting for the breeze to fill in so he can cast off and enjoy the beautiful fall day. #2231 was one of the last mid-style Mariners built before the front of the cabin was streamlined and the “step” with the forward hatch removed. This mid-style was only produced from 1969-1971, but they are very popular within the Mariner community as they have an enclosed cabin yet retain the forward hatch for excellent ventilation. Of course, I suppose I’m a little biased; my own ORION is a mid-style Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1682902365569-ZM683D1R9SSAA5ZF3WLY/11.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 1-7 Brandon Fetterman, of Flower Mound, Texas, stands in excited amazement in front of his new acquisition: O’Day Mariner #11, made within the first two weeks of Mariner production by the O’Day Sailboats Corporation in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1963. Already the owner of another early-style Mariner named THUNDER ROAD and a popular YouTuber showing his Mariner projects and sailing adventures, Brandon was enticed by the prospect of owning one of the earliest Mariners ever made. While #16 CHANCE is still sailing in Vermont and #20 LORELEI is in Pennsylvania, Mariner #6 briefly surfaced in 2011 in a garage in Libertyville, Illinois before disappearing again. (See the Picture of the Week for Feb. 28-Mar. 6, 2011.) That makes Mariner #11 currently the oldest active Mariner. Brandon drove through three states and over twelve hours each way to get her; he writes, “Now the work really begins!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1683509093760-WJ5DNM7QE1BO1H83FNTI/hawrilenko.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 8-14 You read that correctly - the “Ooops Award” is indeed a real thing, and it was awarded to Alice Hawrilenko, skipper of #4082 LAPWING pictured here. Alice, a member of the Pelican Cove Sailing Club in Florida who recently received this award, writes the following about the December incident: “I was cruising home downwind. I had pulled up my centerboard as I was headed into shallow waters. My routine is to furl my jib and then lower the main. Uh oh. My jib furler wound up on the bow! I didn't notice that when I deployed the jib. I was single-handing. Oh well. I turned her into the wind and crawled up on the bow. I retrieved the furler line and was hanging onto the shroud with one foot in the cockpit when over she went. Lesson learned. But guess what? I lost only the cabin sliding hatch. My engine works, my sails are in perfect condition and even my radio which spent 24 hours in the water floating works beautifully. Anyone have a used hatch?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1684115404568-KFIJZP1OIY50L5FVWFFY/rendezvous2011.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 15-21 This Wednesday, online registration for the 2023 National Mariner Rendezvous will open at the Mariner Class Association’s website. Sailors will once again be sailing from Niantic to Mystic Seaport, and this week’s picture is from the very first Rendezvous to Mystic back in 2011; it’s hard to believe it was twelve years ago! Erin Reiche sits on the cabin top of #2170 MAGGIE while her husband Tim is at the helm, and skipper Ed Wise is not far behind in #2862 CHRISTINA T. Both boats were part of a five-boat fleet that year; last year’s Rendezvous had three times that number, and the same is expected for this year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1684718573764-6FQQOGQ2WF42E69BX2XW/173.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 22-28 Hunter Stump’s #173 THE FREE has been featured in this column several times, but it deserves to be featured yet again. Here Hunter is at the helm, sailing with a bunch of his friends near Southampton on Long Island, New York, although he is getting a bit of help from his Lehr propane outboard to keep him moving smartly along. As mentioned before, Hunter spotted the bow of this early-style Mariner sticking out between some bushes by the side of the road spray-painted with the words “FREE” on either side. He took the boat home, restored her, and launched her with her new name. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1685409941218-0VCG5644E92J1J3IPPI7/sweetsadie.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 29-June 4 Skipper Brad W. with his wife Caroline sail their late-style Mariner, #3582 SWEET SADIE, in Long Island Sound on their way to Niantic. It’s the final day of the 2021 Mariner National Rendezvous, and SWEET SADIE is one of many heading back from spending the weekend at Mystic Seaport. The pristine hull paint is set off by the black rubrail separating the white deck and cabin top, and the custom decal on the starboard quarter looks just right. This August, Rendezvous participants will be heading back to the Seaport once again. Even though we have been there six times over the past ten years, sailors don’t seem to tire of sailing there; all sixteen slips were accounted for withing ten days of registration opening up on the Mariner Class Association’s website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1685930899255-WAZBNBTZ80T2PEWC60VI/byron.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - June 5-11 Riverton Yacht Club, on the Delaware River in New Jersey, hosts the Mariner National Championships every four years or so, and whenever they are held, Riverton photographer Byron Campbell has been on hand to take some great snapshots of the action. This picture was taken ten years ago at the 2013 Nationals, and Byron writes that the boats are “going for the Jersey side mark. #2604 [skippered by Newt Wattis] is in the lead.” Newt would go on to win the Nationals that year, the fifth time he would hold the winner’s trophy. An avid boater and Vietnam army veteran, Byron was fiercely proud of his Scottish heritage and maintained a family history website along with a website for his many boating boating pictures; it was from this extensive collection that he would periodically sent me snapshots for this “Picture of the Week” column. I was deeply saddened to learn he passed away a little over a week ago. Farewell, friend - thank you for sharing your talent on this webpage for so many years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1686536605547-H559CUZD4DDPNX2GVCJQ/3397064_3_4BB9DE4E-09C5-4CC2-942A-52617158330D.jpeg 2023 Pictures of the Week - June 12-18 The shallow draft of the Mariner allows you to sneak into many secluded areas, as demonstrated by Stefan Avey and his #1464 DAWN TREADER amongst water lilies in Florida. Previously owned by another Florida resident (see the Picture of the Week for September 14-20, 2020), Stefan bought #1464 and hoped to make the Florida 120, a cruise-in-company event for small boats. Although it didn’t work out, Stefan writes that instead, he “did cruise my local waters for two days and two nights). Great thing about sailing locally was I got to bring my kids (5 and 6) aboard for one night at anchor and we had fun. The Mariner really is a great family boat.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1687140436956-K95M5LX2M4CJS2IQ83OM/Fetterman.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - June 19-25 Those are awfully happy smiles from skipper Brandon Fetterman and his crew in front of his early-style O’Day Mariner THUNDER ROAD. They have every reason to smile; they just finished the grueling Texas 200 endurance event, even with a bent mast. Brandon writes, “Made it to the finish line! With a bent mast and all! Wind gust slammed me into a deck overhang about five minutes after launching in Port Isabel, thought for sure we were pulling out of this one before even starting. THUNDER ROAD is a tank of a boat, I knew she wouldn't let us down. We got less than two nautical miles from Camp Five until we ran aground, and then the outboard prop was turning mud, so we aborted and turned around and headed to the finish line at Maggie Beach. What an awesome adventure!” Congratulations to Brandon and all the participants! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1687746746585-RDIJ4M8K8C9ZHYJY2762/3720.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - June 26-July 2 Who wouldn’t want to jump in this Mariner, raise the mainsail, unfurl the jib, and simply sail away? This is Brad Hallock’s #3720 KAREN ANN based in Indiana. Built in 1979, the O’Day Sailboats Corporation would cease Mariner production after building just 59 more Mariners, focusing instead on building larger models. KAREN ANN sports some special features, including roller furling, mid-boom sheeting, and an adjustable backstay. A closer look reveals a navigation light forward of the portlight, indicating an onboard battery; a small snubbing winch on the edge of the cabin top, perhaps to aid in raising the mainsail; blocks mounted on the after edges of the cockpit coaming through which the jib sheets are led; a vintage Johnson motor; a transom-mounted ladder; bow pulpit; and more. She’s actually for sale, and the next owner will be receiving a beautiful boat in fantastic condition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1688355568450-5B4VWHET2Q8ZARHBS3SU/spindrift.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 3-9 Here’s a great action shot of a Spindrift Mariner racing on Lake Lewisville near Dallas, Texas. One crewmember is adjusting the jib sheet while another crewmember is setting the whisker pole for a downwind run. Notice there’s no outboard motor in order to cut down on weight on the transom. Spindrift One Designs, under the parent company Rebel, bought the Mariner molds from O’Day in 1980. They added a second portlight on each side of the cabin and made a few other slight changes, but Spindrift abandoned the Mariner after only a couple of years, preferring instead to build the Spindrift 22, a development of the Spectrum 22 build in Florida. Stuart Marine would come to the Mariner’s rescue shortly thereafter and has continued producing the Mariner since then. Spindrift Mariners, like the one pictured above, can still be found all over the United States despite the relatively limited production run. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1688950270709-T0RP5UARNM5BYVBTTG6Q/2149.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 10-16 Who says you have to have a spick-and-span Mariner to enjoy it fully? This is CJ Reynard’s mid-style Mariner #2149 he just bought three weeks ago, and although the sails looks like they are original to the boat (over 50 years old!), everybody looks like they’re having a great time. CJ writes, “I got to take her out three times so far to Buckeye Lake (Ohio), and every time has been a blast; fast, nimble, comfortable, easy to control and all around amazing. As a first full-sized sailboat I am really pleased and cannot wait to finish all the projects I have lined up for her.” O’Day Mariners are fantastic boats for the novice and the experienced sailor alike. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1689561618580-GOFIJMEKUIWZ2XGMGYP6/735.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 17-23 If there is anyone who deserves an award for best restoration of an O’Day Mariner, it’s Dave Satter of Branchville, New Jersey. His old-style boat, originally #735 PROXIMUS (see this photo from the Picture of the Week back in February 22-28, 2021) has received soup-to-nuts refurbishment like I have never seen before. Instead of restoring #735 WILDFLOWER to its original configuration, he made the decision to completely transform his boat. He created a new tiller, fabricated wooden hatch doors, added a second portlight on each side, installed an anchor roller; the list goes on. When he sent a picture of the cabin of his boat that I used for this year’s February 13-19 Picture of the Week, my jaw dropped, and I new his completed boat was going to be something special. He certainly did not disappoint. Congratulations, Dave - what a spectacular Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1690172852918-Z56UOLKRC911DA4ZT4N0/Mariner23_Sat60.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 24-30 Roger Knight with his crew surges upwind in #2564 during the Mariner National Championships this past Saturday at Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island, New York. Twelve boats competed on Saturday, and although racing was unfortunately canceled on Sunday due to lack of wind, all the racers had a fantastic time. Roger was actually the Mariner Fleet Captain and Event Organizer for the last Nationals at Narrasketuck in 2018; this past Saturday, he finished the day in fifth place. Congratulations to all the competitors and most especially to Marie Cohen, the current Mariner Fleet Captain and Event Organizer, who did an absolutely outstanding job. Photo credit: the extremely talented Alan Hlavenka, himself a Mariner owner and member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1690811398395-YK4ARTAA928ZJ3NHQMGR/DSC_0076-2.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 31-Aug. 6 Three Mariners head eastward in past the coast of Waterford, Connecticut at the start of the 2021 National Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. From left to right: skipper Bruce Robbins (#3200 NORA ROSE), skipper Bill Eggers (#2280 JULIE B), and skipper Gifford Eldredge (#4079 RIPPLE). All three of these boats will be returning to Connecticut this coming weekend for the 2023 Mariner Rendezvous, once again heading to Mystic Seaport with sixteen other boats participating, the highest attendance for any Rendezvous. The abandoned Seaside Sanitorium can be seen on the extreme left of the picture, a historical landmark first built in the 1930s. While the fleet struggled with light winds that day, the forecast for this coming Friday is predicting winds of 10-15 knots. Let’s hope the weather works out in our favor! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1691413709522-4LUDFCO6VISVYGDVRXMR/DSC_0013.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 7-13 Skipper Fred Wright motors his beautiful, maroon-hulled Mariner, #4133 SWEET P, up the Mystic River on the way to Mystic Seaport during this past weekend’s Mariner National Rendezvous in Connecticut. This was Fred’s first Rendezvous, and he drove up all the way from North Carolina to participate. SWEET P is a Stuart Mariner made by Stuart Marine and is nearly identical to the late-style O’Day Mariners. Check out that electric outboard on the transom - it’s an EPropulsion motor with the removable, rechargable battery pack on top of the unit itself, so it doesn’t require another battery stored somewhere onboard the boat. It is fairly new technology, and while it is by no means inexpensive, it is a great solution for small boats like the Mariner; this particular model produces 3.5 horsepower. An ex-Coast Guardsman, Fred returned to familiar waters as he sailed past the mouth of the Thames River, just south of the Coast Guard Academy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1692022911217-TIFUGIKI3IIKX0A2KTFA/Corney1b_sm.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 14-20 Skipper Bob Corney with crew Craig Zoll sail O’Day Mariner #1095 YIN YANG eastward to Mystic during the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous at the beginning of the month. Out of nineteen participating boats, YIN YANG was the only early-style Mariner, but she was one of the fastest; Bob races her frequently, most recently during the 2023 Mariner National Championships at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey near the end of July where he came in sixth out of twelve boats. Bob also serves on the Executive Board of the Mariner Class Association as the Class Measurer. This was his very first Rendezvous, and he and Craig drove all the way up from Maryland to take part in the event. As such, Bob and four other first-time Rendezvous skippers received a $50 gift card to West Marine as well as a Mariner tote bag. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1692589501523-K76EOZPU2VXAMVVJ2TLB/DSC_0002.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 21-27 Steve Hock enjoys a mug of coffee with his wife Rita aboard their O’Day Mariner #1866 Windy. It is 7:00 am on Saturday, August 5th during the Mariner National Rendezvous at the beginning of the month, and they had trailered Windy all the way up from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to participate in the event. Steve originally owned a later-style Mariner but sold it a number of years ago; he maintained his Mariner Class Association membership and bought this midstyle model last year in order to take advantage of its forward hatch and slightly more spacious interior unencumbered by a mast support pole. He served on the Association’s Executive Board as VP Communications from 2010-2012 and came back on the Board in 2021 to serve as its webmaster. He gave Windy a lot of attention this spring, and both he and Rita certainly appreciate the results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1693186323570-BHIG2ME4PE4Z964AUM75/tkal+facebook.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 28-Sept. 3 Greg Tkal’s Mariner #4134 MON AMIE rests at her dock at Galway Lake, New York after a great sunset sail just las week. Greg has been a longtime member of the Mariner Class Association, and MON AMIE has been featured several times in this column, the first time back in November 24-30 of 2008. This shot of her as the sun sets is pretty spectacular. MON AMIE is a Stuart Mariner, built by Stuart Marine of Rockland, Maine. When Stuart Scharaga and Dave Whittier acquired the old O’Day molds from Spindrift One Designs in the early 1980s, they were worn out and practically unusable. They hired famed naval architect Jim Taylor to take the lines off an O’Day Mariner in excellent condition and make new molds from scratch, incorporating a few modifications without altering the overall design. The resulting Stuart Mariners are almost indistinguishable from the older O’Day Mariners, allowing the two models to be raced together as a one-design class. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1693802085095-2H880X8XOWTDIF4XO024/PR+Downwind.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 4-12 The weekend of July 22nd, a total of eight Mariners participated in the Second Annual Agustín Tejero Regatta in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, and this great shot shows two Mariners battling each other during the downwind leg. Participant Miguel Casellas writes, “Andrés Socarrás sailing with Geraldine and Chupi Bermúdez dominated arriving in a comfortable First Place. Local food, Don Q Rum and Medalla Beer were abundant and camaraderie was second to none. Santa Isabel is located just 4.5 miles west of Salinas, Puerto Rico and is probably the best place for racing in Puerto Rico with well-protected waters and 13-15 knots consistent winds. Racing in Santa Isabel is spectacular and our teamwork was superb that weekend. Andrés Socarrás says, ‘Our boat is very well-equipped and our sails are flawless. We are now sailing Mariner #3122 that I just bought from Miguel Casellas and our fleet keeps on growing. It was good to see eight Mariners out there racing the waters of Santa Isabel. What a venue!’” What a venue indeed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1694385826248-F8R4Y9P8NV1MLN42JY1R/3.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 11-17 Terry Moulton has been deeply involved with Mariners for decades. Past Mariner Class Association Vice President, President, and Newsletter Editor, he has owned, raced, and restored countless Mariners over the years. His latest endeavor is a partnership with fellow sailor Bruce Robbins (#3200 NORA ROSE) to restore and resell Mariners in need of help. Terry writes, “I am lucky to live in New Jersey which seems to be the heart of Marinerland. I am also lucky to live on 47 acers of land with several garages and barns. Bruce Robbins asked if we could work together on a Mariner a friend had given him. Together, we took one of my garages, installed a two-ton hoist and our adventure began. Several Mariners later we are happily sanding, power spraying and fiberglassing our way through our ninth Mariner.“ A great way to breathe new life into these 60-year-old boats and keep them sailing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695041503072-KWMQP6HM9H3JZ93TDS8J/stelpstra.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 18-24 Robert Stelpstra takes the helm of Alan Schaeffer’s #1692 SPRAYSONG during the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport at the beginning of August. Robert, along with a friend, made a ten-hour drive all the way from Quebec, Canada to attend the event, and Alan was kind enough to take him along as crew while his friend met him at the Seaport with their car. This was Robert’s second Rendezvous as he made the same trek by himself last year, and we were so pleased he was able to join us again. SPRAYSONG, a mid-style Mariner, is Alan’s second boat; he originally owned #2470 SIALIA but wanted a cabin unobstructed by a mast support pole, so sold SIALIA a couple of years ago and purchased SPRAYSONG. Notice the bridle he has for the mainsheet which helps to center the boom when close-hauled. This modification was recently approved for class racing, but some cruisers find it just as helpful for their own daysailing and cruising. Although the winds were not as strong as they were forecasted to be, SPRAYSONG’s curling bow wave indicates she was easily making plenty of knots. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695644027494-AUOQ4N05VRZLAUOOMQ2R/1545.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 25-Oct. 1 One of the largest Mariner racing fleets can be found at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey on the Delaware River. However, located only a hop, skip and a jump away in Edgewater Park is the Red Dragon Canoe Club, a historic organization dedicated to boating activities on the River. They are home to a number of O’Day Mariners, and although the sailing season is beginning to wind down, Red Dragon still offers boating activities through the end of October. A couple of Saturdays ago, skipper Tom Gilman and his crew participated in a three-boat race in his #1545 PILGRIM SHADOW, a mid-style boat he uses primarily for racing and daysailing. Notice the sizeable outboard on the transom! Winds on the Delaware are notoriously unpredictable, and the stiff local current has been known to sweep boats far from their destination, so big motor is most appropriate for these waters. Photo credit: Jeff Rife. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1696248580210-8ZFVNIJW114EFWHP6SDQ/Eddie+Ramos+Casellas+-+Midwinters+1965+-+San+Juan%2C+Puerto+Rico.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 2-8 Although the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet is one of the newest fleets in the Mariner Class Association, Mariners have been sailing in Puerto Rico since they were first manufactured. Here is a clipping from a newspaper from 1965 showing Eddie Ramos Casellas racing with his two sons in San Juan. According to Miguel Casellas, who sent me this clipping, “In 1964, the Puerto Rico Sailing Federation was formally established and a series of regattas were held in our waters to prepare for the upcoming 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games. Former and late Federal Judge Juan Torruella had the privilege of representing Puerto Rico during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the Finn Class bringing all the knowledge of how to run a big event. Finns, Sailfish, Snipes, Sunfish and Daysailers were invited and sailors from the East Coast participated in our Midwinters. Eddie Ramos Casellas is the founder of formal sailing in the south of Puerto Rico and the father of twins Ronnie and Robbie, owners of Villa Somar in Salinas. (Villa Somar is a private yacht club where we keep our Mariners.) Robbie is our leader and one of our top racers and currently sails [O’Day Mariner #3122] BLACK DIAMOND.” What a great history and legacy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1696809456930-IRYB4PHC2P6V7NFVT2UA/ryc.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 9-15 Skipper Chris O’Brien in #3599 DOUBLE O’MITZVAH stays ahead of Harry Mayer in #664 MARE during a mid-summer race at Riverton Yacht Club on the Delaware River. Both Chris and Harry have been very active with the Club over the years, and both have served stints as Club Commodore. Chris, in particular, has raced in local and national Mariner regattas and has also trailered his boat up to Connecticut a few times to participate in the National Rendezvous. This Sunday, Riverton will be hosting the David Reily Memorial and Mariner Fall Wind Up Regatta with five races scheduled. David Reily, a beloved Board member of the Club and active racer with Mariner #1249 SILK PURSE, died in 2014, and since then an annual regatta has been organized in his memory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1697459660865-S2WNSQ8XI0NB1UYOCWZC/thunderroad.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 16-22 Brandon Fetterman keeps churning out fantastic pictures as he sails his early-style O’Day Mariner, THUNDER ROAD. Here’s a great picture he just took a couple of days ago while sailing on Grapevine Lake in Texas. It was gusting to 25 knots, enough wind to drop the jib and continue under a reefed main. Notice how the mainsail is roller-reefed around the boom, and the mainsheet is attached to a “reefing claw” that permits the boom to rotate inside of it. While this particular piece of hardware is brand new, the mechanism is not; this was O’Day’s standard way of reefing the mainsail as far back as the early 1960s when Mariners were first produced. While perhaps not as efficient for sailing as other reefing techniques as the bagginess of the sail affects performance and there’s no way to use a vang, it is certainly is an interesting concept and a clever way to reduce sail area. Most modern boom-reefing systems still struggle with maintaining proper sail shape when reefed. THUNDER ROAD seems to do just fine with her boom-reefed main - look at her go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1698066779069-PP2H7829LZ6QAPPQQ7IV/Ulrich_wave_sm.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 23-29 Skipper Ulrich von Hollen keeps an eye on the wave off his starboard quarter as he sails east on the first day of the 2023 National Mariner Rendezvous this past August. He and his two sons, Caspar and Konrad, are nearing the entrance to New London, and the swift currents from Long Island Sound combining with the currents from the Thames River typically create a chop that takes about ten minutes to sail through. It can be dreadful on a windless day when the sails slat back and forth shaking the wind out of them, but on this day, there was enough wind to keep #2234 OB-LA-DI and the other eighteen participating Mariners plowing right through the choppy patch. Ulrich and his sons have participated in several Rendezvous beginning in 2014, making the trip up to Niantic, Connecticut from Lebanon, New Jersey. He keeps his mid-style Mariner in fantastic shape, and his inventory of parts for sale from other Mariners he has collected over the years is impressive! Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1698632969194-U2I8VRN24M2C0PWO1F30/2019.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 30-Nov. 5 Mariners plow through the water in high winds during the 2019 Mariner National Championships held at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. National Championships usually consist of two days of racing; four races on Saturday and just two on Sunday, giving sailors a chance to pack up their boats after a weekend of intense yet fun competition. However, the winds were so strong on Sunday that racing was canceled and the scoreboard only counted the four races that had been completed the day before. Paul Coward, racing in #584 and four-time National Champion, ended up placing eighth while Tom Green in #738 finished the regatta in tenth place. Next year’s National Championships will once again take place at Brant Beach Yacht Club, and they are excited to host - they have already completed the NOR (Notice of Race) even though it’s more than nine months away! Photo credit: Becky Seidlemann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1699317384380-GLOR9AXPHXO24VWQJ5ML/joel.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 6-12 Ramerez Jeol slowly lowers his early-style Mariner named SERENITY in the waters of Chicago back in the beginning of September. When using a rope bridle, the backstay must be unattached so it doesn’t get in the way. The rope bridle then must be attached to the chainplates as well as the aft cleats, and those aft cleats must have some sort of backing plates to prevent them from ripping through the deck. Ramerez writes, “It's definitely scary when it's in the air. I'm the only Mariner in my club so no one really had anything positive to say about my choice of lifting points. People were definitely putting doubt in my head at the club. Before splashing I reenforced the rear cleat backing plates, and am using 3/8” eye spliced dyneema on a 10,000-pound D-ring girth hitched. I'm using 1/4” shackles (750 lb. rating) at the chain plates and attached a clip rated at 850 lbs. Everything went well.” While many clubs launch their Mariners with a crane, it can certainly be a little nerve-wracking, especially when you’re doing it for the first time as shown in this picture! Congratulations to Ramerez for making it happen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1699846217153-4F4ESUHBHAIS18IORE6S/1532.jpeg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 13-19 This picture looks like it could have been taken in the spring, but it was in fact taken just a few days ago! Don Fitzpatrick is taking his mid-style Mariner for an early-November sail in Newport, Rhode Island, one of the most renowned and historic areas for yachting on the eastern seaboard. Don writes, “I bought hull #1532 in February and after a few minor repairs had her out by late July. I drysail her out of SailNewport in Fort Adams State Park in Newport. I have many projects slated this winter - number one is remove and re-bed every deck fitting and port lights. The boat has numerous leaks and a persistently wet bilge - fortunately all from above the waterline! I cannot thank the Mariner community enough for all of the resources you all provide! I have had numerous boats but the Mariner Association tops them all!” Although there doesn’t seem to be much wind, any time on the water - especially so late in the sailing season here in the northeast - is time well spent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1700498768151-TCZ0MPDGDDNMBN0TWMXY/DSCN0297_558.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 20-26 Eric Flower’s #1871 SEAFLOWER was the hit of the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous when he sailed her with friends and family to Mystic Seaport. Sporting new hull, deck, cabin, and bottom paint; freshly-varnished coaming tops, hatchslides, hatchboards, and cabintop handrails; lifelines, a roller-furling genoa, and more, she was picture perfect. But that was just the start - her refitted interior looked as if someone could live aboard for a month. Custom curtains, cushions, bedding, pillows, Bluetooth speaker system, and lighting all contributed to a jaw-dropping display of how a Mariner can be transformed into a comfortable pocket cruiser. Regretfully, Eric had to sell #1871 the next year due to his job relocating him inland, but she is still here in Connecticut and hopefully will grace the waters of Long Island Sound again before too long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1701091316950-T2P5IM0JJS0YOF4A3LVG/IMG_2377.jpeg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 27-Dec. 3 Night has fallen, but the flash from the camera reveals eighteen Mariners tied up at the Mystic Seaport docks during the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous at the beginning of August. A nineteenth boat actually took part in the event yet had to leave early due to prior commitments, making this year’s gathering the highest-attended Rendezvous yet. Although we had light winds both coming from and going back to Niantic, they were steady enough to allow us to sail both ways, something that does not always happen on Long Island Sound in early August. Since today is my birthday, I wanted to feature a picture from a particularly meaningful sailing trip, and this is it. It takes months to plan a Rendezvous, and when it all comes together, it’s great to share the experience with other sailors. Many of this year’s attendees have taken part in numerous Rendezvous, and it is always a pleasure to see them again. I am already looking forward to next year’s event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1701719580378-WSY69BR9JTPMX909XEV6/gard.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 4-10 David Gard charges along in his early-style Mariner with spray flying in Force 6 winds (22-27 knots) off the coast of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. A British sailor living in Canada, he writes, “OK.. does the Mariner have a planing hull? I couldn't believe how fast she was going, so I turned on my mobile sat nav (being very economic with battery)… 9.6 knots... and, I'm sure she was going faster than this, too. Broad reach... surfable waves... When it turned into Force 7, I dropped main and ran under jib to Lunenburg, constantly over 6 knots.” Although the jib and mainsail luffs could use a little tightening, David clearly didn’t need anymore help getting up to hull speed (and beyond) and having a fantastic sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1702249452084-PKUT06YJPBPECZRSD0E3/postcardfront.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 11-17 This photo is actually the front of a postcard from the mid-1960s and shows a family enjoying an early-style O’Day Mariner. The description of the picture, found on the back of the postcard, reads: “Boating on the Bay with the Causeway Bridge in the background, Long Beach Island, New Jersey”. The photo was taken by Don Ceppi, and the postcard itself was published by the Long Beach Candy Company from Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island. The rudder on the Mariner has not been attached yet as the person on the helm motors by other nearby boats, but the sails are bent on and ready to hoist once they get out into the popular sailing waters of Manahawkin Bay. Others may be able to identify the other unfamiliar types of boats in the foreground and background, but the beautiful lines of the Mariner are unmistakable and instantly recognizable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1702906125364-XNBH175RURW4C0NP0N7E/happyholidays.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 18-24 I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when I received this picture from my friend Miguel Casellas Sastre in Puerto Rico earlier in the month. Look at all those Mariners sailing in the snow! See? The Mariner is so shallow-draft, they can be sailed practically anywhere there is moisture beneath them! This took some skills with Photoshop to create, and credit goes to one of the members of the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet. Incidentally, that fleet is the fastest growing fleet in the Mariner Class Association with an active racing schedule, and they have established a relationship with the Brant Beach Mariner Fleet (Long Beach Island, New Jersey) where some members travel to Puerto Rico on a fairly regular basis to participate in some of the races there. They are passionate about growing their fleet and are always inviting other sailors to make the trip. Word from other Mariner sailors is that their hospitality is second to none! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1703560844782-T6UN582ULDTJKBW8SB9M/20230624_084416.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 25-31 Traditionally, the very last picture of the year in this column has been one of my own ORION, and this is one of my favorite pictures taken this past June when my son and I sailed to Mystic Seaport for the 2023 WoodenBoat Show. After a couple of weeks of near drought conditions, it finally rained - almost the entire weekend of the Show. I was worried Harry would have a lousy time during our two-day excursion, constantly damp despite the cockpit awning at anchor and our head-to-toe foul weather gear. Instead, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and memorable trips we have taken together. The icing on the cake was when, just before we left the event to sail home, he asked, “Dad, can we go to next year’s WoodenBoat Show?” On this Christmas Day, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a great sailing season in 2024. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2023 daily 0.75 2023-11-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1683838344868-BXFFSR4XXCMZ6WKR1MM3/20230423_191449.jpg Sailing 2023 April 23rd: ORION is out of the boatshed and her mast is strapped down, ready to go up to Niantic the following morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1683838344868-BXFFSR4XXCMZ6WKR1MM3/20230423_191449.jpg Sailing 2023 April 23rd: ORION is out of the boatshed and her mast is strapped down, ready to go up to Niantic the following morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1683838343937-CHDI83SBBZX9ASUPIAN9/20230424_131646-2.jpg Sailing 2023 With help from my sister, ORION is successfully launched, although it always seems to take longer than I think it will! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1683838406073-Z5OVA2BDUWLJHD60Q3N7/20230511_124758.jpg Sailing 2023 May 11th: My first official sail of the season. The sails were cleaned by SailCare over the winter, and they look great. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1683838406244-45GGYA9KAD8H78WYOGSB/20230511_134648.jpg Sailing 2023 There are no boats in the Niantic River mooring field yet - ORION is the very first sailboat on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1688178865681-GGDROTVBMVOTXFS2HQR1/20230601_112754.jpg Sailing 2023 June 1st: I had a nice sail in Niantic Bay. The winds were light, but there was enough to keep ORION moving at a healthy four knots. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1688178712091-U6SL0SS8PFD0D08S72AX/20230601_121743.jpg Sailing 2023 I sailed by the Niantic Bay Yacht Club before passing by Wigwam Rock by McCook’s beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1688178758145-WO1OX610CI5UTF854MET/20230623_135811.jpg Sailing 2023 June 23rd: I sailed with my ten-year-old son, Harrison to Mystic Seaport for the WoodenBoat Show! We brought the TRUE LOVE with us as we stayed overnight in the anchorage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1688178758092-1OQKEFYVC7MTFNVKX693/20230624_084416.jpg Sailing 2023 It was rather soggy weekend, but we had a wonderful time nevertheless. He told me he wants to come back next year! Click here for a Google Photo Album of our trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695648678540-TC24J4273FFV47JUOWC6/20230806_144638.jpg Sailing 2023 August 4: After a number of daysails and swimming trips in July, 19 Mariners gathered to take part in the Mariner National Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695648674079-OU1607YJU2B7CQHQ8QQS/93B93B9F-2BBF-4B48-838E-C2685AF19077.jpg Sailing 2023 We had a nice sail to the Seaport, and it was great to have so many boats participate this year - 19 boats is a new record! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695648674327-KN79ZIA9317SWESL0ZSQ/20230804_184735.jpg Sailing 2023 45 sailors attended, and the hospitality provided by the Seaport was excellent. They even let us use their pavillion for our Friday night pizza party! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695648683463-OTYGMDZDBLVJPI77DA7S/Group_sm.jpg Sailing 2023 All in all, it was another highly successful Rendezvous. Be sure to click here for the Google Photo Album with 236 pictures shared by many of the sailors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695648679038-L2K21RIZHO6HFVZHN3S4/20230915_100749.jpg Sailing 2023 September 16th: With predictions of high winds from Hurricane Lee passing offshore, my father and I hauled ORION at Mago Point Marina to be on the safe side. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695648684063-N2FGI228HUHDE672TFNO/IMG_2486.jpg Sailing 2023 The hurricane went farther east than expected, and there was hardly any wind at all! ORION went back in the water the next day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695648682679-D0B9EYPSXA1B0H8Y5SSX/20230921_102736.jpg Sailing 2023 September 21st: I had the opportunity to take my father out sailing for a little while, sailing east near Harkness Park before turning around. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695648682455-KY1R8IOEKDR8H4EC6K42/20230921_090610.jpg Sailing 2023 Passing by the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, we saw this poor waterlogged sailboat at her mooring in need of a little attention! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1697315768109-YC6DLU3V1GQRFCVEXA0U/20231012_131435.jpg Sailing 2023 October 12th: I spent a nice afternoon in the Niantic River sailing in light winds. Many of the boats in the mooring fields are gone for the winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1697315772528-VMJYSZHC2MJJ3X481DBR/20231012_131450.jpg Sailing 2023 I attached the old rudder to remind myself of its performance. I missed how solid it felt with the blade kicked up in shallow waters; the RudderCraft rudder seems like it will easily break or bend if raised horizontally. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1697315768285-C5WWEW6XMFDJV1NURD3J/20231012_131441.jpg Sailing 2023 However, I didn’t miss the clutter of stock blade control lines, and the ability to kick the RudderCraft blade all the way out of the water on the mooring or when motoring is a huge advantage over the stock rudder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1697315772186-XM73HHZSMJ942LVUZNEA/20231012_151143.jpg Sailing 2023 I reattached the RudderCraft rudder and noticed the increasing scum all along the waterline. It won’t be long until ORION comes out of the water for the winter, but I may try to sneak in a couple more sails during the most beautiful season of the year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1700703392077-8RWKCDZ31I6DWN3TB7YE/20231026_122503.jpg Sailing 2023 October 26th: After a few days of very cold temperatures, the weather warmed up and a beautiful, steady breeze greeted me on ORION’s last sailing day of the year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1700703289971-JSTMF3RRT0WMJBYITGSL/20231026_125559.jpg Sailing 2023 I sailed to the horn at the end of Bartlett’s Reef before turning around, taking a pass by the vacant Niantic Bay Yacht Club, and returning to her mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1700703293834-X22VIDNKSVF3SGCMFZZM/20231027_090418.jpg Sailing 2023 October 27th: The following day, with help from my father, ORION was hauled out of the water, de-rigged, and powerwashed before trailering home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1700703293974-6SZLFS437DQT5W6Q9L82/20231106_140048.jpg Sailing 2023 It was somewhat of a harrowing journey home as my car died on the highway, but with help from AAA and my father-in-law, ORION made it back to her boatshed for the winter. So ends the 2023 sailing season! https://www.mariner1922.com/2024-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2024-12-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1704062498679-S7V6F3SV5V5SVWYYABOP/20230804_090347-2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 1-7 Happy New Year! Here’s a great picture to start the year with Fred Wright sailing his #4133 SWEET PEA in Niantic Bay, heading eastward to Mystic Seaport for the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous this past August. A resident of North Carolina, he trailered SWEET PEA to Connecticut to sail in familiar waters as he is an ex-Coast Guardsman, and the Coast Guard Academy where he trained is a short distance up New London’s Thames River. Although he started out the trip under a reefed main, he eventually shook it out as the wind dropped, and fortunately, he and everyone else was able to sail the entire way to Mystic. He has Daniel Auger along as crew for this leg; Daniel came down from Quebec with fellow Canadian Robert Stelpstra to participate in this event. Both men, living nearly 1,000 miles apart, met in Niantic to sail together in the Rendezvous - how neat is that? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1704062498679-S7V6F3SV5V5SVWYYABOP/20230804_090347-2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 1-7 Happy New Year! Here’s a great picture to start the year with Fred Wright sailing his #4133 SWEET PEA in Niantic Bay, heading eastward to Mystic Seaport for the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous this past August. A resident of North Carolina, he trailered SWEET PEA to Connecticut to sail in familiar waters as he is an ex-Coast Guardsman, and the Coast Guard Academy where he trained is a short distance up New London’s Thames River. Although he started out the trip under a reefed main, he eventually shook it out as the wind dropped, and fortunately, he and everyone else was able to sail the entire way to Mystic. He has Daniel Auger along as crew for this leg; Daniel came down from Quebec with fellow Canadian Robert Stelpstra to participate in this event. Both men, living nearly 1,000 miles apart, met in Niantic to sail together in the Rendezvous - how neat is that? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1704684484041-B1RFN4J1221VLE92ZF78/dan.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 8-14 It’s the year of Dan’s boat! Here is skipper Dan Meaney sailing O’Day Mariner #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF in Niantic Bay back in 2016. On this day, I just so happened to meet both him and fellow Niantic sailor Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) out in the Bay on a gorgeous afternoon in July. I happened to have my camera along and was pleased to be able to take some great pictures of the two boats. Both Dan and Chris have been members of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet right from the very beginning when the three of us first got together in August, 2009 to organize a daysail. They are also the only other skippers besides me who have attended every single Rendezvous I have organized since that time. All of Dan’s family - wife, son, and two daughters - have sailed with him in CLEW-SEA-NUF, and one year, all five sailed to the Rendezvous. Other sailors were quick to point out the “boat full of Meaneys.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1705288735924-VZKAI83TQGRDPVWDGPIL/DSC_0215.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 15-21 Skipper Alan Schaeffer sits aboard his mid-style O’Day Mariner #1692 SPRAYSONG in the beautiful Coecles Harbor anchorage, Shelter Island, New York. Alan had sailed his boat along with me in ORION, Dan Meaney in #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF, and Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM (visible just behind SPRAYSONG’s mast) for a three-day cruise across Long Island Sound to Shelter Island and Greenport back in 2022. The previous owner of the later-style #2470 SIALIA, Alan really wanted a mid-style Mariner with a forward hatch and without a mast support pole for more comfortable cruising, and he was fortunate to buy #1692 almost as soon as she came on the market. She sports a handy RudderCraft rudder and a bow pulpit, and although her jib is not roller-furling, Alan has rigged a downhaul line to help lower the hanked-on jib in rough conditions and prevent it from flogging around. SPRAYSONG has proven to be a fast boat, outdistancing many other Mariners in group sailing events (including this cruise), although I suspect Alan’s superb handling of her may have something to do with it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1705884941647-BXIEBVHNUXVL7KWOXT7E/48701524516_285ece6fe0_o.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 22-28 O’Day Mariner #83 blasts along with a big bone in her teeth in ideal sailing conditions a few years ago near Newburyport, Massachusetts. Built in the very first year of Mariner production at the O’Day factory at 168 Stevens Street in Fall River, Massachusetts (a larger factory was later constructed nearby at 848 Airport Road), she is now entering her sixth decade of sailing. This picture was taken by Charles Crowley, a professional photographer based in Newburyport who, at one point, briefly owned #83 before selling her to a good friend who has owned her ever since. A lot of her hardware is original including the jib sheet leads and cam cleats, although she does have a newer roller-furler jib, cabin top handrails and a replacement forward hatch. The 9.9 horsepower motor is the limit for what the Mariner’s transom is designed to handle, but it conveniently kicks completely out of the water even without an adjustable outboard bracket, minimizing drag despite the motor’s weight. Here’s to another sixty years of sailing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1706485638764-XAUTVJWZRWV8SKDAHFRO/PR.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 29-Feb. 4 At first glance, one might think this is a photo of a Mariner sailing under a reefed main with the top part of the mast bent forward! But, of course, this is not the case; the top of the Mariner mast just happened to line up with the mast of a much larger sailboat berthed behind it. This boat is one of the many Mariners comprising the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet, and they enjoy spectacular racing all year long. Because of the high winds and occasionally rough conditions there, it is standard to have one skipper and two others as crew, not just one, as the second crewmember serves primarily as ballast. Like the Mariner racers on the east coast of the United States, the Puerto Rico Mariner sailors never reef their mainsail, electing instead to push their boats to the limit going upwind so they can enjoy a fast downwind leg with a full mainsail set. Their mainsail has four battens instead of the usual three, and they have 2:1 jib sheets for extra trimming power. Beautiful days like the one in this picture will be returning to the northeast soon! Picture credit: Miguel Casellas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1707086351776-VZNP4GOJ2EC8NH3H1V8S/ingram.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 5-11 With the winter holidays firmly behind us, many sailors start thinking about tackling big projects while there is still plenty of time before the sailing season. This early-style centerboard Mariner built in 1968 will be spending time in both Washington state and Maine - the locations could hardly be farther apart! Right now, she is spending some quality time at Stuart Marine in Rockland, Maine; Stuart Marine is the current manufacturer of the Mariner and has been for over 40 years. She is firmly supported in a wooden cradle allowing easy and comfortable access to the centerboard which, as the picture shows, clearly needs a little attention. A quick look around the Stuart Marine shop reveals a Rhodes 19 draped with cushions, various step platforms, and an upper level ringed with brand new Tohatsu outboards where most of the woodworking is done. This boat can rest assured she will be receiving the highest level of care from Stuart Marine, and she will undoubtedly be a real head-turner no matter where in the country she sails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1707700720681-19O2VUMAZYTCOHVL4PPZ/Barrett.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 12-18 I just happened to pick up the winter edition of Points East Magazine today, and I was pretty surprised and happy to see an entire article entitled “The Legacy” about the restoration of an early-style, 1968 O’Day Mariner! Owner Mark Barrett, a frequent contributor to the magazine, purchased her in the late-1990s for $1,500 and was “struck right away by her lines. There was something jaunty and seaworthy about her raised bow and little cuddy cabin with the single portlight on the side, like a merry eye. The iron [fixed] keel was knife thin, with a bulb at the bottom, and covered with rust. Her hull was a pale, sky-blue, well-faded and chalky to the touch.” He embarked on a soup-to-nuts restoration, renamed her BLUE SKIES, and created some special memories aboard her with his young daughter, Alison. Be sure to check out the full article here at the Points East Magazine website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1708305053615-VV63CA4GDX51SCBNRXJ3/20200807_154712.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 19-25 Bill Eggers in #2280 JULIE B and Alan Schaeffer with his family in #2470 SIALIA sail in light winds up the Thames River, New London, during the 2020 Mariner National Rendezvous. Bill, from New York, and Alan, from Connecticut, were part of a group of 16 participating boats that sailed from Niantic to Crocker’s Boat Yard, New London the beginning of August. Although the Mariner National Championships had been cancelled that year for the first time in Mariner history due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rendezvous continued as it was possible for sailors to keep their distance from one another during the weekend. Some plans had to be modified, and many shops and stores in the city were closed, but all the sailors had a good time regardless. We will be going back to New London this August with plans to visit some sites previously unavailable to us, including the historic Custom House where many maritime artifacts are on display. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1708915160391-S5BUGCWX2VIHDA9SAVQL/bandido.jpeg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 26-Mar. 3 Now that’s one heck of a green boat! This picture of skipper Blas Buono’s late-style Mariner BANDIDO was taken last Saturday by Manuel Portela from his own O’Day Mariner CAMALEON during the Mid-winter Mariner Regatta held in Salinas, Puerto Rico. Sixteen (!) Mariners participated in the event, including two with crews who traveled all the way from Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey to join in the fun. Seven races were held in 80-degree weather and 13-18 knots of wind, and according to participant Miguel Casellas, the regatta was “a complete success. Great ambiance, greatest sailing venue, no damages on boats; camaraderie was wonderful. Those old style Mariners are fast upwind in a breeze.” Blas Buono in BANDIDO would eventually come in first place. Congratulations to all sailors! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1709511864462-G9K3R70I619TZ25A7OEF/125.jpeg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 4-10 Who wouldn’t want to be aboard this Mariner, blasting along with a big bone in her teeth? This picture actually comes from an old brochure from 1964 and is also featured in another brochure from that same year as well as 1965. Interestingly enough, the photos were altered for each advertisement with a different sail number! (I assume, in the case of the 1965 brochure, the number was raised from 125 to 215 to demonstrate how many Mariners had been built by that time.) Although keen-eyed observers may spot a jib sheet track for a genoa on the starboard deck, there is no block attached to it, nor is there an accompanying snubber winch on the coaming; perhaps those additions were yet to come. But she certainly doesn’t need a genoa to get up to hull speed in these conditions - just look a her charging along with whitecaps on the water and the smiles on those aboard! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1710114816476-K54IVY087S2E3UT1PCXJ/20240305_170221.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - March 11-17 The Mariner that started it all! Back in the mid-1990s when I was a teenager, this boat showed up at my family’s marina, Bayreuther Boat Yard, a derelict full of water after sitting uncovered in a back yard for ten years. I instantly fell in love with the classic lines, the enclosed cabin, and all the potential for coastal cruising it offered. I tracked down the owner, bought the boat for a dollar, and brought her home. Unfortunately, it became pretty apparent the boat needed more help and expertise than I possessed at sixteen years of age, so I reluctantly offered it for sale for free. Julie Femino, a licensed captain and boat surveyor from Massachusetts, responded to my classified ad and came down to Niantic with a friend to trailer it home, generously giving me a few hundred dollars - a fortune to me! This grainy picture from the mid-1900s shows Julie and her friend about to trailer her home. I never forgot about that boat and learned later on she completely restored it, proclaiming it the “nicest looking 1969 Mariner I’ve ever seen.” I swore to myself I would get another Mariner some day, and a decade later, I found #1922. The rest, as they say, is history! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1710723794151-ITA2FY0BF8H1Q57URY31/Img_3544.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 18-24 The Mariner Fleet in Puerto Rico is one of the most active fleets in the Mariner Class Association, and most of the information I receive about their activity comes from my friend Miguel Casellas Sastre. He owns the old-style Mariner pictured above, #1023 LA QUE HAY built in 1967. He writes, “My son Sebastian (23 years old) is at the helm. I tried to imitate a Rhodes 19 layout for main halyard, jib halyard, main downhaul and jib cloth.” Miguel also has some pretty impressive equipment on his boat including low-friction fairleads on the jib sheet cars. He also has a telescoping ladder on the transom for safety. As far as the name is concerned, Miguel explains that “La Que Hay” has different meanings: (1) It is what it is; (2) Take it or leave it; or (3) What’s up.” #1023 was reportedly used in a recent Netflix movie, “Muriel and Joyce Get a Boat” produced by SHE Films Media - more on that to come! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1711331063044-QCUWUGSKYEL0EUAI23MK/nunyet.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 25-31 There are some people who go crazy tricking out their Mariners for racing, adding fancy hardware or sail controls to gain just one more tenth of a knot. Then there are others who go all out making their Mariner into a comfortable mini-cruiser, and Rob Jones from Fork, Maryland is just such a person. His mid-style Mariner, #2026 NUNYET, has been transformed over a number of years with many custom projects completed by Rob, including a cockpit sole grate, a drop-leaf mahogany cabin table that fits over the centerboard trunk, a speaker system, a cockpit table with cupholders, and more. The most prominent addition, as you can see in the above picture, was his custom-built solar panel bracket with an attached bench seat. While he admits this may not be everyone’s cup of tea aesthetically, it certainly works for him, and that’s all that matters in the long run for each of us, isn’t it? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1711973498380-T2AXRMRHUM3WEAHXYVCS/forsale.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 1-6 All good things must come to an end, and it is with a very heavy heart I offer ORION for sale. I have owned her since 2007 and after all these years of enjoyment, it is time to part ways. I’m hoping to do more extended cruising, and as much as I love sailing, I was recently offered the chance to buy a beautiful powerboat which will enable me to cruise with a little bit more comfort than what ORION can provide. This is a chance to buy an immaculate 1970 O’Day Mariner, restored and upgraded over many years, all of which has been documented on this website. I will desperately miss ORION, but I know she will go to a good home. Her asking price is a firm $2,500. CLICK THIS LINK FOR THE CLASSIFIED AD with more info. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1712545874038-NH7278CCPRJHYJGVQHUT/20200807_141327.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 8-14 I hope everyone who saw last week’s picture clicked on the link at the bottom and realized my announcement about selling ORION was an April Fool’s joke! This week’s picture shows #3200 NORA ROSE at anchor off Bushy Point Beach in Groton, Connecticut during the 2020 Mariner Rendezvous to New London. Owner Bruce Robbins is standing in the cockpit with brother-in-law Mural Rao is on the foredeck, and they have anchored for lunch and even possibly a swim while on route from Niantic to Crocker’s Boat Yard up the Thames River. Bruce and Mural have attended many Rendezvous together over the years here in Connecticut, trailering NORA ROSE up from Pitman, New Jersey. Activities during the 2020 Rendezvous were limited due to pandemic restrictions, but as all such restrictions are now thankfully long gone, 2024 Rendezvous participants are looking forward to returning to New London this August and enjoying all the city has to offer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1713182603229-4OL65PKQKZWNJ84TFRDE/corney.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 15-21 Good luck getting out to this Mariner to go sailing! This is Bob Corney’s old style Mariner, #1095 YIN YANG, sitting on her trailer by the docks on the Chester River, Maryland. There has been a tremendous amount of rain on the east coast over the past few weeks, and water levels have risen dramatically; all the fixed docks at this location are completely covered with water. Bob is currently the Chief Measurer of the Mariner Class Association, and while he primarily races YIN YANG, he trailered her up to Connecticut to participate in last year’s Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Boating season is just starting here in the northeast, and many Mariner owners are in the middle of projects preparing their boats for the summer. It won’t be long before YIN YANG - and ORION - will be back out on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1713792755022-0T2VC77U2AI1IAXP3UCE/prracing.jpeg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 22-28 Although the Puerto Rico Sailing Team (PUR Team) has been Puerto Rico’s national sailing authority since 1963, the presence of Mariners there has increased dramatically in recent years. Their fleet now numbers close to 20 Mariners of all vintages, and most of them regularly participate in events all over the island. In just a couple of weeks, from May 4-5, the Mariner fleet will be racing in Festival Mar y Arena de Guayama at Bahía de Jobos, organized by the Federación de Vela de Puerto Rico. A number of Mariner owners actually sit on PUR Team’s Board of Directors, including Miguel Casellas who keeps in touch with me and lets me know about all the Team’s Mariner activities. It is a fantastic organization, and a number of Mariner sailors from the States have been traveling to Puerto Rico to borrow a boat and race in their regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714394191381-BQGRHX7IS7YIVYR5ZBBA/brenmarie.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 29-May 5 There’s nothing quite like a spinnaker to get the most out of a downwind run, and O’Day Sailboats always offered spinnakers as an option when purchasing a Mariner. Here is Mike Hansen’s Spindrift Mariner BREN MARIE with her spinnaker up and drawing well. Mike writes, “I've begun tinkering with a spinnaker pole. Working on a topping lift and downhaul. Only have yet to configure an auto pilot: just a bit more stable than a bungie cord.” Symmetrical spinnakers are difficult to fly when sailing solo, and many single-handers choose to use an asymmetrical spinnaker which eliminates most of the equipment needed with a conventional spinnaker including a topping lift, downhaul, and spinnaker pole. The only disadvantage is the inability to sail directly downwind, something Mike is able to do quite well with his setup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714965579936-GR84I9Y1W0N8W4UQ0N3B/3257.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - May 6-12 Jay Bouchard, of Denver, Colorado, yanks on the outboard lanyard after launching his #3257 for the first time under his ownership. Sure, she still has her original, now-baggy sails, but who cares? She’s ready to take Jay, his family and friends out on new adventures - almost. Jay writes, “Good news: she floats. Bad news: the centerboard is so rusty/corroded it wouldn't drop—even with quite a bit of force. I managed to snap the cable, too, which feels incidental at this point. I knew I had to do the centerboard project eventually, but I was hoping I might be able to sail a couple times before taking it on. Alas, that project starts now. Thanks to everyone in the Mariner Class Association forums for documenting your process. Getting the centerboard out is my priority, and from there I'll refinish it correctly. Onward!” Good luck with your Mariner, Jay - you’ll be sailing before you know it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1715563726604-CNT72DFAX4A3A2BFLM3N/2315.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - May 13-19 While my own ORION sits on her mooring awaiting her first official sail of the season, here is a picture of O'Day Mariner #2315 sitting on her mooring just before she is hauled out at the end of last season in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Look how nice her blue sail cover matches the bottom paint beneath the classy dark-red bootstripe. #2315 was one of the first newer-style Mariners built when O'Day switched from the classic "bump-top" cabin to the more modern, streamlined cabin in 1972, also removing the forward hatch in the process. Her owner reports regularly taking out four adults and two children on daysails; quite a feat for a nineteen-foot boat, but possible thanks to her generous cockpit courtesy of designer Philip Rhodes. She went up for sale just a few days ago, but her classified ad already states "sale pending." Mariners in this good a condition do not stay for sale very long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1716176033933-L75ZF4NC3TRO51VIQET6/DSC_0060-2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - May 20-26 Skipper Spencer Clapp motors his late-style O'Day Mariner ALUNA in the Niantic River while he waits for the railroad bridge to open at the start of the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Although Spencer has a crewmember along, ALUNA has a number of features helpful for singlehanded sailing, including a jib furler, a bow pulpit for added safety when working on the foredeck, and a topping lift to assist with mainsail reefing and furling. This was Spencer's first and only Rendezvous as he ended up selling ALUNA that winter for a larger boat, but he later told me he had a great time and enjoyed the company of so many other Mariner sailors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1716775775036-0JH3REVL5X99X132YJAF/1000000737.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - May 27-June 2 When Dave Oatley, of Blairstown, New Jersey, announced he had sold his mid-style O'Day Mariner, #2186 NANTUCKET, I was awfully disappointed since he had attended several Rendezvous with his sons and they would be missed. Thankfully, he had come into posession of another mid-style Mariner, #2119, and he couldn't keep both, so he sold #2186 and hopes to attend next year's event in his "new" boat. In the meantime, he writes, "I've actually been out once so far this year, but the boat is currently out of the water so I can install a swim ladder. I went on a trip in early April with two friends... definitely the earliest I've ever been out. We sailed from Onancock, VA to Crisfield, MD. We then had to shelter for a couple days while there were 40-50 knot winds and several feet of coastal flooding. [The picture above is of #2119 beached at Crisfield.] It was still a great time and thankfully the tent held up to the elements!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1717384471972-DT5MC1ZD2CZMV6XHRQ8Q/4133.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - June 3-9 Fred Wright's #4133 SWEET P was the first boat featured in this column this year, and here she is again during an overnight cruise he took a week ago from Hertford, North Carolina to Edenton, nearly 19 miles away. He writes, "Got into the [Albemarle] Sound, and the wind and waves started building. By the time, I'd gotten near the bridge, the waves were about four feet, and it was a wild, surfing broad reach or run. Navionics on my phone was showing bursts of 8.2 - 8.3 knots. Once recorded 9.2 knots. All with a reefed main. I pulled the centerboard most of the way up to make steering easier and avoid broaching. Rounding the corner north to Edenton, the shoreline sheltered me from both wind and wave. It had been almost four wild hours, and I was tired, thirsty, and hungry, so about a half mile out I dropped sail and motored in." With many lessons learned and a list of improvements he wants to make, Fred plans on coming up to Connecticut to participate in the Mariner Rendezvous for the second year in a row. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1717960359390-AL4GGFC4VJS4WZNNW013/thunderroad.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - June 10-16 Brandon Fetterman's early-style Mariner THUNDER ROAD has been launched to prepare for the Texas 200 event beginning tomorrow. Brandon participated with THUNDER ROAD in last year's event, succesfully completing the 200-mile journey spread out over five to six days. Established by Chuck Leinweber, founder of Duckworks, the test of nautical endurance is specifically geared toward small boats traveling more or less in company to several waypoints, camping on shore along the way. Brandon became a two-Mariner owner last year when he purchased Mariner #11, built within the first two weeks of Mariner production at the Fall River plant in Massachusetts in 1963. We wish him the best of luck in the Texas 200! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1718598923426-I03JNU8WMU8QDXQEZFGX/2387.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - June 17-23 Skipper Zach Maupin's early-style Mariner sails with a full crew aboard at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey just a couple of days ago. Although she sports a sail number of a later-style Mariner, Zach's boat is actually an early-style boat; she is simply using second-hand sails. The mainsheet is run in the Crosby-rig style, but with the boom so close to the cabin top the vang does not have much effect in shaping the sail. Nevertheless, it looks like a great day for a sail - indeed, Zach has elected to leave the outboard motor on land as the breeze does not seem to be stopping anytime soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1719201490454-PPDA2WCK2XV075OSDUNC/Verrett.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - June 24-30 Brandon Fetterman's THUNDER ROAD was featured in this column a couple of weeks ago as he and a friend prepared to participate in the Texas 200 event, but Mark Verret was another O'Day Mariner sailor who sailed solo with his 1974 boat, #3069 SPARKY pictured here. According to Mark, "She performed beautifully especially in higher winds. One of the highlights was sailing through a few rain squalls." Although the height of the bimini forced the boom to be raised and the mainsail area to thus be reduced, it was a worthwhile addition as it protected Mark in both pouring rain and scorching sun. Congratulations on a successful finish! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1719789153979-UBJF232ZJ9DHRR5WLDRV/Sunk2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 1-7 This is not how you want to find your Mariner! Last Sunday, a fast-moving, severe storm flipped this mid-style O'Day Mariner over on her mooring at the Red Dragon Canoe Club in New Jersey. When she capsized, she turned turtle and her mast broke off; a crane on a barge had to be brought out to flip her back over. Many members rushed to the rescue, salvaging equipment, pumping her out and getting her ashore so the full extent of the damage could be assessed. Hopefully, she'll be operational again within short order. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720490757914-KGXKI0MWVPL8LZQ3B8K6/satter.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 8-14 David Satter's early-style O'Day Mariner WILDFLOWER is truly a remarkable vessel, restored and fitted out to an astronomically high level of quality. Besides the obvious new paint job (including painting the rubrail tan), David added a bowsprit with an anchor roller, full electronics inside the cabin, and even a second portlight on each side of the cabin. A couple of years ago, Mariner burgees were sent out to all the Mariner Class Association members - nearly 450 of them - and David later sent this picture to me writing, "Thanks for the burgee, Nate. Holding up to 20-knot winds on the mooring. I gotta get a mainsail with reef points." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1721158733160-EL3UKLFLLG89CX9048RJ/bouchard.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 15-21 Who cares if there's no breeze on the water? Sailing a Mariner is still the perfect thing to do. Here's a great shot of Jay Bouchard's #3257 STORMY DONNA drifting along on a late afternoon in Colorado. Jay writes, "It's my first year with a Mariner and I've been working to get her in shape. Upgrades so far: refurbished centerboard; new (to me) mainsail; bow, stern, and cabin lights; battery and switch panel mounted in cabin. Thanks to all the Mariner Class Association members for their guidance as I readied this boat for sailing." Notice the trolling motor on the transom to help get #3257 in an out of her slip. And yes, that is an orange lifejacket wedged in between the mainsail and the mast - an unusual place to store one, but I doubt it has any effect on the aerodynamic shape of the sail on such a windless day! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1721615426763-J02TRNEOLP23F8MJ0N88/schiemer.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 22-28 Matt Schiemer sails his mid-style O'Day Mariner a few years ago in Texas during a hot summer day. Clearly, the most noticeable addition to his setup is the bimini with side curtain, and he writes: "It was a stock bimini bought on Amazon. Not expensive, not custom. The 36" front to back length was perfect to fit between the backstay and the mid-boom sheeting for the mainsheet, which I changed from the Crosby rig setup it came with. In order for me to sit upright under the bimini, with a few inches to spare above my head, it required me to cut about 12" off the foot of my mainsail and resew in the tack and clew patches with new grommets. That way I could raise the boom up. Now with the boom up that high, it would catch the backstay, so I had to cut about 4" off the end of the boom. Fortunately, that still left room for the entire (newly sized) foot of the sail. Here in Texas, that shade is king, so it was all worth it for me!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1722208707354-BBZJ6K07O1VEUGQ8FBXC/rogers.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 29-Aug. 4 Mike Hansen sails his 1981 Spindrift Mariner, #4040 BREN MARIE past the abandoned Seaside Sanatorium in Waterford, Connecticut during the 2020 Mariner Rendezvous to New London. Originally built in the early 1930s as a tuberculosis facility, it closed in 1997 and is fenced off while the grounds remain open as the state decides what to do with it. Mike trailered his boat all the way from Michigan to take part in this event, and it was very interesting to compare a Spindrift boat with the other O'Day Mariners. This week, the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous participants will set sail from Niantic with New London as the destination once again, this time able to enjoy activities previously curtailed by the pandemic in 2020. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1722913609699-B6SBTDJDBDT802ZQ0OLE/20240804_101249.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 5-11 Ian Robbins waves from the bow pulpit as his grandfather, Bruce Robbins, sails O'Day Mariner #3200 NORA ROSE along with Bruce's two other grandsons, Isaac and Arthur. All four took part in the Mariner National Rendezvous this past weekend, sailing from Niantic to Crocker's Boat Yard in New London, Connecticut. On the way, the group stopped at Bushy Point Beach in Groton to go for a swim, then the next day they visited Fort Trumbull and the Shaw Mansion before enjoying a catered dinner at the historic Custom House. Everyone sailed home first thing Sunday morning, and that is when this picture was taken. All four had a great time, and they hope to return for next year's Rendezvous, wherever and whenever it will be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1723436630445-Q4A2OQ85WXB0SZWOSHG3/nationals.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 12-18 Skipper Rob Boetticher and crewman Brad Friedman get into position with O'Day Mariner #3151 during the Mariner National Championships held at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey this past weekend. Fifteen boat participated in the regatta, and Tom Green III with his son Tommy in #738 GUMBY ended up hoisting the trophy - their boat is the green boat in the background just ahead of #3151's headstay. According to event organizer Ginnie Iverson, "The Mariner Nationals had a challenging day on the water for the first day of racing. Shifty winds, no wind, and nice gusts at the end of the day; we saw it all! We got two races in on Sunday after a morning postponement waiting for the breeze to fill in. Thanks to all who came." Congratulations to all the competitors! More results will soon be available on the Association's website, www.usmariner.org. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724013807731-8BSKKSTXZS29ZIUMK6SL/20240804_192255.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 19-25 Skipper Steve Hock with his wife Rita sail #1866 WINDY during the 2024 Mariner National Rendezvous a couple of weekends ago. The winds were pretty light sailing from Niantic to New London, Connecticut, but he still made good time - passing me in the process - with help from second-hand racing sails from Mariner #735 (hence the number on the mainsail). Keen-eyed observers might recognize them as racing sails due to the lack of reef points and the thin, dark blue draft or camber stripes which sailors use to help shape the sails in various wind conditions. As some of you may have seen in one of my updates, I recently stepped down from the Mariner Class Association presidency, and Steve stepped up to fill the role. Congratulations, Steve! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724634356775-L0T7O1FS0M5Z9O9OPQ7E/_DSC3262.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 26-Sept. 1 David and son Jason Sasportas sail Stuart Mariner #4117 OCEAN PEARL in Niantic Bay during the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous at the beginning of August. The winds were very light as we took advantage of the outgoing current heading eastward to New London, and we eventually resorted to the "iron wind" to help us get to our destination of Crocker's Boat Yard. You can see on David's transom that his iron wind is one of the EPropulsion electric motors; we got a good chuckle at the launch ramp when the crisis of his motor failing to start was solved by inserting the starting fob, something he had actually packed two of yet forgot to unpack when he launched his boat! This was David and Jason's second Rendezvous, and as David is a Connecticut resident, he hopes to be back for more. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1725227148970-TZPU5GP39ZOYR6S54HZD/rogers.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 2-8 With kids already back in school, one wonders how many more opportunities there will be for those of us in the northeast to have days like this. Here is Matt Rogers's 1978 O'Day Mariner TUPELO HONEY anchored after taking her out for the very first time. He writes, "Got the boat out for the first time and after a day of Mariner familiarization on Lake Charlevoix, MI, and exploring the local Venetian festival, we had a fairly enjoyable 30 NM day to Beaver Island yesterday. At least 85% sailing to 15% motoring! Hard to beat Michigan in the summer. Philip Rhodes and George O'Day--brilliant!" TUPELO HONEY was built in the last year of Mariner production before the O'Day Sailboats Corporation decided to shift their effort to building bigger cruisers. She sports a bow pulpit to aid in working on the foredeck, and keen-eyed observers may notice a snubbing winch on the cockpit coaming indicating the neatly furled jib in its bag to be a genoa. A fine looking boat on a fine looking day for sailing and swimming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1725837771956-3S15QNQCEJO5LSOAV1O9/ponce.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 9-15 Look at that sky! Look at that water! Look at that great-looking Mariner! This shot was taken by Alfonso Pagan at Ponce, Puerto Rico about a month ago, and according to many Mariner sailors from the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet, Ponce is not only a hotspot for racing but for absolutely gorgeous waters and beaches. This sailing crew has stopped for lunch and only lightly gathered the jib and mainsail since they will be on their way soon enough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1726441313060-1UGUH3M0QAP3OTJABXR3/20240802_133237.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 16-22 One of my favorite pictures from the Rendezvous this past August! Fifteen Mariners sailed from Niantic to New London, and on the way, many of us anchored at Bushy Point Beach on the Groton side of the river for lunch. It was a warm day with not much wind, and the water was too tempting to resist; a bunch of sailors jumped over the side and enjoyed the cold - yes, remarkably cold - water. The first to go in were Steve Creighton and Joanne McCarthy from New Jersey sailing #1969 THE POD, and they were the last ones out! Steve and Joanne have participated in every Rendezvous but one since 2014, and when they are not cruising in THE POD, they race #629 BLIND SQUIRREL at both National Championships and local regattas at Brant Beach Yacht Club. They purchased THE POD specifically as the mid-style Mariners have a cabin arch instead of a mast support pole, making overnight stays in the cabin that much more comfortable, especially since Steve is well over six feet tall! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1726954216952-PRI37HA9HCFF8ATW8P24/Newport.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 23-29 Something tells me these days are over for this year. This picture was taken back at the end of July and shows Glenn Fitch (#2225 KATE, on the right) and Don Fitzpatrick (#1532). Both skippers are from Rhode Island, and they rafted up together during the Newport Folk Festival. Watercraft of all kinds - surfboards, paddleboards, inflatables, powerboats, sailboats, etc. - anchored or hovered around Fort Adams State Park to listen to the impressive lineup of musicians playing from on shore. Glenn was even able to improvise a small awning from his mainsail to get some relief from the sun. Both he and Don were happy, as Glenn put it, to "represent Mariner nation" for the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1727653560988-UIOL3XU19IK1L9WB1EWM/315.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 30-Oct. 6 A perfect day for Mariner sailing! This is Nansi Thomas's #315, close-hauled and slicing through the relatively flat water. She is an early-style Mariner, built at the first O'Day Sailboats plant in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1965, and Nansi writes: "This is my 'Ancient Mariner'... I've owned her since 1975. She's the original version, needs a boom tent as the cockpit isn't self bailing, has an iron keel and lovely wooden floor boards. She's my joy." Many owners of older-style O'Day Mariners say they are more comfortable than the later 2+2 models since the lower cockpit sole allows for more legroom. Although #315 has a set of reef points in her mainsail, they are not needed on this day! Look at her go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728162331686-0Y2C5N9AEWG3W9EJ5572/pr.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 7-13 Mariners cross tacks in light winds as they compete during the Regatta Advantix of Ceiba in Puerto Rico, hosted by Marlin Sailing School. Manuel Casellas is ahead in #1023 LA QUE HAY, but Robert Ramos Martin is not far behind in BLACK DIAMOND. The Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet has exploded in popularity - their numbers have surged from five or six to 20 boats, and an online newspaper article was recently published about them. You may notice each boat has a skipper and two crewmembers instead of the usual one; although this photo shows calm conditions at the moment, it is quite windy where they sail in Puerto Rico, usually necessitating a second crewman for ballast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728858657257-MFU4EV0PGVADKDTO0WHB/gilman.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 14-20 Tom Gilman luffs his sails smartly as he approaches the floating docks at the Red Dragon Canoe Club, Edgewater Park, New Jersey. This picture was just taken yesterday while Tom was competing with his mid-style O'Day Mariner, #1545 PILGRIM SHADOW, during the 2024 Burlington Island Race along with five other boats including a double-seat kayak, two lasers, a Capri 14.2, and a Cape Dory 28 - you can't get more of a diverse lot of boats than that! The Red Dragon Canoe Club (RDCC) is home to a number of Mariners and is located just up the river from Riverton Yacht Club, one of the "big four" Mariner racing fleets. Although a lot smaller than Riverton, the RDCC offers many different sailing and social opportunities for its members, and Mariner membership has increased there over the past few years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1729471809204-D1PY073DVB8HF19568LT/11.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 21-27 Well, he did it - Brandon Fetterman completely restored O’Day Mariner #11, built within the first two weeks of Mariner production at the old O’Day Sailboats Corporation factory on 168 Stevens Street, Fall River, Massachusetts. Brandon, from Flower Mound, Texas, already owns another early-style Mariner, and his adventures are well-documented on his YouTube channel, SV THUNDER ROAD. When he came across this one, he just had to have her, and after toiling for many months - including all new wooden interior, floorboard stringers, original paint scheme, and new keel boats after removing the fixed keel - he finally launched her the beginning of this month. It was a triumphant moment, and she is currently the oldest-known Mariner actively sailing. Brandon is selling her to make room for future projects, and whoever buys her will be buying a true piece of Mariner history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1730068650442-ZB78912E04P1CEO0QOJD/SAWP9955-2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 28-Nov. 3 Last week’s picture featured O’Day Mariner #11, and here is another old Mariner, built within a few weeks of the previous boat. This is #20 LORELEI, one of the oldest Mariners still around and possibly the oldest centerboard Mariner. She is berthed here at Mystic Seaport during the 2013 Mariner Rendezvous, a huge event celebrating 50 years of Mariner production and the first big non-racing event for the Class Association. She was one of 18 participating boats that year, skippered by Bill Snyder who sailed her with the others through storm conditions from Niantic to Mystic. Although Bill is now selling LORELEI, he had a great time with her, and it was a real pleasure to have her sailing with the rest of the fleet for that special weekend eleven years ago. Picture credit: Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1730689519172-5K9NO1A3JN214QV2DPB1/2024+Rend+1+Cross.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 4-10 Chris Albert in O’Day Mariner #2714 FLOTSAM peers underneath his mainsail and genoa jib as he crosses in front of Fred Wright’s Stuart Mariner #4133 SWEET PEA during the 2024 Mariner National Rendezvous in the beginning of August. When Stuart Marine bought the old Mariner molds back in the early 1980s, the company discovered the molds were too used up to be of much value, so they hired naval architect Jim Taylor to take the lines off a later-style O’Day Mariner like FLOTSAM for the purpose of creating new molds. While there are a few slight changes to the Stuart molds, they are nearly identical to the O’Day boats allowing them to compete together as a one-design class. Chris keeps his boat in Niantic and Fred’s homeport is all the way in North Carolina; he has trailered SWEET PEA up to participate in the Rendezvous for the past two years. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1731283201651-Z02ZI7UZE2LM9Q476WIK/ponce.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 11-17 And the fantastic pictures from Miguel Casellas down in Puerto Rico just keep on coming! This beautiful shot was taken just yesterday at the Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club where twelve Mariners were competing in a local regatta, eight of them skippered and crewed by family members - how neat is that? They enjoyed 12-16 knots of wind, and a new Mariner owner, Jonathan Lipusek with Quantum Sails pro Efraín Lugo and son Alejandro Lugo scored first place. In secon place, however, there was a three-way tie between Sebastián Casellas, Miguel Casellas III and Miguel Casellas IV sailing #1023 LA QUE HAY; Kenneth Sewell, Willie Olivo, and Luis Borges sailing another Mariner; and Dr. Andrés Socarrás sailing with “Chupi” Bermúdez and Geraldine Vissepó in #3122 JULEPITO. The Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club, established in 1948, is the largest marina on the south coast of Puerto Rico, and the Mariner Fleet there is extremely active. With a beautiful setting as shown in the picture, no wonder it is a popular place! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1731967891174-P7GTKJ73VTYU4OXHALGA/IMG_0273.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 18-24 Skipper Mark Bentley (#2779 INVICTUS) begins furling his sail after anchoring while he waits for the Mystic railroad bridge to open during the 2016 Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. At the very beginning of the event, Mariner sailors launched their boats at the Niantic River boat ramp and worked to find a place on the floating docks to tie up while others were still launching. One skipper, reluctant (rightly so) to dock his boat next to a large protruding bolt connecting two sections of the dock, asked if there was anything that could help him. Mark replied, “Wait a minute,” went below into the cabin of his Mariner, and came back out with the largest ball pein hammer I have ever seen in my life! He leaned over the dock, gave the bolt a hearty “thwack”, and it moved back into place far enough to allow the other Mariner to dock. We all laughed at the sight and wondered what use such a hammer could possibly have aboard a Mariner! Mark sold INVICTUS a few years later, but it was great to have him participate in the Rendezvous from 2016-2018. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1732492221578-IM6UXTRZUZUCETO4GIJZ/ducks.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 25-Dec. 1 Ducks swim behind an O’Day Mariner resting on her mooring in this beautiful, tranquil picture. The thick fog erases the line dividing sea and sky; the air is still, and the reflection in the water is barely disturbed by a few ripples as her mooring pennant hangs limply. The sea grass poking above the water’s surface suggests very shallow water, no problem for a Mariner which has only ten inches of draft. The mainsail and hank-on jib are most likely folded and safely stored below inside the cabin, ready to be bent on when the fog burns off and a breeze starts to beckon the boat’s owner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1733097547676-3Z8PCCZ27W6O9VSENU6P/marinerchristmaslights.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 2-8 It is not uncommon for folks to start decorating for the Christmas season immediately following Thanksgiving; all the fall decorations are quickly removed and hurredly replaced with trees, lights, and figurines. While most people think about adorning their homes with lights, there are those who are able to keep their boat in the water most of the year and thus have the opportunity to spend some time decorating their watercraft instead. This is Joe Nabors’s 1989 Stuart Mariner at his dock on a freshwater lake - look at that spectacular boathouse with the motorboat underneath and the jet-ski nearby. Quite a luxury! But it is the Mariner that receives the attention with all the lights, and the reflection off the water is pretty remarkable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1733842145027-7X8EJJN8Q0IOS2U6YDML/marinerdeck.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 9-15 After some technical difficulties with my website, I finally managed to put up this week’s photo. It’s not every day you see a deck separated from its hull, but that’s exactly what Ted Penfield did with his O’Day Mariner. He writes, “After quite a few years of delay, I am continuing with the rebuild/restoration of my 1976 Mariner. Many other projects have taken priority, but now my focus is returning to the Mariner. Over the past 7-8 years, I have refinished the keel, repaired blisters below the water line and separated the two boat 'halves' to do a replacement of the flotation foam and other improvements. I will be transporting the boat to my summer house on Cape Cod to continue the work and hopefully will finish it for this coming season. I put the boat halves back together loosely for the transportation. In the meantime, I'll be building a gantry/hoist to lift the top half of the boat off, as I did previously.” Good luck with your restoration, Ted! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1734317113467-WC4FSFLK05Z45KBTMKLP/Maggie.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 16-22 Skipper Tim Reiche stands at the helm as he motors out through the Shaw’s Cove Railroad Bridge in New London, Connecticut this past August. He, his wife Erin, and his son Owen are departing Crocker’s Boat Yard at the end of the Mariner National Rendezvous having attended the event in their mid-style O’Day Mariner, #2170 MAGGIE. Tim and his family have figured out how to convert MAGGIE into a true cruiser by adding supports and plywood in the cockpit to transform it into a spacious double-berth, a full cockpit enclosure, and even a portable air-conditioning unit to make even the hottest nights extremely comfortable. The Reiches have attended every single Rendezvous but one since 2011, trailering MAGGIE up from Pennsylvania each time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1734915117097-PURLG2SBP783LG9Y9PSA/eric_Radiant.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 23-29 Skipper Eric Lesniak smiles as he drifts in O’Day Mariner #3485 SHOAL MATE near the Millstone nuclear power plant in Niantic Bay. He has just returned from the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous’s destination of New London this past August and is taking a quick break after furling his sails before lowering his outboard and powering through the Niantic River bridges on his way back to the launch ramp with the rest of the participants. His CDI furler makes quick work of furling the jib, and lazy jacks help contain the mainsail as it is lowered. He has a long painter attached to the bow eye which in turn attaches to his anchor rode; this allows him to anchor safely and comfortably from the cockpit without having to go up forward. Although he sails occasionally with family, he has set up his Mariner primarily for single-handing, and over the years, he has attended seven Rendezvous. I hope he’ll come up to Connecticut again in 2025! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1735518236952-E60V2AIQ90BV0U3JZKLG/IMG_2290_Radiant.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 30-Jan. 5 It has been a tradition for the past thirteen years to feature ORION as the final “Picture of the Week”, and I humbly submit this photo taken by Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF) during the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous back in August. We were all sailing home from New London, and after trimming the sheets and setting the TillerClutch just so, I ventured forward while ORION sailed herself. The wind was just right to allow me to do that, and she sailed without my input at the tiller for at least a mile before I had take over and come about on the next tack. It was pretty exhilarating. As 2024 comes to a close, I wish everybody a very happy and safe sailing season in 2025. Thanks for checking out my website, and I hope it has been of interest and help and provided inspiration. See you in the new year. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2024 daily 0.75 2025-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714786383469-SF9BSH0JWJ338TPDPO24/20240503_114830.jpg Sailing 2024 May 3rd: After finishing a number of winter projects, ORION finally made it to the Waterord launch ramp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714786383469-SF9BSH0JWJ338TPDPO24/20240503_114830.jpg Sailing 2024 May 3rd: After finishing a number of winter projects, ORION finally made it to the Waterord launch ramp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714785466771-QQDB222UYSWKAHN82OQP/20240503_074324.jpg Sailing 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714785570748-GWM3PL2DVW0IOJIQ676R/20240503_121631.jpg Sailing 2024 I didn’t have a chance to take her sailing yet, but it sure was nice just to have her back on her mooring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720034823037-D3XWA4SO478K0ES9NJ5Z/20240511_145152.jpg Sailing 2024 May 11th: I didn't have very much time to go sailing, but I at least get out to the boat to make check her over after a few storms had passed through the previous week. All was fine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720034841504-198EZK7IP23EHW4VTTI7/20240516_131222.jpg Sailing 2024 May 16th: Another day short on time. It was a cloudy, blustery day, and I was happy just to spend a little time in the cabin on her mooring before heading back to work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720034841547-H6VFC44NOPJ61LE4ERZO/20240530_121355.jpg Sailing 2024 May 30th: Finally! I was able to raise ORION's sails, even though I kept the mainsail reefed most of the time due to gusty winds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720034845230-QLZRZWDV6KA83PNEFLUS/20240530_124612.jpg Sailing 2024 I ended up anchoring in the northern part of the mooring field and having lunch before sailing back home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720034845373-Q9U6XC2N4LTAMYUPX0CT/20240620_134227.jpg Sailing 2024 June 20th: After many Thursdays of rain, I finally had good weather! It was great blasting around the Niantic River for a while. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720034847411-R2WKLJQZK110GJUGC5DI/20240620_143232.jpg Sailing 2024 It was good to put ORION through her paces in advance of the trip to Mystic Seaport Harry and I would be taking the following week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720035386760-OZ2TK3BQVZR28HWJXAH2/20240627_130724.jpg Sailing 2024 June 27th: Harry and I left Niantic to sail to the 2024 WoodenBoat Show. We left Thursday early afternoon, stopped at Bushy Point in Groton to swim, and finally made it to the Mystic Anchorage by early evening. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720035389195-48RNKMQ67FH7B3UZGAKZ/20240627_212941.jpg Sailing 2024 I elected to sleep in the cockpit overnight and gave Harry the V-berth. Nothing quite like a snug cabin in which to relax at the end of the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720035393322-MK2KJGRW06FJPBAQZE2N/20240628_092240.jpg Sailing 2024 The Show itself was spectacular; beautiful wooden boats as far as the eye could see! Here are a bunch of boats berthed where O'Day Mariners usually dock whenever we go there for a Rendezvous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728259411769-HEAHACP4EQXMBX1MP4DN/image-asset.jpeg Sailing 2024 We met my father at the Show - three generations of Bayreuther sailors! Check out the photo album of the trip here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720751300330-0RDZ70003G23528QLK1J/20240708_161055.jpg Sailing 2024 July 8th: I took my wife, son, sister-in-law and her two kids around to Jordan Cove to go swimming. There was absolutely no wind, so we had to motor the whole way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720751299298-AKI8UY33SOYF6SCUPUJL/20240708_161113.jpg Sailing 2024 But, no matter - we had a great time, even with the water a little colder than we thought it would be! It was fun to play on the sandbar and have the entire cove almost to ourselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720751302437-FAYB1OR11WEFNFSF4E0N/20240711_114302.jpg Sailing 2024 July 11th: I took my buddy Chris Kent out sailing. The weather forecast predicted 15-20 knots of wind, but it turned out to be 5-10. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720751303607-PSVQXS5B3DCIUHIQN89Q/20240711_121817.jpg Sailing 2024 We sailed around Niantic Bay and visited the Niantic Bay Yacht Club to get lunch at their Galley restaurant before sailing home. A perfect sailing day! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724435040967-AQAT7PSZU8I69OCUTDWT/20240802_084954_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2024 August 2nd: The 2024 Mariner National Rendezvous got underway with 15 boats sailing from Niantic to New London. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724435040731-OTZJ9NZDLGWT0081EC4Y/20240802_133237.jpg Sailing 2024 We anchored for a short time off Bushy Point Beach in Groton before continuing on to Crocker's Boat Yard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724435042907-XSA1QH93IWYJ03PY01EI/20240804_005558_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2024 We had a great time at the marina and visiting various sites in the city, and it was fun to welcome friends aboard ORION to chat a while. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724435042615-T5X87F1WYJ981ZDBEYD4/20240804_191950.jpg Sailing 2024 We sailed home Sunday afternoon, and everybody had a great time. Be sure to check out the Google Photo Album of the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724435502744-X51T9W9ZPVNGOR0YL3YW/20240822_163808_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2024 August 22nd: Liz, Harry and I sailed from Niantic to Fisher's Island in the afternoon. With winds at 10-15 knots on our starboard quarter and an outgoing current, we averaged 7.2 knots over ground. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724435500969-ISFS0IB0M551DODTX456/20240822_184717_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2024 We had a wonderful time walking around. For more pictures, take a look at the Google Photo Album. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1725564109288-N1NWH1VBTAPKZFS8HZPK/20240905_114806.jpg Sailing 2024 September 5th: I spent a nice time sailing up to Keeny Cove in the Niantic River to anchor and eat lunch. It would have been a lot nicer if there wasn't the constant sound of lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, weedwackers and leaf blowers from many of the surrounding properties. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1725564109262-E7WD9JALQ57Z6HVRW75A/20240905_125450.jpg Sailing 2024 After lunch, I motored even further up into the cove since it was high tide. It was so beautiful and tranquil; I should have come here to anchor for lunch! Oh well... next time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728259784147-2SSQOEVWXBG4O0K4BQN4/20240926_113402.jpg Sailing 2024 September 26th: After a few busy weeks at work, I was finally able to spend a little time on the boat, even if it was just motoring to anchor up river. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728259784107-XE1W748FCQ0T7DQV0CXY/20240926_113351.jpg Sailing 2024 It was a cloudy day with rain threatening to come at any moment, so after a quick lunch at anchor, I motored home. As soon as I was back on the road, it started raining. Good timing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728259787794-BZZMZPRK1S2CHCT04HA0/20241003_112708.jpg Sailing 2024 October 3rd: The weather was absolutely perfect for a leisurely sail through the mooring field at the Niantic Bay Yacht Club. About half the boats are still on their moorings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728259787771-1I0J012Q8KF1KT5DESQP/20241003_122021.jpg Sailing 2024 I anchored just south of the Yacht Club and enjoyed a lunch of Mountain House beef stroganoff (surprisingly tasty), a fruit cup, trail mix, cookies, and coffee. Not a bad lunch at all! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1729380948056-LZEB4VFNPMTIEKLC25VM/20241017_100004.jpg Sailing 2024 October 17th: With many obligations piling up at work and at home, I decided to take ORION out a few weeks earlier than I normally would. I brought her into the beach to unstep the mast ahead of the following day’s haul-out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1729380948037-WH9VFSLKVFYTCF3S63HF/20241018_114344.jpg Sailing 2024 October 18th: ORION was hauled out at the launch ramp and brought back to my parents’ house where I powerwashed the bottom and strapped down the mast before bringing her home. Another season has ended! https://www.mariner1922.com/2025-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1736131579964-5KR4I1S33KO3HJS2WG81/Mariners+to+Mystic+2013+032.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 Here’s a picture taken near the start of the big 2013 Mariner Rendezvous. Skipper Anne Fogarty with crew Greg Koski are motoring #2654 TIA MARIA in the rain through the Niantic bridges out into Niantic Bay. The docile conditions pictured here quickly changed turned into a storm out in the bay with gusts to 30 knots. While most Mariners successfully fought their way to Mystic Seaport, TIA MARIA’s rudder and tiller broke while still in Niantic Bay; at the same time, her outboard stopped working. Drifting dangerously toward shore, Anne and Greg managed to set their anchor and radio for assistance. Dan Meaney, close by in #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF, turned around and managed to take them in tow back to the launch ramp. (He then sailed over the following day to join the group at the Seaport.) Although TIA MARIA was out of action for the event, Anne and Greg simply drove over to the Seaport to join in the fun with everybody else. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1736131579964-5KR4I1S33KO3HJS2WG81/Mariners+to+Mystic+2013+032.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 Here’s a picture taken near the start of the big 2013 Mariner Rendezvous. Skipper Anne Fogarty with crew Greg Koski are motoring #2654 TIA MARIA in the rain through the Niantic bridges out into Niantic Bay. The docile conditions pictured here quickly changed turned into a storm out in the bay with gusts to 30 knots. While most Mariners successfully fought their way to Mystic Seaport, TIA MARIA’s rudder and tiller broke while still in Niantic Bay; at the same time, her outboard stopped working. Drifting dangerously toward shore, Anne and Greg managed to set their anchor and radio for assistance. Dan Meaney, close by in #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF, turned around and managed to take them in tow back to the launch ramp. (He then sailed over the following day to join the group at the Seaport.) Although TIA MARIA was out of action for the event, Anne and Greg simply drove over to the Seaport to join in the fun with everybody else. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1736722158154-VYOU8UCA3CZ3NA1A62LI/IMG_6678_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 13-19 Steve Creighton and Joanne McCarthy surge ahead in Mariner #1969 THE POD with Bruce Robbins in #3200 NORA ROSE close behind. They are sailing up the Connecticut River during the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous to Essex, and keen observers may notice a couple more Mariners in the far right background; a total of 16 boats participated in the event. Robert Stelpstra is sitting on NORA ROSE’s cabin top - Robert drove all the way from Quebec, Canada to join in the fun, and Bruce kindly offered to have him crew for him on the way from Niantic to Essex. He hopes to one day participate in a Rendezvous with his own boat! THE POD is actually Steve and Joanne’s second Mariner as their primary Mariner, the old-style #629 BLIND SQUIRREL, is used (quite successfully) for racing in their home waters of Brant Beach, Long Beach Island, New Jersey. THE POD, a mid-style boat, offers slightly more comfortable cabin accommodations for cruising, but she is also quite speedy on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1737330505016-DY0IUJBS8I18AIR3BQ2G/IMG_0611_600845845.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 20-26 Stuart Mariner #4195 ALIKAT sails in light winds on Portage Lake, Onekama, Michigan. ALIKAT’s boom is perhaps a bit higher than most; while this may cut down on sail area and therefore boat speed, it certainly does not seem to bother her skipper, Curt Bosket, who is all smiles on this gorgeous day on the water. It also provides an excellent view forward, but Mariner sailors must be cautious about raising the boom up too high lest it inadvertently - and dangerously - catch on the backstay when tacking or jibing. ALIKAT’s bow pulpit certainly helps keep a sailor safe when working on the foredeck, and her roller-furling jib is a breeze (get it?) when sailing solo. Curt is sailing her with a working jib today with the jib sheets led through cabin top blocks and swiveling cam cleats, but she is also set up for a genoa jib as evidenced by the block on a sliding track and snubber winch - used as a handhold by one of the crew in this picture - on the starboard coaming top. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1737934687705-M71UQL6H6EMLHODAB4KX/Bandido.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 27-Feb. 2 There’s no chance of mistaking this boat on the water! This is Blas Buono’s ultra-green BANDIDA, a late-style Mariner part of the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet. She is often raced, and you can see the four sets of telltales on the mainsail leech, a series of telltales on the jib, and draft lines which help the sailors to shape the sails depending on what the wind is doing. In this picture, BANDIDA’s crew is hiking way over the side of the boat, something not allowed in Association-sanctioned races; crew are expected to keep their feet in the cockpit area. But this is a local regatta where some rules may be bent a bit, and the Puerto Rican sailors generally sail with one skipper and two crew to aid in ballasting the boat given the typically strong winds in that region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1738552835300-IPFPP7C8HBUODDNSP2SE/snowymariner.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 3-9 While racing, daysailing and cruising continues all year long in parts of Florida and Puerto Rico, those of us in the northeast are chomping at the bit to get back out on the water. The snow is falling here in Connecticut as I write this, and it reminded me of this picture I have been saving for a while. This late-style Mariner in Virginia is quickly getting covered as she sits in her driveway for the winter months. Her owner didn’t have time to put a cover on her before the snow began, but no matter; she will be back in the water before too long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1739162021384-VK4DLWETG04OKEVQG9LE/_DSC3271+%281%29.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 10-16 Andy Stotz with wife Bonnie sail by the New London waterfront in their late-style Mariner, #3223 SHELDON JONES, during the Mariner National Rendezvous last August. Andy and Bonnie have participated in six consecutive Mariner Rendezvous so far, and they recently confirmed their attendance for this year’s event with the excited Facebook posting that their “room is reserved and ready to go!!!” They trailer SHELDON JONES all the way from Maine, making them the northern-most regular participants. Notice their gold-anodized boom; this is actually a second-hand boom taken from a slightly older Mariner built during the time when all spars were gold anodized to recognize and celebrate George O’Day’s gold medal won for sailing during the 1960 Olympics. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1739748577012-QO0WOWSJ7RRR1F5MOR2W/3122_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 17-23 Jose "Chupi" Bermudez smiles as he finishes putting final touches on O’Day Mariner #3122 JULEPITO. He’s getting ready for next weekend’s Festival de Vela Regatta to be sailed in Salinas, Puerto Rico. According to fellow Puerto Rican Mariner sailor Miguel Casellas, “Festival de Vela will have the participation of Optis, ILCA, 420's, Sunfish, Hobie Cats and Mariners and our Mariner fleet has decided to name it the Caribbean Midwinters. Chupi is a very accomplished sailor with lots of hours under his belt, having crewed for top notch boats around the Caribbean and doing foredeck with famous boats like TITAN, having won the Rolex Cup - St. Thomas, BVI Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week multiple times just to name a few.” Thanks to Miguel for passing along the photograph, and good luck to all Mariner sailors in next week’s regatta! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1740356956004-JD7U0FIVLHB2FV3K1WBX/3574.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 24-Mar. 2 Jim Nicolini and Nicholas Nicolini concentrate as they approach one of the marks during the 2023 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, New York. Members of Brant Beach Yacht Club (New Jersey) and sailing O'Day Mariner #3574, they scored two firsts, one second and one fourth place in the four races sailed Saturday, July 22nd. The shallow waters in Great South Bay are notoriously tricky to navigate, and sailors must keep a constant eye on the centerboard lest it start to drag in the mud. Unfortunately, racing was canceled the following day due to lack of wind, but that kept the Nicolinis in first place allowing them to take home the Championship trophy! Photo credit: Alan Hlavenka, a professional photographer (and Mariner sailor) based at Narrasketuck Yacht Club who has taken many fantastic Mariner pictures over the years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1741039289462-DBW8RO8AJFB663QI3U22/prracing.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 3-9 The mid-style O’Day Mariner AIRE blasts through the water with a huge bone in her teeth during the second Festival de Vela in Salinas, Puerto Rico a couple of weekends ago. Hosted by the Borinquen Islands Sailing Association, twelve O’Day Mariners from the Mariner Class Association’s Puerto Rico Mariner fleet turned out for this event, and AIRE placed seventh with skipper Luisma Rodriguez at the helm. One skipper and two crew are the rule for racing in Puerto Rico with their strong winds; notice also their 2:1 jib sheets for extra power sheeting in the jib. The Puerto Rico fleet takes great pride in their Mariners, and many of them are either painted with bright colors or they sport custom decals applied on the hull. This fantastic action picture and many others were taken by photographer Carlos G. Lee. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1741568872459-Z4U1ZV9AG08U5HJXHKFD/Picture+148_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 10-16 Back in 2015, nine Mariners sailed to Mystic Seaport the same weekend the WoodenBoat Show held their event. All the docks were filled with boats on display, so those of us who sailed from Niantic had to tow dinghies and anchor in the anchorage above the Seaport. Here, Tim and Erin Reiche have anchored and set a full cockpit cover over their Mariner, #2170 MAGGIE, near the historic yawl KLANG II. Built in 1924 in Falmouth, England, KLANG II took part in Operation Ariel as one of the famous “Little Ships” that helped to rescue over 338,000 British and Allied troops from the shores of Dunkirk and other French ports in 1940 near the start of World War Two. She crossed the Atlantic in the mid-1960s, spending most of her time near Essex and later at Mystic. Unfortunately, since this picture was taken, KLANG II has fallen on hard times and was last reported to be on the hard at a Rhode Island boat yard, available for free to anyone with deep enough pockets to be able to restore her. Let’s hope she receives the attention she so desperately needs and deserves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1742174189401-YN79AR7EYSAALTTY0L8P/1720.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 17-23 Scott Cavato, of Deland, Florida, smiles as he stands proudly next to his new-to-him mid-style Mariner, #1720. He writes, “Sure, she needs a couple of things but is ready to sail as is. The PO [previous owner] took my girlfriend and I out on the water for a brief test sail. This was my first time ever sailing (as well as my GF), and I loved every minute of it. The winds did get a bit spicy shortly after getting out on the water- perhaps 25-30 knots with a reefed main and choppy water. During a jibe, the boat laid almost completely horizontal, rail underwater, and the cockpit combing sitting just a hair above. My girlfriend and I immediately jumped the the other side of the boat, myself trying to hike out. Once the mainsheet was free, #1720 righted herself right up. My girlfriend and I thought we were getting ready to capsize (perhaps we were). Risk aside, it was an exciting ride! This definitely was an eye opener as to how a jibe could pose a capsize risk. I'm taking a brief sailing course next week and look forward to getting this old Mariner out on the water!” Congratulations, Scott - you have a fantastic boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1742820756514-GC2OYH2B4E0BTTR0ATJG/sunset.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 24-30 I’m a sucker for sunset shots, especially ones with Mariners in it, and this one sent to me by Dave Satter is just about as good as it gets. He sent this to me back in 2023 from his early-style #735W WILDFLOWER, and it’s the kind of picture that makes you wish you were right there at this very moment. Dave’s restoration of WILDFLOWER is nothing short of remarkable; his knowledge and expertise in woodworking is extensive, and his website - Satter’s Restorations - shows some of his past and current projects. His boat has been featured in this column several times in the past, and I’m looking forward to sharing more of his beautiful pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1743375104838-HTAOODYOOLLHHTME54WH/gard_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 31-Apr. 6 Warren Katz’s early-style O’Day Mariner, #1176, calmly sits at her mooring, sails bent on, ready to go as the wind makes its way across the lake in New Hampshire where he keeps his boat. While Warren admits to being somewhat new to sailing, he couldn’t have picked a better boat in which to learn; the Mariner is incredibly forgiving. She is in fantastic shape with a gloss-black hull, white bootstripe and topsides, and red bottom paint along with varnished coaming tops. While her sails are original and suffer from a few dime-sized holes in her mainsail, that doesn’t stop Warren from having an absolute blast sailing her, and he is no doubt looking forward to a full season of sailing #1176 since he just bought her last September. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1743974292884-X5T17NEIHDYGZNVQNSN7/wildblue_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 7-13 Ty Johnson’s 1987 Stuart Mariner WILD BLUE rests at anchor just off a beach along with other participanting boats during the 2022 Texas 200 event. An “exhausting, endurance test of boat, captain and crew” (taken directly from their website), a gathering of small boats journey through the Laguna Madre and the bays of south Texas for five to six days covering approximately 200 miles. Over the years, several O’Day Mariner owners have participated in the event, including Matt Schiemer in O’Day Mariner #2014 ODISEA who eventually became a member of the Board of Directors and the main contact person. WILD BLUE is well-equipped to deal with the Texas summer heat and sun as she sports a most welcome forward hatch, a bimini and a cockpit awning which can be deployed at anchor. She happens to be for sale, and her buyer will enjoy a Mariner in pristine condition with many extras. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1744581394102-35BGJ4EGCKRP6YHR3LHC/IMG_0565.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 14-20 The sky and sea are nearly the same slate-grey color as Bill and Teresa Eggers power O’Day Mariner #2280 JULIE B in windless conditions on Long Island Sound. Look how her white topsides stand out! They are heading toward Niantic, returning from the 2017 Mariner Rendezvous to Essex. Although there was a great breeze coming from Essex to the mouth of the Connecticut River, rain clouds quickly moved in and it poured while the wind died. It never picked back up, and we resorted to the using the iron wind all the way home; in JULIE B’s case, she is powered by a Lehr propane outboard, unfortunately no longer in production. This year’s Rendezvous sailors will be headed back to Essex this August, and hopefully JULIE B will be a member of the fleet once again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1745199300846-P707QFYOHS5TK8WP7QHQ/IMG_2331.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 21-27 I can always count on my friend Miguel Casellas to send me fantastic shots of the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet. Published by Ádrenalina Náutica, this is Miguel and his crew practicing sailing upwind in his early-style O’Day Mariner, #1023 LA QUE HAY. Notice the internal bracing to keep the boat as stiff as possible with control lines run under the cabin roof. Also notice the substantial mast support pole to allow the shrouds to be as taut as possible. The mainsheet is the typical Crosby rig setup and the jib sheets are 2:1 for extra purchase in the stiff Caribbean winds, and Miguel also added a second backstay chainplate allowing a split backstay straddling the tiller to center it. Thanks for the great picture, Miguel - keep them coming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1745803203050-BJPX7W6L6W78O6438GKM/BBYMariner_Radiant2.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 28-May 4 An employee polishes the hull of a mid-style O’Day Mariner in the showroom of Bayreuther Boat Yard, February, 1972. The snubbing winch on the port coaming and the jib sheet track on the side deck indicate this boat was set up to have a genoa jib, and the small blocks at the very after end of both coamings reveal a Crosby-rigged mainsheet setup (instead of a mid-boom sheeting arrangement). Notice also the protective flap over the transom to prevent an outboard motor from marring the gelcoat. (Perhaps one of the brand new Evinrudes in the lower right-hand corner of the picture?) Bayreuther Boat Yard, my family’s marina from 1946-2000, was a dealer of O’Day sailboats, and this picture was featured in the spring, 1972 edition of “Sail Sell”, a newsletter for O’Day dealers. The featured boat was one of the last mid-style Mariners; that same year, O’Day began manufacturing Mariners with a more streamlined cabin with no forward hatch and wider coamings with no wood trim along with some other alterations, known as the late-style. I personally think the mid-style is the best iteration of the Mariner, although I admit to being heavily biased as ORION is a mid-style boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1746413634589-I4T9U6FNYWGAKQ90PFOB/DSC_0064-2.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - May 5-11 Brad Wall waves from the helm as he and his wife Caroline motor O’Day Mariner #3582 SWEET SADIE in the Niantic River prior to the start of the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous. Brad writes, “We bought this boat to see how one of us would like sailing, with hopes of buying a much bigger boat in the future. As such, we spent over $10,000 in upgrades and took more than a year retrofitting her with the types of hardware and features you would normally find on a much larger coastal yacht.” The list of upgrades is too large to mention here, but suffice it to say that Brad totally transformed this boat inside and out. She’s now for sale, and her next caretaker will have an absolutely fantastic Mariner to enjoy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1747092781730-EERVP3LT7PIX7C2VEAP7/173_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - May 12-18 Two friends cautiously make their way to the foredeck as O’Day Mariner #173 THE FREE plows through the water on a breezy, late afternoon sail back in 2014. Discovered on the side of the road on Long Island, New York with “FREE” spray-painted on her bows, a young man named Hunter Stump rescued her, brought her home, and restored her over a period of several months. Although you can’t see him, he’s at the helm in this photo, no doubt proud of his boat as four of his friends enjoy the fruits of his labor. THE FREE is an early-style Mariner, built in just the second year of production in 1964 at O’Day’s manufacturing plant on Stevens Street in Fall River, Massachusetts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1747607205398-FEO8ZPBZBHPZ70F6MBK4/IMG_2932_1948348419+%281%29_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - May 19-25 Ryan Williams’s #3491 STELLA MARIS waits patiently at the state-owned launch ramp at the absolutely gorgeous Lac La Belle, Michigan. While her sails are not bent on yet, her outboard motor is ready to provide auxiliary power should the wind remain calm. Lac La Belle - literally, “Lake the Beautiful” in French - is 1,146 acres and connects to Lake Superior through the Mendota Canal. It is part of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan that, as described by author, historian and photographer Mikel B. Classen, “is full of ghost towns, abandoned mines, lighthouses, waterfalls, and remarkable beauty. The discovery of copper there turned it into a thriving region that made millionaires and then paupers of the same men.” It looks like a fantastic place to explore, perfect for an O’Day Mariner. Who wants to go on a roadtrip? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1748211238848-64D20Z3XZYPAGZPJ31U2/2019Nationals.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - May 26-Jun. 1 Skipper Chris O’Brien in #3599 DOUBLE O’MITZVAH keeps laser-focused as he approaches the orange inflatable windward mark at the 2019 Mariner National Championships at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. The stiff breeze is kicking up whitecaps on the water, and #3599 has her leeward rail buried despite both skipper and crew on the windward rail and the jib backwinding the luff of the main. In fact, sailors could only compete on Saturday as high winds canceled both of Sunday’s races. Skipper Jack McCarthy in #4059 is looking for room at the mark, while Rob Seidelmann in #4052 SIN BIN has already rounded the mark and is headed for the leeward gate. Out of seventeen competing boats, Chris came in ninth, Jack placed sixteenth, and Rob came in fourth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1748832398553-6LFOFRKUJRQ597MXS758/140803MA_Mystic-111_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - June 2-8 Skipper Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP, right) sails by skipper Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF) en route to Mystic Seaport during the Mariner Rendezvous back in 2014. Although the winds were light, thankfully there was just enough to allow all of us to sail the entire way from Niantic to Mystic. Steve sailed with his wife Rita that year, but Dan sailed with his entire five-member family, prompting many of us to comment on the “boat full of Meaneys.” Steve sold his boat after a few years in favor of a Catalina 22, but after a while, he recognized the error of his ways and purchased another Mariner, this time a mid-style boat like ORION. Currently the President of the Mariner Class Association, perhaps this goes to show that once you’re a Mariner sailor, it’s hard to quit them! Photo: Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1749507719541-61TPO560WQ9YVLV5GG0D/P1010329.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - June 9-15 Bill Snyder finishes attaching his United States flag ensign to the backstay of his O’Day Mariner #20, LORELEI at the Mariner Association’s 50th Anniversary Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut. He trailered LORELEI up from Lewisberry, Pennsylvania and, along with friend Roger Kirwin, sailed with 16 other Mariners nearly four hours in a storm all the way there. Bill’s son-in-law, Kevin just told me this past week his wife, Liz (Bill’s daughter) “remembers him being on that trip. She told me she somehow knew that he was in a storm at the time and stopped what she was doing and prayed for his safety.” The event ended up being a huge success, and although I would invite him back every year, he would always respectfully decline, not because the interest wasn't there, but it was quite an ordeal to trailer his boat so far. He and I kept in touch, and I was saddened to learn he had passed away last month. Even though I didn't know him as well as many other folks, it was a pleasure to have known him as much as I did. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1750035668629-HFLGXACQT5N5E01ZN6FB/bill_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - June 16-29 Bill D’Autrechy finishes some last-minute work before his Mariner, #2537 LAST CHANCE, is launched at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey this past weekend. Surf City launches all their boats from several cranes, and LAST CHANCE - formerly GENERATION GAP - is suspended from the crane’s hook with a four-point bridle while resting on two step ladders for support. The bridle attaches to the side chainplates and the aft cleats, although it is important for those cleats to have some sort of backing plate so they don’t rip out through the deck. Bill has owned #2537 for many years and served on the Mariner Class Association Executive Board as Treasurer from 2010-2016; now in his 90s, Bill doesn’t show any sign of slowing down and is looking forward to this year’s racing season. Picture: Terry Moulton. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751235390122-LAGCZ3T8ECDPMPXMYAQB/scrubs.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - June 30-July 6 A couple of days ago, I sailed with my son Harrison to the WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport - more on that later - and I happened to spy this early-style O’Day Mariner in the mooring field just off Noank. Named SCRUBS, her open cuddy cabin has been enclosed with custom wooden companionway boards to help keep out the elements, perhaps also protecting her mainsail and unattached roller-furling jib. Her coiled main halyard dangles loosely, the end of the boom rests unsecured in the cockpit, and the boom’s mainsheet block is empty, all suggesting she might have been just recently launched for the season and has yet to receive final preparations. Her rudder is kicked down and her tiller is secured with a line athwartship, possibly in an effort to keep her from dancing around on her mooring. Her old Sailmaster 9.9 hp outboard is at the limit of what Mariners are designed to accept for auxilliary propulsion. Nice to know another O’Day Mariner is in the neighborhood! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751771705484-AV4EK4F4YEOAKRDRU2QV/IMG_2362_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - July 7-13 And the great pictures from Puerto Rico just keep on coming! My friend Miguel Casellas writes, “Festival Mar & Arena was held last June 28-29 on the beautiful waters of Bahía de Jobos - Guayama, Puerto Rico. It is a very well protected bay with plenty of winds where you can watch dolphins and manatees. And just to its west, there is a Boilumunicest Bay. It is the perfect venue for sailing, especially Mariners. A total of ten Mariners competed in the event. Local North Sails Christian Plaza won the event sailing TIO MILLO in a very tight and cut throat competition from Dr. Andrés Socarrás, veteran sailor and former Olympian Robbie Ramos, former Opti sailor Sebastián Casellas and Air Force veteran Luisma Rodriguez. Winds ranged 14-21 knots, 10-15 degrees wind shifts, flat water, 85 degrees temperature, windward leeward courses with gates, .6 miles windward legs, a total of 10 races with one throw out, Quantum Sails Fraito Lugo helping with all the rigging and tuning of all boats, great food and ice cold beers! It couldn’t get any better than that!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1752461517687-SVVXDM33K5QZH5DUESCX/1977_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - July 14-27 Jake Berger’s 1977 Mariner sits on her mooring in shallow tidal marshes in Massachusetts. That’s one of the great things about the Mariner - with a ten-inch draft, they can “float on a heavy dew”, as someone once put it it, and sneak into the skinniest of waters. Her sails are not bent on and her rudder is unshipped while she waits for Jake to take her for her next outing, but what a nice place to wait! In the meantime, Jake has put her up for sale as a change in work circumstances will soon be preventing him from spending much time sailing. He has taken excellent care of his boat, and fresh bottom and topside paint as well as a recently refurbished centerboard ensure whoever becomes her next owner will have little maintenance to attend to before enjoying her on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1753671636742-53BFS1PB8K730Y5PSC2H/20220805_112852_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - July 28-Aug. 3 Skipper Dave Oatley smiles at the helm along with his sons Jackson and Bennett as they sail #2186 NANTUCKET during the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous. That year, participants sailed from the Niantic River to Safe Harbor Essex Island, a distance of about 15 miles; this coming weekend, Rendezvous sailors will return to Essex Island to enjoy the marina, historic main street of downtown Essex, and even a sail aboard a replica of the 1613 ship ONRUST built by Adriaen Block which he used to first explore the Connecticut and Hudson Rivers among other locations. Dave, Bennett and Jackson will be returning this year although in a different mid-style Mariner. If you’re in the Essex area between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning, pay us a visit! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754276159500-VYBG3DDT7H7NWKXS6A2C/20250803_073046.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 4-10 The sun begins to rise over a whole bunch of Mariners tied up to the docks at Safe Harbor Essex Island Marina yesterday morning, Sunday, August 3rd. Twelve Mariners and over 30 sailors took part in the 2025 Mariner Rendezvous sailing from Niantic to Essex, Connecticut. A small craft advisory on Friday morning turned out to be an absolutely fantastic sail, and light winds predicted for yesterday morning turned out to be a gorgeous sail home. Many more pictures and a full write-up will be available soon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754868705708-NX6Y79I6K2WVZSLSDSID/DSC_0317_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 11-17 Skipper Steve Hock balances himself to get a shot of some of the Mariner fleet departing Essex Island Marina the last day of the Mariner National Rendezvous just a week ago here in Connecticut. He has #1866 WINDY’s outboard idling as he uses an arm against his boom to steady himself for the perfect picture. I have featured many pictures taken by Steve on this website, and it’s nice to finally get a good one of him in action! His service as a military photographer in Vietnam helped him to hone his skills, and he knows just what to look for when setting up a shot. Currently the President of the Mariner Class Association, Steve owned a late-style Mariner before selling it and eventually purchasing this mid-style boat with a little more room below (no mast support pole) for cruising. He’s a great friend as well as a great sailor and fantastic photographer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1755473639269-4HQ0ZXKX3BDN8TL5FC4Y/4046.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 18-24 Richard Worsham motors #4046 GREBE with family and friends during the inaugural Raid Erie event a couple of weekends ago. He writes, “This was officially a Dinghy Cruising Association (https://www.dinghycruising.life/) event, but it was open to any small boats… Around 40 boats were entered. Over the course of the weekend we covered 44 nautical miles with excellent wind and weather. The Mariner performed excellently and shocked everyone with her capacity for crew, pets, and gear.” Back in 2022, Richard, his two daughters and a friend trailered GREBE all the way from Indiana to Niantic to participate in that year’s Rendezvous; he hopes to return for next year’s event. GREBE is a rare Spindrift Mariner manufactured in the early 1980s by Rebel Industries after they bought the old Mariner molds from O’Day. She still sports double portlights - a Spindrift Mariner trademark - as well as her original, multi-colored mainsail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756078509016-VPDIDAW0UY0EREU9EROS/983.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 25-31 What a neat shot from Slim Miller in Vermont of his early-style O’Day Mariner #983 SCRAMBLER! He writes, “Well, just back from a successful maiden voyage/shakedown cruise! Launched from Converse Bay on Lake Champlain, and spent two nights out. She sailed beautifully in 10-15 knots of wind. Tried out the reef point, gas and electric motors, sorted out lines and what not. Dallied and swam at a beautiful anchorage with a cold beverage, and was even briefly visited by Captain UV Ray! No harm done other than a deeper tan!” Slim worked on his boat for three years before even taking her out for a sail, and many modifications are seen in this picture, including stainless rails at the bow instead of a pulpit, a second portlight on each cabin side, a custom tabernacle, a wooden companionway sliding hatch, wooden risers for the genoa track and winch, and a mainsheet bridle instead of the traditional Crosby or mid-boom setup. He goes on to write that he’s “not too happy with my waterline paint job,” it looks fantastic to me! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756144714732-NFBO1Q7TO6VC05HCAJAK/sweet.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 1-7 Not long ago, #3582 was refurbished and belonged to fellow Connecticut sailor Brad Wall as SWEET SADIE; he sold her this past May to Scott Nelson from Maine who has shortened her name to SWEET and has been enjoying her ever since. Scott writes: “We live in Old Town, Maine and trailered SWEET to Roque Bluffs where my wife and I rented an Airbnb. Two friends joined us for a sail on Sunday. Winds were 15-20 knots out of the south with 2-foot seas in the bay behind Roque Island. We beat upwind under double-reefed main and full jib at 4.5 knots with minimal spray and no drama. After a very nice lunch, we attempted going upwind towards Jonesport but seas were 5 feet and winds gusting 25 knots. We turned around and had a relaxed sail back to Rogue Bluffs under full jib and no main. I thought to myself when we turned around in the unprotected waters, “This is why people get a bigger boat, but the shoal draft and ease of sailing makes SWEET a perfect boat for us." We spent a night aboard SWEET near Mount Desert Island and it's a comfy camp cruiser as well.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756155486179-07ZZC28DCZK64G03K19Y/dorsey.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 8-14 Ricky Dorsey’s #3660 GRAY LACE rests on a mooring waiting for the wind to pick up before going for a sail on Lake Waccamaw in southeastern North Carolina. Ricky writes, “This is my third year of sailing and I’m fortunate to have her at my pier during sailing season on beautiful Lake Waccamaw. This is a natural lake that’s three miles by five miles and the deepest depth is ten feet. Such a wonderful place to enjoy this boat.” GRAY LACE sports the typical color scheme of the O’Day Mariners built in the last couple of years of production; only 112 more Mariners would be constructed after #3660 before the O’Day Sailboats Corporation ceased manufacturing the Mariner to concentrate on building larger cruising sailboats. O’Day filed for bankruptcy just ten years later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756208865115-YS2V1Q3Q2NJ5KK08DSMO/bouret.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 15-21 Roberto Bouret tends to his jib while his O’Day Mariner rests at anchor in the summer of 1976. Notice the custom cockpit cover and also the built-up coamings; this was done to help keep water out of the cockpit during a long passage. Friend Miguel Casellas writes, “Being a good sailor and pilot he wanted to make an adventure of sailing solo from Puerto Rico to Antigua… you need to cross the Anegada Passage which is around 110 miles long and 90% of the time a 12-15 knots beat.” Roberto reports that his boat “did great self steering, just a couple of blocks and a little shock chord. On the way back came straight from St. Barts to San Juan non stop. I left St. Barts at 17:00, I woke up in the middle of the Anegada Passage looking at both the peak of Saba and Tortola; I passed by The Narrows and then I woke up in front of El Morro, almost 40 hours.” What a trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756210801112-PTYZF1IE4WVVNPY4CISF/4156.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 22-28 Now, here’s what it’s all about - look at those smiles! Skipper Steve Hallowell writes that in the middle of August, his family of five “got out in our new-to-us Mariner on salt water for the first time this past week, spending a few days sailing near Bremerton, Washington. Our kids had a blast. The highlight of the week was having a pair of Orcas swim directly under our boat! We’re getting more efficient at rigging and de-rigging but it was wonderful to be able to leave her in a marina overnight for two nights. We sailed 12 miles the first day to an ice cream stop in Poulsbo and then did 8-mile cruises the next two days. I’m really pleased with the boat. Having enough space for three kids and two adults within 19’ is not small feat. The kids played in the cabin and on the bow, even giving my wife and I a few quiet moments together in the cockpit. And she sailed beautifully in the moderate breeze.” Steve’s boat is a Stuart Mariner, #4156. The opening hatch certainly provides good ventilation at night, and the double lifelines go a long way providing safety and security, especially for kids. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756231843926-KTT98IPO6P5RAO38UWLF/a30c6e0f-c8a4-4a51-9ba1-0fb00679a2ae.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 29-Oct. 5 Look carefully at this picture… what seems unusual about this early-style O’Day Mariner sailing along in perfect conditions? That’s right - there are two headsails! Brandon Fetterman managed to rig a bowsprit on his 1964 Mariner THUNDER ROAD and set a second jib, and he reports that it went “surprisingly well.” A veteran of the Texas 200 event, Brandon was inspired by other sailors of that event with similar rigs and wanted to try it out on his own boat. In this year’s Texas 200, THUNDER ROAD was struck by lightning and, according to Brandon, it “sounded and felt like a huge cannon! Lost all electronics, everything's fried. Bolt hit the top of the mast disengaging the windex and made its way down the starboard shrouds down by where I stow the battery and set that on fire briefly and took a chunk out of the railing. Really scary white knuckle ride.” Brandon has an active YouTube channel with many videos of his projects to rehab both THUNDER ROAD and Mariner #11, made within the first two weeks of Mariner production at the O’Day factory in Fall River, Massachusetts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756257304569-WW92I7FU9X421PGCVFAL/stewart.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 6-12 This sunset picture of Stewart Mayer’s #1781 TORTUGA couldn’t be prettier. Is this a photograph or a painting? Stewart writes, “After two years of on-and-off restoration, the TORTUGA's first ‘real’ sail was in Toddy Pond, located in Surry, Maine, just north of Blue Hill. I enjoyed getting to know the boat, along with my 13-year-old son as crew. The boat sailed beautifully, much more agile and responsive than I had predicted. After a few weeks practice in the lake, we spent our last week in Maine sailing in Blue Hill Bay, with beautiful Acadia as a backdrop.” It’s hard to imagine anything more picturesque. Stewart was kind enough to write, “Your website was part of my inspiration to spend two years fixing the TORTUGA.” Thanks, Stewart - I’m glad it was helpful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756645865665-OS5REH3AQ3HJIE3GK8OP/Eric+Hall.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 13-19 Can you imagine a more beautiful place to sail? This is Eric Hall sailing his Mariner, #2989 VAGARY, on Lake Champlain, Vermont with the hills and sky looking like it was painted on the ceiling of a Newport mansion. Eric writes, “I joined the Mariner family and launched VAGARY in June of 2024. Lake Champlain offers numerous options for launching from the Vermont shore so trailer sailing is the way to go! I have been impressed with how the Mariner handles in the 2-3 foot swells and 15 knot winds Champlain often dishes up, and after a spring interior renovation look forward to longer cruises in future. With the Adirondack mountains to the West, ANY location on Champlain will offer a tremendous sunset cruise when the weather is right! My log [back in August] says we have traveled about 165 miles in about 40 hours on the water this summer and we should have a few more good days to come.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1760916915632-TGT77383IPQAQ0MS4IJ1/IMG_0261_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 20-26 Skipper Jack Lorraine sails his boat, Mariner #1469 TWE, under mainsail alone up the Mystic River during the 2016 Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Jack trailered TWE (short for THIN WATER EXPLORER) all the way up from Hampton, Virginia to sail in this event, and he returned to take part in the next two annual Rendezvous to Essex and Stonington. In 2016, his motor failed on the approach to the Seaport, so he sailed up the Mystic River as far as he could before turning into the wind, dropping the main and skillfully grabbing a towline from ORION, all within a hundred yards of the Mystic railroad bridge. TWE was recently restored, but Jack has decided to put her up for sale. He writes, “After Covid, I had two hips replaced, and TWE went unused. My grandkids are grown up and have no time for sailing. Best to pass the boat on to someone who can enjoy it.” It was great to sail with you those three years, Jack - thanks for participating. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1761617670428-P96X69I6IWSU83N1H3Z2/3221.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 27-Nov. 2 Brad Johnson’s fully-restored and upgraded #3221 MERRY PERRY rests right up near a beach after a great day of sailing. Brad writes, “I received #3221 for free at the end of May, 2025. She was very dirty and hadn’t been in the water for three or more years. She sits on a trailer way too small and is stinky on the inside. Honestly, I was looking for a bigger boat like a 21’ or 23’ but #3221 fell into my lap and it’s a wonderful thing. The community around these boats and their versatility is exactly what I was looking for. After a good assessment she seemed to be solid and seaworthy (other than a 2” hole in her hull for a knot meter that was nonfunctional and leaking). At this point I decided to go all in. I put in way more hours than expected, mostly over thinking the placement of things. I wanted to sail her in June, then July, then by the end of August she was finally ready. I have had a number of day sails as well as three epic overnights with my wife so far. Everything has worked out wonderfully.” Congratulations, Brad! She looks fantastic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1762136909212-816AKIG4VCFNM3MC1O0U/DSC_0239_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 3-9 Chris Albert works on adjusting the reef in #2714 FLOTSAM’s mainsail during the 2025 Mariner Rendezvous from Niantic to Essex, Connecticut this past August. A small craft advisory prompted most sailors to tuck in a reef before heading out into Niantic Bay, and although we were glad we did, the wind strength was nowhere near what was predicted. It was a lively yet enjoyable sail westward to the Connecticut River. Chris keeps his boat fully rigged on a trailer at Mago Point Marina right next to the launch ramp; he simply hooks up his trailer and plops it in the water whenever he wants to go sailing. No bottom paint needed, and he never has to worry about moorings dragging or mooring pennants fraying in bad storms. He is one of only three Mariner owners who has participated in all seventeen Rendezvous beginning in 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1762746758407-5YCU23ND2PE0L7X3AVXO/Tupelo.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 10-16 Matt Rogers’s 1978 O’Day Mariner TUPELO HONEY on a shell-strewn beach last week on the final day of her sailing season. Matt writes, “The sailing season has ended for me here in Michigan. TUPELO HONEY is put away in the pole barn for the winter. But not before we snuck her out one more time to explore the Erie Islands for the first time and only for one night.” The Mariner’s centerboard allows her to sneak into shallow bays and secluded coves where other, deeper-draft vessels cannot possibly go; having the ability to come right up on a beach is a wonderful thing, especially since no tender is needed to go ashore. An added bonus for freshwater Lake Erie sailors: no bottom paint needed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1763338246692-10S109QQBL6BJJK8Y64C/pr.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 17-23 While most of us here in the northeast have our boats put away for the winter and have seen the first flurries of the season, spectacular sailing continues in Puerto Rico. Miguel Casellas writes: “Nine O'Day Mariners saw action this past weekend and a total of four races were sailed off the coast of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Sailing conditions were spectacular. Winds 13-20 knots were sailed Saturday and Sunday races were cancelled due to thunderstorms and very bad weather. Windward and leeward courses duration were 35- 40 minutes each. Veteran pro David Kerr and the Race Committee did a SUPER job. Spanish Rock and Reggae music by Berklee College of Music guitar guru Millo Torres was played Saturday night and the concert was excellent.” The next regatta is scheduled for March, 2026 in Salinas. Miguel finishes his e-mail to me: “Life is too short. Come down to Puerto Rico and enjoy our weather and culture. So make your plans ahead.” Boy, Miguel, it sure is tempting… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1763935066637-IDDRKS29RVAG9O7PQGVJ/MarinerFog.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 24-30 Brendon Flanagan’s late-style Mariner rests on her mooring in Hancock, Michigan as a low-lying bank of fog hugs the surface of the water. Her jib is hanked on the headstay and her mainsail is bent on, ready to be raised the moment the breeze starts to fill in, sending her on her way. Although it is undoubtably more convenient to keep one’s boat at a slip allowing owners and guests to board and disembark with ease, having one’s boat on a mooring allows the boat to keep head to wind in a blow no matter the direction, eliminating the possibility of having the boat repeatedly bash itself against a dock. On the other hand, there is the possibility of the mooring dragging or even having the mooring pennant part during a storm, so there are drawbacks and advantages to both situations. Financially speaking, it is certainly more cost effective to have a mooring; ORION’s annual mooring fee is less than $100 while nearby slips are around 30 times as much! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1764561352863-G143AMH5YGDRPQSK4LXB/2862_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 1-7 Skipper Ed Wise makes an adjustment as he sails his #2862 CHRISTINA T westward toward the Connecticut River at the start of the 2025 Mariner National Rendezvous this past August. A small craft advisory that morning prompted most of those sailing from Niantic to Essex to tie a reef in their mainsails before getting underway, and Ed has done so here. It was a smart move, especially since he was sailing solo and would have had his hands full upon reaching the Connecticut River when the wind shifted to be nearly on the nose. Ed bought CHRISTINA T brand new in 1974 and has cared for her ever since. He has also participated in eight Rendezvous since 2011, trailering CHRISTINA T up from Pennsylvania each time. While health problems have prevented Ed from attending more Rendezvous over the years, he always makes the annual event a priority, and it’s great to sail with him when he can make the trip with his Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1765251064642-GOWJPERV8SHTEPV79KFN/spohr.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 8-14 As I mentioned in the caption for the Picture of the Week a couple of weeks ago, it is wonderfully convenient to be able to keep one’s Mariner at a dock, and skipper Chris Spohr has his boat ready to go for a cruise. The cooler is stowed onboard as well as the portable gas tank, and once the mainsheet is rigged, they will be on their way. Chris’s additions to his boat include a telescoping boarding ladder on the transom, a beefed-up rudder, stainless handrails on the cabin top, a second portlight on each side of the cabin, a Bomar forward hatch, and a solar panel on the cabin top to charge his onboard battery. He also took the extra step of enclosing the cabin a bit more like the later 2+2 models. A great-looking Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1765758180260-O90BJP9Z4KJ1HSHR7SLM/DSCN2512.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 15-21 Skipper Ed Wise pauses to smile for the camera as he scrubs the salt off his boat during the 50th Anniversary Mariner Rendezvous back in 2013. The day before, he was one of 18 Mariners that braved stormy conditions and sailed his boat, #2862 CHRISTINA T from Niantic to Mystic Seaport, Connecticut single-handed. I first met Ed when he trailered his boat from Pennsylvania to Connecticut to take part in the 2011 Rendezvous, and we became good friends and kept in touch by e-mails and occasional phone calls through the years. He would participate in more annual Rendezvous in 2012, 2017-2019, 2022, 2024, and 2025. A lifelong sailor and Navy veteran, he trailered CHRISTINA T (named after his daughter) to various locations to both race and cruise, although he enjoyed the latter much more than the former. Battles with illnesses and cancers kept him from sailing more, and I was deeply saddened to learn he had passed away last Monday at the age of 77. It’s hard to think of the Rendezvous with him not there; it simply won’t be the same without Ed. Everyone enjoyed his presence, and I already miss him. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1766361359158-CNCNIOYD8SCKAYQFISCB/4304100_5_IMG_1200.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 22-28 The hull of Brad Johnson’s #3221 MERRY PERRY glows as it reflects the light from a nearby beachside campfire. Brad and his wife spent a remarkable three-day adventure exploring Great Sacandaga Lake in upstate New York back in September, and he writes: “At the north or outlet of Great Sacandaga Lake it’s relatively narrow and you find yourself in a ‘holler’ where the mountains are steep, tall, and provide natural wind shelter. We spotted a sandy beach that’s part of a public lake access. We stopped by and decided this was where camp was going to be. The beach is unique here as it’s all sandy and very steep. We could swing MERRY PERRY sideways, parallel to the shore. With two anchors deployed one off the bow and one off the transom you can step from beach to cockpit without getting your feet wet! Amazing! We had a fire on the beach, cooked some steak and rice, and slept on MERRY PERRY for the night.” Altogether, they sailed over 90 miles, and Brad concludes, “Those three days and two nights will forever be in our memories. Our first multiple day outing on a sailboat out of hopefully many, many more.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1766971845675-C5XH3CWX6QU2S8YLY4MX/_DSC6885_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 29-Jan. 4 It has been a tradition since 2011 to end the year with a picture of ORION, and this is a great shot by Steve Hock during this year’s Rendezvous to Essex. We had a hat full of wind sailing out of Niantic Bay and up the Connecticut River, and after motoring through the Old Lyme drawbridge and underneath the Baldwin highway bridge, we enjoyed a great sail the rest of the way to Essex Island Marina. My friend and fellow Mariner owner Bill Eggers (#2280 JULIE B) was with me, and Steve snapped this photo of ORION at hull speed, the lee rail a stranger as we roared to Essex. It was a great event. I hope everyone has enjoyed this website for the past 18 years. You can expect more pictures, projects, and updates in 2026; in the meantime, Happy New Year to all, and I hope to meet some of you on the water next season. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2025 daily 0.75 2025-12-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751569159212-AZPBUFDQXARDH05GULYX/20250508_113724.jpg Sailing 2025 May 8th: With new bottom and bootstripe paint and a polished hull, ORION looked like a million bucks when she was launched for the season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751569159212-AZPBUFDQXARDH05GULYX/20250508_113724.jpg Sailing 2025 May 8th: With new bottom and bootstripe paint and a polished hull, ORION looked like a million bucks when she was launched for the season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751569417200-4XOL5D7Q6V2FXHD856JX/20250529_134617.jpg Sailing 2025 May 29th: It was a cool day with light winds when we finally got to take our first official sail in the Niantic River. I fixed an upside-down sail slug and made other small adjustments. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751570343054-2NTLZS4K8KCJU5XS62V4/image-asset.jpeg Sailing 2025 June 19th: With Harry out of school for the summer, we went for an afternoon sail in Niantic Bay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751569574045-8ED350XRNFZKAMVW7C5C/20250619_130426.jpg Sailing 2025 We sailed over to the Niantic Bay Yacht Club, had some lunch at their restaurant, and sailed back in beautiful conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751569635904-YUSA7C8CT14A27ZS42OQ/20250627_165023_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 June 27th: Harry and I sailed to the WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport. Even though the 10-15 knot wind was on the nose the whole time, the current helped us along. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751569635488-X5XBE1660ODKDXZ7HGKU/20250628_123200_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 We stayed overnight then went to the Show on Saturday before motoring back that afternoon. Check out the Google photo album of the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754412091220-MWD0789AN74V9IUIGJTK/20250717_103936_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 July 17th: I stopped in to visit my friend Tack Ryan on my way to Niantic and checked out his work as he gets O’Day Mariner #3602 MISCHIEF back in sailing condition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754412097540-6MMQPFW7DPMPTOX6EUCJ/20250717_132454_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 I then had a great sail with my friend Chris Kent out in Niantic Bay, and we sailed to the Niantic Bay Yacht Club for some lunch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754412090962-RNLEYZX8DA5M2UAD7FPZ/20250717_132450_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 It was a hot day, but the food was great and the sailing even better. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754412157574-I5ILPJO5Z4PBCEMJFED4/20250719_210644.jpg Sailing 2025 July 19: I took my wife, son, sister-in-law and her husband as well as their two kids out into Niantic Bay to anchor and see the fireworks for Celebrate East Lyme. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754412767786-UJ135XJXMIQMMFG2LN7R/DSC_0203-2.JPG Sailing 2025 August 1st: The 2025 Mariner Rendezvous began! Twelve boats participated in this year’s event, launching from Niantic and sailing to Essex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754412813469-YGUNA380TOL7NSQCQGSN/DSC_0251-2.JPG Sailing 2025 There was a small craft advisory for the morning, but we had a beautiful sail under reefed mains and working jibs in ideal conditions with the wind coming from the northeast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754412816987-WXHNWP8A9VYFWAQO09AV/20250801_150751.jpg Sailing 2025 Essex Island Marina was our destination, and ten of us fit on both sides of one dock while the other two shared a nearby slip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754412817963-8QV3TLWAYR6YM29P31UP/DSC_0290-2.JPG Sailing 2025 We had a great weekend, exploring Hamburg Cove, sailing on the ONRUST at the Connecticut River Museum, and enjoying a perfect sail home on Sunday. Check out the Photo Album here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1757678766665-3WNJCUFA4K3KGD7ZANVM/20250904_124608.jpg Sailing 2025 September 4th: A beautiful day out on the Bay! I took my father along this afternoon with the intention of flying the spinnaker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1757678840316-7PELBMY2JY9S2ACVGUPJ/20250904_130948.jpg Sailing 2025 Initially, it seemed as though it might be too breezy to fly the spinnaker, but it ended up being just right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1757679132426-D08BGLCN2Y2VQC1Y3V3V/20250911_100943_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 September 11th: I sailed around Black Point to Giant’s Neck with the TRUE LOVE in tow. The wind plus incoming current had us over seven knots over ground at times! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1757679136968-GLMXETCCQXWX3EIMHWIM/20250911_121947_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 Once at anchor north of Griswold Island, I put the awning up and settled back in the cabin for a few minutes. Not a bad view out of the companionway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1757679131971-9PCIF2GO7B0CF51DN6OY/20250911_110659_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 I went rowing up the Pattagansett River about a mile in the TRUE LOVE, threading my way through the marshes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1757679137835-EUNYXO4O79SI0B6SGWRA/20250911_142221_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 My friends Doug and Bonnie Butler met me for lunch, rafting up alongside. Check out the Google Photo Album of the trip here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1758543084936-W3WPPJ9H0XHDC4D566WZ/20250918_110008.jpg Sailing 2025 September 19th: I motored up the left fork of the Niantic River about 2.5 miles, anchoring for lunch and attending to some chores on the boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1758543125745-WG83B9H4WTQGF0BVAPJT/20250918_125343.jpg Sailing 2025 The clouds broke up and it became a beautiful sunny day. Turkey Point, usually a popular spot for boaters and kayakers during the summer, was deserted on this mid-September Thursday afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1759544420385-EI460DIBBZH4VSBF968F/20251002_123806-2.jpg Sailing 2025 October 2nd: I went out into Niantic Bay and crossed paths with this beautiful catboat named LITTLE FEATHER sailing out of the Yacht Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1759544425171-8KESL56NFL78G4Q8T7TQ/20251002_130609.jpg Sailing 2025 I anchored tucked into the northwest corner of the Bay just below McCook’s park and had a quick lunch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1759544428925-35RWEZ1PYTW9G7Y3Q9IP/20251002_130614.jpg Sailing 2025 The spire of St. Agnes church pokes above the trees behind the Hole-In-The-Wall beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1759544432488-HHHRN4Q7EG35PV9QHVVN/20251002_140109.jpg Sailing 2025 The weather had predicted 10-15 knot winds gusting to 20, but instead it was light and variable. I motored most of the way home, but who cares? It was a gorgeous day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1760582142076-RHGZU70SBJYECB9V05FR/20251009_113745.jpg Sailing 2025 October 9th: I went sailing with my friend Christopher Grundy on the Niantic River. A small craft advisory in the morning gave way to beautiful sailing in the afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1760582143779-9ZY9HHE8GUPCV15TAHOR/20251009_120219.jpg Sailing 2025 We motored to Turkey Point where I beached ORION, and we went hiking in the Oswegatchie Hills before returning to the boat for lunch and more sailing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1765808840306-K3R83ZSIZUDTNUFHKS2H/20251010_102540.jpg Sailing 2025 October 10th: As much as I wanted to keep ORION in the water until November, approaching storms and a full work schedule prompted me to end the season early. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1765808770324-W7FEVJ2CHIZYBI0UMPCJ/20251124_155125.jpg Sailing 2025 It turned out to be a wise move; I wouldn’t have had the chance to go sailing again anyway. She finally made it inside her boatshed more than a month later. I’m already looking forward to the 2026 sailing season! https://www.mariner1922.com/2026-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2026-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1767619379805-847WRA9BJXD0XRVTEM92/735.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1767619379805-847WRA9BJXD0XRVTEM92/735.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1768191079857-ABRKZY7VNRQ9XCVDU86Q/nelson_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 12-18 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? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1768792959255-NTEPSSMW009O8HVI2S01/1048_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 19-25 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1769387416163-N84UUJQ4UGDKIGOQRYWM/GPTempDownload.JPG 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 26-Feb. 1 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1769986707135-682LQGU78GT1SQPXIWJX/DSC_0231_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 2-8 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1770586645455-4HRBOTE6LX7GIZWC7J6Y/edwards.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 9-15 Chris Edwards’s early-style Mariner, #683 HOPE, rests at a marina in the Keys during a cruise in autumn, 2024. Chris owned HOPE for a whopping 35 years, and he writes, “I have cared for it, resurrected it from two capsizings, and sailed it extensively in the northeast and Florida. It has been in Florida for 25 years.” Take a look at some of his custom additions: opening portlights, wood risers for the snubbing winches on the coamings, cockpit cushions with matching backrests, and custom bow railings. Running lights on either side of the cabin top also indicate an onboard battery. Notice the graphic on the hull? That’s the logo of SMILE Design Center, a dental practice Chris (Dr. Edwards, DDS) established in 2003 in Florida. Prior to becoming a dentist, he graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and continues to make sailing a priority in his life. Although he is now selling HOPE, Chris has already purchased a Corsair Sprint Trimaran, although he writes he “still loves Mariners.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1771196962618-5AHA7I8URVUWU0VL3ORA/fanshawe_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 16-Mar. 1 Two sailors take a mid-style O’Day Mariner 2+2 for a spin on Fanshawe Lake, a man-made reservoir on the historic Thames River within Fanshawe Conservation Area in London, Ontario, Canada. This boat, WANDERER, is one of the boats kept at Fanshawe Yacht Club, and she has been beautifully restored - look at that gorgeous paint job, especially the gold stripe just below the rubrail. She has a custom kick-up rudder, and the furling jib and handrails on the cabin top certainly help make single-handing easier and safer. No outboard motor is needed on the motor mount today; she is slipping along through the water just fine in relatively light air. According to the Yacht Club’s website, they provide “a wonderfully casual atmosphere for families and all those who want to get out and have fun on or near the water.” It certainly seems like these sailors are enjoying themselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1772410121833-OGNT8SJPHOT37D6G8M08/GIFFx_sm_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 2-8 Gifford Eldredge and Danuta Misthal sail #4079 RIPPLE in Fisher’s Island Sound on the way to Mystic Seaport at the start of the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous. Although Giff lives outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he actively races RIPPLE across the Delaware River in New Jersey at the Riverton Yacht Club. RIPPLE is a Stuart Mariner, and she’s scooting along just fine in rather light winds on a beam reach. If you look closely, you may notice a mainsheet bridle system where the mainsheet runs through a block attached to the center of a line, or bridle, that runs athwartship near the transom. This arrangement - recently approved for Mariner Class racing - allows the boom to be brought nearer to the centerline to sail more effectively closer to the wind. That, as well as the adjustable backstay and vang, all contribute to fine-tuning the mainsail to achieve optimum performance on all points of sail in all sailing conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1773061326341-5DLEJCJS30AP9RTGBC2R/DSC_0125-2_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 9-15 James Hollister sails #1574 LIVELY on the last day of the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous on Long Island Sound. That year, as we sailed home to Niantic, Connecticut from our destination of Mystic Seaport, the wind came from the north, an unusual occurance but one which allowed us to enjoy a great beam reach almost the entire way back. In fact, LIVELY turned out to be such a fast boat that James arrived back in Niantic Bay ahead of most everyone else. So he turned around and sailed eastward again, passing by the fleet before the wind died and he motored home. The stand-up block on a track just below James’s hand is for sheeting in a genoa jib, but he didn’t need it on this trip - the working jib he hoisted in his CDI furler did just fine! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1773626101276-DQ630GIGPPO6U9R2G4RP/LastChance.JPEG 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 16-22 Skipper Bill D’Autrechy keeps his eyes looking ahead as his crew - son John D’Autrechy - carefully watches the boat from where this picture was taken as they go roaring by. They are sailing during last year’s Mariner National Championships at Surf City Yacht Club where Bill is a member; 22 boats crossed the starting line, and exactly half of them were from the host Club. For many years, Bill raced Mariner #2537 GENERATION GAP with his son, but he sold that boat and later purchased this Mariner, #3446 which, in a light-hearted nod toward his advanced age of 91, he named LAST CHANCE. Take a close look at the rubrail - notice anything unusual? In the mid-2000s, after receiving significant damage to part of the hull-to-deck joint lip or flange, her restorer took the drastic step of cutting off the lip entirely with a saw and fiberglassing the two halves together, adding a stainless half-round rubrail on both sides. This eliminated any leaking in the joint and reportedly stiffened the boat noticeably. Bill is certainly enjoying the results, and let’s hope he will have many more chances to compete against fellow Mariner sailors as he has done for decades. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1774227044710-N55Q0HO6CPMDP6H8W1AM/beach_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar 23-29 Two Mariners are anchored off Bushy Point Beach in Groton, Connecticut during the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous from Niantic to New London. Despite a promising start to the event with decent wind coming out of Niantic Bay, it quickly died off Waterford, and we reluctantly fired up our outboards to make some progress against the flood tide and chop approaching the Thames River. One by one, Mariners approached Bushy Point Beach and anchored their boats for lunch. The cool water proved irresistable for many, and soon they hopped over the side. In this picture, Bruce Robbins’s grandsons aboard #3200 NORA ROSE are preparing to jump while Steve Creighton’s and Joanne McCarthy’s #1969 THE POD rides at anchor just behind them; Steve and Joanne are already in the water out of sight of the camera. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1774875184029-9H9IYPXIR5F90G3Y3YJV/Beached.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 30-Apr. 5 #1464 DAWN TREADER is beached on an island during an 80-mile, 26-hour trip with her skipper, Stefan Avey and a friend from Titusville to Fort Pierce, Florida last weekend. Stefan writes, “The trip was mostly just for fun/adventure but also to get an idea for what a longer trip like the Everglades Challenge would look like. We aimed to make the trip as quickly as possible and without using the motor (which we brought just in case). I recently installed oar locks and purchased 10' oars so this would be the real test to see if the system worked.” The trip actually began in the evening and they sailed all night, “taking turns sleeping in the V-berth for a few hours at a time. This was the first time I've slept on my boat when not docked or at anchor. It was pretty cool to wake up to the sunrise while listening to the sounds of the water rushing along the hull (the boat is named DAWN TREADER after all).” The trip was a successful and memorable one, and Stefan hopes to use this experience to plan for longer, multi-day excursions. https://www.mariner1922.com/1964catalog daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472591493152-OGLI5ILU7RD15GS0YOJX/1964-1.jpg 1964 Brochure - Fiberglass Sailboats https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472591528283-PJUCQNCSYCSCY5SQ1VCC/image-asset.jpeg 1964 Brochure - Fiberglass Sailboats https://www.mariner1922.com/1964flyer daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471365631328-T7U8QXMF5XWGAYGOMCTS/1964-2.jpg 1964 Flyer - Permanent Boat Fair https://www.mariner1922.com/articles daily 0.75 2025-08-07 https://www.mariner1922.com/anchor daily 0.75 2016-08-18 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621744537-K2XBYYS70CYGKY2M2MGX/deckcore+027.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621742087-4C0SVKTSMNJJDC5CPPGO/deckcore+029.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621758536-AAAYXKISE6XOS3WQL1ZN/deckcore+030.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621817966-XD8XFC18JQRB1EJHCR05/deckcore+031.jpg New Deck Core - Sanding https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621815676-DR0WZF06ZNPOM8UKHZJ6/deckcore+032.jpg New Deck Core - New G-10 core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621836048-775IVDB4L528C56JB32E/deckcore+033.jpg New Deck Core - Wet-out https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621832946-QNCKPB62AN9YVBNIXIGH/deckcore+035.jpg New Deck Core - New core in epoxy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621846743-XR54BTVQD8W3E9ESZ2BK/deckcore+036.jpg New Deck Core - Added epoxy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471621856135-0KYBPSJBMUSD6QZM13EW/deckcore+038.jpg New Deck Core - End result https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471622151084-YKOSDD2O4JGFCB8ELKG8/deckcore+040.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471622146978-HQBM2JP2HRFYKXJVHPHB/deckcore+042.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471622224144-COVTY6WGMIBFX98QWIOW/deckcore+043.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471622221726-OSN929263RI0M4I8CYX6/deckcore+044.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471622298767-QCE7I3LKQYMKD284WD5B/core28.jpg New Deck Core 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471622518793-8R9MJKISHCM82IAYEUME/deckcore+056.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626085703-N1W5VE2COYHCMMMEXK48/deckcore+057.jpg New Deck Core - Arch cut-out https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626089139-DRDL1Z7EZETUX01OIHXV/deckcore+058.jpg New Deck Core - Removed flap https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626107612-HR0GN37KU4L0F9E2137I/deckcore+060.jpg New Deck Core - Epoxied back https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626102833-RV0ZHMY8UCVCEI8SP76D/deckcore+062.jpg New Deck Core - Held in place https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626026326-9ZA5LE13AVIL1HS3CBCL/deckcore+054.jpg New Deck Core - Dremel tool https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626026572-YWMBQ90CUDUOK78WGVII/deckcore+059.jpg New Deck Core - Epoxy filler https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471625291339-7GH3BQZQWOP4X09IP2E8/image-asset.jpeg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626522493-C4O1CL7PJV2LI4UI220T/core43.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626523154-9CZULUZ0TGCBTGEZ73FD/core44.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626526869-OTEC3RM3DOFDF4EQWTXR/core45.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626528694-SHN3O1HNZMN5TJEANKUO/core46.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626681437-58IZCPF4RB3BFCHIK1S6/deckcore+083.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626752677-VZYQMBT1JWTIQ40ZDUQO/image-asset.jpeg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626827624-KHMP9GENGY5P13HRUDLU/deckcore+093.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471626827428-K1CF4XLFHMSUPSV4ZP97/deckcore+094.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627016993-4C2NLU5MJOLEGSHOEE12/deckcore+097.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627021920-Y8HCXVVRL62MF1PCWEW6/deckcore+098.jpg New Deck Core https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627033264-80IQGB78EDPNJCN5SCYW/deckcore+099.jpg New Deck Core https://www.mariner1922.com/hatchboards daily 0.75 2016-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627490994-URQU1P1RRXW1YWP6R2OL/image-asset.jpeg New Hatchboards https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627598520-T4QDRZJ9Q60FCU995WAQ/finishedhatchboards1.jpg New Hatchboards https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627600465-OJCG2QDE6GUYXV3MLLFR/finishedhatchboards3.jpg New Hatchboards https://www.mariner1922.com/cabinpaint daily 0.75 2016-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627731617-RZK5L4QD83MJWSL9JCUV/Before1.jpg Painting the Cabin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627729298-O1HC4AT51YI4L8VH3HUM/Before2.jpg Painting the Cabin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471628059485-6EBVBH7OKASFWNNC5Y3K/image-asset.jpeg Painting the Cabin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627970486-AMUH6YCSMNPCW0YK9TD6/After1.JPG Painting the Cabin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627971914-VDQ8YVLK43V2NPYEQ2C5/After2.JPG Painting the Cabin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471627863966-EFRUQOUIDO08ORK23G3X/image-asset.jpeg Painting the Cabin https://www.mariner1922.com/hulldeckpaint daily 0.75 2016-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471628281377-KDPA9JKMH1ZPMLTP9DJO/image-asset.jpeg Painting the Hull and Deck https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471628376106-BJOTERZ1L3R3AH1DA31P/Before+paint2.jpg Painting the Hull and Deck https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471628409209-1F6GVU99HEQUP40PXMWW/After+paint1.jpg Painting the Hull and Deck https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471628770214-RJ0R4U4XHBSWPR2IDURA/image-asset.jpeg Painting the Hull and Deck https://www.mariner1922.com/contact daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://www.mariner1922.com/rubrail daily 0.75 2020-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629541823-K8C8IYJD84J4DVFIJU09/image-asset.jpeg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629621369-9QWO6CSKZK3NDJ2G0TZM/rubrail1.JPG Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629620882-MH0N9TISQNE3VHWQSIAW/chunk1.JPG Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629683790-L00LMUNYZLZ5Y09DCL6C/image-asset.jpeg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629844515-ECO971I6KNBSQG5FBTUN/image-asset.jpeg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629950648-Z5MSIJRJXDYAZQJ9UBWJ/rubrail3.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629951276-57N2OSIJUH9UUB7AHWPL/rubrail4.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629960048-ANOUQBAYSKB01FH3RZ8Z/rubrail5.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471629958147-EPGDTB6JKGJ43R5LTPKP/rubrail6.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471630284463-GHPS5ZHBLP2PDE3GOEGN/rubrail7.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471630283698-1YWYC2VAFNXWK1PYEBGQ/rubrail8.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471630294297-D0RU9POLPKU2HRHLOYTM/rubrail9.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471630293392-J25BQ2T774MT7VPU8OEK/rubrail10.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471630302780-UIAZL3XO5J9FPKXMZORN/rubrail11.jpg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471630367573-6X4WG7JSBZ6BJ52NT6MM/image-asset.jpeg Rubrail Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471630475781-AUP6ASCFQYK0DLQTEZSS/image-asset.jpeg Rubrail Repair https://www.mariner1922.com/rudder daily 0.75 2016-08-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631159857-QWMXIBN7KSJM1DD12DNJ/image-asset.jpeg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631262072-VCHTE2V764U87BE5LXVP/Nathan%27s+Mariner+rudder+repair+002.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631259148-WA1P7ZF1SDYH26ORR5SK/Nathan%27s+Mariner+rudder+repair+001.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631328197-DI88D5RGY0SD1IJ3GUI4/Rudder1.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631331059-MLLCGMKWMZA4HZ2G68VD/Rudder2.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631337261-60N298SKMXCLC2BJEI1Q/Rudder3.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631338582-IJOSDDATVNZTRGUUEOT2/Rudder4.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631348757-RZMMVQ404I7DAKQ0LYQN/Rudder5.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631344934-D8EGS4BBVZK0X39EUE3O/Rudder6.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631350519-AWBPDKSCD1FHDM5M0SA9/Rudder7.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631361744-3M62Q49SLC70NY068T0Z/Rudder8.jpg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471632246905-GDKJUHIUNR6OT4WUMV7A/image-asset.jpeg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471631964769-ABUPCJVA1QGECWB36L08/image-asset.jpeg Rudder Repair and Upgrade https://www.mariner1922.com/transom daily 0.75 2016-08-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471632436847-F4BFQBAM903FQLPGK7H2/image-asset.jpeg Transom Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471632732974-KQ441GPO8R7YA4W8UGQ5/Pictures+022.jpg Transom Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471632732065-K0PRGZ8KVAGS4J0P8330/Pictures+023.jpg Transom Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471632729379-5UWM40A7IR4T2IJR9782/Pictures+001.jpg Transom Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471633026359-YAGNF7WM8IXUK341WNYS/image-asset.jpeg Transom Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471633122994-IVD80EJUNVXHIQJYCY5M/image-asset.jpeg Transom Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471633302229-7RP6I39B2PK81KH1V7L9/image-asset.jpeg Transom Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471633355158-DNGV62UTIZ893C6N5YNR/image-asset.jpeg Transom Repair https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471633480752-F98AOXRVQ1HE2A5J1DX4/image-asset.jpeg Transom Repair https://www.mariner1922.com/ventilation daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3992a86d-96a1-4b0f-86eb-40c2c492a0fa/901795W_l.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471633657453-3XXHQQ37V71K2SPZHLX9/image-asset.jpeg Ventilation The original 4 1/2” hole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c2090dbd-557b-41bd-851a-c93d2d652244/20230108_181917.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out Wax paper taped to the underside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/c2d67a0a-45d2-476c-acb7-460ff6b6b886/20230108_184939.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out Thickened epoxy glopped around the edges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/cd94a40c-ba9b-498f-8439-bc6ab0bdf4da/20230109_093549.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out Sanding with the wooden block. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2da8899f-b4f9-4ccf-865f-c8c8f561104b/20230109_094625.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out Marking the new 3.75” hole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/fef3943b-3ca6-4c01-b28d-c568554cf263/20230109_095738.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out Cutting with the jigsaw. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a038e779-badc-40ef-9189-2a957e781636/20230109_100712.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out Final sanding, and it’s done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/9dd3549f-0f1b-4c86-bcd7-fae1efbffe08/20230109_113643.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out The vent base with 5200 sealant applied. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/9cee71cf-09a0-4300-a2a5-2803bc434624/20230109_114511.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out The base sealed and screwed in place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/335871eb-8c9a-4667-bc30-5e049f67d31e/20230109_115339.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out The gasket placed over the hole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/0df730a9-6dc6-4997-afba-825446b65eac/20230109_115528.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out The new vent screwed down and ready to go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/5b81ae2c-6e23-452a-9358-c7892fd85d03/20230109_115655-2.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out The vent on the inside of the cabin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/e7487129-7565-43f7-83f0-e2f2254df954/20230109_123101.jpg Ventilation - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/sect daily 0.75 2025-09-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471637875363-K2RSJBKTDNQNCT463W4D/RogerL_Myst.jpg.JPG Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1606775186893-XDU7WCMF0K5I4N5BDF5M/image.jpg Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Nate Bayreuther, Fleet Captain #1922 ORION Niantic River https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471636856985-08S9ZW0UA5LITFLR6DO0/image-asset.jpeg Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Chris Albert #2714 FLOTSAM Niantic River https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1606775262682-Y1WUAQSC0GZ47VNFRTQL/image.jpg Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Dan Meaney #2024 CLEW SEA NUF Niantic River https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/a7244614-6299-4570-adc1-6bfb6c1da79e/DSC_0215.png Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Alan Schaeffer #1692 SPRAYSONG Mystic River https://www.mariner1922.com/sail2016 daily 0.75 2016-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471960930010-M1Y2ONBBU9JWZ3OK9E7L/DSC_0415.jpg Sailing 2016 https://www.mariner1922.com/sail2015 daily 0.75 2016-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471964716235-R0KXVQXU5SRJZECV4V21/IMG_0541.JPG Sailing 2015 https://www.mariner1922.com/sail2014 daily 0.75 2016-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471967417999-P8TY4MJLSD7GAASP9J6F/IMG_0371.JPG Sailing 2014 https://www.mariner1922.com/2016-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472143901015-0PCMHBJIVMGKPAVXI1XD/_HLA2334.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360026560-HXZMQPWSWPSW5FL4VC5E/145.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 Amy Ellison's #145 CEOL NA MARA is tied to the end of one of the docks at Watergate Marina in Clear Lake Shores, Texas. Although the fog is rolling in, the light breeze is perfect for sailing and CEOL NA MARA (Gaelic for "Music of the Sea") is ready to have her jib hanked on, her mainsail raised, and her docklines cast off. Amy, a lifelong sailor, writes, "She was great while my son was tiny - the cabin was his 'cradle' while we sailed." Amy is now selling #145 for various reasons, although she admits her inclination to sell her "varies from month to month." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360094587-W9IG06CFOR8U4T87018E/riverton.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 11-17 August 26th was the second-to-last race of Riverton Yacht Club’s Wednesday series, and photographer Byron Campbell was there once again, capturing some great shots as he has done for many years. According to Byron, it was an “incredible racing season, and this was one of the best nights. Wind started at about 14 knots from upriver and dropping a bit as the evening went on.” This photo shows Frank Pelosi in #3599 crossing the start line ahead of five other Mariners; Frank came in first place for the whole summer series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360136628-1L2QAIDO99KR013OOQVM/955.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 18-24 Peter Neils motors by waterfront homes on the Groton side of the Mystic River during the 2015 Southeastern Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous. He is heading to the anchorage just above the Seaport, and he has brought his whitewater kayak along to allow him to get to shore. Peter has made several modifications to his #955 MINNOW, including new portlights, and a bow roller for his Rocna-style anchor. An avid outdoorsman, Peter traveled all the way from New Mexico with his boat to participate in the event and then trailered his boat further north to explore parts of Maine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360137285-CQWH2QS21XARK8IN43ZY/3151.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 25-31 Robert Boetticher and his crew struggle to get #3151's sails set correctly during one of the downwind legs of the 2015 Mariner Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club. They have just rounded the windward mark, and Robert's crew has the whisker pole in hand, ready to pole out the jib to port. The mainsail twisted during the gybe with the upper batten stubbornly refusing to follow the rest of the sail over to starboard, but it sorted itself out within moments. This extremely rare occurrence happens more with a gaff on a four-sided sail, but it is still very uncommon. Robert ended up 15th out of 19 boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360210656-0IT7IYVPUMUPFK0CWI5H/3462.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 1-7 It's hard to describe the feeling when you launch your boat either for the first time or after a long hiatus. For owner Dave Martin and his #3462 SQUID JIGGER, he writes that "this was the first sail after what was a total rebuild. We launched in Leesburg, Florida on Lake Harris and had a great sail for three hours then got caught in a major rain storm. It was great to sail a Mariner again after 15 years. SQUID JIGGER will be here in Florida until May when we bring her to western Pennsylvania for the summer." That's Dave's friend Al in the picture with his wife. The boat looks great! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360481440-VJ1NZ92JMUV16QLJMZG5/4134.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 8-14 As most of you know by now, I'm a sucker for Mariner sunset pictures, and this nice one comes courtesy of Greg Tkal. He was sailing his 1989 Stuart Mariner #4134 MON AMIE on Saratoga Lake, and although the wind is nearly gone, there's just enough to keep his Mariner moving. Greg writes, "I am an active member of the Saratoga Lake Sailing Club. We currently have a few members who own Mariners, and I just acquired a project Mariner which I hope to get back to sail-able condition. I am hoping to make it to one of your rendezvous one of these days!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360515526-XWA9MUIAIUXLQ6MEFJMD/2209.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 15-21 The feeling when you take the first sail in your new boat is hard to describe, but the smiles on the faces of skipper Bill Ferrato and his girlfriend, Becki say it all. Bill's Mariner is #2209 LITTLE BLUE, and the picture was taken, according to him, "June 7th, 2015 on my first sail with my Mariner and my first time sailing with a jib. My parents are taking photos from my family's boat. We sailed from my mooring in Napeague Harbor, New York to Fort Pond Bay and back." LITTLE BLUE is a mid-style Mariner like ORION and has an enclosed cabin with a forward hatch - great ventilation for overnights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360562207-8WVPJWYVJER80ND4APXE/sunk.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 22 - Mar. 6 This horrifying picture was taken during a storm last year somewhere along the New York coastline. Although the rudder was shipped and the sails were removed in anticipation of heavy weather, this 1976 Mariner (ironically named SUNNY DAYS) snapped its mooring lines and came ashore, battering itself against the rocks and becoming swamped. The gelcoat is rapidly being ground away and water is pouring in through an open cockpit locker. Fortunately, a good Samaritan (and the photographer) helped the owner and get her off the beach, although her final fate is unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360603235-JDMQ0YS1WQU3V9AAKWTG/873.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 7-13 The sun is going down and the wind is starting to fade, but Scott Dronen is enjoying every second of sailing his #873 PIG'S EYE. This is just one of three (!) Mariners he owns, and Scott writes, "I sail my late '60s model Mariner PIG'S EYE on Cotton Lake, Minnesota. I purchased the boat from a gentleman in Wisconsin, who owned it for most of its life. The trip back to western Minnesota was interesting, as the trailer had worn tires and the lights didn't work." He goes on to say that it sails nicely, although while this early-style boat is more comfortable than his later-style Mariner, he admits: "I miss the self-bailing option of the later Mariners." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360652673-X5H4CKBW46U6HO8JCI0H/3435.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 14-20 Most Mariners are taken out of the water with their own trailers, but John Bowers' Mariner, #3435 JEANNE I, is getting the "big boat" treatment with a Travelift. John writes, "We are fortunate to have excellent marine facilities nearby that are used to handling much larger boats which can easily accommodate my centerboarder. I mostly daysail [in Norfolk, Virginia], and I am grateful that I can usually sail every month of the year." His father-in-law, a retired sailmaker in southern Massachusetts, quotes George O'Day as saying that "the Mariner/Rhodes 19 design was the best sailing hull he ever produced." I happen to agree! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360693318-JY7QCAA5ZIHSCY12O6QX/2014.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 21 - Apr. 3 Matt Schiemer is now a veteran of the Texas 200, an intensive sailing event comprised of small-boat adventurers sailing 200 miles along the Texas coastline. This picture was taken during last year's event as he was sailing his Mariner, #2014 ODISEA. Although it appears to be a sunset, this was actually taken at a sunrise as he was "headed out of one of our camps known as 'Paul's Mott' during the middle of the week-long event. I have the main reefed in very deep... the forecast was calling for the winds to pick up significantly during the morning hours." Matt was asked to become President of the event due to his dedication - congratulations, Matt! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360727300-66E5DN09G4GOFSQHIR5Q/145-2.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 4 - May 8 Amy Ellison's #145 CEOL NA MARA (Gaelic for "Music of the Sea") was featured as the first picture in this column for this year, but I had to put up this shot as well. It was taken at the same time as the first one, but it offers a somewhat unique perspective from a high vantage point. It really shows off the large cockpit and the beautiful Phil Rhodes-designed lines. There's no doubt about it: the Mariner just looks good from any angle, the hallmark of a great boat and a true classic. With over 4,000 manufactured, it remains one of the most popular and time-tested small sailboats ever created, enjoyed by folks of all ages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360782353-HVZNZL5701S7YFRXTNLE/1922.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - May 9-30 It has been over a month since I have updated this website due to other obligations, and I apologize for having stale material on here for so long. I am renewing my efforts to keep it more up-to-date! This picture was taken last year during a sail in Niantic Bay, and I was able to fly the asymmetrical spinnaker and speed along. It was a beautiful day with winds just light enough to allow me to fly the spinnaker singlehanded, an operation which can become a little overwhelming above ten knots of wind. Nevertheless, it is a lot of fun to fly and, at 215 square feet, is the perfect size for a Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360807498-1Z6OVXH900YJU02XX4PC/2714.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - May 31 - June 5 Last week, Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) and I sailed our Mariners across Long Island Sound during a three-day trip to visit various ports, harbors, and anchorages around Shelter Island and Greenport. After anchoring in Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island the first night, we motored to Sag Harbor and then around Shelter Island to Greenport the next day. It was very rainy and foggy, but we wore our foul weather gear and were happy nevertheless! I took this picture of Chris motoring FLOTSAM to Greenport; it seems as though he is just disappearing into the dense fog. That night, however, we were rewarded with clear skies and a great sunset. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360853589-4U1KVAOXMDO4OE0SRRCK/2862.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - June 6-12 Ed Wise, skipper of #2862 CHRISTINA T, has been sailing in company with ex-Mariner owner Steve Hock (now sailing a Catalina 22) since May 25th. Their original plan of sailing for an entire month in the Chesapeake Bay has been hampered by lack of wind and poor weather. However, they are making the best of it and are making stops at Swan Creek anchorage, the Magothy River, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, St. Michael's, and others. Ed has several techniques to convert his Mariner into a miniature floating condo when at anchor, greatly assisted by this full cockpit enclosure. Here is CHRISTINA T anchored at Rich Neck, Maryland this past Friday. Photo by Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360920654-HADOWQPEJP2ZXLD4KLYQ/plumisland.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - June 13-19 Recently published on the Mariner Class Association's Facebook page, I just had to share it. Charles Crowley sent this with the caption, "On Plum Island, Newbury, Massachusetts." While the focus of the photo seems to lean more toward the nice-looking catboat (a Com-Pac Sun Cat, perhaps?), the mid-style Mariner in the foreground is sitting level, high and dry, waiting for the tide to return. Thanks to the shallow draft of the Mariner, it won't be long until she floats again and is ready for a sail, although it would behoove the owner to lower and raise the centerboard a few times to clear the centerboard case of possible debris. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471360947749-YDPSESUCFYIXEXJRRUG9/romer.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - June 20 - July 3 Here is Dominic Romer's 1975 O'Day Mariner doing what it does best by edging up to one of the many beaches around Clearwater, Florida. Just look at the clear water and white sand! Notice the RudderCraft rudder which may be fully raised out of the water, helping the ten-inch-draft Mariner to explore and anchor in shallow water where others dare not go. Dominic and his wife recently purchased their boat, WING SAUCE, and he writes that they have "sailed it three times so far and love it. I've had a lot of sailboats, but I think the Mariner might be my favorite." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471361021690-0JVVLWS2U3BJF6DMXB9G/byron1.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - July 4-10 Byron Campbell continues to get some great shots at Riverton Yacht Club, and this one shows Mariners battling it out in medium wind on Wednesday, June 15th. Byron writes that it was "low tide, but a nice night". Harry Mayer (#664), leads Frank Pelosi (#3599), and Dave Oldham (#1534) is keeping in front of Dan Walsh (#2778), two-time Nationals Championship winner and three-time Nationals runner-up. Riverton Yacht Club, now 151 years old and one of the oldest continuously-operated yacht clubs in the country, began their Wednesday weekly series back at the end of April; they will continue racing right through the end of August. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471361055033-52DIOWQZ5XDMI4NZPGGL/2714-2.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - July 11 - Aug. 8 Chris Albert's #2714 FLOTSAM is resting at anchor during a trip across Long Island Sound he and I took together back in May. On the second night of our trip, we anchored in Hallock Bay, a very shallow cove in the northeast tip of Orient Harbor. It is about 5:30 am, and the fog has another hour or so before the sun burns it off. We had rafted up before night fell, but we separated to give each other a bit more "snoring room". His preferred method of sleeping is in a hammock suspended under the boom and thus under the boom tent, although his hammock and sleeping bag were still rather soggy from a middle-of-the-night rainstorm on the first night when we anchored in Coecles Harbor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471361087673-W9RB4SQ99C62GNR75QUA/2016Mystic.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 9-14 Ten O'Day Mariners sailed once again from Niantic, Connecticut to Mystic Seaport this past weekend for another successful Mystic Rendezvous. Light winds greeted the group on Friday, but they filled in while off of New London, and it was a great sail there. Despite threats of thunderstorms on Saturday, the sun shone on the group of sailors all weekend long and people were able to enjoy all the sights and sounds of the Seaport and downtown Mystic. Everyone was reluctant to head home Sunday morning, but a steady and building breeze was waiting at the mouth of the Mystic River to provide a lively sail home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471361109831-2OSK7BK1KGRYMXUOA0CN/harry.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 15-21 Today, my son Harrison turns four years old, so I'm stealing this column I usually save for other boats to feature him. A few weeks ago, I went with my wife and son to Maine, trailering ORION and launching at Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island. From there, we sailed north up Somes Sound to the incredibly beautiful anchorage at Somes Harbor. We stayed overnight on the boat for four nights, and although we experienced a number of difficulties over the course of our stay (mainly in the beginning with a blown trailer tire and an incredibly low tide forcing us to spend our first night on the boat in the launch ramp parking lot), Harrison loved every minute. Here he is at the helm during our trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1471793681898-YSJZA4X6ZZKZEJ4UWTU1/IMG_0256.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 22-28 Alan Schaeffer sails his #2470 SIALIA in Niantic Bay during the 2016 Mystic Rendezvous. Alan frequently sails with his children, Joseph and Lydia, and one can always spot his Mariner by the great old British Seagull engine hanging off the transom. Alan happens to be an employee of Mystic Seaport, so he enjoys some privileges that come with the position, including the ability to moor his boat right by the Seaport, surrounded by incredibly beautiful and historic wooden boats. The Mystic Rendezvous was a great success this year with fantastic weather, and Alan and his family had a great time with the other sailors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472477705732-AYMZRD4LXOCNM3T16PFI/1469.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 29-Sept. 4 Jack Lorraine powers Mariner #1469 down the Mystic River headed back to Niantic following the 2016 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. He will soon be overtaken by the 81-foot ARGIA, a schooner based in Mystic providing half-daysails and sunset cruises. Jack sailed his boat singlehanded during the weekend and proved to be one of the fastest sailors. Astute observers may notice his Boomkicker rigid boom vang (eliminating the need for a topping lift), running lights, and a custom-built wooden forward hatch. The name of his boat, TWE, is short for "Thin Water Explorer." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473176181943-A77SDR7Y099K1378EWZT/Nationals.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 5-11 Mariners battle it out at the weather mark during the 2016 Nationals held at Surf City Yacht Club in mid-August. Racers were challenged by strong winds, but it was all good, clean racing with no protests. A whopping 22 Mariners participated in the regatta, and Dan Walsh with crew Randy Swartley (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) came out on top for his third championship trophy. This picture shows Tony and Sarah Mercurio (#3061 KRUSTY KRAB) rounding the mark just before Tom and Michelle Green (#738 GUMBY) while Bill Watters and Tim Gallagher (#860) still need to tack. As it turns out, #860 would eventually place second, #738 third, and #3061 sixth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473680935254-5D6QXCMJZDJK6QCC3L9V/2170.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 12-18 Tim and Erin Reiche sail #2170 MAGGIE over a wave as they pass by New London on their way back to Niantic following the the 2016 Mystic Seaport Rendezvous. The forward hatch is open, providing plenty of ventilation to their three-year-old son, Owen, in the cabin. The forward hatch was a feature on all the early style Mariners (1963-1968) and then on the mid-style, "2+2" Mariners (1969-1971). It's a shame O'Day did away with the hatch when the cabin top was more streamlined and "modernized" in 1972, although some Mariner owners of those later models (1972-1979) have installed their own aftermarket hatches to provide much-desired ventilation down below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1474320447528-9S0NI2174HPGG2L8WG12/sunset-001.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 19-Oct. 2 The sun is setting over the west bank of the Mystic River as O'Day Mariner owners prepare their boats for the night during the Mystic Rendezvous this past August. This photo was taken by Chris O'Brien (#2781 O'MITZVAH!) on the floating docks of Mystic Seaport where ten Mariners were berthed from August 5-7. Chris, a Pennsylvania resident and veteran of the big 2013 50th Anniversary Rendezvous, has missed the past few events due to family and work commitments, but the stars finally aligned allowing him to participate this year. As it turns out, his sister works at the nearby Whaler's Inn, so there was a bit of a family reunion that weekend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1475501689740-4ZSEX5VTOZ3YKC6I13YY/invite14002.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 3-9 Skipper Lynda Lane and her crew compete during the August, 2014 Invitational regatta at Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island, New York. The mainsheet is about as tight as it can be as Lynda beats upwind as the immense Robert Moses Causeway Bridge can be seen in the background. She would again compete in her boat, #2058, the following month for the 2014 Mariner National Championships, held at Narrasketuck, placing sixth out of eight boats. Picture courtesy of Alan Hlavenka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1476030093363-O1FKM3QGAWCM2KSG6W9A/sway.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 10-16 Someone spent an awfully long time creating this model of an O'Day Mariner at a marina. Or is it...? This is actually Bob Chandler's #3048 SWAY, tied up at her dock back in July, 2013. SWAY's hull is reflecting the sun which has just peeked over the horizon, and the photographic process known as "tilt shift" has made his boat look like a model. Bob keeps his boat in Tennessee, and it is a real beauty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1476719959122-SKVYRF93JZ0M6Y2JB91D/proximus.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 17-Nov. 6 Marty McLean and his crew sail their early-style Mariner, #735 PROXIMUS, on Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania a couple weeks ago. The winds are light, and one can see the boat's reflection in the water fairly clearly, but that doesn't stop Marty from enjoying a pleasant, autumn afternoon. Should the winds die completely, a trolling motor clamped to the transom will bring him back to the docks without fuss. Thanks to Steve Hock for the great photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1478563243086-A0E6BWKK3IR4RAAF54WO/IMG_0810.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 7-13 Why doesn't Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM have his sails up on such a windy day? As it turns out, the wind is nearly calm; you can tell by the water in the background. He is powering through Plum Gut, a narrow passage between Plum Island and Orient Point, Long Island, New York. It is known for its violent rip tides and currents which can top out at over six knots at peak flood or ebb. This shot, believe it or not, was taken just shy of slack tide and was taken during our trip back in May from Niantic to Sag Harbor and Greenport. The short chop lasted for a good half mile, and we had to keep a firm grip on our tillers as the whirling currents kept pushing us off course. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1479168063892-F8RVC4OM9XRAYWS7C26I/83.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 14-27 It looks like Mariner #83's mooring ball is dragging her through the water as the forceful current on the Merrimack River in Newburyport, Massachusetts keeps the mooring pennant taut. Charles Crowley, the photographer, writes that he hauled the boat "out of a back yard near Salem, Massachusetts last year and passed it on to a friend that wants to learn to sail. We got her rigged and under sail [back in June] - a few odds and ends to sort out, but over all good to go. I have had several Mariners in the past and love them. I'm in a bigger boat now but can't wait to take this beauty for a nice sail." In regards to the current, Charles writes that "it is very light in this picture; when it rips, it pulls the mooring balls under!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1480343783100-E9VQVR2AT2W65HOVIXIB/IMG_0310.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 28-Dec. 18 Skipper Alan Schaeffer sails along the Waterford coastline during the return trip to Niantic following the 2016 Mystic Seaport Rendezvous. He is sailing with son Joseph and daughter Lydia in #2470 SIALIA and is towing a dinghy built by himself. The private beaches are surprisingly empty for a beautiful Sunday afternoon in August, a marked contrast from the public Ocean Beach and Waterford Beach Park the Schaeffers passed by on their way back to the launching ramp. Alan keeps his boats on the Mystic River within eyesight of Mystic Seaport, but he trailered it to the Niantic River Launch Ramp so he could sail with everybody else and join in the fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1482189991635-XHGOGN4RURUXC2X88ZGM/2016+Mariner+Nationals+235.JPG 2016 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 19-25 A cluster of three Mariners battle it out at the windward mark during the 2016 Mariner Nationals at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey. Skipper Bill Watters (#860) has successfully rounded the mark on the inside and has already poled out the jib for the downwind leg. Skipper Tom Green (#738) has not made the turn yet, forcing Tony Mercurio (#3061) to luff up a bit, no doubt causing some consternation. Bill showed his stuff during the regatta placing second overall, while Tom was close on his heels coming in third. Tony would end up sixth, a great showing with 22 boats competing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1482947598430-GVDS09EH6S69LKXGL2B8/DSC_0364.jpg 2016 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 26-Jan. 1 As this year comes to a close, I once again humbly end this year's "Picture of the Week" gallery with a shot of ORION. This was taken by Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) during our three-day trip to Greenport this past May. On the first day, we sailed across Long Island Sound, and I'm motoring ORION into Threemile Harbor at the south end of Gardiner's Bay. We just poked around the harbor for a bit before continuing on to stay overnight in Coecles Harbor, Shelter island. It was a memorable trip with lots of photos taken - they can all be accessed here. Let's hope for a great sailing season in 2017! https://www.mariner1922.com/2015picsoftheweek daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472242416308-313YZQQ36QMPOTET6ED4/Picture+194.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144290824-F7Q6OE8JY8MOBGIDJECG/2014rendezvous1.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 To start off the new year, here is the group picture of all the participants taken at Mystic Seaport during last year's Rendezvous. All these folks sailed in 17 boats at the beginning of August, and it was great to have so many families join in the fun. We are standing in front of a constructed in 1874 originally in New Haven that was later donated to the Seaport in 1970. I left this file a bit larger than most so you can zoom in and see some faces more clearly. Photographer Stuart Watson (second from left) is instructing someone on taking the picture, and I'm standing next to him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144277064-BA9PBP6U90KFUM4JUIJQ/2008.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 12-18 Brian and Gina Williams are the proud owners of #2008 CORYCIA. Not only is CORYCIA their first Mariner, she is their very first boat, having bought her last August. Brian writes, "I've sailed with friends quite a bit, and my eleven-year-old son has really been into sailing the last three summers, so it was time to find a boat for the family. I did my research, and the choice was pretty clear, from my perspective." The Williams live in Mystic, and this shot is taken from a floating dock just south of the Seaport (which is in the background). They also joined the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144311595-5U5AD2ZGR2FIDQ6UAAAP/2714.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 19-25 Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) has gradually turned his Mariner from a regular daysailer into a true cruiser. Over the past few years, he has installed a roller-furling genoa jib (a real luxury for single-handed sailing, which he does most of the time), a new RudderCraft kick-up rudder, a bow pulpit (taken from a Catalina 22), a battery in the cabin for lights and a bilge pump, a "Mack Pack" mainsail system (a cover and lazy jack combination by Mack Sails), and more. His daughter, Michelle (picture here), often accompanies him on longer sailing trips. They make a great team! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144266317-LFCGW19VDEBEVOMO4F1X/584.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 26-Feb. 1 Paul Coward (foreground) is shown here in the lead on the downwind leg of the 2011 National Championships. They were held at Brant Beach Yacht Club, the site of this year’s Nationals coming up in August. Paul, a racer from Brant Beach, has successfully raced his boat, #584 BONNIE D, since the early 1990s. He has won the Championship four times, arrived in second place twice, and finished in third place five times. In this race, he finished seventh overall, yet he did manage to come in first during one of the races on Saturday. A formidable opponent on the race course! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144269552-KNSZ5GIT96HXG64S4Y7J/598.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 2-8 Steve Pawlowskis is shown here last September at the helm of #598 TALLY HO III in Rockport, Massachusetts. He is motoring in front of “Motif Number One”, a replica of a former fishing shack and known to art students as the “most often-painted building in America.” Steve writes, “If you look deeper into the background you can see… the entire north side of the harbor is filled with O'Day Rhodes 19’s and Mariners. We counted 20 Rhodes and three Mariners. They appear to be part of the Sandy Bay Yacht Club fleet.” Mariners are everywhere! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144329316-4VC8Q6G8HHWE1YMXFACT/3590.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 9-15 Amy McDermott is all smiles as she waves from her #3590 WINTER'S WAIT. She, her husband, twin children Michael and Josie, and a couple of friends participated in the 2013 Mariner Rendezvous, and Steve Hock snapped this photo of them as they approached the Mystic River highway bridge. They have just left the Seaport, and historic houses of shipbuilders and captains from the 19th century can be seen in the background lining the shores. Mariner #20, Lorelei, can be seen over WINTER'S WAIT’s starboard quarter – she is one of the oldest known centerboard Mariners currently sailing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144317685-FX9GIMFYREAKIR9UP7CK/2781.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 16-22 #2781 O’MITZVAH! is owned by Chris O’Brien and hails from the Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey, where she is raced every week during the summer. However, Chris made a special trip to Mystic for the 2013 Rendezvous along with three other pals, although he sailed solo for the return trip. Chris’s outboard is one of the newish Lehr models, powered by propane – you can see the green top of his propane tank beneath the tiller. In the background, the 1841 whaler Charles W. Morgan is still being restored in preparation for her 38th voyage which took place last year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144276969-RUF0VDOLLTR5FMTUY361/1922.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 23-Mar. 1 This picture was taken by Steve Hock at the 2009 Mariner National Championships which took place in Riverton, New Jersey. That's me at the helm of #1922 ORION with my father as crew. While I had raced Flying Juniors in my youth, it had been a long time since I was on the racing circuit, and ORION had never been raced competitively before. She received a number of light-hearted "jabs" for being the only Mariner there with a bow pulpit, mid-boom sheeting, and other characteristics indicative of a cruising boat. Nevertheless, we managed to place a respectable 12th out of 22 boats. Not bad! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223935459-UYYYQPX9DQQ3IUACW1U2/16.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 2-8 Paul Sheppard is the owner of #16 CHANCE, the oldest known centerboard Mariner still afloat. Not many centerboard Mariners were produced in the first year of production in 1963, but Paul happened to get his hands on this one and did a fantastic job restoring her. He is the Fleet Captain of the Lake Champlain Mariner Fleet, and he is planning a fleet-level Rendezvous in the middle of July with an open invitation to any Mariner owner who wishes to join in. This picture was taken last year and shows Chance aground at the shale bar on Woods Island, Vermont. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144301162-WGLFCUK40ECTYY2C51P3/2024.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 9-15 Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) is shown here rowing skipper Dan Meaney back to his boat, #2024 CLEW SEA NUF. This took place during the 2012 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport when a group of seven Mariner sailors anchored their boats by the Seaport for one night and rowed ashore to check out the famous WoodenBoat Show before sailing the next day to West Harbor, Fisher's Island. It is an event that will hopefully be repeated this year at the end of June. I personally like Dan's hatch holder - a water bottle taped in position! (He has since installed something a little more reliable.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144307676-AQ5ZAALCGLN88HB57FMP/2186.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 16-22 Whenever skipper Bill Collins would set his genoa during the rendezvous from Niantic to Mystic in 2012 and 2014 (this picture was taken in 2012), he and his boat - #2186 GYPSY ROSE would be pretty hard to beat. His mainsail originally belonged to another boat, hence the different sail number. His daughter, Julianna, accompanied him on both trips and is a fairly constant companion on his other excursions. Bill recently sold GYPSY ROSE, but her new owners are enthusiastic and are looking forward to being her new masters; her new homeport will be Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144323735-P7DCCI8AKJPV8RLGDCKA/3043.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 23-29 Here is #3043 boiling along in blustery winds with three crewmembers onboard. She just sailed by a bell buoy as she approaches a lighthouse in some unknown location. This picture is from the 1977 O'Day Sailboats catalog which touts the Mariner as possessing "Day sailer convenience in a comfortable weekend cruiser." By the time this advertisement went to print, over 3,200 Mariners had been built, and another 500 more would come off the assembly lines before O'Day stopped manufacturing the Mariner in 1979. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144332835-D7R3OQET3F8NF9U75NYF/paulamae.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 30-Apr. 5 Stuart Marine has been manufacturing the Mariner since 1983, and although the output is nowhere near the quantity of O’Day Mariners, the quality is just as exceptional. PEARLY MAE is a 1989 Stuart Mariner and was recently re-sold to a new owner after a number of years in Union, Maine (where the picture was taken). She is loaded with goodies including a Coast Guard “safety package” made available through the manufacturer with items such as anchor and rode, life vests, paddle, pail, sponge, flare kit and horn. What a great-looking boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144270724-2W4FJFX0R6K180HM1IS0/933.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 6-12 Paul Puckett, of Denver, Colorado, recently completed a major renovation of #933 CLASS OF '64. He sent me a great e-mail that tells it all: "Here she is, completely restored and sailing at Lake Havasu [Arizona] a couple weeks ago. It took 2 1/2 years, but my expectations were more than met. She sails like a charm. I'm ordering a furler next week and will add grab rails and maybe a new rudder. If it weren't for the Mariner Class Association and all the encouragement I received from its members, I doubt I would have completed the project." Congratulations and well done, Paul! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144301132-QEEEAD1YPBMV4CJ0JLBI/2154.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 13-19 At first glance, you might suppose this is a brand new Mariner with everything looking so neat, trim, clean, and freshly painted. Actually, #2154 TUSSLE was built in 1971, and she is owned by Stuart Watson who made a number of cosmetic and practical improvements. Stuart attended the 2013 Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport and enjoyed it so much he participated with TUSSLE in last year’s event. Eric Lesniak took this great photo as they made their way down the Mystic River on Sunday morning heading back to the launch ramp. The motor is pretty appropriate, wouldn’t you say? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144325060-UUJUVVD45BSUUB1RPF9J/3507.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 20-26 #3507 was one of the last to be built by the O'Day Sailboats Corporation before they stopped producing the Mariner in 1979 after 3,771 hulls. This picture is actually from the "O'Day Daysailers" advertisement I have in my collection. #3507, with her crew of two, is sailing along a rocky coastline during a late afternoon sail. The setting sun is illuminating the white sails, making her stand out. One of O'Day's biggest mistakes was dropping the Mariner and other small craft in favor of the larger, more expensive models; they would shut their factory doors for good in 1991. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144273084-96FPV0XLOYR7RUS502QN/1574.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 27-May 3 I just love how James Hollister’s #1574 LIVELY is painted. The brown rubrail and sliding hatch and tan toerail all help to make the boat look like she’s wooden; the greenish portlight frames make it seem as though they could be bronze portlights with a heavy layer of patina after years of sailing in salt water. James and his son Nate, who brought LIVELY all the way from Maine, are guiding her through the Mystic River Railroad Bridge on the way back from a successful Mariner Rendezvous last year at the Seaport, and they have their kayak in tow. Photographer: Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144281750-3LTI9IPC130ZZUUBSWI6/2011Nationals.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - May 4-17 Three Mariners are battling it out as they head for the leeward gate at the 2011 National Championships at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. Dixon and Angie Pearce are in the lead in #707 KETCHUP, while Tom Boyer and Bill Clopp in #4059 GRUMPY GEEZERS (isn’t that a great name?) seem to have the edge on Newt and Greg Wattis in #2604 MY LIGHTNING. When the weekend was over, KETCHUP had come in an impressive third overall while GRUMPY GEEZERS and MY LIGHTNING came in fifth and sixth respectively. It was a great weekend for racing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144304065-O2OC9IAZ6JNZ7WRYRTEH/2170.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - May 18-24 Owen Reiche has been a crewmember onboard #2170 MAGGIE for a few years now. His first official rendezvous was back in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the building of the O’Day Mariner which took place at Mystic Seaport, although his mother was nine months pregnant with him at the time. He attended last year’s event (where this picture was taken) and plans on attending the Mystic trip again this year. Here he is, poking his head out of the forward hatch of MAGGIE while his mother, Erin, holds him. Erin and father Tim sure know how to start ‘em young! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144338333-V6IIQJ0WNJ5UE361TVWZ/riverton.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - May 24-31 Chris O'Brien makes the weather mark first in #2781 O'MITZVAH! with Frank Pelosi in #3599 close by his starboard quarter as Mariners at Riverton Yacht Club race on Wednesday, May 13th. Two-time Nationals champion Dan Walsh (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) is not far behind with Harry Mayer (#664 MARE) at the rear. This action shot and many more were taken by Byron Campbell, resident photographer at Riverton. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144310371-PF5CQNNFYMMP0SNI777E/2537.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 1-7 Bill D'Autrechy maneuvers into position in light airs just before one of the races at the 2009 Mariner Nationals at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey. Although the event happened in early September, the morning air was cool enough to warrant jackets and long pants before the sun finally warmed everything up. Bill has been racing for many years and is a veteran of many National Championships. He has also been Treasurer of the Mariner Class Association since 2009. As he frequently sails with his son, he affectionately named his boat GENERATION GAP. Thanks to Steve Hock for the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144334180-32NWAVE2XN7V1HG3KHLE/kettelhack.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 8-14 This beautiful pen and ink print is by Alice Kettelhack (1917-2003), a prominent artist based in Narrasketuck, Long Island. Entitled “Sailing the Mariner,” it was most likely drawn in 1972 and depicts a sailboat race with an older-style O’Day Mariner featured in the foreground and a mixed group of other sailboats in the background. It was at Narrasketuck where the Mariner Class Association was founded in 1966, and Ms. Kettelhack most likely witnessed many races with Mariners on Great South Bay. This print was recently found all the way in Chicago! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144338454-S2SABPE2U5KQW9JYTMSM/westonpainting.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 15-21 Rich Weston recently sold his #2290 SWEET CAROLINE, but he still loves the Mariner and has this painting hanging in his office. He writes, "This was given to me by me late mother as a gift for a promotion at work. She got it in Lewes, Delaware, and I also believe that is where they are sailing in the painting as well. The funny thing is that she just thought it was a nice picture of a sailboat and had absolutely no clue that it was a Mariner, the same boat I had recently purchased. As a matter of fact, I didn't even realize it was a Mariner until a year later when I looked at it closely and saw the Mariner logo on the sail. What are the odds?" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144281168-3H7GT2DF2RP5IAXVYSCT/2014.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 22-28 Matt Schiemer is a veteran of the hardcore Texas 200 event (220 miles in six days) with his Mariner, #2014 ODISEA. One of the improvements he made to combat 14 hours-per-day of hot, Texas sun burning him to a crisp was the addition of a bimini, something rarely found on a boat the size of a Mariner. He cut 18 inches off the foot of the mainsail, almost five inches off the boom, and reset some cheek blocks. He purchased the bimini from TaylorMade and sewed curtains for the sides. Matt writes, "I am very, very happy with this.... It makes a massive difference." Nice job, Matt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144287385-3ZVZX8TI4Y8ZMWLO02LM/2015rendezvous1.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - June 29-July 5 Mariners begin to gather once again at the state launch ramp in Waterford, Connecticut to participate in the Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport and the WoodenBoat Show. Nine boats ended up taking part, although only eight made the initial trip from the Niantic River to the Seaport. Although Friday's sail was somewhat disappointing, Sunday's sail home was a real treat with winds slightly abaft the starboard beam for most of the trip. The Show itself was fantastic with a lot of "eye candy" for wooden boat enthusiasts. More pictures and a write-up will be coming soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144291408-AXEOJ9ZXYH3C5VPPF21T/2015rendezvous2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - July 6-12 Mariner owner Alan Hlavenka sails his boat out of Narrasketuck Yacht Club, but he is also a professional photographer. He just happened to be in the Niantic neighborhood when the group of Mariners were getting ready to depart to Mystic Seaport, so he stopped by the launch ramp. He said to me, "I'll try to be there at the Seaport when you guys come!" Sure enough, as the line of Mariners made their way through the Mystic highway bridge and up the channel, there was Alan at the Seaport snapping away with his telephoto lens. Here I am motoring on my way to the anchorage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144941758-VTDJR2RXVZFLPFWKMPBU/Picture+194.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - July 13-19 Dan Meaney, owner of #2024 CLEW SEA NUF, is in the middle of raising the sails while his daughter, Madeline is at the helm. This picture was taken on the last day of the Mystic Rendezvous a couple weekends ago, and they are at the mouth of the Mystic River about to round the point at Noank and head back to Niantic. Dan has attended almost every annual Southeastern Connecticut Fleet Rendezvous organized since 2009. Last year, he attended with his wife and three kids in, as he put it, a "Mariner full of Meaneys"! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472222986768-0HV8DPAV8BIZRXJMD768/16.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - July 20-26 A few years ago, when I was President of the Mariner Class Association, Paul Sheppard approached me about starting a Fleet on Lake Champlain, Vermont. He now has seven members in his fleet, and after the success of several rendezvous in Connecticut, he wanted to do the same for Mariner sailors at the Lake. This picture of Paul, his wife, and his boat, #16 CHANCE – the oldest-known centerboard Mariner still around – was taken just yesterday by Bill Eggers who attended Paul’s first official (and highly successful rendezvous) this past weekend. Congratulations, and keep it up! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223088062-LSE5180EPHRF84473C6H/2170-2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - July 27-Aug. 9 Steve Hock, former Mariner owner and professional photographer, went sailing last week on the Chesapeake in his own Catalina 22 along with Tim Reiche in his O'Day Mariner #2170 MAGGIE. It was a five-day excursion, and Steve writes, "Tim says unofficially we covered 85 miles from noon Monday till about noon Friday. Two days of high heat and humidity with motoring and the rest pleasant with nice and even strong winds at times.Yes, we suffered some till the sun went down." This picture is of Tim passing Thomas Point Light, four miles south of Annapolis, on the way to their first anchorage in Selby Bay off South River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223153442-DI3UAMSF3STIY1M8M1LV/chesapeake1.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 10-16 Association President Russ Schuss is sailing #272 SIMPATICO in this shot taken by Eric Lesniak during last week's Mariner Class Rendezvous in the Chesapeake. Russ writes, "The Chesapeake Bay Mariner Rendezvous was a success, as much as I could tell. There were 9 Mariners and 13 people. Unfortunately some folks had to drop out. The day of launch was not the best, due to no wind. We motored to St. Michaels and there was one tow. The second and third days were good sailing days. There was a Pizza Party Sunday under the Hooper Light House, and a dinner Monday with awards at the Crab Claw Restaurant." Congratulations, Russ! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223182377-XCDPQXOBW38FO3HRNRQV/2862.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 17-23 Is the mast straight? Is the halyard wrapped up again? Ed Wise in #2862 CHRISTINA T looks aloft while at anchor during a recent cruise. Ed has participated in many races and cruises and recently attended the 2015 Mariner Class Association Rendezvous in the Chesapeake. He even received the “oldest sailor” award at the Rendezvous! Unfortunately, health issues have forced him to recently cancel his participation in the upcoming Nationals at Brant Beach next week, but he is home from the hospital and is on the mend. Thanks to Steve Hock for another great photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223198110-RZ1RQLJNCYZPI7GG6DMS/436.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 24- Sept. 6 I received a very nice e-mail this past week from Maasson Connor who writes, "I am a fan of your website, it has given me much inspiration! I purchased a Mariner a few years ago, #436. You have a picture of her in your 2011 archive. Attached is a new photo of her beached on Garret Island in the Susquehanna River. She is still lovely as ever and her new name is LE COUCH. I spent seven days on her, only stepping off to get provisions and to explore the upper Chesapeake. Thank you for the help and guidance you have provided through your website!" You're welcome, Maasson! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223263339-ZHCNM1XRMEN9N8NJBDC6/2015nationals.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 7-13 A couple weeks ago, the Mariner National Championships were held at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. 19 boats participated in a great regatta with high winds and clean racing with no protests. The boat in the foreground, #4052, was skippered by Rob Seidelmann who happened to come in first at his very first Nationals! The boat is a rare Spindrift Mariner produced by Rebel Industries in the short time in the early 1980s between the O'Day Sailboats Corporation and Stuart Marine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144265721-0Z9PNGAWBHAB3422RT9W/417.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 14-Oct. 4 Here is a great-looking bimini constructed by Charles Tosswill for sailing in his #417 old-style Mariner PEGGY SUE in his home waters of Ontario, Canada. He writes that after cutting down the height of the aluminum tubing and slightly reducing the size of the bimini, "I did not modify the mainsail, or boom. I use the topping lift to keep the boom clear of the bimini while at rest and while sailing. The sail shape does not seem to be affected by this while underway. When not in use, the bimini folds aft and just brushes the backstay. I've been very pleased with it. I'm 6'3" and have good head clearance, also good clearance from boom to bimini as shown."   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144296349-1P6DHRT0AGMN4R9ISOB2/2015rendezvous3.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 5-Nov. 8 It has been far too long since this site was updated, but I offer this picture taken during the 2015 Mystic Rendezvous. Steve Creighton (#629) is resting at anchor under the shade of his polytarp awning while Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW SEA NUF) and daughter Madeline are in the background setting up a cockpit cover of their own. Nine Mariners took part in the Mystic trip that weekend in late June, and a good time was had by all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223307965-H3SQ666TYRT8XPIJO0P9/2170-3.JPG 2015 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 9-15 After nearly a month of inactivity due to various other obligations, this site is back in action and will be updated more frequently! Steve Hock sent me this picture of Tim Reiche sailing #2170 MAGGIE during the summer. Steve writes that the shot was taken "south of Annapolis, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay on a very hot, 92 degree day. This was the first leg of an 85-mile, five day trip from Sandy Point, MD to South River, St. Michaels, Kent Narrows, and Chester River. The intense heat and humidity that day made an afternoon swim a necessity." MAGGIE is still in the water, but like ORION, her sailing days for this season are numbered. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144260676-AK94OJ3XK9MAQN6BTRWE/272.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 16-22 Mariner Class Association President Russ Schuss and his wife Elsie are pictured here motoring up the Mystic River during the 2014 Rendezvous. They race and cruise in their boat, #272 SIMPATICO, and this was the second Rendezvous they attended following the big bash of 2013. The big brick building in the background is an old factory dating back to the late-1800s and is located on the west side of the river where most industrial activity took place (shipbuilding primarily took place on the east side of the River). It is a beautiful destination that sailors never tire of visiting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144314797-VB6I9I7LT4DZ4I2UFIMJ/2714-2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 23-29 In May of 2012, photographer Steve Hock joined me in ORION, and Chris Albert sailed his #2714 DOG DAZE during a three-day trip from Niantic, Connecticut to Shelter Island and Greenport, New York. We sailed to Coecles Harbor and stayed in the anchorage overnight before sailing around the Island the following day headed to Greenport. This picture was taken shortly after dawn as we sailed in light winds and fog from Coecles Harbor and passed by Sag Harbor. Since then, Chris has done some major improvements to #2714 and has renamed her FLOTSAM. What a great trip that was! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223331113-R02VF43DEROKT1QHD88C/lesniakphoto.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 30-Dec. 6 A trio of Mariners make their way to Mystic for this year’s rendezvous. Nine Mariners participated in this annual event, including Tim, Erin and Owen Reiche (#2170 MAGGIE, right) and Peter Neils (#955, MINNOW, center). Since we anchored out, we needed some kind of transportation to get to shore, so we all towed various dinghies and kayaks. The trip there had flukey winds, and although I’m the only one with my sails up, I took them down soon after this shot by Eric Lesniak (#3485 SHOAL MATE) was taken and started the motor so we could get to Mystic in a timely fashion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144296400-S2YC8TCW276MC55YR0BL/2015rendezvous4.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 7-13 Jennifer O'Connor begins to put up the awning on her #1338 HOT FLASHES as Steve Creighton finishes his cover on #629. The covers on all the boats ranged from the simple and inexpensive to the complex and pricey! Both have just put their hooks down in the anchorage above Mystic Seaport as part of the 2015 Mystic Rendezvous. The first overnight was beautiful, but severe weather forecasted for the following night prompted both Jenn and Steve (as well as a few others) to leave a day early. Although the rest of us were able to ride it out, it's always a smart move to know your limits and not tempt fate. Thanks to Alan Hlavenka for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472144306307-FRQY34R469ATKBIWOO67/2154-2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 14-20 Professional photographer Stuart Watson lines up a shot off the stern of his #2154 TUSSLE as he makes his way up the Mystic River during the 2014 Mariner Rendezvous. Stuart came by car to participate in the 2013 Rendezvous and was so impressed he made sure to go the following year with his boat. He has extensively restored TUSSLE, a mid-style Mariner from 1971, adding new portlights, a roller-furling jib, cabin-top handrails, and a beautiful paint-job that makes the boat look even better than new. He took hundreds of photos in 2013 and 2014, many of which are available at the Mariner Class Association's website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223361192-OCNZZSV2Z008IUGYOBEH/2015nationals2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 21-27 Skipper Chris O'Brien and crew Robert O'Brien keep an eye on their closest competitor astern as they round the windward mark in #2781 O'MITZVAH! and head toward the leeward gate during the 2015 Mariner Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club. Joyce Bartlett and crew Chris Scales are ahead in #2217, while #2537, skippered by Bill D'Autrechy and crewed by son John, are approaching on the right. At the end of the regatta, these boats would end up placing right next to each other in the Championship division; #2217 coming in 11th, #2537 taking 12th place, and #2781 taking 13th. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472223378174-718JBIN0QOXVLPGRMSWP/1922-2.jpg 2015 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 28-Jan. 3 And so, I continue the tradition of the last "Picture of the Week" of the year dedicated to my own #1922 ORION. This shot was taken during the last sail we had for the season in the beginning of November. The sunlight against the mainsail really made it stand out against the dark blue sky above, and I couldn't help but snap a photo. ORION is now safely tucked away for the winter, and I am already dreaming of new adventures in 2016. On that note, I wish everyone happy holidays and good sailing with fair winds for next year. And keep those pictures coming! https://www.mariner1922.com/2014-pictures-of-the-week daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230299138-1J8EX9VG215VNCQU8RGL/140803MA_Mystic-133.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226207867-UEL4L9B8PKH457F7A544/16.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 As most of us here in the northeast have been getting snow and ice recently, I thought it would be a good time to show this photo by Paul Sheppard of Swanton, Vermont. His boat, #16 CHANCE, is being used as a swim platform for his grandchildren - check out the interesting lift on which CHANCE is resting. She is the oldest known centerboard Mariner in existence, built in the first weeks of production. Paul formed a three-boat Lake Champlain Mariner Fleet last year, and he is hoping to round up a few more in time for summer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226250336-V6YKK5TEIO8M3SW3OQ6Z/50thlaunch.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 13-19 An ominous beginning! A group of Mariners are tied up to the floating dock at the Waterford launch ramp on the Niantic River, about to set sail for the 2013 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. It was pouring rain, and a 30-knot storm eventually greeted us in Long Island Sound. This was one of the last photographs I ever took with my trusty A540 Canon PowerShot camera; I foolishly left it in my pocket during the journey there, and it became soaked with salt spray and rainwater, rendering it useless. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226279197-7QHFNW03SO3IBNMYRUVX/2862.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 20-26 Photographer Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) and Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T, pictured here) have gone on several Mariner excursions together, and Steve sent me this shot from a trip they took together last fall. He writes, "It's on the James River... at the Jamestown settlement. That's the SUSAN CONSTANTin the distance, a reproduction of the 17th century ship that brought the first English colonists to Jamestown in 1607." More here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226395168-L646T5DAAETVH2KSFWF0/3302.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 27-Feb. 2 Jim Aspell is the proud owner of #3302 BLUE HEAVEN, based out of West Hartford, Connecticut. Like many newer-style O'Day Mariners (post-1972), #3302 was plagued with collapsing headliner in the cabin, which Jim removed - not an easy task. He then he ground off the foam backing, sanded the interior and painted it a great shade of "Caribbean Teal". This boat is set up for cruising; close observers will notice a snubbing winch on the coaming for a genoa as well as reef points on the mainsail, something not generally found on racing boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226430994-XC3AA7EYU0FFKFMZVGON/2009rendezvous.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 3-9 This picture was taken back during the 2009 Southeast Connecticut Mariner Rendezvous and shows #1922 ORION with Dan Meaney's #2024 CLEW SEA NUF and Chris Albert's #2714 FLOTSAM beached at Turkey Point in the Niantic River. There is deep water almost right up to the beach, and although there is not much protection from the prevailing southerly winds, the area is generally sheltered and is an enjoyable place to explore, especially with a group of Mariners! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226469327-CUTCWHP2I9NAMW3LUA0J/1501.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 10-16 John Alesch, of Dripping Springs, Texas, owns a later-style Mariner, although his father used to own the hull number 1501, pictured here in 1987. It had suffered damage to the cabin top after a small tornado knocked the mast down, and the damage prevented putting the tabernacle back on the way it originally came. A friend designed a quarter-inch thick aluminum plate which was curved to fit the cabin top. Bolted to the top, the tabernacle was then bolted to the plate, and you can clearly see it in this picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226491548-H6VWX60PCKTEVKO2S5R6/1269.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 17-23 Here is a great sunset shot taken by Larry August of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Taken at Yellow Creek, Larry snapped this shot just before firing up the motor to get back to shore in a timely fashion. His boat is an early-style Mariner, #1269 WIND DANCER. Like many early-style Mariners built from 1963-1968, WIND DANCER sports a home-made enclosure to keep equipment dry and perhaps make sleeping overnight on the boat a little more enjoyable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226524780-4GUSEJJXCHSJ3C8KOIR3/580.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 24-Mar. 2 With all the snow the northeast has been getting lately, this picture seemed most appropriate. This was taken in 1966 of #580 SEA BARB, bought new by the father of David Anderson of Waterboro, Maine. Delivered by O'Day Sailboats in the winter of 1966, it "sat in our yard until launching" in the spring. Interestingly, this is not a centerboard boat; her unattached fixed keel was installed just before the next spring's launching by a boat yard in Marblehead, Massachusetts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226560833-QJSJD1P25CPA9AD2H41F/arscott.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 3-9 Toby and Janice Arscott are fellow Mariner owners from Connecticut, and their old-style Mariner, EXPUBIDENT, is pictured here in Hamburg Cove, one of the most picturesque destinations for sailors on the Connecticut River. Toby writes, "We were staying in Hamburg Cove for the Memorial Day weekend. From that calm scene we went out into the finicky winds of the River and laid the boat over on its side. No harm. Popped right back up. Amazing little boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226594432-YAZWWV165Y3UUYIGUEDS/4079.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 10-16 I am always a sucker for sunset shots taken from boats, and this is a great one sent to me by Rob Goodall of Tom's River, New Jersey. He writes, "I purchased my Mariner #4079 GOOD ALL THE TIME last spring from Dave [Whittier] at Stuart Marine. He has been very helpful." This shot was taken as Rob was sailing with his son Robert during their first sailing season on the Tom's River and Barnegat Bay in New Jersey. He excitedly concludes his e-mail: "Looking forward to season #2!!!!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472226963232-H04TOAM2FNF9FOWKWTK4/2024.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 17-23 During last year's Rendezvous, Dan Meaney, skipper of #2024 CLEW SEA NUF, heard a call over the radio that a fellow Mariner had become disabled with a defunct motor and a broken tiller. Forfeiting his own trip to the Seaport, Dan turned around and rescued the disabled boat by towing it back to the starting point. He then sailed to the Seaport the following day by himself, arriving amidst cheers from his fellow sailors. This picture by Steve Hock shows his approach to the docks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227005061-DUK5IOPS7IOEUOK8NSRR/145.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 24-30 Amy Ellison, of El Lago, Texas owns #145 CEOL NA MARA, pictured here on Taylor Lake back in 2003. She writes, "I sailed it more on Galveston Bay and Offats Bayour, from Galveston Boat Club. My grand-dad was a charter member there." Amy says that she was considering selling #145 and that it is "still sailable, but needs some TLC," although it's "too good a boat to let it go unless it's to a better home than I can give it." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227047373-6G49RUUMBHA4SZDRR8BM/stokes.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 31-Apr. 6 Yikes. This picture of a heavily-modified Mariner was sent to me by Dick Stokes of Portland, Oregon. The current owner, who lives aboard, said he acquired the boat in its current condition from the previous owner who had modified it for a trip to Hawaii but had second thoughts at the last minute. This is/was an early-style keel Mariner, complete with lengthened cabin, double backstays, ...the list goes on. I have no idea what the poles in the shrouds are for, so don't ask. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227098455-VTKSCC5NIMVN07ALX982/3627.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 7-13 This picture was sent to me by Steve Hock, owner of #3627 WHITECAP. Steve writes, "Well, Nate, here is the proof that I actually have a Mariner that sails! Photos of me and it are few and far between! Ed [Wise, #2862 CHRISTINA T] shot this last fall as I cleared the James River Bridge near the shipbuilding docks at Newport News, Virginia." Steve bought #3627 several years ago and made many improvements over time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227151104-3R78KT1A8B84CGXXOPXA/rendezvousstorm.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 14-20 Looking at pictures from the 2013 Rendezvous never gets old. This shot was taken by Association newsletter editor Alice Hawrilenko. The fleet of 17 Mariners battled a storm with 30-knot winds and heavy rain all the way from the launch point in Niantic to Mystic that Friday morning and early afternoon in August. Alice was waiting for the wet and weary sailors, and she snapped this shot as the group motored its way around the corner from the railroad bridge, headed to the car bridge and then into the awaiting Seaport docks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227212617-VLE22T9GPP1TKRFZV8E8/3599.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 21-27 This is a great picture by Steve Hock of Frank Pelosi sailing his #3599 at Riverton Yacht Club during the Mariner National Championships in 2009. He and crew Mike Baldacchino came in second place overall in the Championship Fleet, nabbing a first in the Sunday race (there were only three races that weekend due to light winds). It was déjà vu during the 2013 Nationals at Riverton; once again, he and crew Joe Law came in second place overall with a first in one of the Sunday races. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227254339-5GAVA27356JH6T4POPRE/2006nationals.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 28-May 4 This pleasant scene of two crews, leisurely cruising along, smiling at each other was actually taken during the heat of the 2006 Nationals Championship at Narrasketuck Yacht Club on Long Island. Jim and Arthur Leiz's #2376 is about to duck underneath Tom and Michelle Green's #707 on their way to capturing second place overall - the Greens took fifth. While Mariner racing is certainly competitive, it is never "cut-throat" like other racing classes; that is simply the nature of O'Day Mariner sailors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227336010-4RG32VG1LOLQ0RZNW22I/obrien.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - May 5-11 Last year not only marked the 50th anniversary of the building of the Mariner; it also marked the year four college friends and sailing compatriots all turned 50 years old! Skipper Chris O'Brien of #2781 O'MITZVAH! (second from right) sailed in the Mystic Rendezvous with Tom Donohue, Henry Sienkiewicz, and Michael Sullivan, braving the Friday storm and having the time of their lives. Chris would later write, "This was undoubtedly one of the best experiences I will have, hands down." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227369775-4HTOAFHF4M733QRJX8PG/2470.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - May 12-18 Eniko DeMarco took this great shot of Alan Schaeffer and his son Joseph aboard their Mariner, #2470. Alan, a Mystic Seaport employee, saw the gathering of Mariners at the Seaport for the 50th Anniversary Rendezvous last August. He owned a Mariner, but he was unaware of the Association and was thrilled to see so many boats in his hometown. He quickly joined the Association and brought his boat to the docks just in time to take part in the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227398500-V3XV5DWAXH1PK33UJDBJ/2013nationals.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - May 19-25 Not many pictures were taken of the 2013 National Championships at Riverton Yacht Club, but this fine shot was recorded by Byron Campbell. This shows a cluster of Mariners rounding the windward mark during one of the Saturday races. Newt Wattis is in the lead with #2604 MY LIGHTNING; he would eventually take home the winner's trophy for his fifth Nationals title. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227467713-U9W2VI2RKRA31ZUMY1J5/1513.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - May 25-June 1 This picture was sent by Matt Schiemer (#2014) as he, David Stone (#3647) and Charles Fleming (#1513, picture here) participated last week in the Florida 120, a four-day sailing event in the waters of Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound. Matt writes, "The first day was a bit windy with 20-25 knots blowing strong all day long... I sailed with double-reefed main and no jib most of the day, and I know Charles did the same. It was a great time." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472227505814-SMHPVY4K6AWLV4DGKT0X/2714.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 2-8 Back in 2012, Chris Albert sailed in #2714 DOG DAZE (since renamed FLOTSAM) along with me and Steve Hock in my own boat from Niantic to Greenport. This shot is of Chris passing by the 64-foot Orient Point Lighthouse in Plum Gut, built in 1899. In June of 2011, it was declared "excess to the needs" of the Coast Guard and made available to eligible organizations under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. It was successfully auctioned off in September and remains an aid to navigation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472228283642-T5ECNZWBJKM5H3R5DPB1/1071.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 9-15 I love this shot, taken by Oly Shooter of his #1071 SWEET KATE. Oly and fellow Mariner owner Bob Chandler (#3048 SWAY) took their boats to Percy Priest Lake near Nashville, Tennessee, in the fall of 2012. Here, SWEET KATE is beached on Bear Island, tied off to a nearby tree. Now this is what Mariner cruising is all about! Oly is looking forward to getting Sweet Kate back in the water for this season by the beginning of July. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472228332535-7W7Y2IECDSRY171BQBX0/560.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 16-22 Back in 2004, Steve Clark took his family and #560 COOL BREEZE for a remarkable adventure to Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. Steve writes, "For this journey, not only did we trailer the boat for some 550 miles from home, but we plopped our Mariner on the foredeck of the RANGER III, the 142-foot passenger ferry for the 66-mile journey from Houghton, Michigan to Isle Royale National Park." Be sure to read Steve's full account in the 2007 Summer Notice to Mariners newsletter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472228413891-35BPMWR6GX34K38HR8WA/weinrich.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 23-29 Sunset shots are always neat, but they are made all the better with a Mariner in the foreground. This is Andreas Weinrich's 1989 Stuart Mariner MUKHTI in Mill Lake near Killarney, Canada back in August, 2010. Andreas writes that he "sailed parts of Collins Inlet, Mill Lake and Beaverstone Bay, as well as McGregor Bay," all with two adults and two children sleeping in the cabin during the nights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472228966769-K928BZB3N2PLMHXW716C/nockamixon.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - June 30-July 6 A couple of days ago, Tim Reiche (foreground) with #2170 MAGGIE and Russ and Elsie Schuss with #272 SIMPATICO (middle) participated in the Nockamixon Sail Club Cruiser race (an O'Day 19 is the third boat). As you can tell by the picture, there were times with absolutely no wind, but occasionally a breath of air filled in to allow the boats to get somewhere. Russ was even able to put up a spinnaker to propel him into fourth place. Photo by Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229013364-VE13VB4GR9TEKSZP1KQD/stetz.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - July 7-13 How neat would it be to have a watercolor of your boat? Ken Stetz is an artist in New Jersey whose brother-in-law happens to be a Mariner owner. The painting was awarded "Best Painting" this past winter in the 10th annual Jersey Shore Statewide Juried Art Show. Check out his other painting featured in this column back in May of 2012, and be sure to see all his works at his website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229058793-SV3Y1FXA7ZHW9ZWESSR6/2280.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - July 14-20 Bill Eggers is the proud owner of #2280 JULIE B. This great sunset shot is entitled "Wing And Wing" and shows him making a great downwind run on the Hudson River at Kingston, New York, his home sailing grounds, in 2011. Bill writes, "It's a surprisingly challenging place to sail with tides, current, shallows in the middle of the river, underwater obstructions, commercial ship traffic, inconsiderate motorboats and flukey winds coming off the nearby Catskill Mountains." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229092468-81OY4048OZG1RGLEJWGT/2014nationals.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - July 21-27 Here is a neat shot taken by Alan Hlavenka of Mariners mixing it up during the 2014 National Championships held at Narrasketuck Yacht Club a week ago. Although only eight boats were able to compete this year, everyone had a spectacular time with fun, fair and clean sailing with no protests - only a lot of laughs and smiles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229119706-IDZDX2QI3RS34383484M/oman.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - July 28-Aug. 3 This picture is courtesy of Paul Oman. The photo, taken around 1992, shows a "Mariner owned by John Steinbeck of Seabrook, Texas. Sailing with friends to a spoils bank known as Red Fish Island in the middle of Galveston Bay." A spoils bank is an area where dredged material from shipping lanes is deposited, and in an effort to combat erosion on Red Fish Island, dredged material was dumped there. The Mariner is a perfect boat to sail up to a beach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229187853-6WTXLX5PXNVYD85AY4HH/1574.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 4-10 On Thursday, July 31st, James Hollister with son Nate in #1574 LIVELY arrived to launch his boat for the 2014 Annual Mariner Rendezvous. He would be leaving the following day with 16 other Mariners, but the winds and weather were so perfect on Thursday that he jumped in his boat - along with me in ORION - and sailed around the Niantic River. His boat, a mid-style Mariner, is beautifully painted to simulate a classic wooden sloop, and he received a lot of compliments during the event. Photographer Steve Hock and his wife Rita were onboard ORION with me, and he took this great picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229260048-IRRDWUBZKUT6BVAZL9Y2/2989.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 11-17 Here is another great shot taken by Steve Hock at Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania. This is Bob Meltzer and his wife Shelly sailing their Mariner, #2989 in very light winds, but they look happy all the same! He is somewhat of a recent Mariner owner and, according to Steve, "the light winds were fine with Bob. He's new to sailing and is enjoying the learning process!" There are a number of different Mariners that sail on lake Nockamixon, and the Mariner Fleet Captain there is none other than the new President of the Class Association, Russell Schuss. It is a small yet beautiful place to sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229293197-7NJQTSZT1SJ5UY1ZYGSS/2014rendezvous1.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 18-24 The great pictures from Steve Hock keep on coming! This was taken at the Mariner Rendezvous two weeks ago at Mystic Seaport, and it shows yours truly at the helm of ORION with photographer Stuart Watson along as crew. Behind us is Bill Eggers with daughters Jillian and Bridget. They participated in the event with their #2280 JULIE B, although they decided to rent a catboat from the Seaport that afternoon and try it out in Saturday afternoon's light air. Mystic is a beautiful place to visit, especially by boat, and even despite light winds and rain, everybody who attended the event had a wonderful time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229332488-F4B9IM237TT2N6KXF0VD/2093.JPG 2014 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 25-31 This looks like a watercolor painting, doesn't it? It is actually a digital photo sent to me by a gentleman named Dave who writes, "I just picked up my first sailboat, hull #2093. She will eventually be named JESSICA LEIGH, but for now she is the LENA. I'm a novice at sailing, but I've been around boats for the past 17 years and counting as an active duty Coast Guardsman." The picture was taken at a Coast Guard basin in Eaton's Neck, New York at sunset. Dave goes on to write, "I love your site and I can't wait to start chipping away at all my plans. Thank you for all the great info." Thanks, Dave! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229376721-70QGJUA1TPGH16UZ41V7/3414.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 1-7 A new Mariner owner named Jordan Manowitz recently e-mailed me and wrote, "Earlier this season, I received a 1977 O'Day Mariner [#3414] for free from my neighbor. When I first got my Mariner it needed a lot of work, but now finally it's in the water and sailing beautifully. It still needs a lot of work, but I'm saving that for a winter project. I was doing some research and I came across your awesome website. It has really gave me a whole new perspective of this boat, and now I see the potential of what my Mariner can become." Thanks, Jordan, and good luck! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229412153-DPL3AP9R9DCNF180KYYP/3237.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 8-14 Dan and Leslie Stapleford are active racers and have participated in many Mariner National Championships with their #3237 GREYHOUND. This year, however, due to new jobs and other things, they took a break from racing and trailered GREYHOUND to the Eastern Shore of Virginia for a little cruising. Dan writes that this sunset picture is of GREYHOUND "at anchor in the Cherrystone Inlet, Chesapeake Bay. While camping at the Cherrystone Family Campground, we keep the boat anchored off the campsite. Fishing, crabbing, and sailing are the primary activities for the week." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229468369-1CHO9VV8U2O3HENE9QOH/272.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 15-21 Russ and Elsie Schuss race their boat, #272 SIMPATICO at Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania, but they also trailered SIMPATICO to Connecticut to participate in the last two Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Here is a shot of the three of them in the Niantic River, about to depart through the bridges and out into Niantic Bay with the rest of the fleet. Russ took on the role of Mariner Class Association President back in July and has taken on the task of organizing next year's official Mariner Rendezvous somewhere on the Chesapeake. Photo credit: Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229504899-DFKAI8R96TTNQSI81DUM/1338.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 22-28 If any Mariner has been converted into a true cruiser, it is Jennifer O'Connor's #1338 HOT FLASHES. Jenn is a veteran of two Mariner Rendezvous, although she recently suffered a horrendous accident falling from the deck into the cockpit and tearing her hand open to the bone on a reefing cleat. Nine stitches later, she is on her way to recovery, although her 2014 sailing season has come to an end. Here is a picture of happier times during this year's Rendezvous, motoring down the Mystic River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229539100-1VSFGYE9051ZJH50106Y/2154.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 29-Oct. 5 This is one of my favorite shots from the 2014 Rendezvous at the beginning of August. Photographer Stuart Watson (#2154 TUSSLE) is enthusiastically waving in the foreground, and Eric and Kathy Lesniak (#3485 SHOAL MATE) are close behind. Two Seaport-owned Beetle Cats are behind the Lesniaks, and you can see both Nat Herreshoff's yawl AIDA just behind the green channel marker can and the masts of the square-rigged JOSEPH CONRAD poking up above the buildings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229591578-B1D24SQR8066CTVQPVGZ/lively.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 6-12 Taken by Stuart Watson aboard my boat at the Rendezvous in August, this picture shows a neat perspective: James Hollister's #1574 LIVELY is in focus and captures the viewer's attention in the foreground, while Steve Pawlowskis' #598 TALLY HO III is blurred a bit in the middle left background. Rising above the buildings in the far middle background, even more out of focus, are the masts of Mystic Seaport's JOSEPH CONRAD which were also visible in last week's photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229637706-55CEE8BD2GOCUW5DA5P0/camden.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 13-19 This may seem odd, but I have no identification for this particular Mariner. Occasionally, I do a random search on the internet for "O'Day Mariner", and this picture just happened to pop up on the Flickr account of someone named John Willliams. Taken on August 31st, 2013, he mentions the location as the "town's boat ramp dock in Camden, Maine." It is a mid-style 2+2, and despite some damage visible to the rubrail on the starboard quarter, it looks to be in decent shape. The lack of bottom paint suggests it is trailer-sailed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229660878-4BZDBRQBN8BO95H8EVHN/2024-2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 20-26 Dan Meaney and his boat, #2024 CLEW SEA NUF, took top honors at the 2014 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport back in August for fitting the most people onboard a Mariner for the trip. Dan and his wife, Helen, sailed with their son, Daniel, and twin daughters Erin and Madeline from Niantic to Mystic – a “boat full of Meaneys”, as Dan later put it. #2024 remains largely unchanged from when it was built in 1971, retaining much of the original hardware. Everyone onboard seems to be having a great time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229705609-262MO7BX3NF06FSL0AVC/3647.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 27-Nov. 2 David Stone's #3647 BIGENUF is a true model of what can be done to upgrade a Mariner for cruising. As you can see by the picture, he keeps it in immaculate condition. Notice the RudderCraft kick-up rudder, folding ladder on the transom, roller-furler jib, and lazy jacks for the mainsail. Going below, one would find an elaborate AC and DC wiring system to power items like a bilge pump and depth sounder, and a custom teak and holly sole is the icing on the cake to make the boat look and feel like a million bucks. A beautiful Mariner indeed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229749208-WUNE98R088TZSOUP6LFO/2014rendezvous2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 3-9 The pictures from the 2014 Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport came out so well from photographer Stuart Watson, I just have to keep posting them. This shot was taken from the deck of the nearby L.A. DUNTON and shows the "tent city" of various shelters and awnings erected to keep away the rain on Saturday morning. The shelters vary from inexpensive poly tarps to production covers from The Sailors Tailor to home-made, full-cockpit enclosures. Fortunately, the rain went away on Saturday afternoon, but many shelters remained just in case! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229777790-1UUDJECKRE43MQT6RGGF/2170.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 10-16 Tim, Erin, and one-year-old Owen Reiche (not pictured) took part in the trip to Mystic this past August, and this shot was taken as they climb over a swell off of Waterford, Connecticut. The Reiches have done an extensive amount of work on their boat, #2170 MAGGIE, as you can see by her excellent paintwork and new cabin portlights. Owen did fairly well during the four-hour trip from Niantic to Mystic, and this trip was actually considered his second Rendezvous since he was already somewhat present for last year's event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229815257-QM1A7M0QAI97DMPXTD28/1830.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 17-23 Ulrich von Hollen's Mariner, #1830 OB-LA-DI, is the same vintage (and original color) as ORION, and it was great to check it out in person during August's Rendezvous. He, his wife Dolly, and sons Kaspar and Konrad and had a fantastic time at the event. This is one of three (!) Mariners Ulrich owns - he is a self-proclaimed collector of Mariners and intends to restore the other two which are not in great condition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229853385-2XM6NR4SL3GMB2FUQ4AT/2014rendezvous3.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 24-30 Nov. 24-30 Russ Schuss (#272 SIMPATICO, left) and Ulrich von Hollen (#1830 OB-LA-DI) struggle to keep their sails filled on Long Island Sound during the trip home from the August Rendezvous. A powerboat has just raced past, and despite the choppiness on the water, the wind was quite light and eventually died altogether. Although Russ's spinnaker did not help very much, it was great to see it up and drawing for a little while. The waterfront mansions on Fisher's Island can be seen in the background. Thanks to Stuart Watson for another great picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229894751-OH46CAILAHAN4WCPQVME/2006nationals2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 1-7 Hard to believe this was more than eight years ago! The 2006 Nationals took place at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, a place rather infamous for shallow water and sea grass just waiting to foul centerboards and rudders. Tom Green is plowing ahead using #707's sails (although the boat is actually hull #738). Paul Coward (#584) is close behind, while Newt Wattis (#2604) is in the rear. Newt would go on to win the entire regatta for his third Nationals; Tom would come in fifth and Paul would come in seventh. Photo: Frank Koscheka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229920828-H5VQ62KP1F2VGRY0RO8Y/3627-2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 8-14 You would think, upon first glance, that this Mariner has either a straight or even slightly reversed sheer, but the heeling angle of the boat deceives the eye. Stuart Watson took this picture of fellow photographer Steve Hock's #3627 WHITECAP during the August Rendezvous. Steve's mainsail is a very pale blue color, and it accentuates the blue sheer stripe and bootstripe. Steve only got out in WHITECAP a couple times this year, and it was a pleasure to have him come back to sail in Long Island Sound, accompanied by his wife, Rita. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472229957196-PU02DWK8XR0NZJQ1MROX/2470-2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 15-21 Looks like Alan Schaeffer's kids are having a great time aboard #2470 SALVIA! They attended the August Rendezvous, and Stuart Watson snapped this photo of them sailing in the Mystic River right by the Seaport. Alan is a Seaport employee and was able to launch his boat from a nearby launch ramp to participate with the other 16 boats. Check out that old outboard motor on the transom! Alan and his family sailed with the rest of the fleet to Niantic on Sunday, hopped a ride back to Mystic to retrieve his vehicle, plucked SALVIA out of the water and got brought her home - all before dark! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230003939-IJ8F12OGAXNVLOJ5ESFG/3647-2.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 22-28 Now, how could I not put this as the "Picture of the Week" for this week? David Stone (#3647) has done it again with his Photoshop skills to create this Christmas scene just in time for the holidays. Either he is extremely creative, or he just has too much time on his hands - or perhaps a bit of both! I like the train track encircling the support pole for the mast step, the cookies and milk and the tiny Christmas tree on top of the cooler - or is that the porta-potti? In any event, I join David in wishing everyone Merry Christmas with happy holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230056101-F4N9RWWOAKPNQUB7JUM2/1922.jpg 2014 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 29-Jan. 4 As I have done in past years, my final "Picture of the Week" features my own #1922 ORION. Stuart Watson took this photo during - you guessed it - the August Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Fellow Mariner owner Jay Sullivan is at the helm for the trip over as I am about to set the main, while my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE is in tow. It was a great event - the highlight of the year - despite light winds and rain for part of the trip.I wish everyone a Happy New Year with a great sailing season for 2015! https://www.mariner1922.com/2013-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232799874-FYM0S3OVUNSRN17POZG9/group.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230560357-K3YRYFGR40G73VFI6FMF/996.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 7-13 Here is a great shot to start off this column in 2013. Dick Stokes, a semi-retired school counselor, owns two Mariners and keeps them at opposite ends of the country, one in Oregon and the other in Massachusetts. In this picture, Dick's mother, who just turned 85 years old yesterday, is at the helm of #996 sailing out of Oregon. It was a great sail, one where they saw a bald eagle "who decided that we looked like poachers eyeing its fresh salmon brunch." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230591341-D884FHZTLXAYHXYLQ163/2010rendezvous.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 14-20 With all this talk going on about an O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous going on at the Mariner Class Association, I thought I would post this picture from a rendezvous to New London, Connecticut back in 2010. Although it was rainy and there were only three boats in attendance, we had a great time. We half-sailed, half-motored our way to New London, explored a nearby tall ship berthed for the weekend, and had a pleasant sail back. Here we are tied up at the floating docks near the train station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230650494-YN6V1LFY71LM8SJ3H3GL/2008nationals.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 21-27 This picture is from the 2008 Mariner National Championship Regatta at Surf City, New Jersey. It was a pretty competitive event as only three points separated the three top finishers in the President's division! Newt Wattis (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) took first prize in the Championship division, his fourth trophy. It should be noted that four of the top 10 boats were the old-style Mariner, indicating that the Mariner has maintained its one-design philosophy to make any Mariner from 1963 to the present equally competitive boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230689805-7W6G9KETYBL21D5H8K94/2186.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 28-Feb. 3 The owner of #2186 GYPSY ROSE, Bill Collins, was thrilled to attend the 2012 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Unfortunately, his aging outboard motor started acting up as soon as the event was underway, and he needed to be towed through the Niantic bridges and all the way up the Mystic River. Once he arrived in Mystic, he went to a local marine supply store and bought a brand new motor, ending his woes once and for all! This picture shows him motoring back down the Mystic River with his new outboard running flawlessly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230727161-HVK05X9Y8EPZ4H15D2ND/3237.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 4-10 Taken back in June of 2009, this shot shows Dave and Leslie Stapleford racing #3237 GREYHOUND on the eastern shore of Maryland. Only a few moments after this picture was taken, GREYHOUND was rammed by a larger sailboat in a misunderstanding of one of the rules of racing (the other boat was at fault). The incident took GREYHOUND out of commission after losing four feet of her starboard side, although the Staplefords were able to get her back in the water after a few weeks of repair work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230779617-R6L273L8JPSWA0Q1FW8I/stuartmarine.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 11-17 Stuart Marine has a number of projects in the shop this winter, including this 1969 Mariner. While Dave Whittier does have new Mariner orders, most of his business relies on refurbishing old boats and supplying parts. Notice the row of winterized outboard motors in the loft and the newer Stuart Mariner on the floor in the background. Dave intends to be a guest speaker at the upcoming O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut on Saturday, August 10th. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230808351-G8284PYDPEP744TD796G/2011rendezvous.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 18-24 Three Mariners are making their way down the Mystic River having participated in the 2011 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. That weekend, the Seaport hosted the WoodenBoat Show as they have for many years, and they plan to do so again this June. In the foreground is Tim and Erin Reiche in #2170 MAGGIE. Tim is doffing his cap to the Mystic bridgemaster (out of sight) who just opened the highway bridge to allow us through. Photographer: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230834722-3GC0DGSOWRU1T1WX025B/125.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 25-Mar. 3 Although the picture itself is a bit wrinkled, it is a fantastic shot of Mariner #125 shooting through the water. Built in 1964, this boat sports the classic features only found in the early style Mariners: small rear deck, open cuddy cabin, and dark blue stripe around the cabin and coamings to match the hull. This picture is from the 1964 O'Day Sailboats catalog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230878164-DUAECK1X2HMA3U9BYMX0/ballou.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 4-10 Richard Ballou, of New Hampshire, owns DREAM COME TRUE, and this picture was taken by Richard's wife from the north end of Three Mile Island. Richard writes, "Three Mile Island is a camp where campers stay in little cabins around the shore in much the same manner as they have for over 100 years. The camp runs for nine weeks each summer, and a whole new group of campers arrive each week. We attended, as we had for years, week nine. Actually, my wife and I met at Three Mile Island!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230909596-EC63KD4C1LA5P0W7F24A/4178.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 11-17 Here is a great shot of Stuart Mariner #4178 ROSALIE headed to Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts. Owner Edward Childs of Aquinnah writes, "We (my wife Elizabeth and I) were mostly becalmed, as one can see by the picture. We turned on the outboard to get into some wind and eventually made it to Cuttyhunk, about seven nautical miles from Menemsha Pond, where ROSALIE is moored." Picture credit: Mel Snyder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230964700-ZQQDC2QZQH7AO82GC4FS/3048.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 18-24 The fantastic pictures taken by Oly Shooter just keep on coming! Oly, owner of #1071 Sweet Kate, went sailing last fall with fellow Mariner owner Bob Chandler who sailed his own #3048 Sway on Percy Priest Lake, Tennessee. Bob writes, "We sailed two October days back to back. Both boats pulled up their centerboards and explored islands on the lake. Oly happened to be taking photos, and caught us in action on our return to the dock. Two perfect days!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472230993298-2PUP4V5FUSOSRDOL2QRL/3306.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 25-31 Barry Waldman, owner of #3306 QUIXOTIC, sent me this picture shortly before he died of cancer in 2010. Even though he only owned his Mariner for a short time, he thoroughly enjoyed sailing and was very enthusiastic. This great shot was taken on Canyon Lake, Texas, a reservoir completed in 1964 and a center for recreational boating. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231022087-7QHC04HGV2JA6IY0SNMF/996-2.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 1-7 Here is another nice shot from multiple O'Day boat owner Dick Stokes! Besides owning Mariner #996 (pictured) on the west coast and #3684 on the east coast, he also owns an O'Day Daysailer, seen on the right side of the picture under the green cover. Dick writes, "I've sailed more in the last three and a half months than I have almost any previous year. Wet moorage ten minutes from home is such a gift!" Dick keeps his west coast boats at Willamette Sailing Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231050393-X33YTHIGOPZ99RHXT5RQ/4000.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 8-14 When the O'Day Corporation decided to end production of the Mariner in 1979 after a remarkable 3,771 boats, Rebel Industries' Spindrift One Designs bought the molds and continued production for only a few years before selling the molds to Stuart Marine in 1983. This Spindrift Mariner shown here is hull number 4000, the very first one made by the company in 1980. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231076162-5R0GS0ZQX91HDIVXZ6F6/3507.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 15-21 Like last week, this "Picture of the Week" comes from an old advertisement - this one from the 1978 O'Day Daysailers brochure featuring Mariner #3507. Still attached to the mooring, perhaps this couple has just set the sails and are preparing to start the outboard to get to windier waters. Or maybe they just returned from a pleasant afternoon and are about to take the sails down and button up their trusty Mariner, already looking forward to the next outing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231122893-YFYZ0BWX05BR1Z07I0YZ/2115.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 22-28 The third installment of "Picture of the Week" pictures from past advertisements comes from a 1971 ad featuring Mariner #2115 MUSICALE. A closer look at this picture reveals interesting sail-handling arrangements; besides the genoa sheet led through a track block and then up to a snubbing winch on a bracket and cam, there seems to be a second fairlead and cam mounted on the coaming another foot aft. One wonders how this sailing trip with a party of six has actually been going since no one seems to be smiling! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231162499-38TLQEGOWF8R84F2EOZB/2012rendezvous.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 29-May 5 Here are three mid-style Mariners at anchor during the 2012 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Of the seven participating boats, five were the mid-style, built during the short period from 1969-1971. Bill Collins (left) has just finished covering the main and putting the jib in its bag onboard #2186 GYPSY ROSE, Tim Reiche (middle) has hoisted a small anchor light on the headstay using the jib halyard onboard #2170 MAGGIE, and I have done the same onboard #1922 ORION (right) as well as put up the awning for the night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231227949-Z17F16BG57HDAI5QP4Z3/1922.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - May 6-19 Back in 2009, I sailed with my wife to Mystic Seaport and anchored overnight before heading back the next morning. Here, we have finished packing away our things and have come up to a nearby floating dock to hit the Seaport heads one last time before leaving. The Seaport strongly encourages visitors to come by boat and specializes in catering to transients. It is wonderful to stay overnight in a protected anchorage in such incredible surroundings. Notice the beautiful L. Francis Herreshoff-designed ketch ARAMINTA in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231308438-WR5TPAKVFBA71TOEIVSJ/2006nationals.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - May 20-26 After taking a week off, here is a new picture for this column taken back in 2006 during the Mariner Nationals at Narrasketuck Yacht Club. Winds started pretty light for that regatta but eventually picked up to become quite breezy. In this shot, Paul Coward in #584 is in the lead and is trying for his fourth Nationals victory, although skipper Newt Wattis in #2604 (not shown) would end up winning this race to claim his third trophy. Paul went on to win the following year's regatta at Brant Beach. Picture credit: Frank Koscheka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231338093-BEBIDLZKZYMI76BUQJAK/580.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - May 27-June 2 While David and Maureen Anderson currently own #2540 MOONRACER, Maureen's father bought #580 SEA BARB brand new back in 1966. Her family sailed and raced SEA BARB for about four years, and this picture was taken during the "inaugural cruise in the summer of 1966 from Marblehead to George's Island in Boston Harbor. My dad and brothers anchored near the Mystic River bridge and slept on the boat. This boat was my dad's pride and joy!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231425498-JQCQSM69JXRWPDRZ95BW/2714.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - June 3-9 In May of last year, Chris Albert in #2714 DOG DAZE joined me and photographer Steve Hock in Orion on a three-day trip to Shelter Island, New York. On the second day of our trip, we sailed past Cedar Island Lighthouse which has been standing guard over the entrance to Sag Harbor since 1839. Gutted by a fire in 1974 and abandoned, a movement is afoot to raise funds to have it restored. In the meantime, Chris has made many updates to his boat, including brand new sails, new hull gelcoat, and even a name change to Flotsam. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231588300-TFZE8ZVZSEKOO0YVH05C/1513.JPG 2013 Pictures of the Week - June 10-16 Charles "Bird" Fleming, of Atlanta, Georgia, has many old boats he has been restoring as part of "Bird's Boat Yard". The latest addition to the fleet is Mariner #1513 LITTLE GREEN BOAT, shown here following its first launch since being restored. The scenery looks more like the coast of Maine than Georgia! Charles prepared LITTLE GREEN BOAT for the Rudder Club Mug Race in Jacksonville, Florida this past May, a 30+ mile warm-up for the Florida 120 about a week later. Out of 71 participating boats, Charles came in 36th - not bad! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231651476-1758RRNZB9NEZEUXQDTG/2862.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - June 17-30 Photographer Steve Hock snapped this great portrait of Ed Wise and his boat #2862 CHRISTINA T anchored at Reed Creek, Maryland last summer. He sure looks like a proud skipper! CHRISTINA T is both a racing and cruising veteran, as Ed once participated in numerous regattas before switching over to becoming a cruiser. Both Steve (#3627 WHITECAP) and Ed have gone on several extended cruises together, and there is talk of perhaps another multi-day excursion in the southern Chesapeake Bay sometime this summer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231704679-1NI4U7NGHJ3SXVK3BYLL/essex.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - July 1-7 his past weekend, I sailed from Niantic to Essex with a friend and fellow Mariner owner and stayed overnight on a mooring at the Brewer Dauntless Marina. It was a great sail with perfect winds and good weather despite numerous forecasts that ended up being completely inaccurate (big surprise). After riding the launch to the marina and saying goodbye to my friend, I explored the familiar town on my own before taking the launch back to ORION. Once there, I was treated to this beautiful sunset at the end of the day. A great trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231758016-W99LS5EQVNXP53Z8M4AQ/2014.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - July 8-14 Matt Schiemer, owner of #2014 ODISEA, recently participated with his Mariner in the "Texas 200" event, a week-long, 200-mile cruise from Port Isobel to Magnolia Beach. Matt writes: "We were on the last leg, which was a real beauty. It was about the last ten miles and it was dead downwind to the finish line, wing-and-wing. We had been doing some laundry earlier in the day (things were getting a little funky on board as you can imagine), and we decided to hang some of it to dry on the boom and whisker pole." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231798221-I98IL35QDCPODFGPAF4Q/essex2.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - July 15-Aug. 18 Here is another picture from the Essex trip I took a couple weekends ago. Notice the chunky-hulled sailboats in the background with straight sheers and high freeboards. Quite a difference when compared to the eye-catching, beautiful design of the great Philip Rhodes. They just don't make them like the Mariner anymore, do they? (Well, actually, yes they do.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231847384-GQ9KO2OZYWCMV7A3PM55/2280.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 19-25 Finally! After a month-long haitus from working on this website, I'm getting back into the swing of things with a fantastic picture taken by Steve Hock during last week's O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. It was a phenomenal event with 18 participating Mariners and a turn-out of 60 people. This shot is of Bill Eggers and #2280 JULIE B as he and his two daughters, Jillian and Bridget, sail home from Mystic on Sunday afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231886328-B811UAJZEYXS780WZXNS/cooper.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 26-Sept. 1 Matt Cooper, of Grand Haven, Michigan, grew up sailing Mariner #456 as a teenager. After college, though, as Matt writes, "Life transitioned. Marriage, career, mortgage, a child, graduate school, graduate school again, etc. etc... fill in the blank. And then we were boatless." A few years later, Matt started "dreaming about the perfect next boat for our little family. A Mariner was the obvious choice." He purchased a 1974 2+2 (pictured above), and this photo is him with his wife's family on Burt Lake, northern Michigan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231915287-1KF1WJV5GP74N87R66T8/2013rendezvoustrio.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 2-8 Last month's Mystic Rendezvous had a gathering of 17 Mariners of all vintages, and this shot by Steve Hock shows three different boats waiting for the Mystic Railroad bridge to open as we were all headed back to Niantic. The boat on the left is Chris Albert's #2714 FLOTSAM, built in the mid-1970's; the middle boat is Dan Meaney's #2024 CLEW SEA NUF, built in 1970, and the boat on the right is the famous #20 LORELEI, owned by Bill Snyder. LORELEI was built in the very first few weeks of production and is the oldest known centerboard Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472231978936-RX3D0FP1L5N7E0KEZPV0/mysticboats.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 9-15 Last month's O'Day Mariner Rendezvous at Mystic generated a lot of interest with the public who visited the Seaport. We were fortunate to have been placed at the floating docks that were not only right outside the Visitor's Center but right next to the Seaport's launch that ferried people from one end of the Seaport to the other. Visitors had to walk right by all the Mariners in order to get on the launch, and many people asked questions about the Mariner and the event itself. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232002051-WYOVK41HSJLNU4CV3CQJ/1417.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 16-22 A couple months ago, Lee Prim, of Mobile, Alabama, was on the hunt for a mid-style 2+2 Mariner. Despite the lack of Mariners in the Gulf Coast region, he found his dream boat on Craigslist 100 miles away: #1417 DULCINEA. Although he is "not that enthused" about the bow pulpit or high stern rail, he is very enthusiastic about owning a Mariner, and members of the Mariner Class Association have celebrated his purchase and offered advice and assistance. Here is DULCINEA ready for a beautiful afternoon sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232040234-3UHFN8XNU5733EPLJ9A3/2170.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 23-29 Here is another great shot from the camera of Steve Hock, this time featuring #2170 MAGGIE at the beginning of August with owner Tim Reiche at the helm on Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania. Tim and wife Erin trailered MAGGIE up to Niantic, Connecticut to take part in the O'Day Mariner 50th Anniversary Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Erin won the unofficial award of "Bravest Sailor" as the event was only two weeks before the due date of her first child! Son Owen was born on schedule - and thankfully not during the Rendezvous! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232087607-AIPU7OJHSYJETRBM7OBY/2862-2.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 30-Oct. 6 And the great pictures from Steve Hock just keep on coming! For five days in September, Steve (#3627 WHITECAP) and Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T, pictured here) made a 135-mile journey around Virginia's Lower Peninsula. Beginning at Jamestown and making calls at Pagan River, Hampton, Langley Air Force Base and Purtan Bay on the York River, they ended at West Point, Virginia. Contrary winds dogged the route and much motoring was required. Regardless, "hanging on the hook", the many bridge passages, and beautiful scenery made for a wonderful and memorable trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232120345-766W9ZOF6EOPVVWA24W3/1071.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 7-13 Percy Priest Lake, in Nashville, Tennessee, is where Oly Shooter and #1071 SWEET KATE call home. Although Oly has not sailed much this year "because 'life' has gotten in the way", he did manage to squeeze in a sail just a couple weeks ago and took this picture. He shot this photo with a "7mm fisheye lens which gives an interesting perspective to the photo. Notice the beautiful, clear water in Percy Priest Lake. We've had more rain than normal this year and the water is just lovely." Nice looking boat, too! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232151203-19I0MKWDP75UKZA0SF21/byron.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 14-20 Riverton Yacht Club hosted this year's National Championships a month ago, and the Mariner Fleet races there every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon. Photographer Byron Campbell snapped this great shot from the upriver dock during the Sunday series on September 8th. #1534 FROGGER (Dave Oldham) is in front, followed by #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE (Dan Walsh), then #1249 SILK PURSE (Dave Riley), and #664 MARE (Harry Mayer). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232207207-US0487W63WW49DNR9MAN/hoover.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 21-27 Brothers John and Howard Hoover participated in the 50th Anniversary Rendezvous this past August in #3501 SIRIUS. They weathered Friday's storm and arrived in high spirits for the event, and although both brothers are pretty tall individuals, they found sleeping overnight in the cabin to be fairly comfortable. Notice the cockpit awning they put up - it looks great! A month later, John took Sirius to the Riverton Yacht Club to compete in the Nationals, even sleeping onboard again during the weekend. Picture credit goes to Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232248355-XOJ8ZD47ARVQIGNUIAML/2026.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 28-Nov. 3 I always enjoy a great sunset shot taken from a boat, and this one by Rob Jones of Fork, Maryland certainly does not disappoint. Owner of #2026 NUNYET, he snapped this photo on a recent overnight excursion to Dundee Creek in the upper Chesapeake. Not that long ago, Rob restored his mid-style boat to truly like-new condition - just look at the reflections in the superbly varnished wood trim. A beautiful boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232275639-AZ08Q6BWUUPEK69JR9GL/hamptonpiers.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 4-10 Here is another fantastic shot taken by Steve Hock during his 135-mile adventure around Virginia's Lower Peninsula back in September. Steve sailed in his boat, #3627 WHITECAP (left) while fellow Mariner sailor Ed Wise accompanied him in #2862 CHRISTINA T. Steve writes that he took this shot of the two boats "docked in Carousel Cove at the Hampton, Virginia piers. That's the Hampton Air and Space Museum in the background. Great marina with nice facilities and central location. The whole area had great views all around." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232309475-3GSIG6LB8CKOCEVLGSWF/hock.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 11-17 A lot of pictures featured in this column are taken by Steve Hock, owner of #3627 WHITECAP, and this is a picture of him as we were sailing to Greenport, Long Island last summer. Many people do not know that Steve was a combat photographer for the Air Force, working for the 601st Photo Flight during the latter part of the Vietnam War. His stories are rather incredible, one of which is posted here. On this Veteran's Day, I salute you, Steve, and thank you for your service - as well as for all the great pictures you have contributed to this website! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232375315-XQ89CUG7PWMM1ARY0MEV/1417-2.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 18-24 Lee Prim took this great sunset shot of his Mariner, #1417 DULCINEA. Featured here in this column back in September, I could not resist another sunset picture, so here is DULCINEA anchored just off of the beach with a home-made cockpit awning up, ready for the evening. The previous owner must have been concerned about safety as #1417 sports a bow pulpit, a rather high stern pushpit, and sturdy handrails along the top of the cabin on both sides of the boat. Lee, from Mobile, Alabama, is excited about his "new" Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232410880-2X4AM30V4WQCSNY4BFBK/eniko.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 25-Dec. 1 During the Mystic Rendezvous in August, most sailors elected to sleep onboard their boats. This picture by Eniko DeMarco shows at least seven Mariners with different styles of cockpit covers, ranging from awnings to tent-style enclosures. Although Eniko and her husband were not able to take part in the event with their boat, she writes that it was "truly a highlight of our sailing careers. Good to be in the company of so many who share their love of the Mariner." How many Mariners do you count in this picture? I count twelve... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232445982-S30BJ4DQPANIY9VAVP7A/423.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 2-8 Bradley Utzka, of Jacksonville, Florida, bought #423 in January of 2012, although he "really had no idea what I was purchasing. I just wanted a winter backyard project. It was more work than I bargained for. Thanks to Don Casey's Sailboat Refinishing, the deck and hull came out very nice." He ended up naming his boat RESTORE ME - very appropriate after the many months of restoration which included all new interior woodwork, a custom companionway enclosure and electrical wiring. This photo is from his first sail on November 25th, 2012. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232481209-F24U9S28O7VGEIM4KIS6/272.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 9-15 Although #272 SIMPATICO is owned by Russ and Elsie Schuss of Pennsylvania, she is being skippered in this shot by a gentleman "trying out" the Mariner to see how it performs. He enjoyed it so much he ended up buying a Mariner of his own! SIMPATICO, built in the early part of 1965, took part in the Rendezvous event from August and was sailed expertly by her owners. Russ is the Lake Nockamixon Mariner Fleet Captain and has organized a few Fleet events and encouraged the growth of membership. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232516055-0I6BGCNYN2JUTM0MU5UG/percy.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 16-22 One of the aspects of the O'Day Mariner that makes it so versatile as a pocket cruiser is its 10" draft with the board up, allowing it to be safely beached. Robert Chandler of #3048 SWAY and Oly Shooter of #1071 SWEET KATE are taking advantage of that feature in this shot as they land near a campsite on Percy Priest Lake, Nashville, Tennessee. (SWEET KATE is sporting a hand-me-down racing mainsail from #584). Images of both boats were used extensively on memorabilia celebrating 50 years of the O'Day Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232563896-P80CT9YYD60GLYRPDQ6E/rendezvous.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 23-29 Besides promoting the Mariner and encouraging similar events, the Mariner Rendezvous back in August served a very important purpose: supplying me with lots of pictures to choose from for this column! Taken by Alice Hawrilenko from the Mystic River Highway Bridge, twelve Mariners are waiting for the bridge to open for the return trip on Sunday morning. The patches of wind you can see on the water eventually picked up to nearly 15 knots by the time we reached the starting point of Niantic Bay about four hours later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472232589448-UXB8FR2J2Y3AI9DUCNFE/orionstern.jpg 2013 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 29-Jan. 5 A tradition for the past few years, I end this year's column with a picture of ORION. This shot was taken by Eniko DeMarco at the August Rendezvous as ORION was tied up at the floating dock with all the other Mariners. I thought this was a pretty neat photo - be sure to check out all of her other pictures from the event here. So ends yet another year of "Pictures of the Week", and I wish all the viewers of this website - the regulars and the first-timers - the very best for 2014. https://www.mariner1922.com/2012-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236636209-B5PD0Q4N0DNT4VQJ14GV/pws3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472233282302-NZN0TBXVGZPVASPIR60E/pws3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 2-8 Here is a great picture to start this year off right. This is a late-style O'Day Mariner sitting on her mooring off Busby Island in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Named after William Busby who made the first mining claim in the Sound in 1893, the island sits at the entrance of Valdez Arm, a long corridor which leads to Port Valdez 24 miles to the northeast. This, of course, was the site of the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. Although the massive oil spill has left its mark permanently on the shoreline, it is nevertheless a beautiful and tranquil place to sail and explore today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234222929-7SWXTZQGDBJSE7PVPNKH/gilbert.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 9-15 For a number of years, illustrator Brian Gilbert has provided drawings for the Small Craft Advisor magazine each time they review a boat. This one appeared in edition #49 which reviewed the Mariner, and Brian has given me permission to post it here. The actual review boat, #4186, is a Stuart Mariner and was featured in this column mid-June of 2009. Brian is also an author, having published two books: Fix It And Sail and The Complete Trailer Sailor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234273287-L9MVQUH40003B5YO2DZP/1647.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 16-22 Jim Watson's #1647 NAUT-A-TOY has been featured in this column several times. This picture, as he writes, was taken on a mid-October weekend. "The weather was unseasonably warm, and the little sailboat seemed to be begging us to take her out to play one last time. As it was our last sail of the season, there were no thoughts for the little 'projects' that had not been completed this year. There would be enough time to plan for refinish and upgrades during the coming winter. Today was all about the sun and the wind and the little boat." Notice Jim's two kids on the V-berth below! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234317199-7FMXAN9Q704BHDWTGRL1/2862.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 23-29 Ed Wise has owned #2862 CHRISTINA T for many years now. Ed makes a number of trips with CHRISTINA T each year to places like Long Beach Island, New Jersey; Lake George, New York; Chincoteague Bay, Virginia; and even Long Island Sound in Connecticut when he joined the Connecticut Fleet's rendezvous last year to Mystic Seaport. "After a long day of sailing," Ed writes, "it feels great to set the hook and kick back, relax in the cockpit and take in the onset of a beautiful sunset." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234358427-Y4ORUU27CVEX7W0ZF9F3/2006nationals.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 30-Feb. 5 Taken during the 2006 Nationals at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, this shows #2376 BLON-DEE III and #738 GUMBY (using second-hand sails) moving along smartly in light winds. #2376 was bought new in 1972 by Art Leiz who still owns and actively races her today. In this regatta, however, BLON-DEE III was sailed by Art's two sons, Jim and Arthur Leiz, and they would go on to place second in the rankings. GUMBY, another active racer, is owned by Tom and Michelle Green who scored an impressive first-place finish in the President's Fleet the year before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234434103-UHOBOC1LS2PJHNWLNXIG/bandt.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 6-12 Ben Bandt owns a mid-style keel Mariner and is based in the Great Lakes region. This picture was taken during his first voyage with his boat and shows her tied up at a dock in the Huron Islands - notice the old railway at the bottom right extending into the water. Ben has been considering some serious offshore sailing in his Mariner, intending to make modifications and upgrades in order to sail from Lake Superior all the way to Newfoundland! He even considered changing the rig to a gaff-rigged cutter to experiment, although it is likely he will be staying with its current configuration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234458409-6H2XIWONWRS1T2K8LT6S/3468.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 13-19 Imagine sailing your Mariner in the summer almost every day, taking people out, sailing to various destinations in Wellfleet Harbor (Massachusetts) all day long, and getting paid to do so. That is exactly what Captain Gary Flomenhoft does with his #3468 SYNTROPICAL 2. Gary was an ocean lifeguard for 18 years before starting his sailing business which includes his Mariner. Since acquiring his Mariner in 2006, his business, Outer Cape Sailing, has flourished so much that he now offers charters in other boats to places like Buzzard's Bay, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234495481-HWQMI2JDRE5G77QCRJ6H/100.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 20-26 These great sailing days are coming again soon! This picture of Mariner #100 was taken by David Anderson who was sailing in his own Mariner, #2540 MOONRACER. A Maine resident, David writes, "We trailered our Mariner up to Sebago Lake for a day sail with the kids. We were headed south across the lake and spotted this Mariner. We told him he had the best [sail] number. He told us not to go too far as the wind dies around 2:00 pm. We took his advice, and, sure enough, it died just after lunch, which turned our boat into a swim platform." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234534801-VEB4FVGCIF7MC1TU1SD3/3054.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 27-Mar. 4 Here is a picture of #3054 beating through choppy seas as a powerboat blasts by in the background. Built in 1975, this particular Mariner sports a few unusual features such as a custom sheer stripe which curves downward at the bow as well as a loose-footed main. A closer inspection of the picture reveals that she is also set up for a genoa; white rollers on the shroud turnbuckles to prevent chafing from the genoa sheets are visible, and a genoa track with a turning block can be seen on the port coaming top with a small winch mounted just in front of it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234562118-0RDI0NBRXSGZ6ZKBP9P8/1685.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 5-11 Mariner #1685 LA MOUETTE was owned by a gentleman who kept her in Charlestown, Rhode Island. He set to work refurbishing her back in 2008. He installed brand new portlights, fixed some leaks in the hull, purchased new sails and refinished all the wood. LA MOUETTE is a true cruiser; she is fitted for a genoa as well as a storm jib, and a solar panel to recharge the battery can be seen mounted on the top of the mast. At the beginning of September 2008, however, she was put up for sale, and her whereabouts are now unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234606685-91KVX1RVKG6JGMDCN54P/735.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 12-18 Mariner Class Association member Marty McLean of Allentown, Pennsylvania is pictured here sailing his restored Mariner, #735 PROXIMUS at Lake Nockamixon State Park. Marty and family members are enjoying a sunny July sail demonstrating the Mariner's capability as a great family boat. Lake Nockamixon hosts a number of Mariner owners throughout the season; for a few years, a Mariner fleet was organized at the nearby Sail Club. While the sailing area is limited, it is still a beautiful area to explore. Thanks to Steve Hock for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234636992-GJQLN67529KT1ALVGVE7/1922.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 19-25 This handsome-looking boat is actually #1922 when she was still owned by Louise McCarthy. After I purchased #1922 from Louise in 2007, we kept in touch, and she later sent me this picture entitled "Lunch Break" she had taken in back in 2003. She wrote, "Two seasons ago, we were sailing and were hit with a hurricane that wasn't supposed to be there. It laid the boat over on its side and she came right back up again. We found out later the wind was gusting to 50 mph. She's a tough little boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234666836-4Q2PB19M55NHM4GUCHOM/2170.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 26-Apr.1 Tim and Erin Reiche, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, own #2170 MAGGIE. This particular picture was taken last year at Brant Beach, New Jersey, during the weekend of the Mariner National Championships. While Tim did not race, he did spend the weekend sailing around the area. He writes, "I went to cruise and got several odd looks when people asked what hotel I was staying at and, in response, I pointed out to my boat in the water." What a great sunset picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234717056-LUEP2YKDHXC81648YQLW/938.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 2-8 Taken during the 2008 Riverton Fall Wind-Up, this picture shows #938 with owner Glen Smythe and crew heading downwind. Photographer Read Howarth writes, "It was a crisp and windy fall day as the Riverton Wind-Up commenced. The winds blew upward of 30+ knots, so racing was halted on Sunday after one race." A closer look at the photograph reveals that #938, an older-style Mariner with the open cuddy cabin, has been retrofitted with mid-style portlights, although they are facing backward! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234742939-LOZXTJ6XVZGTJRGJD72J/1335.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 9-15 Jack Anderson, of Longwood, Florida, has owned #1335 CAVU since 2009. (CAVU is a pilot's term for "Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited".) He restored her in the winter of 2009 with new paint, new varnish, homemade (!) main and jib roller furler gear, a custom stainless steel bar on the stern for attaching various pieces of equipment, and he relocated the mainsheet to the transom so he could install a bimini, which Jack says is "flimsy aluminum and very thin canvas, but the shade is a godsend." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234790012-VQU3QWIWO1AA2U6Y3WZT/newman.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 16-22 Take a look at the great paint scheme of this boat! At first glance, you might think this Mariner, owned by Mark Newman of Centerville, Massachusetts, is a wooden sloop with canvas-covered decks like sailing boats of another time period. Mark's clever paint job with his mid-style Mariner has produced a beautiful work of art. Notice how the sliding hatch, rubrail and toerails on the foredeck have been painted to also look wooden. A custom forward hatch and teak handrails add to the look, and the painted portlight frames look fantastic. Mark writes that her restoration is nearly complete. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234819101-JQC4MFE18D8AC2DHHCFG/3595.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 23-29 One of the Mariner's advantages is the capability to sail and anchor in very "thin" water with its ten-inch draft. Here, Zach Katzenmeyer of Clinton, Mississippi, has anchored his boat, #3595, near Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, Alabama. His crew, Max, is searching for shells on the sandbar. There have been many times when Mariner owners have sailed their boats with only a foot of water beneath the keel, much to the amazement of onlookers. Zach's outboard motor gave out on this trip due to a torn fuel line, although he managed to sail all the way home without incident. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234853583-52O7DVG55DPFBPOTIUYF/3647.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 30-May 6 David Stone's #3647 BIGENUF has been featured in this column several times, and the fantastic pictures just keep on coming. According to David, this picture was taken as he was anchoring after a beautiful sunset "dinner-destination" sail in Gulf Breeze, Florida with friends visiting from Utah. After dinner, a violent thunderstorm swept through, but once it had passed, he and his friends capped off the day with a full moon return sail. BIGENUF was launched for 2012 on Easter weekend, and David even treated himself to a new set of sails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234906134-D54CSNCFMABD2FNVP3T5/riverton.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - May 7-13 All the various Mariner fleets are starting to get back into action! Here is the first race of the 2012 season at Riverton Yacht Club on April 25th. Frank Pelosi (#3599) and Dan Walsh (#2778) head toward the windward mark in steady winds. This picture was taken by Byron Campbell who has posted many photos of boats racing at Riverton over the past few years. He has just started a new 2012 sailing photos page and plans to update it weekly with each race. He enthusiastically writes, "The Riverton Mariner Fleet is open for business!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234935893-BD7O1KJ8SNVNL03BETHU/stetz.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - May 14-20 How neat would it be to have your Mariner painted by a professional artist? John Blackburn's (#2270) brother-in-law, Ken Stetz, painted this image of John's Mariner tied up at an inlet in Maryland on a very early summer morning. Ken writes, "I have sailed on that boat with John on a number of occasions, and this painting is the third time the boat has appeared in my work." Be sure to check out more of Ken's fantastic images at www.kenstetz.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234964494-YA59N83NG1DZNC4E6S88/2008nationals.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - May 21-27 The last time the Mariner Class National Championships were held at Surf City Yacht Club was in 2008, and this is a great action shot from that Saturday's racing. The gold boat, Bill D'Autrechy's #2537, is running neck-and-neck with Frank Pelosi's white boat (#3599), while Dan Walsh's Stuart Mariner, #4181, is close behind. The Nationals are coming once again to Surf City this August, and every Mariner owner is encouraged to join in the fun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472234988216-767UVN1MWPUBPTB3YPUF/2714.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - May 28-June 3 This past week, Steve Hock sailed with me in ORION and Chris Albert sailed his #2714 DOG DAZE for a three-day trip from Niantic, Connecticut to Shelter Island and Greenport, New York and back. This picture was taken by yours truly of Chris motoring across Long Island Sound as we headed toward Orient Point. Despite calm winds the first day and intense fog the third day, we had an absolutely fantastic trip exploring places like Coecles Harbor and Greenport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235080498-9R0550QPQCJ2Q04SKVPZ/2714-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - June 4-10 Here is another great shot taken from the Shelter Island and Greenport trip that Steve Hock, Chris Albert and I took from May 23-25. This picture, snapped by Steve of Chris's boat, #2714 DOG DAZE, was taken in the beautiful anchorage of Coecles Harbor on the east side of Shelter Island. We had rafted up for dinner beforehand, and Chris eventually relocated a short distance away for the night. We were treated to this fantastic sunset before turning in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235118241-UP6OYED1MJ8LOLX45HQX/burntcoat.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - June 11-17 This picture, taken in 2006, shows a mid-style Mariner on her mooring in Burnt Coat Harbor on Swan's Island, Maine. The origin of Burnt Coat Harbor's name is not verified, although it is suspected that a Revolutionary War deserter symbolically burned his coat before fleeing to the island in 1776. The harbor is home to one of Maine's many famous lighthouses which has been in continuous operation since 1872. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235144443-77G7L4AHJI1OCICVAWG8/3306.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - June 18-24 Barry Waldman was the owner of #3306 QUIXOTIC who is pictured sailing here with his family in April 2010. QUIXOTIC has been featured in this column a few times since 2009, and I like to periodically remember Barry as he died of cancer just a couple short months after this photo was taken. Barry absolutely loved sailing, and he even built a model of his Mariner. His wife later told me how happy she was that Barry had a chance to enjoy his Mariner even if not for very long. Rest in peace, Barry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235212981-2WBN3VTYIMSH3T6B86RC/3485.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - June 25-July 1 Eric Lesniak, owner of #3485 SHOAL MATE, went sailing last weekend for the first time since 2010. Eric writes that his boat "never made it off the trailer last year with all the things on my 'to do' list. But this year, I did get her in the water, and Saturday, June 16th saw mild winds coming from the east. There are other things [I need to do for the boat], including some work on my trailer, but those will be for the really windy days when it's just too rough out on the Bay. It felt great to be back in the saddle!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235243587-ZVD28UPV5QINXZ22WZCU/rendezvous.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 2-8 This past weekend, the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet had their 2012 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport for the WoodenBoat Show. It was a fantastic sight to see six Mariners sailing together at one time! The first day we sailed to Mystic from Niantic; the second day was spent attending the Show and sailing to West Harbor, Fisher's Island; and on the third day, everyone sailed home. Boats from left to right are #2024, #2170 MAGGIE, #1922 ORION, #2186 GYPSY ROSE, #2714 and #2290 SWEET CAROLINE. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235334612-9FSEUKZPJKZQEWPF14SD/2186.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 9-15 Although the sail number reads "3172", this boat is actually #2186 GYPSY ROSE, owned by Bill Collins of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Bill and his daughter Julianna joined ten other sailors on the Mystic Seaport Rendezvous last weekend, and here they are sailing by Hawks Nest Point by West Harbor, Fisher's Island. Towing a small dinghy did nothing to slow him down - he remained ahead of most other sailors over the course of the weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235373311-GYYTTUN0SDEWJVK63ONT/2170-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 16-22 Here is another shot taken during the Mystic Rendezvous trip held at the end of June. This is Tim Reiche sailing #2170 MAGGIE and using sails from another Mariner (hence the different sail number). Besides his Dyer Dhow dinghy, his bow pulpit is also a new addition this year, a great help when anchoring singlehanded. In this picture, Tim has just entered West Harbor, Fisher's Island, and is searching for a place to drop anchor for the night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235406506-ORBQZAQ7UN1BUIYWAOJA/1545.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 23-29 Last week's "POTW" was of Tim Reiche's boat, and here is a picture taken by Tim of a fellow Mariner sailor. Tim writes, "I spotted Dan Mulhern sailing his mid-style #1545 while sailing on Lake Nockamixon, Pennsylvania on June 2nd. We both seemed to change course towards each other after recognizing such a nice-looking boat. Dan will be keeping his Mariner in a slip just one dock down from my slip. There is a growing number of Mariners on Lake Nockamixon which is a promising trend!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235442390-54ZHB7QXQ587TGDT53Q4/2862-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - July 30-Aug. 5 Black storm clouds did not stop Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T, pictured) and Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) from having a great time with their Mariners a few weeks ago. The two spent five days sailing and exploring the lower Chesapeake Bay area. On their trip, they cruised many rivers of the Bay and stayed on their boats overnight in remote anchorages. Steve writes, "If you have not tried some extended cruising, you are missing out on a really fun aspect of your Mariner's capability." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235496955-DYEE4OCPP9RPDYWKYLAK/4082.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Aug.6-12 "Today, the leaves are drifting down in greater quantities than last week. My LAPWING skims across the surface of the sea embracing the wind. She loves to haunt the shallow bays and coastal inlets of my native Boston. Now, in early autumn, each day we have spent together has been a gift." So writes Alice Hawrilenko, owner of #4082 LAPWING (named after a plover), in her blog back in October of 2008. Alice recently completed a remarkable trip to Martha's Vineyard and back through the Cape Cod Canal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235601061-2ONEMYGJREESVQ853UFR/2714-3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 13-19 Chris Albert's #2714 has already been featured twice in this column this year, but this shot deserves to be displayed here as well. Chris went sailing in his boat while photographer Steve Hock and I sailed in ORION during a three-day trip to Shelter Island and Greenport at the end of May. On the second day of the trip, we circled Shelter Island clockwise, and this picture shows Chris beating through the vicious currents at Conkling Point. You can see the multi-million dollar houses in the background atop Shelter Island Heights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235636421-XAU25TUG3M82FI2OWPEA/2012nationals.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 20-26 The 2012 Mariner National Championships last week went off without a hitch at Surf City Yacht Club in New Jersey, and this photo, taken by Tony DeCicco, shows some of the great racing that took place. Despite threats of thundershowers for Saturday, they managed to fit in four races with two more on Sunday. It was good, clean, fun racing - just as it should be. No protests were lodged, and all participants (a whopping 28 boats) had a fantastic time. A great success! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235662707-RAD2G8TLUGWNNTSPF8BY/1071.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 27-Sept. 2 Oly Shooter, of Tennessee, owns Mariner #1071 SWEET KATE. This picture was taken on Bear Island, one of the many islands in Percy Priest Lake near Nashville. Oly writes, "One of my favorite things about the Mariner is how easy it is to pull up the centerboard and beach the boat for a lunch break and/or a short hike before I resume sailing. Shallow draft is a huge advantage with the centerboard Mariner, and it doesn't compromise its sailing abilities for that advantage." Agreed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235698879-ND2KD0O9PRE6SR5F45OA/riverton2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 3-9 Byron Campbell, photographer at Riverton Yacht Club, was kind enough to send me another one of his photos for this column. "I took this picture from my boat on a Sunday race for Mariners. Harry Mayer is in the lead (#664 MARE) going about 'A' mark, with Dave Reily (#1249 SILK PURSE) second, and Dave Oldham (#1534 FROGGER) third with the Riverton shoreline in the background. The wind was pretty light that day, about 5-8 knots." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235781220-U8AUXGD8BQ9EAR0Y9SEC/oriontiltshift.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 10-16 Look at this tiny model of ORION motoring! Or is it...? This was actually taken at the beginning of August when my father and I took a short trip to Fisher's Island. Using a procedure called "tilt-shift" photography and adjusting various color, blur and focus parameters, most any picture that has been taken from elevation can be made to look miniature. We had a nice sail to the Island, although a visiting Yacht Club monopolized all dock space and light winds on the way home prompted us to motor for a while. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235807863-0IH2VZI1LCJN5ML0SV8S/2011nationals.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 17-23 Paul Coward is in the lead with Mariner #584 at last year's Nationals at Brant Beach (New Jersey) in this shot - he and crew Ginny Fine ended up taking seventh place overall. Mariners are wing and wing as they head toward the leeward mark, and you can even see #1922 ORION in the mix. It is worth noting that the oldest known centerboard Mariner, #20 LORELEI, was on the race course and can be seen at the very left in the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235855114-T7DLC3PNZLQ8FMKTD3VR/ellison.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 24-30 Karen Ellison recently purchased this 1976 Mariner she named PATIENCE. A pilot as well as a sailor, Karen has been maintaining a blog about her experiences. She writes, in a portion of her blog, "I was sailing! I headed out to Caswell Beach, crossed the channel and then turned back. Now I just needed to get back, lower the sails and get back into the slip. I had to try twice to get PATIENCE back where she belonged, but I didn't do any real damage, so I was happy. My first solo!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235900192-JT4QGB1V6KICRLD7INDC/2862-3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 1-7 Ed Wise's (#2862 CHRISTINA T) and Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) completed a fall cruise to Maryland's Eastern Shore on the Chesapeake Bay in their own boats. Their five-day trip included overnighting at Reed Creek, Grays Inn Creek, Gibson Island and a call at Annapolis for a look at the boating mecca as well as for a delicious crab cake lunch. The two covered about 105 sailing miles as well as some ten miles of motoring. In this photo, Ed Wise is sailing in strong winds near Sandy Point Light, Maryland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472235978802-1J89LR5O7XLVG2DD6C2O/wattis.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 8-14 Surf City Yacht Club has a very active racing fleet of Mariners, but every once in a while, some of them get together to sail around just for fun. This picture is from 2010 when four Mariner families took a Sunday afternoon trip through the back creeks of Manahawkin Bay to sail in places they had never been before. Here, four-time Mariner National Championship winner Newt Wattis (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) and another member of the Club take a pit stop in one of the back creeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236024291-UUAW68OIYJK09UD35Y3W/2588.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 15-21 Colin and Ginny Steel are seen here motoring with their boat of 35 (!) years, #2588 CRAMOND in some marshes near Wayland, Massachusetts. According to Ginny, "The picture was taken in August of 2006 by our friend Alice when we were bringing CRAMOND from her mooring to the dock to take Alice and her husband Larry for their annual sail with us. Our guests, from a few days before, thoroughly enjoyed some challenging conditions off the New England coast after several days of strong winds. CRAMOND can handle it all!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236109408-BFAOVP43L7QBRUL0WUJ9/3214.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 22-28 This is a fantastic picture showing Drew Thompson and #3214 SWELL flying an asymmetrical spinnaker, courtesy of photographer Grad Dewar. Drew constructed a sprit that, according to him, "slides in an ABS tube, which is attached to a deck cleat. The rear of the pole goes from a shroud to an eye on the foredeck. The rope from the trailer bow eye goes through a ring at the end of the pole to transfer vertical loads to the bow eye. He goes on to write that the pictures were "taken at the start of a race. There was supposed to be more wind." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236139213-JIQZV6LG5XMQ25IAWW84/2154.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 29-Nov. 4 Stuart Watson, owner of #2154 TUSSLE, took this beautiful shot after spending a "12-hour day finally pulling last bits together to get TUSSLE down to her slip on the Northeast River off the Chesapeake Bay. I spent an hour cruising in complete silence and watching the sun set. It was a magical night of bird songs, water lapping on the hull, water fowl soaring around, light breeze and a reward brew! I stepped back to hank on the jib from using a furler for the last few years; I had a hankering to go old school this fall." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236180728-91TVX9N2L2KDKWEKCLHJ/3048.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 5-11 At the end of October, Mariner owners Oly Shooter (#1071 SWEET KATE) and Bob Chandler (#3048 SWAY) went out for some "fine fall sailing on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville." Oly continues to write, "We are at peak fall colors which made for some great photography. I was able to get some nice shots of Bob's Sway including a couple of action shots of the boat sailing to weather in a nice breeze." Be sure to take a look at those photos here, and while you are at it, check out Oly's movie he created. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236272160-7632CLQVNPCO49JB84E5/2862-4.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 12-18 Here is Ed Wise, aboard #2862 CHRISTINA T, enjoying a challenging sail down the Honga River near the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He and photographer Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) made a 100 mile plus trip over five days to test their sailing mettle. Overcoming some sailing challenges, the two battled hot temperatures, a boat breakdown and high winds to finish safely in Crisfield, Maryland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236312249-PNISMQM6TN6T3EIJV0HJ/ferry.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 19-25 On a mild November afternoon in Middle River, Maryland, Rob Jones took a crew of two (son Chris and new daughter-in-law Erin) out on his boat, #2026 NUNYET. The 8-10 knot wind forecast for Veteran's Day on the rivers of the Chesapeake was not ideal, but sometimes there is more to be enjoyed than a little wind in your sails. While they were on their relaxed excursion, Erin, a professional photographer, snapped a few photos to document the outing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236339919-5K3PNDO5I64IB30TMCVD/ellison2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 26-Dec. 2 Here is a great picture of Karen Ellison sailing in her 1976 Mariner PATIENCE, taken by John Barry. In this photo, Karen writes, she is "sailing into the sunset on the Cape Fear River near Southport, North Carolina." According to Karen, she purchased PATIENCE "to expand her sailing repertoire". Hurricane Sandy only brushed by her location in North Carolina, and PATIENCE comfortably rode out the storm at her marina slip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236385429-9MAZGQ2E6N69I70OB25B/2154-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 3-9 This may be the best year yet for the "Picture of the Week" column with pictures like this one. Stuart Watson's #2154 TUSSLE is shown here in mid-November with an incredible sunset dead ahead. Stuart writes, "TUSSLE and I like the latter half of the day to catch these sunsets blossoming over the waters across the Northeast River near Charlestown, Maryland. Even with zero-wind conditions we have time to relax and enjoy the serenity of the area." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236417828-EHL0W3CZUOSJOQHCNKRT/2290.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 10-16 This past summer, Rich Weston, with wife Natasha and daughter Chloe, joined the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet's Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Rich trailered their boat, #2290 SWEET CAROLINE, to Niantic and joined five other boats, sailing to the Seaport on Friday, Fisher's Island on Saturday, and back to Niantic on Sunday. Rich writes, "What a fantastic adventure we had! We had made new friends and never had a dull moment." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236448367-G40E3AMT0H552EEIT6G9/1071-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 17-23 Oly Shooter's #1071 SWEET KATE is captured here in a fantastic photograph taken by fellow Mariner sailor Bob Chandler (#3048 SWAY) during a sail on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee. This image, as well others of SWEET KATE and SWAY, are featured on some items in the Mariner Class Association's online store celebrating the 50th anniversary of the birth of the O'Day Mariner. Be sure to check out all the gear available to purchase. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236511467-3813B5JRGJXM5F20G2FA/3214-3.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 24-30 This close-up shot, courtesy of Grad Dewar, shows Drew Thompson's #3214 SWELL moving along nicely in light airs during a regatta this past spring. Drew has made his Mariner a true racehorse for PHRF races, including adding a retractable bowsprit for an asymmetrical spinnaker. He has also slightly modified the mainsheet by adding a bridle at the transom - a configuration that is not acceptable for Mariner Class Association National Championship regattas, but PHRF racing is another matter! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236542940-VHMYLMDG93QH25MVPYZB/1922-2.jpg 2012 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 31-Jan. 6 On this last Monday of 2012, I offer my own ORION as the final Picture of the Week for this year. This was taken during this year's "Rendezvous" to Mystic Seaport back in June. I had put the awning up, hoisted the anchor light and opened the forward hatch to let in a little cool air and was getting ready to relax for the evening when I took this shot of the sunset directly in front of me. It was a memorable trip. I hope everyone reading this website has a safe and healthy 2013. https://www.mariner1922.com/2011-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238745288-CBJ8TRXA576Y8UMNY7W5/1071.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236935925-4HU342658OYAMJKD30XK/367.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 3-9 Mariner #367 starts off the new year with a picture of her cruising along on what looks to be a perfect sailing day. Early-style Mariners, like this one, have the advantage over the later 2+2's of having lower cockpit seats and therefore more comfortable backrests, although the non-self-bailing cockpits and the open cuddy cabins are not desirable for some. Early-style boats have also proven themselves on the racing grounds, winning 14 out of 42 National Championships. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236960595-TJHGV3CZEVBB2XS1Y43Q/dockside.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 10-16 How nice it must be to have your Mariner tied up at your own personal dock! This boat is about to get underway on a lazy autumn afternoon in Virginia - the sailbag and supplies are on the dock, the engine is about to be uncovered and the lines will soon be cast off. This early-style Mariner has a nice custom wooden enclosure for the otherwise open cuddy cabin, complete with ventilations slats for a little air circulation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472236983252-OENJA64YJ42VDUFGUU0Q/4188.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 17-23 While the majority of Mariners are based on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Mariners are actively sailed all over the country (and beyond)! Here is a 2003 Stuart Mariner, #4188 SEA JADE whose home port lies in Washington state. The different manufacturers of the Mariner - O'Day, Rebel/Spindrift, and Stuart Marine - all kept the basic original Philip Rhodes design and only made slight modifications, mostly confined to the cabin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237016662-LP3BDS0JRKXDXHPVPNK7/nationals2006-1.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 24-30 This picture was taken by Frank Koscheka at the 2006 Nationals held at Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island. What a treat for the residents of the waterfront homes to watch a Mariner regatta! The waters of Great South Bay are notoriously shallow, adding another dimension of complexity to the tactics of racing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237040187-NUL4O37RC25T9VGKVIC3/nationals1981.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 31-Feb. 6 In 1981, the president of Spindrift (brief manufacturer of the Mariner following O'Day) won the Nationals with a brand new boat (#4037). However, after the regatta, it was found to weigh nearly 40% less than O'Day Mariners, touching off somewhat of a controversy as no one wanted to tell the Class's only manufacturer that he had brought an illegal boat all the way from Michigan. After much discussion, #4037 was disqualified and all participants were moved up one place in Class records. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237072200-G1AJWXCGOR2LG5FUAVEQ/2240.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 7-13 While many parts of the United States have received a tremendous amount of snow this winter, Canada has been receiving its fair share of snow as well, and Ontario resident Jurgen Braunohler is seen here bailing out the cockpit of his Mariner, #2240 SEA VENTURE. He writes, "Check out [this] photo of the fun I've been having in Elliot Lake (Winter sailing in the driveway, Elliot Lake style)!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237099294-QRCUN5RDSEXZFSGXBPE1/2024-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 14-20 Here is a shot from last summer to remind us all of what's coming. This is Dan Meaney and a friend sailing #2024 on the second day of the 2010 Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous. We sailed from the Niantic River, anchored off of Bluff Point beach in Groton, and enjoyed lunch before racing home, sailing along the edge of a thunderstorm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237121762-OY4092B6NDQPJ5RVRRD0/1922-4.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 21-27 Four years ago this week my wife and I laid our eyes on ORION, sitting under a winter tarp at Surf City, New Jersey, so I humbly offer her for this week. She certainly needed a little care and attention, but she was in good shape and was launched that summer as-is before undergoing a big restoration the winter of 2007/2008. This website, documenting the projects, began at the same time and now receives about 1,400 unique visitors each week. Who would have thought! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237299101-JVWWVN7NUDQ76GYQMI76/6.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 28-Mar. 6 Here is Mariner #6 (!), manufactured in 1963 at the Fall River plant within the first two weeks Mariners were ever built. Like the Rhodes 19, she sports a full keel and has been actively sailed up until the last few years. Since then, she has been stored indoors in Libertyville, Illinois and is now for sale. Like many older Mariners, there have been some modifications to her interior, but to know this historic boat even exists is remarkable in itself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237318989-R4L79FGG2RF98M35RY6E/1117.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Mar 7-13 This is a nice shot of Mariner #1117 sitting in the fog at her mooring in Maine. There are a surprising number of Mariners that were bought new in the 1960's and 1970's and are still actively sailed by the original owner. The Mariner truly is the ideal boat for someone looking to downsize from a larger yacht or for a dinghy-sailor hoping to upgrade to a well-performing boat with a "big-boat feel". But you already knew that, didn't you? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237347076-XP9JUZR0T8VOIBIHJIYM/1908.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 14-20 Gary Haynes of Michigan owns Mariner #1908 BLUE PEARL, built in 1970. Here, Gary's son Ben and daughter Katie help to put BLUE PEARL in the water at Crystal Lake last May. Gary writes, "The boat has had many upgrades over the years... I have sailed it twice from Ludington to Petoskey on Lake Michigan, a distance of over 200 miles. These days it resides at Crystal Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan." Looks like a great spot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237377913-7PF1BD9J8HKAI5QB3LJ4/2376.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Mar 21-27 Although Mariner #2376 BLON-DEE III is owned by Art Leiz, Art's sons Jim and Arthur were the ones who brought her to second place during the 2006 Mariner Nationals at Narrasketuck, Long Island. According to champion Newt Wattis, "The well-known stories of the seaweed and shallow water [of the racing area] were true to form and provided additional challenges to all the sailors. Jim [and Arthur] demonstrated their local knowledge to consistently be near the top of the fleet." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237460494-T71UP64956EZZ6X9IHE1/fallwindup2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 28-Apr. 3 Taken by Read Howarth, this picture shows the 2008 Riverton Yacht Club's "Fall Windup", typically held mid-October of each year. Read writes, "It was a crisp and windy fall weekend. The winds blew upward of 30+ knots, so racing was halted on Sunday after one race. However, the previous day the sailors were able to complete five races. As always, the Riverton Yacht Club's hospitality was outstanding, with coffee and donuts before each day's racing and a keg on Saturday night." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237489008-9XD1091GQ5MHYMHI23YI/jumping.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 4-10 It is nice to see some new websites popping up of people refurbishing their Mariners. This picture is taken from a blog of a couple young men who have spent a lot of time and effort restoring their older-style boat. The sail number is "4", but their O'Day factory transom plate suggests the hull number is closer to the 100's. The Mariner truly is an ideal boat for all ages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237517052-LVWOOF1OJBG6MB28VL3T/3627-3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 11-17 Steve Hock made a remarkable journey with his Mariner back in May of 2010. Steve and a friend sailed WHITECAP, #3627, a whopping 140 miles over the course of a few days around the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The Small Craft Advisor magazine recently published a six-page article Steve wrote in the latest edition (No. 69, May/June) - it is a great read. Way to go, Steve! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237550211-7E2TI7941OH95DVFNF9H/KWSC.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 18-24 Florida's Key West Community Sailing Center has a fleet of four Mariners used primarily for teaching. The Commodore of the Center, Jens Nielsen, told me over the phone that of all the boats the Center has, the O'Day Mariner is the most popular, and they bought another one just this past Thursday! Plans are in the works to have the KWSC Mariner Fleet affiliated with the Mariner Class Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237576722-5ZXP3IN3AK5Z3BR6CKAE/freedom.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 25-May 1 Chuck Rubner of Sherrill, Iowa is fortunate enough to keep his Mariner FREEDOM at his own dock on the Mississippi River and sails her on a 32-mile-expanse between locks. He writes, "I sail from May until late October - I love it. My most enjoyable time is when I am on the Mariner. I am always visiting your website when I need info - it is very helpful." The black ball suspended above the foredeck is a "dayshape", an international signal identifying a vessel at anchor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237604493-D7TO5O5AVEBE37QLMVO7/1249.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 2-8 Here is a shot from April 19th, 2009 when the Riverton Yacht Club had their first race of the season. This great shot of #1249 SILK PURSE was taken as she boils along close-hauled. Owned by David Reily, SILK PURSE races regularly in Riverton's Sunday and Wednesday circuits, and she came in second place for both the Sunday Summer and Fall Series last year (out of 15 and 17 boats respectively). Picture credit goes to Rich Weston (#2290 SWEET CAROLINE). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237647790-RAEXC8FLO7WH5XQBU0OQ/2676.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 9-15 Taken by Frank Koscheka during the 2006 Nationals, this picture shows the famous "Gold Boat", #2676, skippered by Helmuth "Helmie" Meyhoefer. Helmie, one of only four Life Members of the Mariner Class Association, has won the Nationals a record 14 times. He once held the winner's trophy four times in four years (1977-1980), an accomplishment not equaled by any other racer (he has also come in second place eight times). He still actively races out of Narrasketuck. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237671878-B8BAUF2UJRD51IFN0ULI/3647-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 16-22 David Stone has taken the restoration of his boat, #3647 BIGENUF, to a new level with many custom enhancements and upgrades. Here she is, anchored after an all-day sail. David writes, "After a beautiful April sail in Pensacola Bay and the Sound, we anchored on the south side of Santa Rosa Island in Fort Pickins National Park and walked across the island to the Gulf of Mexico." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237705565-3RJEM93LC1N7KWDOOO0Y/2940-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 23-29 Bruce Linder along with girlfriend Kate worked extremely hard last year to refurbish Mariner #2940. This picture was taken last August at the Harriman Reservoir in Vermont. Bruce writes, "Deciding to sail to the back of this cove at Harriman Reservoir was a good idea, but the wind picked up as we started to reach the back. I had my friend Dan (in the photo) go pull the jib down part-way as I released it while Kate took the tiller. We took it all the way down rather quickly and coasted to the back." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237726331-PAS1OA8UVS6GGL8CTQ6T/1471.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - May 30-June 5 #1471 ANTIGUA is owned and is being restored by Ben Johnson who writes, "I sail her off of a beach where my grandparents own a house. This stretch of the beach is famous for the Brewster Flats, so-named because when the tide goes out, it goes all the way out - up to a mile, in fact, exposing long stretches of open sand. For most of low tide my boat sits high and dry on the sand, making the centerboard-model Mariner with its 10 inch draft a perfect boat for the flats." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237760039-AUAHYQRXI1BKJ7IXUQ2M/nationals2004.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - June 6-12 Entitled, "Heading Upwind", this great picture was taken at the 2004 Mariner Nationals at Surf City Yacht Club (New Jersey). That year, the winds on Saturday were gusting to 25 knots and the conditions proved to be challenging to say the least. One mast was broken, several boats were disabled and one even sank (!) at the leeward turning gate. The rescue boats certainly got a workout that weekend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237786276-EHLBA5VZJOQUI6883DWT/3595-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - June 13-19 This picture was taken in March of 2010 and features Zach Katzenmeyer's Mariner, #3595, beached inside Perdido Key at Orange Beach, Alabama. Zach said that it was his "first sail in the Mariner and the first sail since my eleven-foot Snark probably a decade ago. Needless to say, the Mariner left a great impression on our Spring Break!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237809070-XU16BEGB3Y5DR5FHVTU3/1357-3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - June 20-26 Paul DiMarco is pictured here sailing with his wife Gail a couple weeks ago in #1357 LAISSEZ-FAIRE during a Massabesic (New Hampshire) Yacht Club race. Paul writes, "In summer of 2010, my family and I took an excellent "Learn to Sail" program at the Club. We have since joined the Club, and... we try to get out sailing at least once a week on her, including the club races on Sundays. I get many compliments from other sailors on the lake about how nice my Mariner looks." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237841468-QW3IKEHMGWYXHA18DTIU/2011rendezvous1.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - June 27-July 3 This past weekend, a fleet of five Mariners and their owners and guests motored and sailed from the Niantic River eastward up to Mystic Seaport, a distance of about 14 miles. We attended the WoodenBoat show, stayed overnight on our boats and sailed back the next morning. It was a wonderful and memorable trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237885671-A9YO5TLQ0CBCXQ5LAOO8/2011rendezvous2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - July 4-10 Here is another shot from last weekend's Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport. Here is Tim and Erin Reiche's #2170 MAGGIE at anchor along with Chris Albert's DOG DAZE - notice MAGGIE's new cockpit cover from the Sailor's Tailor. While some may find it creepy, we anchored just a short distance away from the beautiful Elm Grove Cemetery, nearly in the exact same spot where my wife Liz and I anchored a couple years ago. Thanks to Steve Hock for the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237929728-FF8XYM1GXLFN7QXJR8UO/riverton2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - July 11-17 The Mariner Fleet at the Riverton Yacht Club (New Jersey) races every Sunday and Wednesday night, and this picture was taken during the Wednesday, June 1st race. Taken by photographer Byron Campbell, he writes, "The Mariners are headed for the finish line (right in front of the Pier), and it looks as if FROGGER (#1534 Dave Oldham and Fred Linden) is the leader. Harry Mayer in the dark green boat (#664 MARE) actually tacked and beat FROGGER to the line." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237971472-MVNRCWCAE0A96C5HITK7/2011rendezvous3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - July 18-24 The recent Southeast Connecticut Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport provided many excellent pictures including this one by Steve Hock. Taken from Orion, you can see Dan Meaney's #2024 on the left and Tim and Erin's #2170 MAGGIE on the right. We are passing through the Mystic River's swinging railroad bridge, and Mystic Seaport's beautiful wooden schooner Brilliant is following us. What a great experience that weekend! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472237996250-IFJF1VW4V349MYUHW0U9/KWSC-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - July 25-31 This picture is courtesy of the Key West Community Sailing Center and shows one of their five Mariners wing-and-wing. The purpose of the KWCSC is to teach sailing to children and adults alike, and their Mariner boats are by far the most popular. The KWCSC Mariner Fleet has become the Mariner Class Association's newest official Fleet, and at least a couple members of the Center plan to make the trip northward to New Jersey to race in the Nationals next month! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238021856-O201QR3THVL25Z1H11DX/20.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 1-7 Here is LORELEI, Mariner #20, looking like she might have just rolled off the production line. Having had her ups and downs over the years, a group of dedicated sailors from the Surf City Yacht Club have labored the past few months to restore her to racing condition, and what a great job they have done! She will be in the care of SCYC for the immediate future and plans to participate in local races and the various Nationals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238047504-6TIEESCFMN5EN502ASKZ/assateague.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 8-14 This absolutely beautiful photograph was taken by Steve Hock during a get-together on Chincoteague Bay (Maryland). After a day of heavy-weather sailing and a night of two thunderstorms, the group anchored on the second day off of Assateague Island and ate lunch under the shade of a tree on shore. That night they were hit with another thunderstorm but managed to return the next day on one long close-hauled tack. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238075239-H6O2WJNT6YI9H60SP06R/nationals2011-1.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 15-21 The 2011 Mariner National Championship was held this past weekend at Brant Beach Yacht Club in New Jersey. While light winds delayed racing on Saturday for a while and thunderstorms threatened Sunday's racing, all the races were completed with great success. 24 boats competed, including ORION (although we did not do very well this year), and a good time was had by all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238103054-A1D6VJNZEQF2AT7AYDMT/413.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 22-28 Mark Campbell's #413 EASTER is waiting for him at the end of his dock, ready to go for an evening sail. The gangway to the dock seems to invite you to walk down the steps to where the Mariner is beckoning. As I have mentioned before, I am a sucker for this kind of shot - who would not want their own private dock, their boat ready to go at a moment's notice? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238131895-ABKP824CSOF1TEUUN0B7/nationals2011-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 29-Sept. 4 There was a constant threat of showers and thunderstorms on Sunday of the National Championships, but two more races were squeezed in before the downpours came. I had retreated with ORION Saturday night to avoid having a five-hour drive home in the pouring rain on Sunday, and while I know I made a good decision, I did miss participating that final day. This is a great shot by Scot Ellis of Brant Beach Yacht Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238163631-N5WIO3ER2HX62OQ8O5J3/2540.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 5-11 David Anderson of Waterboro, Maine, completely restored #2540 MOONRACER to like-new condition. Here she is, according to David, "anchored at Damariscove Island, Maine (a nature preserve) after her first venture offshore (a ten-nautical mile sail from Pemaquid Harbor). Damariscove Harbor is about a half mile long and very narrow. Wife swam and daughter stayed onboard while son and I explored the island." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238188907-V641FVYS2JTWEEYQADPR/3755.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 12-18 Ben "Jamey" Duffey of South Carolina is lucky enough to keep his Mariner #3755 on a lift in Murrells Inlet. She is a true cruiser - notice the bow pulpit, bimini and roller-furler jib. Jamey writes, "She is ready, willing and able to sail whenever we want. Many people know the boat and like her looks, it's surprising how many. We actually have folks come into our little canal area just to see the boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238259994-VOWFUIZ0YPM2WE3VYUKE/1933.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 19-25 Built around the same week ORION was built, #1933 is owned by Howard Forder of Toronto. He rescued this boat after "five years to get it from holes in the hull, horrible paint jobs with house paint and general grunge to get it sailing today. It glided into the water in May this year." She resides at Scarborough Bluffs Sailing Club on Lake Ontario. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238280451-IGDEKZJOWWXZNL1YW3SS/depew.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 26-Oct. 2 When Wayne Depew purchased his 1967 Mariner, she was "a very misused boat." According to Wayne, her "ribs were all rotted, bunks rotted, the rubrail was in bad shape (leaking on the starboard beam from a collision), hull severely blistered, etc." He brought her to Stuart Marine who did a complete restoration from top to bottom. It was a tremendous amount of work, and she looks brand new! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238304072-TDZELJ17CYDKVPYOMKNT/3647-3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 3-9 Here is David Stone's #3647 BIGENUF at the Blue Angels end-of-the-season flight show on July 9th. David writes, "Thousands of boats were anchored closely together at Soundside Beach from the shore to half a mile out. Once in shallow water, I waded, pulling the boat backwards, right up to our front row spot on the beach and put up the awning." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238335602-ONP9JHUODBU3JB146G6K/nationals2011-3.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 10-16 This great shot was taken by Scot Ellis at this year's Nationals in Brant Beach, New Jersey. ORION is in the middle of a boat sandwich racing downwind toward the leeward mark. We all came within mere inches of hitting each other with our hulls and spars, but no contact was made, and ORION sneaked ahead to get to the mark first. While we lost ground on the next leg and did not fare very well overall in the standings, we had a fantastic time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238367496-KSK1QEJI2AEH36W507ZJ/1767.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 17-23 One of the first Mariners I saw when I was searching for one to buy in 2007 was this boat right here, #1767 TXONI. A mid-style keel Mariner, she was for sale in a nearby town at a decent price, but I hemmed and hawed for too long. When I called to check out the boat, she had been sold two weeks prior. ORION entered the picture only a couple months later, and I am glad I waited! Nevertheless, the new owner of #1767 worked hard to restore her to full glory, and the results are evident. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238403915-F4H0ZZT24WUIZSZ9QP83/vongole.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 24-30 My wife and I traveled to Maine last week and stopped in to see Dave Whittier at Stuart Marine. Dave (right) has mainly been working on restoring and servicing both Rhodes 19s and Mariners, including this 2008 Stuart Mariner VONGOLE. It was great to tour the shop and talk a bit, and it is nice to see that he seems to be weathering the struggling economy and is continuing to provide us Mariner owners with parts and service. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238433715-G244ILE4D3SZS5PPKRFL/irene.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 31-Nov. 6 Since New England was recently hammered by a nor'easter, I thought it might be appropriate to post a picture of a casualty from Hurricane Irene. This poor Mariner was left on her mooring in hopes that she would come through unscathed, but alas, she was resting on the bottom by the time Irene passed by. Fortunately, Mariners are solid boats that do not require much effort to fix when they are broken. The partially-submerged outboard engine, however, might be a different story... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238458222-C6ZE65GGYDHHJLO6DBDG/1357-4.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 7-13 Paul DiMarco of New Hampshire has owned #1357 LAISSEZ-FAIRE for the past couple years, and here she is on her mooring as the sun comes up sporting a Sailor's Tailor cockpit cover. She is one of the last open cuddy cabin Mariners before O'Day started the "2+2" with an enclosed cabin and added quarterberths. Paul says that he raced her regularly this past season and she held her own against boats with much lower PHRF ratings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238505532-JZXUBYTKYF4BFZH9IRFG/mystic.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 14-20 Alan Hlavenka is a professional photographer based on Long Island, New York who is also a Mariner owner and a member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club. Alan happened to be in Mystic, Connecticut the same weekend the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet's 2011 Rendezvous took place at Mystic Seaport. He saw the five Mariners anchored nearby and took a snapshot of Ed Wise's #2862 CHRISTINA T and ORION. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238536299-OMOKU1WVSAGJH8RMWA5S/3048.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 21-27 Bob Chandler found his 1975 Mariner, #3048 SWAY, on Craigslist and brought her home to Nashville, Tennessee to fix her up. This photo, taken on Percy Priest Lake by another Mariner owner, Oly Shooter, shows Bob and his family after "a great day of family sailing." Bob goes on to write: "Our usual day of sailing ends with us anchoring in a cove, having a picnic, and cruising back to the dock. Sailing is such a great family activity and the Mariner is perfect." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238565009-3K2CD8FS6CPSW01M9JTL/664-2.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 28-Dec. 4 Harry Mayer has owned #664 MARE for many years and is an active participant at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. A past Fleet Captain, he came in first place for Riverton's Sunday Summer Series, won the President's Fleet division at the Mariner Nationals in 2010 and was awarded "Most Improved" at the 2011 Nationals. This photograph is courtesy of Byron Campbell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238593200-13Q0800ZDHO66D7I5ZYP/3214.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 5-11 Here is a great shot of Drew Thompson sailing #3214 SWELL (as Drew says, "Add water, maybe it gets bigger") with spinnaker flying at the beginning of July. Like many Mariner owners, Drew spent a long time repairing and upgrading, including adding seven layers of fiberglass to the centerboard trunk to reduce flexing. He has ordered an asymmetrical spinnaker and looks forward to trying it out in his home waters of Ontario. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238615902-1UA9Q3X7JVSN7CM2UFHG/1071.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 12-18 Oly Shooter's #1071 SWEET KATE was captured when, as Oly writes, "My wife and I were sailing on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee. It was only our second time on the boat. We had been working on the boat for the previous three months and this was our 'shake down' sail. The Mariner is the perfect fit for us. We find the boat to be very stable and easy to handle. She sails well and has those lovely classic lines that we admire so much." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238642131-PXQ8F8XS2MK9CHEWZC5T/436.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 19-25 This is a great picture of Mariner #436 sitting at her mooring as the sun is on its way down. A 1965 boat, the coamings and the cabin top still retain the original blue they were painted when they rolled out of O'Day's factory in Fall River, Massachusetts. Notice, however, the attractive wooden rubrail and the cabin enclosure fabricated by her owner. Also like the original boats, the mainsheet is set up as a "Crosby" style where individual blocks are mounted on the aft end of the boom and near the transom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238668617-WCTON1NHHG64ODGLIHL1/1922-5.jpg 2011 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 26-Jan. 1 For this year's final "Picture of the Week", I humbly offer my own ORION once again. Taken in the middle of November, 2008, she is sitting at her mooring in the fog shortly before being hauled out for the winter. Orion is the only boat left on the Niantic River. This peaceful picture shows a fairly colorless landscape save for the boat and channel buoys in the background. https://www.mariner1922.com/2010-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240354634-KE224ECVLKBGZ1PHX734/barata-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238818687-D21JGWGP5ROLTBSCCJGU/707.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 Here is a good action shot to start the year off right. This is Mariner #707 KETCHUP, owned by Dixon Pearce of Manahawkin, New Jersey, competing in one of the National Championship regattas in years past. A member of the Surf City Yacht Club, KETCHUP is an active racer - this past September, Dixon and his wife Angie came in second in the Mariner Class (out of seven boats) at the Yacht Club's 61st annual regatta. Thanks to Read Howarth for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238862467-AXO12IV40ZCC9R0J83CV/2707-3.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 11-17 Mike and Jan McCormack are shown here racing their Mariner #2707 VINLAND during the 2009 Labor Day Sailboat Race on Sebec Lake, Maine. Although there were only four boats competing (including a Hobie Cat, an International 110 and O'Day 20), everyone had a wonderful time and there was even a trophy presentation following a reception. VINLAND is currently at Stuart Marine in Maine for some work over the winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238893561-WKBR9P9QT12Z3LQAK59M/ghost2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 18-24 Here is Roger and Sally Livingston sailing GHOST (#4096) this past summer on Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Roger writes that this is when they were "sailing with the Northeast Trailer Sailors... mostly MacGregors. It was a beautiful day, but when the winds picked up in the afternoon, the Mac's dropped their sails and motored down the Bay. We continued to sail, and even with their 50 hp motors, they didn't catch us until late afternoon." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238918699-GC9G3XLI4VFDLVAXSG9S/1647-4.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 25-31 One of Jim Watson's projects last year was to paint on the name of his boat (#1647). He writes, "I played with lots of names. Nothing too serious, mind you, as it is a pretty small yacht. I'd always collected model sailboats, and I'd owned a Laser for years. But this was the first 'real' sailboat. It was definitely not a toy. Ah-hah... So, NAUT-A-TOY was born." Here she is tied up at Sturgeon Lake, ready for 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238948277-V5IJ2DX0PRDKPWC2Q242/30-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 1-7 This shot was taken by Bill Hicks back in June of 1965, and it shows his friend Bob Wester securing Mariner #30 MICES for "the first trip to the salt." Bill writes, "Joan (wife) and I rigged a homemade trailer for the keel model and pulled MICES from Lake Lanier near Atlanta to Panama City, Florida for a cruising vacation. We had a ball." Check out the follow-up to this picture (August 31st-September 6th of 2009). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472238979593-3IBZFDSSXIPXQPF5IA0O/1588.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 8-14 This is L'EMERAUDE, Mariner #1588, during a September sail last year. Owned by Hubert Cormier, she is one of the many Canadian Mariners and is sailed in New Brunswick. She is one of the "mid-model" boats, retaining the mahogany coaming tops, forward hatch and the classic "bump-top" cabin from the earlier-style boats, but made into a "2+2" by raising the cockpit floor and adding two quarter berths as well as enclosing the cabin. One would be hard-pressed to find a nicer-looking boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239001160-1JVSVXZ1E51MN5TNAFNF/1357.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 15-21 Paul DiMarco lives in New Hampshire and owns Mariner #1357 ABIGAIL. He writes, "Here she is pictured with her prior owner on Lake Massabesic in Auburn/Manchester, New Hampshire. I began refinishing the cockpit sole and coamings with epoxy/varnish. I hope to have her back on the water in May." A towing mishap with a tractor nearly put ABIGAIL through Paul's living room window, but a quick last-minute maneuver saved his house - and, more importantly, of course, his boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239032139-LVQPK9ZQHQWI10M8UDL2/1418.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 22-28 Jeff Freedman purchased his 1969 Mariner REALITYWAVE in 1976, and, according to him, he has "waxed the hull every year for the past 35 years." Here is a picture of Jeff with Bart Kaplan as crew finding "a clear lane with plenty of Barnegat Bay breeze on an upwind leg of the 2008 Nationals at Surf City [New Jersey]." She has raced competitively in a number of the past National regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239057975-7CKAF99BDNAYQ1RJY0UY/1848.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 1-7 Nick and Eniko DeMarco are the proud owners of Mariner #1848 Rover. Nick writes that this picture "is one of our favorites of all time." The DeMarco's ROVER is part of the Mariner Fleet at the Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island, New York. Narrasketuck has the distinction of hosting the very first Mariner Nationals in 1967, and this year it will be held there in July. According to Nick, however, "the best sailing days are in the fall." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239083733-FU2ULLPXW2ZIERXBBGVP/barata-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 8-14 This beautiful picture is courtesy of Andre Barata of Santa Clara, California. He and his wife took their recently restored 1967 Mariner to Lake Tahoe last year. Andre writes, "The wind was really slow that day, but the beautiful emerald green water and the mountains in the background made you forget about time. We anchored our Mariner at the Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe and went for a hike. I couldn't help but stare at the boat the whole time." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239104815-EMMS5127E6E9QT3NWH6H/1922-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 15-21 Since today is my wife's birthday, I humbly offer this picture of her sailing with me onboard ORION. This was taken on the day of ORION's first launch in Connecticut (July of 2007) as we took a short sail around the Niantic River. Notice that this shows ORION before her major restoration which occurred that winter. Liz has been very tolerant of my boat obsessions, so today I say "thank you" for her tolerance and patience! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239145769-RL0AB834UHZBJEV90JJ8/3086-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 22-28 Peggy MacDonald and her husband Larry Lewack live in Vermont and own Mariner #3086 WINDIGO. This picture was taken during a "camp-cruise" to the northern islands of Lake Champlain last year. When asked to provide a caption for this picture, Peggy offered several, including "Hot Babe Wanders Near Broken Down Boat", "Comely Woman Emerges From the Sea", and "She's Holdin' Up Good (the boat, I mean)"! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239174531-3IZP1LS4ULY5WFU93CQG/nationals2008-1.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 29-Apr. 4 This picture, taken by Read Howarth during the 2008 Nationals at Surf City, New Jersey, shows Dave and Leslie Stapleford's #3237 GREYHOUND followed by Tom Boyer and Bill Clopp in #4059 GRUMPY GEEZERS (what a great name). The first race started in 5-10 knots of wind, eventually picking up to 15-20 by the last race that day. The Staplefords would go on to place fifth in the President's Fleet, while Tom and Bill took fifth place in the Championship Fleet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239207428-MFTLY8YH059LRXQ1P7TM/rendezvous.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 5-11 The Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet organized a day-sail Rendezvous at the beginning of October last year. Here is Chris Albert (foreground, #2714 DOG DAZE) and Dan Meaney (#2024) sailing on the Niantic River. Although the original plan was to meet up with three other boats on Long Island Sound, a small craft advisory kept the participants in the more protected waters of the River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239234993-2FGI2B3I5B15C859VXH9/fallwindup.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 12-18 Taken in October of 2008, this shot is from the 2008 Fall Windup at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. Here they are dodging the nearby moored boats as they head for the weather mark. Boats from left to right: #664 MARE (Harry Mayer), #2604 MY LIGHTNING (Newt Wattis), #3599 (Frank Pelosi), #3441 MOON (Chris Calhoun), and #938 PUPPY 2 (Richard Martin). Thanks to Read Howarth for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239275315-OY20WP5ISNH3NL7VFCM0/3595.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 19-25 This beautiful late-afternoon picture of Mariner #3595 was taken by her owner, Zach Katzenmeyer of Starkville, Mississippi, this past March. She is "anchored for the night inside Perdido Key, Orange Beach, Alabama. [This was the] first sail in the Mariner [and the] first sail since my 11' Snark probably a decade ago. Needless to say, the Mariner left a great impression on our spring break!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239297428-M7ORIT3WFJBRA784UOHX/riverton.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 26-May 2 Riverton Yacht Club's last race of the season occurred on October 11th, and this great shot shows Chris Calhoun (#3441 MOON), Fred Rapp (#919 RAPP-A-TACK), Chris O'Brien (#2781 O'MITZVAH!), Harry Mayer (#664 MARE) and Dave Oldham (#1534 FROGGER) duking it out at the starting line. Photographer Byron Campbell writes, "Interestingly, I believe that FROGGER was last at the start but first at the finish for the first race." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239363660-PJU55LZE65F540NT0HLN/ad.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 3-9 Chuck Hawley, expert sailor with over 40,000 miles under his belt ranging from ultra-light sleds to the maxi-catamaran Playstation, serves as West Marine's VP of Product Information. He writes, "My family owned [Mariner] #143 for over 30 years, and it sailed out of Santa Cruz and at Fallen Leaf Lake in the Sierra. Great boat... I did sleep aboard when I was a kid, and it was always a great adventure." This picture is similar to #143 and is from an old advertisement. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239386564-ZLODJ0C4WS3IU3YUQ3S5/3306-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 10-16 Having already made an appearance as a "Picture of the Week" last December, #3306 QUIXOTIC deserves to be featured again. Owner Barry Waldman, hoping to get pictures of QUIXOTIC underway last month, "dropped my youngest son Matt on shore and he clicked away. After we picked him up, he said we were too far away, but what I got is what I got." Looks good from here, Barry! QUIXOTIC received new running rigging, blocks, and new sails at the end of last year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239430289-FOVEUOG2697WYJJO35SI/3441.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 17-23 Here is another great shot taken by Byron Campbell at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey. Chris Calhoun is at the helm of #3441 MOON as she glides by the Yacht Club pier. MOON has made regular appearances on the Yacht Club's racing circuit. Riverton is a tricky place to race; last year's Nationals proved that knowledge of the Delaware River's intense current is crucial to planning one's strategy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239460611-E27HK8OGJ4XSDOIY439N/1880.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 24-30 Taken during the 2008 Mariner Nationals at Surf City, New Jersey, this shot shows #1880 as she heads for the windward mark. Owned by Steve Goldberg and crewed by Hank Schleckser, they eventually took second place in the President's Fleet. Surf City Yacht Club, host to the largest Mariner Fleet in the Association (and from where Orion was sailed before I bought her), will be holding practice races this coming Sunday, May 30th. Thanks to Read Howarth for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239481258-7J8GP0HKE4D3RMR58AQM/3627-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - May 31-June 6 Steve Hock, owner of #3627 WHITECAP and VP Communications of the Mariner Class Association, recently returned from a remarkable five-day trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He and a friend sailed 140 miles, experiencing pristine beaches and marshes, battling weeds and mosquitoes, dodging sandbars and exploring beautiful places quite possibly never seen before by human eyes. His narrative has been accepted for printing in an upcoming Small Craft Advisor edition! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239504322-RHI2HFRKZT57YJJHSTU0/tiltshift.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - June 7-13 Look at the detail of all these Mariner models! Or are they...? This picture was actually taken by yours truly at the 2009 Nationals at Riverton and slightly altered with the focus area narrowed, colors enhanced, and other techniques known as "tilt-shift photography" to make everything appear miniature. These boats are getting ready to be launched on Saturday morning. Light winds plagued last year's Nationals, allowing only two races on Saturday and one on Sunday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239523839-KBYAWC10I9I12UPSE302/2372.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - June 14-20 William and Claire Mangum of North Carolina own #2372 REBECCA and enjoyed a spectacular sail late last year. William writes, "This was truly a perfect day on Lake Norman - changing patterns of clouds and sun in a deep-blue mid-October sky. Claire, my wife, said it was just like the sky in Ireland, before she snapped the picture. The wind was a steady, gentle breeze." He also wrote in a previous e-mail: "I love the Mariner. Seeing her sheer from a distance makes my heart go pitter patter." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239546702-QLZ20RSRL0B3QGGNW072/1130.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - June 21-27 This fantastic shot of Mariner #1130 was taken by her owner, Scott Cummins. At the end of May, Scott and his friend took this picture "of the Mariner at rest... after a seven-hour trek across the southern part of Kentucky Lake and back. You can't tell from the picture, but we had good 12-15 knot breezes for most of the day. I tried to get some action shots, but none came out as well as this one." What a great picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239569966-BWT7RCM09FI40M2OMNSQ/2253.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - June 28-July 4 Mariner #2253 was prominent in many advertisements for O'Day Sailboats from 1971-1973, including one of the first advertisements featuring the new streamlined cabin top. I now have 21 different O'Day Sailboats advertisements on this website from 1966 to 2010. If you have an old ad featuring the Mariner I do not already have, please contact me - I would love to add it to this website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239596051-6ZF5VC0RSYLWFH4DU8S6/pasdedeux.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - July 5-11 Stuart Marine continues to repair, refurbish and restore old Mariners. The boat pictured here is PAS DE DEUX, a 1965 keel Mariner that has been restored to better-than-new condition. The extensive work has included new paint inside and out, the addition of a battery with a compass and Garmin GPS unit, new wood panels and cockpit sole, new hardware, new cushions, new opening portlights - new everything! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239623176-C2EXW7QZ88ZRWE2OK4E4/ebwhite.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - July 12-18 This picture was taken by yours truly back in October of 2007. It was nearing sunset, and I took this shot as I approached Niantic Bay. The quotation is by E. B. White, famed author of books such as Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little and father of noted naval architect Joel White. This and many other quotations relating to the sea can be found in the compilation Essays of E.B. White. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239662697-JOP52U9IKYH6BYYJ0CVI/2023.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - July 19-25 Greg Allen of Dothan, Alabama owns #2023 CONSTANT SORROW. This picture was taken as he was "sailing in the eastern end of Choctawhatchee Bay between Freeport and Destin in the panhandle of Florida. My buddy took the photo from his 1973 Buccaneer." When asked about the name of his boat, he writes that his friends "refer to it as the boat of constant sorrow, borrowed from the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239691404-4V69432MJF03WQEIZ3RY/rendezvous2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - July 26-Aug. 1 Mariners are graceful under power as well as under sail. Chris Albert and daughter Michelle in #2714 DOG DAZE are followed by Roger and Sally Livingston in #4096 GHOST as they motor toward New London this past Friday during the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous. It rained almost the entire day on Friday, and the winds were non-existent until we were well on our way home, but we still had a great time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239740285-G72M8QF9GWTQUSOHD09R/2940.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug 2-8 Bruce Linder and "first mate" Kate have worked very hard to restore Mariner #2940. Residents of Springfield, Massachusetts, they took their boat out on the 16th of July, the last day of their vacation. Bruce writes, "We went back to an area off the main pond at Otis Reservoir where we had swam before. This time, wanting to get a little closer to shore, we dropped anchor about 50 feet out and tied to a tree leaving the boat in 2-3 feet of water. Had a blast." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239770058-PLAVVRQY3P702ESE648T/3485.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 9-15 Eric Lesniak finally got the chance to sail his Mariner, #3485, after refurbishing his centerboard. However, his sea-trial was short-lived. "After finally getting underway, two pop-rivets on the boom bail sheared off from the downward stress of the mainsheet. So I quickly gave everything else a once-over, dropped sail and motored in to replace the corroded pop rivets - all four of them. It was a very hot July day, but after eleven years of no sailing, it felt great to be back in the saddle!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239790130-O8T4X926U8WE4H6S7QWF/narrasketuck.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 16-22 The Narrasketuck Yacht Club is home to a pretty impressive number of Mariners, and this picture shows several of them tied to pilings and also on trailers. Active since the start of the Mariner Class Association, Narrasketuck has seen its share of good times and bad through the years, but Mariners have always had a constant presence. The Mariner Fleet there is continuing to rebuild after a short period of slow activity, and the Club was proud to host the 2010 Nationals at the end of last month. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239808448-6NOLTBCTD6R41U5QLUYX/3599-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 23-29 This great action shot was taken during this past Nationals. Skipper Frank Pelosi and crew Joseph Law are sailing Mariner #3599 on a windward leg of one of the races. Members of the Riverton Yacht Club Mariner Fleet, Frank and Joe came in third place in the Championship Fleet - they had come in second at last year's Nationals. Frank is also the current Mariner Fleet Captain at Riverton and has been a member of the Class Association since 2008. Thanks to Alan Hlavenka for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239828476-O8284N1P4GTGJDK4YYT0/2290-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 30-Sept. 5 Rich Weston is the new VP of Membership in the Mariner Class Association, and he and a friend recently trailered Rich's boat, #2290 SWEET CAROLINE, from Riverton, New Jersey to Lake Owasco, one of the Finger Lakes in New York. Rich writes, "What a great time we had. The lake was quiet and peaceful during the week, and most times I was on the water I was the only boat in sight." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239857183-SMR5MMR24LXHETPFG1LI/2170.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 6-12 Tim and Erin Reiche have just completed a total restoration of their boat, #2170 MAGGIE. This shot was taken shortly after launching at Lake Nockamixon, PA. Tim writes, "The boat found water today and we had a blast. I'm holding off on good vinyl boat letters from a local company so these numbers are just laminated and taped to the side of the hull." Congratulations! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239880825-PA1YB6VB7HPFWGNG41Y4/2707-4.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 13-19 This fantastic picture is of Mike McCormack's #2707 VINLAND during September 4th's Labor Day race on Sebec Lake in Maine. Mike writes, "The night before the race Hurricane Earl was approaching up the east coast... Overnight we had heavy downpours. In the morning it was overcast and still raining... By 1pm race time it was partly cloudy with a temperature near 70. An amazing weather transformation! It was very exciting racing." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239905028-H47LG32HLOLSRUB2T89O/1589.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 20-26 A surprising number of Mariners were produced at an O'Day factory in Canada, and this boat, #1589 BLUE EYES, owned by Jonathan Demers, is one of them. Jonathan sent me this picture of him sailing on Lac-au-Sorcier (The Sorcerer's Lake) in an extremely secluded spot in Quebec. He writes, "I'm probably the only sailboat that ever went there. The only thing is, I better not mess up, because there's not too many people around [to help in case I get into trouble]. It's just such a great place, though." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239931371-9ROP9YNZ2HZRJ0KFTG48/4096.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 27-Oct. 3 Who says sailing in the rain isn't fun? Roger and Sally Livingston (#4096 GHOST) sail down the Thames River past the Groton sub base (General Dynamics) in the rain during the 2010 Southeast Connecticut Mariner Rendezvous. While it rained all day on Saturday, everybody wore their foul weather gear and closed the hatches, and we had a good time despite the conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472239965498-KX4PB3ZJ27GRHV5W5DJ6/2282.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 4-10 A couple weekends ago, Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP) and Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T, pictured here) met at Public Landing, Maryland and sailed their boats to Chincoteague Bay. Steve writes, "Sailing was great! I got [to Public Landing] and went north to overnight. Ed got there later Thursday night. We met up Friday and sailed together and overnighted together. It's really a great location and I'll definitely go back." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240004342-2K0CLEYL1EJX7DH6M55X/1534.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 11-17 Riverton Yacht Club photographer Byron Campbell sent me this picture taken on July 21st during the Wednesday night summer racing series. He writes, "The guy (crew) in the photo is Fred Linden sailing on FROGGER, #1534 which is owned and operated by Dave Oldham (hidden by the mainsail). They are racing for the finish line!" FROGGER is a veteran of the racing circuit having participated for many years in Sunday and Wednesday racing series as well as many National Championship regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240028233-ELZQ7YV7YZIQR91VGA2G/664.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 18-24 Taken during the 2010 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club (Long Island, New York) back in August, this shot shows Harry Mayer and George Bader heading for the windward mark on the second day of racing. Their boat, #664 MARE, came in first place in the President's Fleet that weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240050857-NLGAG2GB2OGGZ1OBO789/1922-3.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 25-31 I usually dedicate this column to pictures of other Mariners, but this week I shamelessly present ORION as the "Picture of the Week". This was taken last week before my afternoon sail to Jordan Cove. Standing on the beach, I put the camera down as close to the water as I dared, and the result was an interesting perspective of the boat and the sand under the water. There are not many boats left on the Niantic River, and it is getting time for ORION to be pulled out of the water soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240076224-R6E9FAN0BIN8USHJFLLR/1357-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 1-7 Paul DiMarco, owner of #1357, just started sailing and racing regularly this summer - this picture was taken during the Richmond Cup race at the Massabesic Yacht Club (New Hampshire). He crewed on his friend Bill's Catalina 22 for most of the season but finally decided to try his own boat in a race with Bill as his crew in the picture above. They ended up finishing last, but after the Portsmouth Ratings were applied they actually beat three other boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240106557-AHIMMK9H80X4A3KGYLJ7/3007.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 8-14 Andy Atwater keeps his Mariner, #3007 at the Lake Glendale Sailing Club in Pennsylvania. While he enjoys sailing her by himself, he also enjoys his position as a sailing instructor at the Club. As Andy writes, "Our Club - starting its 47th year - has a sailing camp every summer. We teach kids in the Sunfish, but I try to get the kids out on a bigger boat so they can see the similarities. (And no, we didn't take them all out at once!)" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240129243-PG23Y9ABWTSNCDKG7S4V/1580-2.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 15-21 Bill Hicks owned Mariner #30 MICES for a few years beginning in 1965, but "the only flaw was the keel on the boat. I was able to soon trade for #1580 - a centerboard boat - and the rest is history." Here is #1580 Victory anchored at the entrance to St. Andrew's Bay, Florida. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240154025-FD6UNVU9A8SLK3KX5AZR/2604.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 22-28 Newt Wattis is a member of the Surf City Yacht Club (New Jersey) and sails #2604 MY LIGHTNING. This past summer, he writes, "four Mariner families took a Sunday afternoon trip through the back creeks of Manahawkin Bay to sail in places we have never been before. Some places were about as wide as a Mariner and quite challenging with wind shifts from the preferred direction. Next year we are planning a couple more back creek adventures." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240178906-FSG2ESW7OC03K2DHYSBC/stuart.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 29-Dec. 5 Stuart Marine, the current manufacturer of the Mariner, is offering a "Pick Up and Repair" service for the winter. They will come and pick up your boat for free, bring it back to their Rockland, Maine facility and perform whatever work you request, including having them wash or repair your sail, winterize or repower your outboard motor, or make sure your trailer is up to snuff. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240202035-IWYKXE4NXIDKIGYZAYCV/nationals2008-3.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 6-12 Here is a fantastic action shot courtesy of Read Howarth from the 2008 National Championships at Surf City, New Jersey. #3599 (skipper Frank Pelosi and crew Mike Baldacchino) has rounded the windward mark and is surging ahead as #584 (skipper Paul Coward and crew Ginney Fine) is in hot pursuit. High winds dominated Sunday's racing and made for an exciting finish with only one point separating first and second place in the Championship Fleet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240221662-ON7GTGR0U66ZT1WGMMRP/3647.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 13-19 How nice it is to have your boat ready to go at a moment's notice! David Stone's Mariner, #3647 BIGENUF tied up at his mother's home on Pensacola Bay in Gulf Breeze, Florida. This was David's "first weekend back in the water after 17 years in my back yard and six months of restoration. [This shows] the mouth of Gilmore Bayou with Dead Man's Island in the background. Across the Bay is Pensacola. It's good to be back in the water!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240249557-W71Y4YMJATI6TZK4G8LB/3306-3.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 20-26 Barry Waldman, owner of #3306 QUIXOTIC, was a member of the Mariner Class Association for only a short time, but he made a lasting impact on the Association. After experimenting with various pieces of clothing and iron-on Mariner logos, his efforts inspired the creation of the Association's online store which features items for sale with the Mariner emblem and class logo. Last Friday I learned that he succumbed to cancer a few months ago - rest in peace, Barry. You will be missed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240278228-14P5349XG7GN5JFASDWS/killian.jpg 2010 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 27-Jan. 2 Ed Killian's son took this great picture of their boat CAROLINE's mainsail during their last sail this fall, and what a perfect way to wrap up another year of fantastic "Pictures of the Week". That makes 112 different Mariner shots since this website was first created in November of 2008. And, for all of 2010, this website has averaged a remarkable 1,300 unique visitors per week. https://www.mariner1922.com/2009-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241855306-MDWN7UX4VZH4PBQAFBNG/4186.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240416555-M0VC4VRO0MICHUKJ8XBK/4096.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 These great sailing days are coming again! Here is Roger Livingston sailing #4096 GHOST in a regatta on Webster Lake, Mass. He writes, "This year's race (August 30th) was sailed in almost perfect conditions... you can see I am getting beat by a 1963 Mariner with original sails. I finished in the middle of the pack and had a great time." That's what sailing is all about, Charlie Brown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240441669-ILTYFICWY0M1NZKUGK3E/2703.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 12-18 Back in the summer, Jim Schwarz (#2703 IMPROV) raced in the Tuesday night series on White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Jim writes, "On that particular evening, the winds were consistently over 15 knots with gusts well over 20. I raced a Catalina Capri 22 for five years... and always dreaded windy races like this one. Now with the Mariner I love these conditions - it's a blast. We finished first that evening well ahead of bigger boats." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240462429-KSSMICV8WC1G3EVQTPSS/2471.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 19-25 Gary Flomenhoft (SYNTROPICAL II) took part in last year's Wellfleet Regatta in Cape Cod, Mass. According to Gary, "There were three Mariners racing and four Rhodes 19s. The wind died so the guy was probably standing up looking for wind." Gary has a lot of first-class sailing experience, and he gives sailing lessons and charters his Mariner during the summer season from Wellfleet Harbor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240485550-LM4MNL5W13V49PLJQIE0/1647.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 26-Feb. 1 I love this picture of Jim Watson's NAUT-A-TOY, #1647 - All you need to do is hop in, raise the sails and cast off the lines. This day was only the fifth or sixth time Jim had taken her out, and he "was still in the process of fixing her up, but she was in fine shape for an afternoon cruise that day." NAUT-A-TOY is one of the rarer keel boats, offering spacious accommodations in the cockpit and cabin with the absence of a centerboard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240554934-TJFZ3YLQTY050BZF5BTE/athome.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 2-8 How many of us wish we could have our boats at a dock right off our own front yard? While this picturesque summer scene shows a Mariner waiting for a lazy afternoon sail down the river, we can only wait for the return of summer sailing as we dig our Mariners out of the snow in our backyards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240576456-IYDPV0KD7PMVDEAHKTHI/ghostwinter.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 9-15 Although typical for this time of year in New England, this sure is a depressing picture! Here is another shot of Roger Livingston's GHOST the first winter he owned her. Roger writes, "Every morning I would look out my kitchen window wondering if spring would ever come. Sailed Saturday (iceboat), but it is not the same." Roger had titled this picture "Long Winter". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240598950-F4D2TVYR9ZAEVBJER1G8/3033.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 16-22 This tranquil picture of Deborah Barber's Mariner, #3303, is entitled "Lonely Sailboat". She writes that her boat is "the only sailboat at our marina west of Dardanelle, Arkansas on Lake Dardanelle on the Arkansas River. We had to make our own concrete anchor and have to wade out to her each time we sail." Mariners truly can be found in every corner of this country! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240621774-2MWVASQNNFYGJ8AIXIGB/ladystclaire.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 23-Mar. 1 This is Bill Larson's LADY ST. CLAIRE after receiving the finish coat of Interlux Brightside "Fire Red". She is one of the few Spindrift Mariners built between 1980 and 1981, after O'Day stopped making Mariners in 1979 and before the molds were bought by Stuart Marine in 1982. The most distinguishing feature of Spindrift Mariners are the double portlights on each side of the cabin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240648329-B7H1WAH6TFRFE7CM4UFC/1703.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 2-8 Here's a picture of #1703, recently bought in Minnesota by Eric Bluhm. The title of this picture is, "New captain gets a look at her first command." Eric writes, "My oldest daughter, Rebecca, 15, got her ASA basic keelboat certificate late last summer, and... it was time for the family to get a boat. Once the snow-bird owner was tracked down, we made a deal and brought it home February 20. Come on summer!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240667706-I1BNEALTGS9P7NYM5OKN/nationals.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 9-15 Time for an action shot! This was taken during the 2008 Nationals held at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey. There are three "generations" of O'Day Mariners shown here: the early style boats with an open cuddy cabin (#584, #707, #738, #1091); the early style 2+2s with the "bump top" and forward hatch (#1418, #1535, #1741); and the later style 2+2s with the streamlined cabin fronts (#2537, #3237, #3569). 23 boats total. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240691393-7C9BLLJ5KCHL5BP3XHZ2/pws.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 16-22 This beautiful picture was taken by a fellow named Jason on Prince William Sound in Fairbanks, Alaska. This is officially the farthest north a Mariner has been documented at which to reside! Jason had bought this Mariner last spring and sailed on a two week trip in July and a four day trip in August. His two week journey logged 250 miles (sailing half the time and motoring the next) - he even caught an 80-pound halibut! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240710884-FPCGPEPHG84VRF7PQLMM/2707-2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 23-29 It is hard to follow up last week's picture of such a beautiful sunset, but I would say this does the job. This is Mike McCormick sailing #2707 on Sebec Lake in Maine - you may remember it was another picture of his that started off this "Picture of the Week" column back in November of 2008. Be sure and click on #2707's link under "Other Mariners" to check out pictures and more from his five-day cruise on his Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240730312-WH3XQLJ0G8ZHZ1JCAXJ8/nationals-2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 30-Apr. 5 Here is a great shot from last year's Nationals at Surf City. These are two early-style 2+2's, #1880 (Steve Goldberg and Hank Schleckser) and #1771 (Bill Cooper and John Quigley), approaching the windward mark. In the "President's Fleet", Steve would eventually take second prize and Bill came in 8th. This year's Nationals will be held at Riverton Yacht Club from September 18-20th. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240750976-MPXPJOJ4H3L2NIPQTDT4/1647-2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 6-12 Not many Mariners out there have a fixed keel, but NAUT-A-TOY has one. Here, Jim Watson's Mariner #1647 (see the Jan. 26-Feb. 1 Picture of the Week) is about to enter the water to begin a new season of sailing in Toronto, Canada. Be sure to check out his videos listed in the menu at the top of the webpage especially video #2 when he encounters elephants (!) on Sturgeon Lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240789485-G1R57XNN2OUQBFCK3RGE/12.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 13-19 This picture, taken in 1963, is one of the oldest pictures ever taken of an O'Day Mariner. This is hull number 12, skippered (and currently still owned) by Bill Mears on Lake Lanier, Georgia. Bill Hicks, owner of this photo and friend of Bill Mears, "I have owned several boats but the centerboard Mariner is the best one ever." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240810109-U1ZD2PKNRYTAXPK3OA7W/200.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 20-26 Here is another older-style Mariner, Mike and Linda Wicklein's MISS L (#200). She is berthed at a marina on the Chesapeake Bay. Mike writes, "This is the first boat that we've owned. I've always enjoyed sailing and boating with friends and have wanted to do this for some time. The opportunity presented itself and now we have our own. There are three other Mariners docked next to us." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240840266-J6NYL24KHY28D4CJM7HR/2290.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 27-May 3 Rich Weston is the proud owner of Mariner #2290 (the sail number is actually incorrect), and he recently joined the Riverton Yacht Club as well. He writes, "I got SWEET CAROLINE in the water last Saturday for the first time (for me) and it sailed great." He goes on to say that, unfortunately, his wife "got to the Yacht Club too late to take pictures of us out in the river with the jib up." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240866057-IVDNGFFJFE37NIVFLZBF/3415.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - May 4-10 Here is Bruce Franz and Neil Carey in #3415, the THOMAS J. SWEENEY, rounding marker #9 on the Nanticoke River during the Bivalve (MD) Thursday night races in 2004. This great shot is courtesy of Tim Fuhrmann who writes that "the Sweeney consistently placed at the top of the Bivalve fleet racing against the much faster Tanzer 22s. It got so bothersome to the Tanzer leaders that they voted and created a Tanzer one-design class in order not to be embarrassed by being beaten by the SWEENEY." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240910320-K6IHBPLF4UBRKUEYQUYF/firstrace.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - May 11-17 The Riverton Yacht Club (New Jersey) had their first Sunday afternoon Mariner race almost a month ago on April 19th, while many more of us Mariner owners were still struggling to get our boats in the water! The dark-blue hull is #1249, SILK PURSE (David Reily) followed closely behind by #2781, O'MITZVAH! (Chris O'Brien). The black-hulled boat is #664 (Harry Mayer) with #2842 in the background. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240945517-4NXDG4AIIQIJMVJ0U3D0/3121.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - May 18-24 Bob Wood (Mariner #3121) is 84 years young and is a founding member of the 11-year-old West Coast Trailer Sailing Squadron (WCTSS), located on the West Coast of Florida. This photo is of him sailing on a windy day last November on an outing to Lake Harris in Lake County. Besides owning #3121, Bob also owns an O'Day 20 he keeps in Maine for summer sailing out of the Northport Yacht Club on Penobscot Bay. Thanks to Ron Hoddinott (founder of WCTSS) for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240980517-C2B4VQR1F3KCX2VC52DS/harincar.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - May 25-31 Tim Harincar has been a professional internet website engineer for 13 years. In 2004, while shopping for a boat to own, the "Mariner was on my 'short list' of daysailers that I was considering... and was doing illustrations of a number of boats/sailplans." He drew this remarkable sailplan of the Mariner with Adobe Photoshop. Be sure to check out one of the other websites he owns and operates - SailBlogs.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472240998726-MMTR8FTMOTV3UKS75FRV/ryc.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 1-7 Rich Weston, owner of #2290 SWEET CAROLINE and member of the Riverton Yacht Club, snapped this picture of Mariners back in the middle of May. They are, starting from the top: #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE, #2448 SECOND WIND, #3599, #2290, #1534 FROGGER and #919 RAPP-A-TACK. Riverton Yacht Club has one of the largest Mariner fleets in the nation - last year 13 boats participated in the Sunday Summer Series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241054865-7HQ586FUZS7P5NUQKG8F/1573.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 8-14 At the end of last month, Steve Hock, owner of Mariner #3627, took this picture at Lake Nockamixon, PA. It was, in his words, "A beautiful day for sailing here. Too bad my boat is in Indiana." (But not for long - Steve picked up his "new" Mariner this past Saturday.) This great shot shows #1573 4 SAIL skippered by Ralph Hall, the Mariner Fleet Captain at the Nockamixon Sail Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241082103-HGZ0CWPG5S1KE02RJKJ4/4186.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 15-21 For their January/February 2008 edition (No. 49), the good folks at Small Craft Advisor reviewed the O'Day/Stuart Mariner. They test-sailed #4186, a 2002 Stuart Mariner at La Conner, Washington, and this great shot is one taken during that day. It was thoroughly reviewed and given high marks - it is definitely worth a read. There are a bunch of pictures and lot of insightful quotes by other Mariner owners. Thanks to Joshua Colvin and SCA for permission to use their picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241105515-QXKX9KW6CGRH65O4RDNE/3237-3.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 22-28 This picture of Dave and Leslie Stapleford's #3237 GREYHOUND was taken several moments before a collision during a race. Dave writes that "GREYHOUND is out of commission after losing four feet of her starboard side. It seems that rookies don't understand the proper application of rule 16.2." Repairs are underway and she should be back in the water in a couple weeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241137957-BLD209JPHSWG4CUHERAC/essex.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - June 29-July 5 This website was a day late in being updated as my wife and I sailed in ORION from Niantic to Essex and back Sunday into Monday. We rented a mooring at the Brewer Dauntless Marina and stayed overnight at the famous Griswold Inn before heading back this morning, and I shamelessly present this picture as the next "Picture of the Week." ORION is visible on her mooring at the end of the historic Main Street. A wonderful trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241169788-EBBL9DJL78YZW8NK5JUB/223.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - July 6-12 Mariner #223, FINALLY, has been well cared for since Joe Lallande took ownership of her in 1995. Joe writes, "Stuart Marine restored the floor boards last year, and this year we had the hull and interior repainted, centerboard cleaned and primed, etc." The fantastic paint job is evident by checking out the mirror-reflection of the trailer winch in the hull. Joe sails her on freshwater "Long Lake" in northern Maine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241193040-C0LS1ITJWRND5E6TSXVF/nationals-3.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - July 13-19 The Notice of Race for the Mariner Nationals in September has just been posted, so I offer this picture as the next Picture of the Week. This shot is from last year's Nationals as the boats all head for the leeward mark. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241213103-P1SVVPLGXMSECO0IBEWK/notforsail.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - July 20-26 Tom Katula, past Cleveland State rower and assistant coach, "wanted a boat that I could row from Cleveland to Key West and be able to live aboard it. The trip involves stopping at cities along the way to work with Habitat for Humanity." His search for a boat ended when he found Mariner #3010, stripped her of all sailing hardware and ballast, and transformed her into a rowboat (named NOT FOR SAIL). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241235447-105XTA6HVAVU7UWNRJAR/model.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - July 27-Aug. 2 This is a scratch-built model made of a Mariner - quite a work of art by Barry Waldman. He writes, "On this particular model, most of the wood is sassafras. I like sassafras because it sands easily...not too hard, not too soft and looks really great after staining. The centerboard and rudder are walnut. For this model I only had the profile and top view we see in the old Mariner ads...no true plans." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241256036-RQQVBXJX2KBBVWRNSFAV/3507.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 3-9 This picture of Mariner #3507 is from one of the last O'Day Mariner advertisements (1978) I have been able to find, and it is a beautiful shot. Be sure to check out more pictures and ads by clicking "Old Mariner Ads" at the top menu bar. If you own an old O'Day catalog, brochure or flyer that features the Mariner, please e-mail me as I am always hoping to add to my collection. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241274929-ACK5L7OUEP4Y9IMJ3G2S/2170.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 10-16 Tim and Erin Reiche are the proud owners of this early-style 2+2 named MAGGIE. Tim writes, "Here is a picture of MAGGIE on the shore of Lake Nockamixon for a family picnic. We finally found a suitable motor... we bought it from a gentleman who owned an O'Day Day Sailer who was kind enough to knock $25 off the $125 price tag because we were fellow O'Day owners." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241308238-AFXF76Y62W3U69TL3QZO/4172.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 17-23 Dave Chambers' #4172 is currently for sale in Michigan, but that hasn't stopped him from using it when he can. He writes, "After 20 years of sailing Potter 15's, O'Day Javelins and the like, the Mariner is just so much more boat. [This] picture was taken by my wife, Thea, last week during a morning sail on South Manistique Lake in Michigan's upper peninsula." He even confides, "I'm not convinced I want to sell her." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241327945-2I6CNHX6E2VNSWEDT5HW/zoomie.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 24-30 Fred Carlson restored his 1972 Mariner ZOOMIE with great results. Here is his pride and joy anchored at Dog Island, Florida. He writes, "We sailed for 30 miles before getting to Dog Island. The sail was great with the wind increasing to about 20 knots giving us an exciting finish to the trip. The sail home was just as exciting with my GPS recording a top speed of 11.5 mph while surfing four-foot waves." Amazing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241346599-AO6AAR1P4JZGRNQZECLK/30.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 31-Sept. 6 This picture from 1965 shows #30 MICES, owned by Bill and Joan Hicks in Panama City, Florida. The fixed keel on #30 created problems for ease of trailing, so Bill traded the boat for #1580 which has a centerboard. Bill writes that he "moved up to a CT34 Cutter for 15 years; however, I still have the Mariner. Sold the big boat and am cruising the coast of Florida in the Mariner. It is the best boat a man can have and still live on land." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241371774-RFDFG6UL9YATQ2Z0KZQF/3733.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 7-13 Scott Dronen's Mariner #3733 was made in 1979, the last year O'Day manufactured Mariners before concentrating on larger boats. This serene shot is of his pride and joy moored on Cotton Lake, near Detroit Lakes, in Minnesota. This is actually his second Mariner - his first was a 1975 model, but he upgraded to this boat two years ago. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241388224-XD5NPK4RUBLGXSYISV5H/1871.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 14-20 Eric Flower, owner of #1871 and a member of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet, sailed to Flat Hammock (a small spit of beach just north of the West Harbor, Fisher's Island entrance) with a couple friends last month. Eric writes, "We decided it was a good time to eat lunch and get a better look at nearby North Dumpling Island until the sailboats racing in the background sailed through the area." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241409696-U4BCO5Y3QY3MMUPA8S5Y/nationals2009-2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 21-27 This is one of the "breezier" moments during the 2009 Nationals at Riverton. The light air which plagued us over the course of the weekend only allowed two races on Saturday and one on Sunday. ORION came in 10th out of 22 - not too bad for a first showing and for a boat meant more for cruising than racing. This picture was taken by Louise McCarthy, ORION's previous owner and whom I finally met in person for the first time this past Saturday! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241440770-QP8S8NM2BNMQ201Q8M9Q/333.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 28-Oct. 4 Tracy Tomlinson, of British Columbia, has worked hard to restore and customize his Mariner, #333 TIME O'DAY. Here she is afloat at the Quadra Island Canada Day celebrations of this year. According to Tracy, "She... has carried me all through the Gulf Islands and Desolation Sound area. I get a lot of comments from other folks sailing big yachts about how good looking and sound she still looks. Kinda like her captain!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241466250-QVHMRUL30NDIG5GO2LL3/1252.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 5-11 John Pacetti writes that he "purchased my Mariner [#1252] back in March and have been sailing her happily all summer. This picture was taken in northeast Ohio on West Branch Lake." The open cabin was the style for the earliest generation of Mariners from 1963-1968. This particular boat was made in 1968, just before they closed the cabin and added two quarter-berths, thus creating the Mariner 2+2 around Mariner #1385. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241495847-G19201CAFD3E1VX8Q8DK/1731.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 12-18 Jason Idler is the proud owner of MEAGAN (#1731) that was one of the few boats built in Brampton, Ontario. He writes, "Here she is, barely floating off the sandy bottom, at the dock behind my house." Jason came to this boat after six years of windsurfing. The stiffness of the Mariner in heavy winds became apparent to him one Sunday: "After really pushing the boat... I'm the most excited about it I have been." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241524129-GTO4JBXU7D8FLHAMXP9D/3627.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 19-25 Steve Hock, owner of #3627 WHITECAP, took this picture at Sandy Point Park Marina (on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis) before heading out for sail with his wife during the summer. They "sailed upwind to Baltimore, about 17 miles before turning around (a really fun sail)." Steve is also a professional photographer and was on hand at the 2009 Nationals in Riverton last month. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241548167-NF9D39BNFWBCL70XY2I6/2024.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 26-Nov. 1 This is a shot taken during the Southeast Connecticut Fleet's Rendezvous earlier this month. It was a blustery day (a Small Craft Advisory was in effect), and we beat up the Niantic River to where we had some protection and calmer winds. Dan Meaney is at the helm of #2024, and Chris Ely, a recent member of the Association joined him as crew. It was a great way to wrap up the sailing season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241568260-0EO50SBGQUGBSTMUEMRB/1580.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 2-8 Bill Hicks, of Atlanta, Georgia, owned Mariner #30 (see the April 13-19 "Picture of the Week") before eventually upgrading to a 2+2 for more comfortable cruising. This is #1580 with Bill sailing with family on St. Andrew's Bay, Florida. Bill writes, "I have trailed all over the south to lakes and down the coast of Florida from Panama City to Key West. [The Mariner] is the best boat a man can have and still live on land." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241587361-V4UE76R41OHXUTF5B1NB/2537.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 9-15 The first Mariner Bob Tarantino (now Class Association President) owned was #2537 (now owned by Bill D'Autrechy, Association Treasurer). Bob writes, "When I had it I first used it as a family boat and then got interested in racing. I began racing with my son as crew and when he got older, my daughter took his place." The trend continued after Bill bought the boat - he now races it with his own son and has named her GENERATION GAP. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241614534-4IXLAWNMOE9JKR6P15W6/3086.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 16-22 Peggy MacDonald of Burlington, Vermont, proudly owns Mariner #3086 WINDIGO. This was taken on "Day 3 of our annual cruise Lake Champlain camping trip. Tidying up Windigo and hanging our laundry in the calm and sun of Barn Rock Cove. Our tent was pitched 200 feet above the boat on a precipitous over crop. We woke to a dozen anchored boats also dodging the three-foot whitecaps the evening before." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241648426-VTSN2CA71L6GTE3YCMNM/560.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 23-29 Steve Clark owns #560 COOL BREEZE, an early style Mariner he keeps in immaculate condition. In the summer of 2005, he and his son took Cool Breeze for an extended cruise at the Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior - here they are tied up at Isle Royale. There were few other people, and at one point they went two days without seeing anyone else. Their remarkable story is recounted in the 2007 Summer Notice to Mariners newsletter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241685549-K4PQX0DYE3O45IY3MRGP/barata.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 30-Dec. 13 Andre Barata took his 1967 Mariner to Lake Sonoma in Northern California back in October. He writes that it is "a beautiful lake, not very wide except for the end, close to the dam, but with excellent wind. It was my second time sailing a Mariner. It was my first time trying in-boat camping. I loved it and will definitely try it again in the summer." Although his boat has been renovated, he writes that "there is still a lot of work left. Is any boat renovation ever done?" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241727066-WWW0WRAN5EGV0PB0SHW4/3306.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 14-20 Barry Waldman acquired #3306 in June of this year. He named her QUIXOTIC, sailed her all summer, and began restoration projects in October. This particular picture was "taken at the slip with some Photoshop enhancement." He sails QUIXOTIC on Canyon Lake, Texas, about an hour north of his home in San Antonio. He also writes, "Having never sailed a 19-footer, it was a new experience. The more I sailed her the more I liked it. By September, I had fallen in love." Welcome to the club, Barry! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241761385-MTTW82IPZEVQ7LGPABZ9/pws2.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 21-27 Here is another outstanding shot of a sunset taken by Jason up in Fairbanks, Alaska (see the March 16-22 "Picture of the Week"). There are not many places as beautiful as Prince William Sound in which to sail - the coastline offers countless islands and fjords, a few of which have tidewater glaciers. While Prince William Sound continues to be altered by the effects of the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989, it nevertheless is a most rewarding and stunning place in which to sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241781056-B12LW3TOFLF8FJUM4CPQ/1922.jpg 2009 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 28-Jan. 3 For the last "Picture of the Week" for 2009, I humbly offer this picture taken of ORION on September 30th of this year. At 6:30 in the morning, the sun had just started to appear, and my father was able to capture this shot of ORION on her mooring. I wish you all a wonderful New Year - keep in touch, keep sending pictures, and don't forget to visit your Mariner every now and then during the winter months to remind her Spring is coming. https://www.mariner1922.com/2008-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472242159359-ETVFI4Q56OXW9K1QP8ON/2707.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241906701-XFZZ51HI5OQV47AAU2O5/2707.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 10-16 Sailing pictures don't get much better than this - lots of wind, waves, and laughter. Mike McCormick writes: "I wouldn't have normally gone out on a big windy day like that but I was signed up for our race and so we went out. Also the wind was increasing over the few hours we were out there. That really increased my confidence with this boat." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241924159-PZT4E77NSYGDGGYIUSJ2/3599.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 17-23 Here's a nice shot from the Mariner Fall Windup at Riverton Yacht Club. This is boat #3599 with skipper Frank Pelosi and crew trying to keep the boat down in winds gusting to 25 knots. Thanks to Read Howarth for the great picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241939460-QYY4ODDDS6MXZ37BRQWH/4134.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 24-30 This picture is of Greg Tkal's Mariner #4134, MON AMIE, moored at Galway Lake, New York. Greg writes that MON AMIE is "now living at Saratoga Lake in New York (about 20 miles east of Galway Lake). This photo was taken this fall." Too bad we won't be seeing any more days like this for a while. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241966042-9QZJF9M4JMBFJ3HYWPN0/rainbow.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 1-7 How often do you get to see two rainbows, and with one of them leading right to your Mariner? Bob Breckenridge writes, "I am the fourth owner of the 1969-71 produced 2+2 and had just launched it for the first time and brought it home to our house on Lake Superior just before it started raining." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472241998590-U4B9VINHJ16Q9PCPN9KB/3582.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 8-14 Igor Rabkin of Worcester, Massachusetts has labored to restore his Mariner, #3582, DOUBLE TROUBLE. This fine shot shows "a great day of sailing on Webster Lake in MA." Those with sharp eyes might notice the new IdaSailor rudder DOUBLE TROUBLE is sporting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472242027443-LUKPOXW6RDHBRK4KNCWL/3237.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 15-21 Dave and Leslie Stapleford's Mariner #3237, GREYHOUND, competed in the 2006 Choptank Cup - a 34-mile race on the Choptank River in Maryland. According to Dave, "The race went well for us and we held 9.6 knots from the Sharp Island Light back to the Choptank Light. Quite a fun ride." I should say so - they came in first place on corrected time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472242051808-0M4PYZHUSFK12F21EHH2/kilgore.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 22-28 This was one of the first images I ever found online when searching for all things Mariner-related. The caption of this picture reads: "Doug Kilgore's 1968 Mariner, THE WINDWARD RAIL, is shown during an exhilarating sail last summer, on a beam reach and kicking up a wake." Thanks to Mike McIntire over at "I Heart O'Days" for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472242081790-XC81WSEJYQOZTEMFZ8G8/3237-2.jpg 2008 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 29-Jan. 4 I just have to include this picture of GREYHOUND racing in the 2006 Choptank Cup - you can see another picture of GREYHOUND in action under the Dec. 15-21 "Pic of the Week". The lighthouse is the Sharps Island Light and marks the farthest point of the racecourse. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2007-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472508286517-4U6FCVRR2PDP2OPADIG0/Sailing1.jpg Sailing 2007 https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2008-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472508476977-83EEO9SVUJNSPYB2XK0P/starboard+beam+big.jpg Sailing 2008 https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2009-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472508539805-GC7KU7I5GBCHCIIGH2UR/Mystic+017.jpg Sailing 2009 https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2010-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2011-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472512988516-AG13AUH417JLYVV2HVQK/Orion1.jpg Sailing 2011 https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2012-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472514958937-T9SX9P65OFESKH9CI144/Last+Sail+035.jpg Sailing 2012 https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2013-1 daily 0.75 2016-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1472570984068-UBRUODSXPH3FT5SQSYAL/P1010314.JPG Sailing 2013 https://www.mariner1922.com/1965-flyer daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473198012233-VOW6BNO4EWQTD6SK80MY/image-asset.jpeg 1965 Flyer - "Proven Performance" https://www.mariner1922.com/1966-brochure daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713803306-YYBI6T4WZYVSAPAD61PK/1964-1.jpg 1966 O'Day Sailboats Brochure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713825820-ILDQZMTEAG19R0L4VTPU/1964-2.jpg 1966 O'Day Sailboats Brochure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713825516-PM7VFCIM25TS7WS3B0NT/1964-3.jpg 1966 O'Day Sailboats Brochure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713832565-YHP77A68YEVRKJKY5J2L/1964-4.jpg 1966 O'Day Sailboats Brochure https://www.mariner1922.com/1967 daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473200117221-U177Z4VE7MSO01GCJN59/image-asset.jpeg 1967 O'Day Mariner Ad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473200157732-TJ9P42UA9VL23SLH7OQO/image-asset.jpeg 1967 O'Day Mariner Ad https://www.mariner1922.com/1967-oday-sailboats-catalog daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713271265-1GEKZZ3ST02TB6BWKMW8/1965-1.jpg 1967 O'Day Sailboats Catalog https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713276089-S2EGQZ2BT4XJQRXA7KIB/1965-2.jpg 1967 O'Day Sailboats Catalog https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713279289-SDPMNZE8DNIZ45SW5C0M/1965-3.jpg 1967 O'Day Sailboats Catalog https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713287516-3OBO238WZXQ1JSFGB9D0/1965-4.jpg 1967 O'Day Sailboats Catalog https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713285295-Y6VSOL6ES1HFZX4ON6IP/1965-5.jpg 1967 O'Day Sailboats Catalog https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473713292329-CPRJ8OBO83PJFGO64MGO/1965-6.jpg 1967 O'Day Sailboats Catalog https://www.mariner1922.com/1968-oday-sailboats-brochure daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473714871812-0O61KASNLBXRV1LFSD5Z/1968-1.jpg 1968 O'Day Sailboats Brochure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473714871795-35WPUJQCMDNSHUK2C4RP/1968-2.jpg 1968 O'Day Sailboats Brochure 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473716086419-AGEXXBBH677Y10DH8PLH/image-asset.jpeg 1969 Norwegian Selco Mariner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473716184389-UUT1AUHPLRQ9L8C6PMCC/selco3.jpg 1969 Norwegian Selco Mariner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473716181063-QHV2ACKSR3BFNE2QC931/selco2.jpg 1969 Norwegian Selco Mariner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473716185438-UT2U1DICWHPYWMB7PXRK/selco4.jpg 1969 Norwegian Selco Mariner https://www.mariner1922.com/1970-oday-sailboats-catalog daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473716500369-8917LBGGGY2986TEF95S/1970-1.jpg 1970 O'Day Sailboats Catalog https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473716495683-QS0M7P68B53YBQH4I79D/1970-2.jpg 1970 O'Day Sailboats Catalog 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723081916-G62J24FYFQZ94TPFKXS5/1986-1.jpg 1986 Stuart Mariner Flyer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723081835-PU2WCZEXJGCLDRXD43P3/1986-2.jpg 1986 Stuart Mariner Flyer https://www.mariner1922.com/2004-stuart-mariner-flyer daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723185734-ZMVWD6TMNQ5Z5765PJUX/image-asset.jpeg 2004 Sailboat Buyer's Guide https://www.mariner1922.com/2005-stuart-marine-ad daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723313457-8CMP1YDMMQH69L45XUKV/2005-1.jpg 2005 Stuart Marine Ad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723313777-2LTEKAZE180PCHC1B9JX/2005-2.jpg 2005 Stuart Marine Ad https://www.mariner1922.com/2010-mariner-class-association-ad daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723432437-Y9GVSVUUYPXDMDSHYW2R/image-asset.jpeg 2010 Mariner Class Association Ad https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723413134-SK14AHIFFHR93G4M6TR7/image-asset.jpeg 2010 Mariner Class Association Ad https://www.mariner1922.com/2013-mariner-class-association-ad daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723753485-OUSB8ZW1KZA008EM77GB/image-asset.jpeg 2013 Mariner Class Association Ad https://www.mariner1922.com/2013-50th-anniversary-ad daily 0.75 2016-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723895260-U8G04ABR7LTJ7UPWKN75/Windcheck+Ad+copy.jpg 2013 50th Anniversary Ads https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1473723957475-6AD6D3VXU9BUAOZ4TYTQ/50th+anniversary+cover+2.jpg 2013 50th Anniversary Ads https://www.mariner1922.com/2017-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2017-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483319881479-R8R2CHTMXM5J0I7E4IT2/mysticsunrise.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483317245779-7GSBO4P782IJS6H3GD2M/mysticsunrise.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 2-8 With the dawning of a new year comes a picture of a sunrise taken last August at the 2016 Mystic Rendezvous. This was taken at about 6:00 a.m. from ORION's forward hatch after the first night tied up at Mystic Seaport's floating docks. The sunlight is illuminating the historic houses on the western side of the Mystic River, and a slight breeze is just starting to build across the way. Directly ahead and just to the left is Appelman's Point, the site of several shipyards through the 19th century, most notably that of Charles Henry Mallory. The Seaport is built on the site of the famous Greenman shipyard; both Greenman and Mallory shipyards dominated Mystic shipbuilding from the 1830s until around 1880. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1483915861694-Z8N77VASF2M0BFO7HT71/riverton.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 9-15 This great shot comes from the lens of Byron Campbell, resident photographer at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey. Taken back on September 11th, this race was part of the fall Sunday Series. Seven Mariners participated, and according to Byron, it was a "nice day with a good breeze." Here, the boats are getting prepared for the second race, reaching back and forth near the starting line. Soon they will be jockeying for the best position to get the best and most advantageous start in clean air and on a tack favoring a leg to the windward mark. Once the horn sounds, all the boats will be right on the starting line and the beat to windward will begin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1484500112216-AZJX7A0XT9GICNJXAEZM/2024.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 16-22 In the middle of last July, I went sailing in Niantic Bay with Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) and Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW SEA NUF, picture here). The winds were light, but we nevertheless had a great time sailing around the Bay and visiting the Niantic Bay Yacht Club to get some hamburgers from their Galley Restaurant. CLEW SEA NUF is a mid-style Mariner like ORION, and although she has snubbing winches and tracks for a genoa, Dan finds the working jib to have plenty of sail area. He has made a point to attend almost every Southeastern Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous since they first started in 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1485208507438-INWVBYUS73L2K4R7OL55/knefley2.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 23-29 Bernie and Helen Knefley sail in light winds on the way to Mystic Seaport during the 2016 Rendezvous last August. They take great care of their late-style Mariner named CAPTAIN PAPPY, and it was a pleasure to have them join the group of nine other Mariners for their first Rendezvous. While tied up at the Seaport, they took out folding high-backed chairs, complete with cup holders and other amenities, and set them up in the cockpit, just as comfortable as could be; it gave other cruisers some good ideas! When he's not sailing, Bernie is active as an ordained minister in Pennsylvania - what a treat to talk with him and his wife. Photo credit: Dan Meaney. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1485817423821-9X1JMQV5XLAHDIKSND60/eggers.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 30-Feb. 5 Jillian Eggers stands by with the bow line as father Bill and sister Bridget maneuver #2280 JULIE B toward the docks at Mystic Seaport. They - and sixteen other Mariners - had weathered stormy conditions en route from Niantic to Mystic during the famous 2013 Mariner Rendezvous, and by the time all the boats reached the Seaport, everyone was pretty wet and tired yet thrilled to be there. Close observers may notice a custom traveler mounted on the transom with the mainsheet cleated off there through a cam; this frees up the cockpit, although perhaps at the expense of better mainsheet control. #2170 MAGGIE is in the background, also making an approach to the floating docks. It was a memorable weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1486343334396-O1XY3QO8O7C41NU1PUQV/2011Nationals.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 6-12 Skipper Dan Walsh and crew Tom Slook charge ahead on a port tack in #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE while skippers Dan Goldberg (#1880), Dave Stapleford (#3237) and Chris Duncan (#1048) hold their course on starboard during the 2011 Mariner Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. The three boats on a starboard tack have right of way, and judging by this picture, Dan is probably about to shove the tiller over to swing his boat around to follow suit. It can be a risky maneuver so close to other boats, especially when going over the starting line, but it can also pay off if timed just right. Dan knew what he was doing - he ended up placing second, far ahead of his competitors shown here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1486943615847-JUNF8DEWO44E630MDDR6/sway.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 13-19 Bob Chandler and family sail on Percy Priest Lake, Nashville, Tennessee in October, 2012. #3048 SWAY is running dead downwind with her mainsail on one side and her jib on the other. There are several terms coined for this setting of sail, including wing-and-wing, wung out, goosewing, and others. The old-timers refer to it as "readin' both pages," although that term is more applied to schooners with the main set to windward and the fore to leeward. SWAY was photographed by fellow Mariner owner Oly Shooter in #1071 SWEET KATE - the two of them had a great afternoon on the Lake with many fantastic pictures taken. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1487522843811-ZO2A0980JGKTG6O8LSO7/hilaire.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 20-26 Although there is still snow on the ground here in Connecticut, I cannot help but dream of days to come like the one pictured in this great shot. Nick St. Hilaire is jumping off his 1965 Mariner HELLO KITTY with his son, while Nick's wife is taking the picture. Nick writes that he "sailed in Lake Champlain for a number of years and then trailered to the Gulf coast of Florida. It was damaged by a storm while moored/docked a number of years ago. I began restoring it last year to share the hobby with my son. The centerboard is great for when the water gets skinny in upper Tampa Bay." The storm cloud behind them gave them a good fresh-water rinse as it passed over them! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1488063367187-TK10B0W7ANRUFZAZLRTX/hirondelle1.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 27-Mar. 5 I was pretty proud when I finished designing my cockpit awning, and then I saw this. Eric Bluhm made an absolutely incredible fully-enclosed, rain-proof, screened cockpit cover for his boat, #1703 HIRONDELLE, like none I have ever seen. Eric contacted me when he was first restoring his boat, and he even had his hull painted with almost the same custom color as my own. He did a lot of work on HIRONDELLE, but nothing compares to the work he did for his boat tent. Although he sold his boat back in 2014, his website detailing his work for the tent and other restoration projects is still available, and it is most certainly worth a look. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1488846245086-0WYM2EOSIMSUW0YKZ7WR/IMG_9858.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 6-12 #3485 SHOAL MATE has just been launched by Eric Lesniak as he and his daughter Jessica prepare to take part in the Second Annual Lake Champlain Rendezvous. Eric writes that Jessica is holding SHOAL MATE "at the launch ramp on Hathaway Point in St. Albans, Vermont, prior to our sail to Burton Island State Park. The ferry to Burton Island uses the dock adjacent to the launch ramp, so we were pleased to launch and sail before it returned. Lake Champlain is a great place to take a Mariner. I can't wait to go back!" Eric is the current President of the Mariner Class Association and has taken part in number of rendezvous with his superbly-restored, late-style Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1489361937537-1RBZPVGJX1Q3TOPB8EMW/3584.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 13-Apr. 2 Luke Deikis's #3584 rests calmly at anchor this past September as the sun goes down on the Hudson River, near Little Stony Point, just north of Cold Spring, New York. Luke writes, "The depth rises abruptly from 92 feet to about 6 feet, then holds there for a long gentle slope to the shore, making a shallow calm cove backed with a natural beach that most sailboats can't enjoy. With favorable tide and wind I made it there from my home mooring (Peekskill) by lunch, then left the beach to the day-trippers while I explored a new sailing grounds all afternoon in an increasingly sporty wind. When I returned to the cove to drop anchor for the evening I had it to myself, and the Mariner's shallow draft let me cuddle into the shallow calm waters. I had a restful night's sleep before sailing home the next morning." Sounds like a perfect overnight trip to me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1491187615366-IWTAE7IPKU3HAD8HED4A/bella2.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 3-July 6 Seagulls will not come near Bill Ferrato's Mariner, #2209 LITTLE BLUE, as she is guarded by Bella, one of the boat's watchdogs. Bill, from Bethpage, New York, took this picture at Napeague Harbor and writes, "During the hot summer days, the dogs lay in the shallows and watch the seagulls land on the boat. Bella, a very high energy, curious dog, races out to the mooring to shoo them away. Up the doggy boat ladder and onto the boat she goes. She will stay there all day if no one comes to get her in the dinghy, a bit annoying after the third or fourth time, but I can't blame her." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1499468565228-VYZ1RAUU7F5DJHEF58HJ/bootstripe.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - July 7-29 After several months of a haitus, I am now hopefully back in action to update this website and get things back on track. Between work, home, selling a house, building a new one, and many other things, I have had to put this website on the back burner. My boat has not even been launched for the season yet! But that will change beginning tomorrow as ORION finally makes the splash to herald in her (short) 2017 sailing season. This picture was taken just a few days ago as my four-year-old son, Harrison, helped me paint the bootstripe. He did a great job and (mostly) stayed within the tape! (I followed along closely with a paper towel, just in case.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1501428104490-N5OKAALGFB411NULCZRF/20170727_102948_resized.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - July 30-Aug. 6 This past week, 14 sailors in eight O'Day Mariners sailed from Niantic, Connecticut to Essex as part of the Mariner Class Association's "Westward to Essex" Rendezvous. Despite encountering light winds and some motor trouble, the fleet enjoyed the great weather, the fantastic facilities at Brewer's Essex Island Marina, a tour of the Connecticut River Museum, a cruise aboard the ONRUST (a replica of the 1614 ship Adriaen Block used to explore the Connecticut River), wonderful food at the Griswold Inn and a catered dinner from Marley's Cafe. There were nothing but smiles during the entire event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1502382199773-X865LCE4O1DJSB1JNXWA/IMG_3674.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - August 7-20 Last month, Luke Deikis of Peekskill, New York, went sailing with a friend aboard #3584 DOROTHY for a multi-day cruise around Long Island Sound. He writes, "I planned 12-20 miles a day and I was glad I did. The week we were out had pretty mild winds (with a few very sporting evenings thrown in to keep it fun), plus two days of just glass. Mileages like this let us get moving whenever we got around to it, and even with lackluster winds and half-assed consideration of tidal currents still make it to our destination each evening." He uploaded a bunch of pictures but also writes: "I think there are exactly zero sailing pics. It turns out it's impossible to take a worthwhile pic of sailing a Mariner from within a Mariner." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503074044937-K73270NJBPKYBUFS0DAW/IMG_0454.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 21-27 Tim, Erin, and son Owen motor #2170 MAGGIE up the Connecticut River during the 2017 Mariner Rendezvous at the end of July. Once at the mouth of the river, the wind died off almost completely, and the eight-boat fleet turned on their motors for the remainder of the trip to Brewer's Essex Island Marina. The mid-style Mariner is perfect for kids like Owen who have their own forward hatch to peer out of! Although the Reiches live somewhat far away in Pennsylvania, they have attended every Rendezvous here in Connecticut since 2011. I think that makes them honorary members of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet, wouldn't you say? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503928605849-VILLTPI6LSA1B073XTIA/Tom+and+Roger+on+Ghost.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 28-Sept. 3 This sure would make a good publicity shot, wouldn't it? This is Roger Livingston sailing Stuart Mariner #4096 GHOST with his son Tom as crew during a recent race at Webster Lake, Massachusetts. Roger writes, "It was a perfect day for sailing although we had the rail in the water for most of the race." Roger came in fourth overall and managed to beat another Mariner entered in the PHRF regatta. He and his wife Sally participated with GHOST in the 2010 Rendezvous, and they remain active sailors at their Webster Lake sailing club. Although Roger's (successful!) battle with prostate cancer prevented him from attending this past "Westward to Essex" Rendezvous, he hopes to come to the 2018 rendezvous now that he is officially cancer free! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1504493059250-PO9DW1W3OW4U5FGV7VE5/Schiemer.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 4-10 Matt Schiemer owned #2014 ODISEA for a number of years, most famously participating with her in several Texas 200 events. These grueling, endurance-testing gatherings are rapidly becoming popular in the small sailboat world, and Matt - along with the late John Alesch in #2607 ANCIENT MARINER - represented the O'Day Mariner in style. Here is Matt anchored at one of the checkpoints, clothes drying on the boom, bimini and aft awning in place, taking a well-deserved break. Although Matt recently sold ODISEA, he remains active on the Texas 200 planning board. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1505140298008-AL8GV92GDRKK0QQBBUUY/hotflashes.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 11-17 The winds may be light, but that doesn't stop Jennifer O'Connor from speeding along in #1338 HOT FLASHES during the 2014 Mariner Rendezvous. She's sailing with borrowed sails out in Niantic Bay with her friend as crew on her way to Mystic Seaport at the start of the event, and the open Niantic River railroad bridge is in the background. Jenn hand-crafted several different awnings for HOT FLASHES, including a fully-enclosed cover with bug screens with roll-up sides. Although she has since sold her Mariner, it was great to have her participate in three consecutive Rendezvous from 2013-2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1505753125011-M5UTTE9YP6SRRXNXUA6R/1241.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 18-24 Here is Ulises Fohl’s #1241, an early-style Mariner plowing through her home waters of Miami, Florida. She was for sale about a year ago, but not much else is known about her. However, she seems to be in great condition with her topsides sporting a nice shade of dark blue with a red cove stripe and red bottom paint. Her genoa jib, set on a roller-furling foil, is also dark blue, and her mahogany coaming tops are well-varnished. Her upper and lower shrouds have plastic covers to prevent the jib from chafing on them, a wise precaution that greatly extends the life of the jib. It’s a fantastic shot of #1241 under sail on a perfect day for sailing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1506373562396-6BBLGCVECXHEMSPE1FPN/nationals2.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 25-Oct. 1 The Mariner National Championships were held at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey a couple weekends ago with seventeen Mariners competing for the winner's trophy. Congratulations to two-time winner Rob Seidelman sailing Spindrift Mariner #4052 who came in first four out of the six races, with Frank Pelosi (#3599) and Jim Erwin (#3187) finishing second and third respectively. Steve Creighton (#629 BLIND SQUIRREL), veteran of many races and rendezvous, won the President's Fleet division. It was a challenging regatta as light winds plagued the fleet, but the professionalism of the Riverton Race Committee, the excellent hosting by the Yacht Club, and the camaraderie of all the Mariner sailors made for a great event. Photo: Byron Campbell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1506945792526-R3XXJBTDWH3F3K3CYNQ5/CIMG3402.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 2-8 At the beginning of September, solo sailor Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T) went on a five-day cruise on the Chesapeake with Steve Hock and Russell Schuss. According to Steve, Ed's boat kept ahead of the other two just about all of the time. Steve, an ex-Mariner sailor (now in a Catalina 22), is a professional photographer and was a member of the Mariner Class Association's Executive Board for a few years. Russ is a past President of the Association, and while he actively sails his #272 SYMPATICO, he elected to cruise in his more roomy O'Day 222. During the cruise, they experienced everything from no wind to too much wind, but they all arrived home safely and with many stories to tell. Here is Ed blasting across the Chesapeake Bay on one of the more windy days of the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1507550901390-7M0LHYO0TDRRSQ2NPE2L/ladymsea.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 9-15 Michael Maus, of West Palm Beach, Florida, writes, "After selling my 1966 Pearson Commander in Chicago in 2011, I came to a very quick conclusion that if/when I moved back to my native Florida, an O'Day Mariner would check all of the boxes (primarily trailerable and beachable)." When he eventually made the move, he purchased this 1969 mid-style Mariner at the beginning of 2017 from another Floridian and began many projects, such as painting the entire boat, working on the centerboard, and installing a bilge pump. He named his boat LADY M SEA after his wife, and they have "done a handful of intercoastal cruises and sandbar beer drinking, making modifications to rigging and tweaking the boat to our needs. Hurricane Irma came along and I had to stash the boat in a friends warehouse."   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1508173880784-L73FV97F2J2KOELPN32S/crowley.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 16-22 Charles Crowley posted this picture on the Mariner Class Association's Facebook page a while back, and I wanted to share it here as it's a great one. He's sailing an early-style Mariner with a home-built enclosed cuddy cabin - and don't you love the small yacht ensign on the transom? While O'Day Mariners of this vintage (1964-1968) look almost identical to the mid-style boats (1969-1971) when viewed from their profiles, two giveaways can quickly determine the difference. First, only the early-style boats sport the blue-striped cabin and coamings. Second, the cabin portlights are half-circles on both ends. Mid-style boats - besides all the various cabin and cockpit differences - removed the stripe and had trapezoidal portlights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1508778436998-OTUVA8VCYIE9GHOB1MUO/bentley.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 23-29 Mark Bentley passes the Saybrook Breakwater light as he heads home in INVICTUS during the 2017 "Westward to Essex" Rendezvous this past July. This was the second year Mark joined the group for the annual Rendezvous; he sailed with everyone to Mystic Seaport last year and got into a bit of trouble with his motor and centerboard on the return leg. He was successfully rescued, however, and he was happy to redeem himself this year when he came to Steve Creighton's rescue. Steve's #629 BLIND SQUIRREL was experiencing motor trouble toward the end of the event (and shortly after this picture was taken), so Mark towed him about six miles home. Steve was very appreciative! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1509380704473-9H9BK3JBRIDUHTSOI8KP/rivertonreily.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 30-Nov. 5 Skipper Dan Walsh takes the lead in #2778 during the David Reily Memorial Regatta just a couple weeks ago on October 15th. This regatta was held at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey, in memory of one of their own members who was a long-time owner and racer of Mariner #1249 SILK PURSE. #1249 - under new ownership - took part in the race and can be seen on the left side of the picture. This event marked the end of weekly racing for the Riverton Mariner Fleet for the year; Riverton pushes their season later than most other fleets. Their attention will now be focused on cleaning up the Club and preparing to hunker down for the winter. Picture credit: Byron Cambell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1509973215282-YI2SMMX7CUUVXXOJVTHX/maggie.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 6-12 Tim Reiche motors #2170 MAGGIE from her slip at the Nockamixon Sail Club, Pennsylvania, to the launch ramp for her end-of-the-year haul-out last week. MAGGIE was the very last one to vacate the docks at the Club, and photographer Steve Hock was on hand to not only assist in her retrieval from the water but also to take some great shots with his camera. While it looks like Tim is hanging his head in disappointment knowing his sailing days are officially over for the season, Tim claims he was actually averting his eyes from the sun. ORION will soon follow MAGGIE; she's scheduled to end her season this coming Saturday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1510595530677-DZ4UKRNHS2XS29756SQI/ppl.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 13-19 Oly Shooter's #1071 SWEET KATE is carefully beached and tied to a tree on Hole-In-The-Wall Island on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee. This picture was taken back in late October of 2012, and Oly had gone sailing with friend and fellow Mariner sailor Bob Chandler (#3048 SWAY). The two of them took a number of excellent photos of each other's boats under sail during this outing, and a few of them were used as promotional pictures by the Mariner Class Association in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the building of the Mariner. It was a perfect sailing day with beautiful foliage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1511203975223-ZRDY9XFEJ6L8JYTMGGHR/IMG_0523.JPG 2017 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 20-26 It's all smiles aboard #2280 JULIE B during the 2017 "Westward to Essex" Rendezvous back at the end of July. Captain Bill Eggers is at the helm while wife Teresa stands in the companionway and daughter Jillian sits on the cabin top. It's Thursday afternoon, and the group of eight O'Day Mariners are headed back from Essex to Niantic after a great time at Brewer's Essex Island Marina. Soon, Jillian will hank on and raise the jib as all the boats sail down the Connecticut River. JULIE B has a unique, home-made traveler system across the transom that allows the middle of the cockpit to remain free from the mainsheet. The Eggers have participated in several rendezvous since the first National event in 2013 at Mystic Seaport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1511788242938-DDJRV4ODKE5FD0ZSALC4/DSC_0339.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 27-Dec. 3 Since today is my birthday, I decided to post a picture of ORION in this column, which I usually reserve for other boats. This shot was taken in May, 2016, when Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) and I went for a three-day trip in our boats across Long Island Sound. We went through Plum Gut and made various stops at Orient Point, Coecles Harbor, Sag Harbor, Greenport, and Orient, and we had a fantastic time despite light winds the first two days and fog/rain the second day. This particular shot was taken by Chris as we approached the Orient Point lighthouse on the first day. Although the water looked like there was wind coming, it was actually just the turbulant water of the Gut. Very deceiving! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1512434199352-N0Z7HKI6WNBJ6G63A8XJ/leiz3.jpg 2017 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 4-31 Art Leiz bought his Mariner, #2376 BLON-DEE III, brand new from the O'Day factory back in 1972. Since then, as an active member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club, he became the President of the Mariner Class Association and later the Class Measurer, raced his boat in countless National Championship regattas (winning three times with his son at the helm), and was even awarded the honorary title of Life Member in 2010. Now approaching 80 years of age and dealing with family health concerns taking up much of his time, he reluctantly sold his boat in May of this year after an astounding 45 years of ownership. He does hope, however, to crew for the new skipper in the 2018 Nationals at Narrasketuck! This great picture by Alan Hlavenka shows Art and his son (also named Arthur) on their way to victory at the 2014 Nationals, the last time the Championships were held at Narrasketuck. https://www.mariner1922.com/sail2017 daily 0.75 2017-08-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1503067032661-BNZXV42TMCJLUY5MC8IQ/IMG_0416.JPG Sailing 2017 https://www.mariner1922.com/2018-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2018-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1514867603880-ZUNE09L1607LXEOJO0BP/20170725_121833_001.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1514868200324-FKHR4NH8UPCUMJ9L9UV6/20170725_121833_001.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 1-14 I didn't have a chance to end the 2017 Pictures of the Week column with ORION like I have done for the past few years, so ORION starts things off for 2018 instead. This picture was taken during the 2017 Rendezvous from Niantic to Essex by Jack Lorraine (#1469 TWE). We were headed toward the Connecticut River in light winds, and I was at the rear of the group. I set the asymmetrical spinnaker and make some progress; by the time we reached the mouth of the river, I had managed to claw my way to the very front. Jack snapped this photo as I passed by. Overall, it was a memorable event, and I’m already looking forward to this year’s event. I hope everyone has a great 2018 sailing season! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1515990458444-S9UFZ7AYPCICLMRM6OHX/2707.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 15-21 Mike McCormack's #2707 VINLAND has the distinction of being the very first Mariner featured in this "Picture of the Week" column back in 2008. He posted this picture of VINLAND on Facebook about a year ago, and it's great to see that he still owns her. He sails and races on Sebec Lake, Maine, and he also manages a website with a webcam of the lake. VINLAND will not be back in the water for a few more months yet, but it is pictures like this that keeps Mike and us other Mariner sailors counting down the days until the next sailing season begins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1516632698787-N3MNV40CL9SG9ZJNOD91/tow.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 22-28 On the way home from last year's Rendezvous to Essex, we were able to sail all the way down the Connecticut River. However, due to light, shifting winds around the massive supports of the I-95 highway bridge, we found it necessary to take the sails down and motor underneath, remaining under power until we passed through the nearby railroad bascule bridge before raising our sails once again. As we were taking our sails down, Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) radioed that his outboard wouldn't start and couldn't get underneath the highway bridge. Fortunately, Bill Eggers (#2280 JULIE B) and his family were close by and were able to throw him a line and tow him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1517237178194-9W9683NGGW7RFX83CMEN/pepper.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 29-Feb. 4 Dave Getchell is sailing his 1972 O'Day Mariner PEPPER in light air off of Rockland, Maine back in 2013. PEPPER sports a roller-furling jib using the CDI luff-foil furler, although Dave elected to keep the size of the sail to that of a working jib and not a genoa. Of particular interest is the fully-battened, radial-cut mainsail, highly unusual for a Mariner - and, of course, not legal for class racing. (But who cares if you don't race?) Despite the light winds, it looks like those aboard PEPPER are having a great time, even the dog down below, who, according to Dave, "is sleeping on a pile of jib sheets as normal." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1517842668932-4YL1Z4BU9L8CU9HRIM2T/osprey.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 5-11 Skipper Dick Dixon is shown here at the helm of his early-style O'Day Mariner OSPREY in a photo dating from the early 1970s. He's sailing with a couple of friends and is being closely pursued by two other friends in an unidentified sailboat, one of whom took this picture. The gentleman on the leeward side of the cockpit seems unfazed at the angle of heel while Dick and his other crew have planted themselves on the high side. Not much more is known about this particular boat; I was just happy to stumble across this old picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1518446083226-LWRV6T2NV9CCLNVSFCJJ/1703.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 12-18 What do you do during the winter months when there's snow on the ground and sailing isn't an option? Make the mother of all Mariner cockpit tents, of course! Eric Bluhm is sheltered underneath his creation aboard #1703 HIRONDELLE a few years ago. Eric, when designing this enclosure, wanted plenty of space including standing headroom; a full, waterproof cover for rain; screens for ventilation; a large, opening doorway; and window curtains. The end result was a huge success, tested during many sailing trips - check out his webpage here. Although Eric has since sold his boat (tent included), he had been inspired by my website and undertook a few similar projects I tackled - he even painted his boat the exact same color as ORION! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1519050080269-DBBRH8AKO3FDPQQ4NFTI/wise.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 19-25 Skipper Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T) blasts through lumpy swells during a four-day excursion with friends Russ Schuss and Steve Hock. According to Steve, they "experienced quite a variety of weather and sailing conditions" while visiting Crisfield, Maryland and Jane's Island State Park during their cruise to Honga River and Fox Creek. Ed has owned CHRISTINA T for several decades and has participated in several Rendezvous here in Connecticut. Although some of us were worried by some recent talk of him looking for a larger, more comfortable cruising boat, he assured us he has no plans to sell CHRISTINA T. In fact, he plans on coming up with her to Connecticut once again in August to attend this year's Rendezvous to Stonington. Thanks to Steve Hock for the fantastic photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1519656342474-SFQGBYF6X8Y8XEDJKSTV/shipshapes.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 26-Mar. 4 What do you do when someone gives you an O'Day Mariner for free? If you're the Discovery Center in Traverse City, Michigan, apparently, you put in on land and build a deck around it. That's what they did back during the winter of 2015-2016 when they created their "Ship Shapes" outdoor exhibit in their courtyard. The Discovery Center was founded in 2007 and encompasses a nine-acre campus; it is home to several water-focused non-profit organizations including The Maritime Heritage Alliance, Traverse Area Community Sailing and the Traverse Tall Ship Company. Their website is worth a look, and while it's a shame this O'Day Mariner's sailing days seem to be over, it seems to be playing a very prominent and visible role in the Center's expanding bayfront property. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1520263855111-ERFYYVOD4P5X8Y1HB5HM/casamorada.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 5-11 I love when a state-of-the-art establishment incorporates the O'Day Mariner, a boat designed over fifty years ago, yet time-tested and still in demand today. Such is the case for this restored, old-style Mariner with sails bent on, ready to go, tied to a dock at the Casa Morada in Florida. The Casa Morada is an "upscale, sixteen suite, privately owned hotel inspired by the informal character of the Caribbean", and one of the options guests have is to rent this little beauty for a daysail. With the palm trees blowing in the breeze and this Mariner waiting patiently, it makes me want to jump in for a sail right now - how about you? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1520822297977-BXJFGO9X7D17HSCNOBHH/3468.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - March 12-18 For fifteen years, US Coast Guard-licensed Captain Gary Flomenhoft has managed a sailboat charter business called Outer Cape Sailing in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. For twelve of those years, he has owned and used #3468 SYNTROPICAL 2 as part of his enterprise, taking customers out from June to September in Wellfleet Harbor for daysails, beach picnics, seal watches, sunset sails, and sailing lessons. Customers typically fill up his calendar every year, and his website is packed with great information and an easy online-booking system. Although his charter business has been highly successful, Gary is looking to sell it since he is relocating, and his highly-customized Mariner is up for sale as part of the business or as an individual boat. Not a bad way to earn a living, I'd say! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1521465770405-08ONMG4KVFB2M66L5N4P/173-1.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - March 19-25 It's no secret I'm a sucker for Mariners in sunset shots, so I was happy to come across this photo of O'Day Mariner #173 THE FREE. In 2012, this boat was in a pretty dilapidated state in East Quogue, New York, and her current owner found her tucked back between some trees with just the bow sticking out and the word "FREE" spraypainted on the port and starboard bow (hence her name). Over time, she underwent an impressive restoration with new wooden stringers, the removal of the original head and plumbing, new cabin plywood, a rehabilitated centerboard, and fresh paint and varnish. She came out looking spectacular - check out this website for more about her restoration with a ton of great pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1522034633412-KUK2TL6Q2IPKRK6LHNNO/2676-2.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 26-Apr. 1 This past Wednesday, Helmuth Meyhoefer, skipper of the famous "Gold Boat" #2676, passed away at age 79. He was a long-time member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club Mariner Fleet and was a past Commodore and Life Member of the Club. Helmie won an astounding fourteen (!) Mariner National Championship regattas on his home turf as well as at Brant Beach, Surf City, Spray Beach, and Newport. (It's worth mentioning he also placed second eight times.) A former helicopter pilot in Vietnam and a Senior Captain with American Airlines, the legend is that he would fly over the Championship Regatta locations to check out the air current flow for optimum racing performance. Whatever his pre-race tactics actually were, he was nearly unstoppable on the race course and will forever be known as the greatest Mariner champ in history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1522677003356-WJSY4H3ZYMZG6MV7KJDB/unchispitomas.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 2-29 While the vast majority of O'Day Mariners are located on the east coast of the United States, they are found all over the globe, from Norway to Australia. Wilfren Tacoronte's boat, #3108 Un Chispito Mas, is a little closer to home in Puerto Rico, and she is regularly cruised and raced in several local regattas. Here she is, sitting calmly on her mooring, waiting for the next race. Since it is not necessary to abide strictly by Mariner Class rules when racing other styles of boats, Wilfren has made several upgrades, including the RudderCraft kick-up rudder and split adjustable backstay. The Mariner is still a highly competitive racer - not bad for a design over fifty years old! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1525092722129-IKS58W8D7LJ1RB3IYD7B/campbell.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 30-May 13 Doug Campbell is affiliated with the Red Dragon Canoe Club, one of the oldest boating clubs in the country (founded 1883) and located on the waterfront of Edgewater Park, New Jersey. He is part of the growing Mariner Fleet at the Club and sails an early-style Mariner named BLUEBIRD. Located not far from the Riverton Yacht Club on the Delaware River, the Red Dragon Canoe Club is home to at least four or five O’Day Mariners. This picture was taken this past November when he sailed on a grey, overcast day. In regards to being able to sneak in some late-season sails, he puts it best when he writes, “November sailing: Like getting an extra Snickers from the vending machine.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1526304178765-TPVUPEOKKTVQN0FEM5Z4/valere.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - May 14-20 In the late 1960s, O’Day Sailboats approved the construction of Mariner sailboats outside of the United States, specifically in Norway (made by the “Selco” company) and in Australia. There, they were produced by Quest Marine as the “Quest 19”, and apparently, they were even building the early-style Mariners as late as the 1980s. This mid-style O’Day/Quest Mariner from Australia is actively raced by Valere Oddoux in Queensland. Notice some custom features he added, including a lengthened mast requiring two sets of spreaders, a square-top mainsail with full-length battens and an array of rope clutches on either side of the cabin. Portlights have been covered by the racing number “408”. Earlier this month, Valere and his crew were forced to jury-rig a new mast during a race when this lengthened mast failed; fortunately, there were no injuries and everyone got back safely. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1526911246623-T9OMPG7B96V118A5FMK7/173-4.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - May 21-27 Back in March, I posted a photo of O’Day Mariner #173 THE FREE, and here’s another great picture of her sailing. She had been found in East Quogue, New York with “FREE” spraypainted on her bows. She was given a lot of help by a few ambitious, young sailors, and she has a new lease on life thanks to them. While I suspect it might be time for a new set of sails soon, given the various patches on both main and jib and odd mainsail window, and although the tack on the main has not been secured, it doesn’t stop them from enjoying a fantastic sail on a perfect summer’s day. Skipper and crew are all smiles as they enjoy the results of their hard work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527477774587-V9OUIKIM8R9UIWRQ081P/3599.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - May 28-June 3 Frank Pelosi sails Mariner #3599 this past Wednesday during the weekly Wednesday night racing series at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey. According to photographer Byron Campbell, it was a “breezy and nice evening” with all the fleets racing in their own classes, including Mariners, Lightnings, J-22s, Flying Scots, and cruising sailboats. Riverton started their sailing season earlier than most of the other clubs with Mariner fleets; their first day of racing was at the end of April. Riverton also remains active late into the sailing season with boats in the water long after other Mariner fleets have packed up for the winter. Frank is an experienced racer with #3599 - the past three times the Nationals have been at Riverton (2017, 2013, and 2009), he placed second overall. Picture credit: Byron Campbell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528084589172-REXCP8S0TUTUWFE5M6NE/2008.jpeg 2018 Pictures of the Week - June 4-10 After O’Day stopped producing the Mariner in 1979 in order to concentrate on larger models and the new “modern” O’Day 19, the molds were sold to Rebel Industries/Spindrift. Only a few years later, the molds changed hands yet again, this time bought by Stuart Marine of Rockland, Maine. Stuart Marine has officially been manufacturing the Mariner for more years than O’Day did, although their output is nowhere near that of O’Day. This picture shows a 2008 Stuart Mariner sporting a roller-furling jib, bow pulpit, and swim ladder. Whether an O’Day, Spindrift, or Stuart Mariner, they are all similar enough that they can be raced as a one-design fleet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1528728938897-ULFRG43QDOGB1FIK9FXH/kwcsc.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - June 11-17 Sailors are enjoying a great sail in a mid-style O’Day Mariner at the Key West Community Sailing Center last summer. Only a couple months later, in September, Hurricane Irma smashed into Key West and heavily damaged the Center, capsizing all five Mariners. Inexplicably, the Center, knowing a hurricane was approaching, made no effort to take the Mariners out of the water beforehand. Furthermore, instead of repairing them afterward, they simply dragged them out of the water, crushed them with a crane, and threw them away like old coffee cup. The pictured boat is now in pieces in a landfill when it could have been fixed with even a small amount of effort. A very sad and completely unnecessary ending for all five boats. (Can you tell I’m still upset about this?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1529358391732-74R3O4AGHPX2ECEQ4BS7/IMG_0726+in+mud.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - June 18-July 1 Actor Humphrey Bogart drags the AFRICAN QUEEN with Katharine Hepburn through the muck and mire of the lower Ulanga River in East Africa… Actually, this muck and mire is located on the shore of Riverton right by the Yacht Club! On a windless racing day, and only a short distance from the docks, the crew of this Mariner has elected to get into the shallow, soupy water and pull their boat back to shore since paddling apparently won’t work in this muck (and motors are not allowed for racing). The Delaware River is a bit of a tricky place to sail with strong currents and flukey winds, but nevertheless, the Club is host to a large number of O’Day Mariners with races two days a week from April to October. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1530500076320-QNMXFL7QPTQQSY3QLT4G/4134.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - July 2-8 With the Fourth of July just a few days away, I had to post this picture from a couple years ago. Greg Tkal has been a member of the Mariner Class Association for over a decade and actively sails #4134 MON AMIE at Ballston Lake, New York. With flags flying, his Mariner certainly makes an impression during the Seven Lakes Sailing Club’s Independence Day Boat Parade in 2016. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1531109516003-OM47RS6OXKQ5BJQY834Z/2026.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - July 9-22 How many of us have wanted a talented artist to paint a picture of our boat for us to display? Robert Jones, of Fork, Maryland, received this portrait of his boat, #2026 NUNYET, from his son’s father-in-law, Habbie. According to Robert, Habbie “took a photo from the flying bridge of his trawler, and used that to make the painting. I actually had no clue he was such an artist. It was a nice surprise!” Robert bought NUNYET a few years back from her first owner who also happened to be an O’Day dealer back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. After spending an entire summer restoring her, he finally got her in the water that September. During the restoration, Robert writes, “For the life of me, I couldn't come up with a name I liked, and when passers by asked if I had come up with a name, I kept saying, ‘Nunyet’...” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1532405083640-B53KX6K285K95RA0B6RD/leeprim.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - July 23-29 Lee Prim’s DULCINEA sits contentedly off a beach near Mobile, Alabama with an anchor deployed forward and a stern anchor keeping her from swinging around. The 1,417th Mariner ever made, DULCINEA is actually one of the very first “2+2” models with the enclosed cabin, raised cockpit sole and added quarterberths. She has a somewhat unconventional paint scheme with a bootstripe and bottom paint that follows the sheer and not the waterline. Her mast is raked back more than most, and her backstay adjustment is very robust. She also sports both an aftermarket bow pulpit and stern pulpit (or “pushpit”). Lee has done a lot of beach cruising with DULCINEA, electing to stay onboard for some nights while in a tent on the beach for others. A well-used and well-loved Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1533009094388-CT8H2Q23SLHPUHHZ495V/IMG_0512.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - July 30-Aug. 5 Skipper Bill Eggers and daughter Jillian smile as they enjoy their morning coffee onboard their #2280 JULIE B. It’s the final morning of the 2017 Mariner National Rendezvous to Essex, Connecticut, and it won’t be long until everyone’s gear gets packed up and stowed for the trip home. Bill is wrapping up a four-year stint as Newsletter Editor of the Mariner Class Association, and all his work has been greatly appreciated. Bill and Jillian are veterans of Mariner rendezvous here in Connecticut, attending events in 2013, 2014, and 2017. They’ll be here again with JULIE B at the end of this week to attend the 2018 Rendezvous as we sail from Niantic to Stonington. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1533651688275-IKQTXTEQDJ4XY7T2YWXV/DSC_0401-1.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 6-12 Ten Mariners are lined up at the transient dock at Stonington Harbor Yacht Club in Connecticut as the sun sets. This past weekend, eleven Mariners and twenty-two sailors participated in the 2018 Mariner National Rendezvous, sailing from the Niantic River to Stonington. (One Mariner couldn’t fit on the transient dock, so it was tied up around the corner on the dinghy dock.) Winds were light on Friday, but they picked up off of New London for a great sail there. Saturday was a bit of a washout, although everyone had a great time exploring the town and visiting the Yacht Club’s clubhouse. Sunday was absolutely beautiful with perfect winds for the trip home. All in all, it was another successful rendezvous with many memories made and friendships renewed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1534188324739-M25KFJQ1A4EF3JT1SW4S/DSC_0336.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 13-26 Alan Schaeffer in #2470 SIALIA sails with son Joseph and daughter Lydia during the 2018 Rendezvous to Stonington. It’s Friday, August 3rd, and they’re on their way with ten other Mariners, passing the rocky shores of Waterford heading to the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club. Alan, a resident of Mystic and a Mystic Seaport employee, is towing a small wooden dinghy he built himself based on a larger Atkin dinghy design. It was slow going through Twotree Island Channel with frustratingly light winds and an incoming current, but a breeze off our starboard quarter picked up significantly off New London, allowing for a fast ride all the way to our destination. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1535378597678-HB7HV5GJV9A1BN55TWKU/CIMG3613.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 27-Sept. 9 Skipper Steve Creighton sails with crew Joanne McCarthy as they head toward Stonington during the 2018 Rendezvous at the beginning of August. Although the winds are fairly light, they are just enough to keep everybody moving against a strong incoming current. They are sailing in Steve’s #629 BLIND SQUIRREL, named after the famous phrase, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.” She’s an early-style Mariner and is raced often; she certainly kept ahead of almost all the other participating boats that weekend. Steve and Joanne trailered BLIND SQUIRREL up from New Jersey as they have done for at least four other rendezvous. Thanks to Steve Hock for the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1536548772451-FMQG532OKXMPK41GHHU1/DSC_0434.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 10-16 Dan and daughter Madeline Meaney sail past the Red “2” marker at the southern gate of the Thames River channel at New London. They’re sailing their mid-style Mariner, #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF during the 2018 Rendezvous at the beginning of August, on their way back to Niantic from Stonington. The western end of Fisher’s Island is in the background, the destination of the 2012 Rendezvous. Dan will become the new President of the Mariner Class Association following the National Championship regatta next weekend - congratulations, Dan! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1537238803560-HSB05RETNWYJAKMWKTE3/nationals1.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 17-30 Contestants make their way back from Saturday’s racing during the 2018 National Championships this past weekend at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, Long Island. Twelve racers competed for the trophy, and Dan Walsh (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) came in first for his fourth Championship victory, having previously won in 2009, 2012, and 2016! Racers from all of the “big four” fleets - Narrasketuck, Brant Beach, Surf City, and Riverton - participated in this year’s event, and full details will soon be posted at the Mariner Class Association’s website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1538436646747-4KC60VNTU3VNN1ZYCQV8/nationals3.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 1-Nov. 18 Here’s a great action shot from the Nationals a few weekends ago at the Narrasketuck Yacht Club on Long Island. Dan Walsh in #2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE is in the lead and is on the port tack in clean air while the rest of the twelve-boat fleet is on starboard. This is was taken a few minutes after the starting gun was fired for one of the two races on the last day of the event, and Dan ended up coming in first for the whole regatta. Narrasketuck has hosted the Nationals fourteen times since 1971 and is considered the birthplace of the Mariner Class Association back in 1966. Photo credit: Alan Hlavenka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1542641694590-JNTTY25CUUBNFXUZ476M/DSC_0419.JPG 2018 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 19-25 After not updating my website for a ridiculously long time due to an intense workload, I’m finally getting around to getting some activity going again around here! Here is a great shot of Chris Albert sailing #2714 FLOTSAM during the 2018 Mariner National Rendezvous back in August. He is sailing back to Niantic from Stonington, and with Fisher’s Island in the background, the wind has increased enough to warrant a reefed main. A zippered bag along the length of the boom allows him to easily stow the main when at anchor, and his genoa, all from Mack Sails, adds welcome sail area, especially in light winds. Chris is now the Vice President of Membership with the Mariner Class Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1543244686512-2HNT26SHG8XKFUKGOHWV/3048.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 26-Dec. 30 Bob Chandler proudly stands by his Mariner, #3048 SWAY as she sits by Hole-In-The-Wall Island on Percy Priest Lake, Tennessee. The picture was taken by fellow Mariner sailor Oly Shooter (#1071 SWEET KATE), and the two of them beached their boats to explore the island. SWAY sports a coveted bow pulpit as well as well as convenient handrails on the cabin top, and her gold-anodized spars were produced in recognition of George O’Day’s Olympic gold medal won in 1960 for sailing in the 5.5 meter class. Both SWAY and SWEET KATE have been featured on Mariner Class Association gift items at the Association’s online store - they are both very photogenic boats! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546119831728-9O3NQ9F4COE2NOYVCHAN/20180805_110145_986570681.jpg 2018 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 31-Jan. 6 These past few months have been extremely busy for me on multiple fronts, and I regret not keeping this website and this column more up-to-date. However, starting this week, I will be able to dedicate more time to it as I did before, and I hope you’ll come back and visit often. In the meantime, as I have done for several years now, I end the year with a picture of ORION herself. This was taken during the past Rendezvous to Stonington in August. On our return trip to Niantic on Sunday afternoon, the wind started out light yet freshened to give us a great sail home, and this picture was snapped while still on a long tack to Fisher’s Island. I wish everyone a wonderful New Year with great sailing in 2019! https://www.mariner1922.com/1963 daily 0.75 2018-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1524143607961-4KOOIVTXFNKCMVUK972P/1963+ad.jpg 1963 Popular Boating Ad https://www.mariner1922.com/custom-hatchboards daily 0.75 2018-05-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527001293631-RX3WCOX8T0S036XZOFSH/oldhatchboards.jpg Custom Hatchboards The old hatchboards https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004092091-DH0VXC95PDDP6LL8B8K6/20170926_063034.jpg Custom Hatchboards The original design with two representations of the constellation Orion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527003963896-2TMTWPD8121JJISHR6Q8/20170928_075116.jpg Custom Hatchboards The first sketch of the constellation and ORION sailing. We decided it looked a little too “much”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527003985288-E78V28FUQBY5V3EL1VFU/20170929_090047.jpg Custom Hatchboards The second idea was to have the constellation in the background, but from far away, it looked like a smudge. We were getting closer, though! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004111979-1Z8ZEFQOH2HY4HJB5OJK/20171003_232508.jpg Custom Hatchboards The final drawing with ORION and just the stars of the constellation. This looked better to me - a little more muted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004412799-IM8TBVLBTCUXDYAGCQQ1/20180202_195835.jpg Custom Hatchboards Will purchased a beautiful piece of half-inch marine-grade, sapele mahogany ribbon strip with birch core plywood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015713072-KS98YFZ1P9ZURPH0OEM3/20180302_063435.jpg Custom Hatchboards The preliminary sketch of ORION on the hatchboards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527004932632-8F3XU1TPM16GVFSFGOSH/20180220_093759.jpg Custom Hatchboards He made an executive decision to change the orientation of the stripes - fine by me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015774173-8BBR79Q1I8G4MVU1R18Q/20180307_121023.jpg Custom Hatchboards Will beginning the burning process. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015853915-DE7RAPNL8O8H3X5O1ZNX/20180307_121037.jpg Custom Hatchboards Getting the details of the outboard motor just right by looking at a photo of ORION on his phone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015918903-35O6UZURLZ2KLZSG52B1/20180307_121051.jpg Custom Hatchboards Working on the lettering for the name on the transom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527015979638-IZMD2JJF6IABNIHLS4A5/20180307_121101.jpg Custom Hatchboards Outlining the name and hailing port. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016096624-74YV55YJFXP84QWZC4MT/20180307_133751.jpg Custom Hatchboards Detailing the curvature of the port bow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016132109-EEYCNMO7X45R1H5ZBCUC/20180307_133802.jpg Custom Hatchboards A close-up of Will’s work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016248539-4BKX6QJAVH203I7NV8ZE/20180307_201521.jpg Custom Hatchboards The hull completed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016367490-1Y9ANJTKDO30OLOS6SAL/20180309_141202.jpg Custom Hatchboards Mast, rigging, and sails completed on the top hatchboard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016309217-DGNE2RBGZNUMJOFRXNLP/20180403_122211%280%29.jpg Custom Hatchboards ORION completed with the constellation Orion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016436753-IDYG5BYAFEUDGN1ZV4CO/20180403_122415%280%29.jpg Custom Hatchboards The master showing off his creation! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016483227-P0V0G6AE6H8XAZUHDJ8S/20180403_122419.jpg Custom Hatchboards The completed design. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1527016546302-WAEUBE4D2QR8GYHR64A8/DSC_0545.JPG Custom Hatchboards The new hatchboards on ORION. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing2018 daily 0.75 2018-06-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560178160945-6YIKCE39YTML6VFEXAKH/DSC_0404.JPG Sailing 2018 https://www.mariner1922.com/2019-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2019-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1547486277016-9Y5VI0Y4PL5Y18MVK540/chispito.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1546885835795-8WJ0OQ9KUXJTUPU3MG30/chispito.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 7-13 Wilfren Tacoronte bonds with his six-year-old son as he literally “learns the ropes” beside their #3108 UN CHISPITO MAS. Based in Rincon, Puerto Rico, Wilfren enjoys sailing almost the entire year, and UN CHISPITO MAS is well-maintained. She has a fantastically bright color scheme, and her portlights were replaced at some point. Wilfren added a kick-up RudderCraft rudder which allows the blade to be fully retracted out of the water, and a split backstay keeps the mast perfectly centered, unlike the conventional O’Day backstay whose chainplate is slightly offset to accomodate the transom-hung rudder. Wilfren is one of four members of the Mariner Class Association from Puerto Rico, and he frequently races in local regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1547479650238-32RK222ATSBMCCNEK0FU/271.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 14-20 Scott Klein’s #271 GO BLUE is bowling along, close-hauled and rail down on a perfect sailing day. Scott and his crew are hiked up on the windward side as far as possible with the main and jib sheets tight. #271 was produced at O’Day’s Fall River plant early in 1965, one of 180 Mariners built that year. According to O’Day’s Vice-President of Sales, Jim Hunt, Mariner production would reach its peak in 1970-1971 with eight boats rolling out of the shop every week - that’s more than one a day! Scott is a member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club on Long Island, New York, and he raced GO BLUE in last year’s Mariner National Championships, coming in third in the President’s Fleet division. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1548196250778-BM3ODTLA6PIDNK91TSG3/sunrise.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 21-27 The sun rises over a bunch of O’Day Mariners berthed at Mystic Seaport during the 2016 Rendezvous. Ten boats and sixteen sailors participated in this event, and Mystic Seaport will once again be the Mariner Class Association’s National Rendezvous destination for 2019 schedule for August 2-4. This picture was taken by Chris O’Brien, skipper of #2781 O’MITZVAH, who ended up sailing to Mystic from the Niantic River launch ramp alone as he got stuck in traffic and couldn’t launch with the rest of the fleet that morning. He arrived in the late afternoon, and it was great to have him participate. A racer at Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey and a veteran of several Rendezvous, he recently sold #2781 yet purchased another Mariner and hopes to take part in this year’s return trip to Mystic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1548640989218-RBBCQUEY9FGEEU7LWPYA/stone.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 28-Feb. 3 Look at the smiles onboard David Stone’s #3647 BIGENUF! Everyone is having a great time, even if BIGENUF is simply tied up to the floating dock. Based in Pensacola, Florida, David has made many modifications to #3647 which was built in 1978, only a year before O’Day stopped making the Mariner. Besides a battery installed in the cabin which powers everything from cabin and running lights to an automatic bilge pump, BIGENUF sports new cabin top hardware, a roller-furling jib, a kick-up RudderCraft rudder, a lazy-jack system for the mainsail, and much more. David only needs a two-horsepower outboard since he doesn’t need to battle much of a current where he sails. This saves a a lot of weight on the transom and helps reduce drag. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1549299543159-FUKPJLWXLCNUF1JU8HUY/2026.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 4-10 There is something pretty special when you can anchor your boat off an inviting and secluded beach, spend time to explore ashore and come back to find your boat waiting for you, ready to continue on an adventure. Rob Jones is doing just that with his #2026 NUNYET as she stays peacefully tethered in the lee of an island while the sun is high overhead. NUNYET has been the recipient of many upgrades courtesy of Rob, including a bow pulpit and an elaborate, custom-made pushpit which, among other things, supports several solar panels to power his onboard battery. Rob never races NUNYET as he much preferes to spend time daysailing and cruising near his residence in Fork, Maryland, and his boat is definitely a perfect fit for him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1549899666182-7041J6QF8Z1IV8OKD25H/curley.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 11-17 This great shot was taken during one of the “Sunset Sails” offered by Eric Hansen, otherwise known as “Captain Curley”. Based in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, Eric is a former employee and manager of Captain Gary Flomenhoft’s Outer Cape Sailing business which takes people out in an O’Day Mariner in the Wellfleet region of Cape Cod for three-hour daysails in the summer. In 2016, Eric duplicated Gary’s long-running business with his own O’Day Mariner - even operating out of the same harbor - and established Captain Curley. According to his website, he offers sails to Jeremy Point (a secluded beach across the harbor), a sail just before sunset, or have your own customized cruise extending up to six hours. His Mariner, TOMOKA, like Gary’s SYNTROPICAL II, is perfect for taking people out around Wellfleet Harbor, although one can’t help but wonder what sort of competition exists between the two businesses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1550519220069-PXBHP49EZF8GT8VFMKJQ/paterson.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 18-24 Yes, this is actually a Mariner! This is Anthony Paterson sailing DAYO with his crew on the Noosa River in Queensland, Australia. It is certainly heavily modified for racing with a fully-battened mainsail, custom traveler and a double set of spreaders. Not only that, a home-made bowsprit pushes the jib tack out a little more and provides a place for the tack of an asymmetrical spinnaker. Check out the small platforms built over the cockpit coamings for hiking out! Despite all these modifications, you can still identify DAYO as either an early- or mid-style Mariner by the bump-top cabin and the forward hatch. It sure seems like Anthony and his crew are having a ton of fun, and isn’t that what the Mariner is for, no matter how it looks? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1551110024943-P9WAY9EE2WXZQ52WRROW/spikejones.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 25-Mar. 3 Lieutenant Colonel William “Spike” Jones, USAF Retired, shared this photograph taken in 1971 of his father’s early-style O’Day Mariner. His father purchased this Mariner “upon his return from thirteen months on the ground in South Vietnam. He learned to sail at Cam Ron Bay during break from the war there. He taught me how to sail, on this nineteen-footer, in the St. John’s River, and in doing so, introduced me to a passion I still enjoy today.” After serving in the Air Force as an F-15 fighter pilot, Lt. Col. Jones survived a massive stroke which paralyzed the left half of his body. Since then, he has authored two books and currently lives with his wife of 37 years in Carrollton, Virginia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1551676871735-JJ5XS0O917ARMKDY25AU/morley.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 4-10 #1007 RHAPSODY sits at her berth in Watertown, Massachusetts back in 2013. This early-style Mariner has a somewhat unusual paint scheme of blue decks, and her gold-anodized mast is a replacement, taken from a late-style Mariner from the mid-1970s. RHAPSODY served for a while as a live-aboard boat - yes, you read that correctly - and the young woman who lived aboard her spent quite a bit of time and effort outfitting her cabin to retain heat in the winter and keep cool in the summer. She posted numerous updates on the forums and was even invited to speak at the 2013 50th Anniversary Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport. Shortly afterward, RHAPSODY was abandoned at her boat yard when her owner purchased a larger boat elsewhere, and her fate remains unknown today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1552310288314-BBH4IWU5WWUKIJ5WA6RW/RobertDyer.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 11-31 One of the best things about a Mariner is its ability to sail right up to a beach, just as Robert Dyer did on a lake near his home in Texas. Before Robert bought his mid-style boat, #1822, she had previously been registered in Maryland, Florida, and Arkansas! Robert writes, “We pulled it off the mountain up on Lake Greer last year and are slowly getting it all fixed up in proper Bristol fashion. Boat maintenance can usually be done Johnny Cash style, ‘One Piece at a Time,’ leaving plenty of opportunity to sail whenever conditions are best, and this day was one of the very best: early fall while the water is still warm enough to swim in but not oppressively hot as it is during the summer. The beach here has a nice gravelly bottom to it instead of the usual silty clay, and it slopes off into deep water fairly quickly which makes it great for swimming. It is also easy to pull up on to and cast off from. There are some fairly deep woods back in here, fun for exploring, and its a great place to build a campfire.” Looks like a fantastic place - and boat - to me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1554168118870-ZL4TZ0MZNNRLAMM5A7WV/caborojo.jpeg 2019 Pictures of the Week - April 1-May 12 Cabo Rojo is a region on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico, and there is a marina there called Marina Pescaderia. They host an annual regatta, and this year the regatta took place February 9-10, and there were several Mariner entries! Here is a great picture taken by Manuel Portela, owner of a Mariner named CHAMELEON (stay tuned for an upcoming Picture of the Week featuring this boat). It looks like ideal sailing conditions, although a rain squall came through shortly after this picture was taken. No matter - the skies cleared again and the regatta continued. For those of us who live in the northeast, we are very jealous of those who are able to enjoy their Mariners year-round! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1557755312940-O02M3OAW7ZYHV092SWA0/1543.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - May 13-19 Well - it has certainly been a long time since I have updated this website, and I hope I can finally start keeping things more current around here. This is a great sunset shot of John Swansey’s newly-purchased #1543 back in January after he had launched it for only the second time in North Carolina. He writes, “I sailed with main only, as I was singlehanding and didn't want to risk falling off the bow. I noticed many things I'm really getting to like about the boat. Accelerates nicely in light air, and responds well to the tiller: smooth control, neither sluggish nor twitchy - just right. Points well. With the board down, I can move around the boat without jerky rolling.” Since then, John has launched a few more times and has made many improvements to both his Mariner and the trailer. He recently wrote, “I have loved the lines of these boats from when I first saw one in a photo. I really like having the boat on a trailer in the driveway, where I can easily tinker with it a few minutes at the end of the day. I should have done this years ago.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1558357351137-UYIJR28YCOLH0Z15UMCO/CIMG3609.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - May 20-26 Skipper Dan Meaney sails with his daughters Madeline and Erin Meaney aboard #2024 CLEW SEA NUF during the 2018 Mariner National Rendezvous from Niantic to Stonington. #2024 is a mid-style boat like ORION and has an overhead cabin arch instead of a mast support pole, allowing a lot more freedom of movement and comfort when overnighting. (Nevertheless, Erin much prefers to sleep at night on the dock.) Dan has participated in every single Rendezvous here in Connecticut since I first started organizing them back in 2009, many times with Madeline. He is currently the President of the Mariner Class Association and intends to sail in this year’s Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Photo courtesy: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1558918388324-QHO6XKMI5SGF9LH3J0ZT/DSC_0353.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - May 27-June 2 Skipper Steve Creighton and crew Joanne McCarthy are all smiles as they sail near the Stonington breakwater during the 2018 Rendezvous last August. Light winds hampered progress on the way there from Niantic, but once off New London, the breeze freshened and everyone enjoyed a lively romp all the way to our destination, the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club. Steve’s boat is #629 BLIND SQUIRREL; he both cruises and races his early-style Mariner. During this particular rendezvous, BLIND SQUIRREL showed her racing stripes as Steve and Joanne left everyone behind on the way back to Niantic and arrived first. In fact, they arrived so far ahead of everyone else that they even had time to anchor off the beach by the Niantic Railroad Bridge and go swimming before the rest of the fleet caught up to them! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1559568401051-DLR5VZ9RQJ4C7JZO79AV/173-5.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - June 3-9 Here is a great shot of #173 THE FREE sailing under mainsail alone as the sun begins to set on the horizon. Built in 1964 - the second year of Mariner production - #173 has had many owners over her past 55 years, and in 2012, she was found on the side of the road in East Quogue, New York, with the word “FREE” spray-painted on both sides of her bow. A few young folks found her and fixed her up, and she is sailing once again in fine condition. Her roller-furling jib could use a little more tension along the luff for better performance and so it furls a bit better, but the decision to sail with just the main in these strong winds helps keep THE FREE on her feet for a more comfortable sail, especially since the main doesn’t have reef points. And, with the bone in her teeth, it looks like she’s moving right along! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560134776912-HC0LH9TG55UQPM4G4KBI/rdcc.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - June 10-16 Members of the Red Dragon Canoe Club (RDCC) Mariner Fleet race just this past Saturday on the Delaware River, just a stone’s throw away from the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. According to the RDCC, "the wind was blowing 10 to 12 knots steadily from the east when racing began with seven boats on the starting line. The fleet - the largest in recent memory - was comprised of four O'Day Mariners, one Laser, one Venture and one Hunter 27. There were three races, with the lead changing hands repeatedly in each race and a nice sharing of finishing places.” The RDCC, founded in 1887, is one of the oldest boating clubs in the country and is housed in the Civil War-era Shipman Mansion. It’s great to see this Mariner fleet not only active, but growing! Photo credit: Del Rife. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1560740404696-7AVU3LR61MOJB7X8HRKL/gov.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - June 17-23 Harry Mayer’s #664 MARE has a slight lead over Bill Mills’s #599 SILK PURSE, while Steve Creighton’s #1362 BLIND SQUIRREL is close behind during Riverton Yacht Club’s “Governor’s Cup Race” just this past Saturday. A total of 33 boats in six different class competed for the trophy with five Mariners racing in their own class, and the results will be published soon. Begun in 1949, the Governor’s Cup was so named because the trophy was donated by New Jersey Governor Alfred Eastlack Driscoll (1902-1975) in 1949 as a perpetual trophy to encourage the skippers of each racing class to have a greater number of boats entered each year and keep them sailing in every race. While in office the governor made the trophy presentations. This photo was taken by Riverton photographer Byron Campbell - be sure to take a look at all his excellent photos at his website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1561340665437-ZANFWRR4G51O3UC28KRE/1543.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - June 24-30 John Swansey’s #1543 was “Picture of the Week” about a month ago, but this great shot taken of his son Ned deserves a spot of its own. They just returned from “a great sail, steady 10 knots gusting to 20. I love the way she handles, and moves through the water. All the mechanical parts perform flawlessly now. Still need some cosmetic work, though the black hull looks nice and shiny enough for now. I'm dreading the day when I will don my XXL Tyvek suit to sand and grind the interior to prep for fiberglass repair and paint. I may do my first overnight before then.” While trailering #1543, John and Ned “leave the main sail on the boom and remove them as one unit with the mainsheet attached to make setup and takedown go faster. (I store the boom and sail indoors when not sailing.)” She’s a great looking boat, and it sounds like many fun adventures are in store for the Swanseys. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1561950783861-1V76T3DFNRJV3110J6EH/curley2.jpeg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 1-7 Here is another great shot taken during one of the “Sunset Sails” offered by Eric Hansen, otherwise known as “Captain Curley”. Based in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, Eric takes people out in an O’Day Mariner in the Wellfleet region of Cape Cod for three-hour daysails in the summer. According to Eric’s website, he offers sails to Jeremy Point (a secluded beach across the harbor), a sail just before sunset, or have your own customized cruise extending up to six hours. His Mariner, TOMOKA, is perfect for taking people out around Wellfleet Harbor. This picture shows the sun setting behind Great Island as the group of sailors return from Jeremy Point. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562555055451-ZL3GTO6734GT1A3P84F8/selco.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 8-14 From 1968-1969, the O’Day Sailboats Corporation (owned by the conglomerate Bangor Punta) licensed the early-style Mariner molds to several international builders including a company called Selco in Norway. (According to an extremely rare Selco advertisement I happen to have in my collection, they also were licensed to build the O’Day Widgeon and Javelin.) While it is unknown how many Mariners they actually built, there are still some Selco Mariners out there, including this one currently owned by Lars Christian Haaland from Oslo, Norway. The hull and cabin seem to be consistent with O’Day Mariners, although the portlights are slightly modified with a more rectangular look to them. According to Lars, a second Selco Mariner had been abandoned at the boat yard where he keeps his boat. Fortunately, Lars’s boat association adopted the abandoned Mariner for its own use. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563162692573-FGK1EJIQYMLX0A2JWGAT/norarose.jpeg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 15-21 It’s not often you see an O’Day Mariner outfitted with ten-foot oars - although one Mariner was converted to a two-station rowboat back in 2009 - but Bruce Robbins has successfully done that with his #3200 NORA ROSE. This picture was taken at Island Beach State Park in New Jersey at the beginning of July, and Bruce reports NORA ROSE is all ready to participate in the Mariner National Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport a little less than three weeks from now. As it turns out, Bruce worked at the Seaport forty years ago, so the event will be somewhat of a homecoming for him! Regarding stowing the oars when not in use, Bruce writes that they “will just squeeze into the cabin, the blades aft, and we slide them aft to the transom.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1563763830457-MOA72RWAXJK1K3AD5A93/140803MA_Mystic-287.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 22-28 Skipper Bill Collins gets help from his daughter Julianna as they attach the sail cover on #2186 GYPSY ROSE after sailing to Mystic Seaport during the 2014 Mariner National Rendezvous. An active sailor here in Connecticut and also a participant in the 2012 Mystic Rendezvous, Bill moved to New York shortly after the 2014 event sold GYPSY ROSE to another gentleman in Plymouth, Massachusetts who owned her for a few years, renamed her NANTUCKET and, regretfully, hardly ever sailed her. This past March, #2186 was up for sale again, and this time, she was bought by Dave Oatley of Blairstown, New Jersey. As it turns out, Dave will be attending the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous in two weeks for the first time, yet #2186, now a Rendezvous veteran, will once again grace the docks of Mystic Seaport, albeit with her current name of NANTUCKET. Quite a homecoming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1564408229265-191LCH583K0W6QZFFF4K/2714.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - July 29-Aug. 4 Michelle Albert smiles as her father Chris motors #2714 FLOTSAM down the Mystic River during the 2014 Mariner National Rendezvous. Chris sails FLOTSAM quite frequently during the summer months, and he has made many upgrades to his boat including Mack Pack sails, a kick-up RudderCraft rudder and a hand-me-down bow pulpit. He and I sailed our boats together for a couple three-day excursions across Long Island Sound to Greenport, Long Island in 2012 and 2016. He has participated in every Rendezvous since the very first one in 2009, and Michelle has occasionally joined him as crew. They both will be returning to Mystic for this year’s Rendezvous this coming weekend. Thanks to Stuart Watson for the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1564975440320-UB6573H2IYMT84FFMNBH/DSC_0505.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 5-11 Lydia Schaeffer attaches the Mariner burgee to the port shroud of #2470 SIALIA, skippered by her father, Alan with her brother, Joseph along as crew. They are motoring out into Niantic Bay at the start of the 2019 Mariner National Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport this past weekend. Alan is an employee at the Seaport and keeps his boat in Mystic, but he trailered it to the launch ramp on the Niantic River so he could sail with nine other O’Day Mariners. We were met with light winds on Friday and motored about half of the time, but everyone had a great time visiting the Seaport and the downtown over the course of the weekend. We all returned today and were rewarded with a spectacular sail home. All in all, it was another incredibly successful event, and I am very grateful to all those who participated. Stay tuned for many more pictures coming soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1565574674879-PWSXR1I82R5OEOYRIKZS/DSCN0251_548+-+Copy.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 12-18 Last weekend was the Mariner Class Association National Rendezvous, and it was a spectacular event at Mystic Seaport here in Connecticut. Ten O’Day Mariners from all over and twenty sailors participated, and we had a fantastic time. The Seaport allows the Mariner Class Association - and absolutely no other transients, I might add - to use floating docks they only make available for their own exhibits or for special events like the annual WoodenBoat Show and Antique Boat Parade. It makes life a lot easier for us Mariner sailors, and we are very, very grateful for this special privilege. This picture was taken by Steve Hock and shows all of us standing on the docks on Saturday afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1566186926321-HVVAJL3KCSR71W4DTLPT/DSC_0601.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 19-25 Dave Oatley sails #2186 NANTUCKET during the 2019 Rendezvous just a few weeks ago. #2186 participated in the 2012 and 2014 Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport as GYPSY ROSE; Dave bought her earlier this year after she had been renamed and somewhat neglected. He signed up for this year’s event to the Seaport and was joined by sons Jackson and Bennett, and all three had an absolutely fantastic time. In this shot, NANTUCKET is nearing Fisher’s Island and about to tack to head back to Niantic on Sunday afternoon, August 4th. The wind had filled in nicely, and everyone enjoyed a great sail back home, the perfect way to end the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1566785440212-R4Y2WA4NC6Q3QT30JV1X/DSCN0207_524.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 26-Sept. 8 The morning fog begins to dissipate as the sun rises over Mystic, illuminating the historic houses of nineteenth-century ship captains on the west bank of the Mystic River. It is Saturday, August 3rd, and seven Mariners can be seen tied up to Mystic Seaport’s floating docks near the Visitor’s Center - three more are out of sight to the right of this picture. Shortly before this shot was taken by photographer Steve Hock, there was fog as thick as pea soup over the area, and the air remained still for some time. Slowly, though, as the sun rose and the fog lifted, a beautiful breeze wafted through, and it turned into an absolutely beautiful day. Mariner sailors enjoyed several behind-the-scenes tours previously arranged at the Seaport as part of the 2019 Mariner Class Association National Rendezvous, and while many went downtown and explored the area, some folks were content just to stay put and soak up the gorgeous scenery all weekend long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1567997696972-LXUVX4RI8J8635GJ1WR8/nationals.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 9-15 Skipper Dan Walsh and crew Randy Swartley (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) get a little too close for comfort with Skipper Bill Watters and crew Tim Gallagher (#860 BLACK ICE) during the 2019 Mariner National Championships on August 24th at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. The first day of the Nationals was very breezy, but four races were held nevertheless which proved to be both exciting and challenging. Sunday’s racing was cancelled, unfortunately, due to high winds; Mariner Class Association Racing Rules prohibit racing during sustained winds of 25 knots or over, so only the four races from Saturday were counted. Dan and Randy ended up winning the regatta (Dan’s fifth championship), and Bill and Tim would come in seventh out of 18 boats. Thanks to Brant Beach Yacht Club for the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1568640607129-6R7JJB3Z4TB2EICAYF7A/bruce.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 16-22 Bruce Robbins (#3200 NORA ROSE) takes a picture of Mariners docked at Mystic Seaport from his homemade Whitehall skin-on-frame dinghy during the 2019 Mariner National Rendezvous at the beginning of August. An avid rower, Bruce brought along his rowboat so he could explore the Seaport’s watercraft up close and from a unique vantage point. This early-morning shot of the fleet was taken from underneath the transom of the 123-foot L.A. DUNTON. Built in 1921 as a fishing schooner and added to the Seaport’s large vessel collection in 1963, she is facing a much-needed restoration and is currently berthed with her masts unstepped and bowsprit removed. Nevertheless, she remains as majestic as ever, and it is a pleasure for us Mariner sailors to tie up nearby and enjoy the incredible atmosphere of being surrounded by historic watercraft of all sizes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1569245209497-NZ7MSOC1TUIPCKF8D6HB/A2CF7176.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 23-29 Eric Daniels’s Mariner #3449 floats in her home waters for the very first time after being launched last week following an extensive restoration. Eric’s projects have included repairing serious cracks in the transom, painting the entire boat, and even making new O’Day Mariner logos using a 3D printer. He writes that he still needs to “fabricate a few caps over the gudgeon bolts, tune the rigging and build a few jigs to optimize raising the mast. A lot of prep went into getting to this point but suspect you are well aware of the work required!” He also writes that it has been a bit of a “Pandora’s Box” once he started tackling the various projects, and he has been learning a lot about epoxy and fairing, though he’s “pretty certain there are more lessons ahead.” He still needs to come up with a name for #3449, but his main goal of launching her in the fall has been met. Congratulations, Eric - she’s a winner for sure! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1569875550420-N2UINWUD1MA8E3RK06DG/DSC_0527.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 30-Oct. 6 Eric Flower sails his #1871 SEAFLOWER with wife Joanne and a friend during the 2019 Rendezvous at the beginning of August. They are headed to Mystic Seaport in light winds off the coast of Waterford, and although it was slow going at the start, they thoroughly enjoyed being onboard SEAFLOWER as Eric has made a number of upgrades and improvements to his boat. Besides new paint inside and out, SEAFLOWER now sports a premium sound system with speakers in the cabin and cockpit, lighting, bedding, window shades, an electrical panel, cushions, aft swim ladder, jib roller furler, bow pulpit with lifelines, and more. She was the hit of the Rendezvous as everybody gathered around her during the “Open Boat” time on Saturday night when all the sailors shared snacks with everyone else and checked out all the docked Mariners. Eric also “won” the Open Boat hour by sharing his “snack” which was by far the most popular: ice cold beer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1570455263562-UY2NECY7LQIMXIWRM5H2/Rendezvous+011.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 7-13 Ten years ago this week, the first official Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet Rendezvous was held in the Niantic River. Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW SEA NUF, foreground) and Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) joined me for a daysail up the Niantic River on October 10th, 2009. While three other boats were scheduled to participate, a small craft advisory kept them at home. Nevertheless, the three of us, along with guest Chris Ely crewing on Dan’s boat, had a great time, sailing around the river, beaching the boats at Turkey Point for a lunch, and then sailing back later on. Dan and Chris have participated in every Rendezvous since then, and both are currently serving on the Executive Board of the Mariner Class Association as President and VP Membership respectively. These two guys have been with me from the very beginning, and it is a privilege to sail with them and call them friends. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1571024954007-BVILB32NI4JVSQ48BWCV/DSC_0578.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 14-20 Steve Hock takes a picture of me as I take a picture of him crewing for Ed Wise (#2862 CHRISTINA T) as they motor down the Mystic River this past August during the 2019 Mariner National Rendezvous. They are on their way back to the starting point of Niantic on the Sunday morning of the event, heading to the Mystic Highway bridge just south of Mystic Seaport. The two of them made the trip with CHRISTINA T all the way up from Pennsylvania. Although they experienced trailer troubles shortly after entering Connecticut and missed launching with the other Rendezvous participants, they managed to get their trailer repaired and made the sailing trip on their own, arriving at the Seaport only a couple hours behind the group. Ed bought #2862 new back in 1974 and has owned her ever since, making him one of the longest continuous owners of a Mariner in the Mariner Class Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1571668351816-P6A0IE8UOS4YT7ZC3SQZ/mariner18424.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 21-27 Skipper Chris O’Brien and his crew concentrate as they slice through the waters off Narrasketuck, New York during the 2018 Mariner Nationals. For many years, Chris has been a member of the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey and had owned #2781 O’MITZVAH, participating in local and national Mariner regattas as well as Mariner Rendezvous in Connecticut. Not long before the 2018 Nationals, however, he sold #2781 and purchased this racing Mariner, #3599, from another Riverton racer. It is a bit of a challenge to race at Narrasketuck if you are not used to the shallow waters; racers have to be careful not to let the centerboard down too far or else it will drag in the mud. Nevertheless, Chris and his crew did very well, coming in third out of twelve boats, and even scoring a first place in one of the six races of the regatta. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572226735943-BL6S3WO1VB5E0XICBAD5/2016+Mariner+Nationals+281.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 28-Nov. 3 Skipper Rob Boetticher with crew Mike Lusty (#3151) manage to keep ahead of Newt Wattis and Dixon Pearce (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) rounding the windward mark during the 2016 Mariner Nationals at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey. Tom McKay and Brian Botwinick are not that far behind in #1535 CHEAP THRILLS. Twenty-two Mariners competed for the trophy that year, and it would eventually be won by skipper Dan Walsh and Randy Swartley (#2778 DOUBLE TROUBLE) who had also won it in 2009 and 2012 and would go on to win it in 2018 and 2019. Of the three pictured, #2604 came in fourth overall, #3151 eighth, and #1535 eleventh. Surf City has been confirmed as the site of the 2020 Nationals, scheduled for July 25th and 26th, and this will be their eleventh time hosting the regatta since 1980. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1572836881422-YP09BQHB7Q9YQW59B821/Halloween+Mariner.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 4-10 Halloween was just this past Thursday, and this great picture comes from Mike Hansen of Southgate, Michigan. His boat, #4040 BREN MARIE, a rare Spindrift Mariner, is in his backyard, ready for Halloween - check out the skeleton sitting on the cabin top. Mike writes, “So I present to you my Mariner friends. A gaggle of way-ward souls without order or logic. A pre-apocalyptic pumpkin carving group. This could be a crew but it would be a crew that was kidnapped at night and awoke on a ship far out to sea. This is most of my family. These are victims of a random photographical moment. This photo also shows the versatility of the Mariner. Beyond a wonderful sailing vessel and my therapeutic tool it is a great back drop for pre-Halloween antics and senselessness. I am the guy near center in plaid with the white T-shirt. The three characters on the left of the picture, my daughters, are incorrectly using a sextant.” A fantastic photo! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1573486362382-PZIB2JBQHZU214T6LHXD/pr.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 11-17 While most boats in the northeast are bedding down for the winter, the Mariner Fleet in Puerto Rico is actively racing! This shot was taken during a race last weekend with absolutely gorgeous weather. #3665 is closest in the foreground with a Rhodes 19, #3215, directly behind it. The dark-colored Mariner in the left background is #2443 CHAMELEON. A surprising number of Mariners can be found in Puerto Rico, and pockets of Mariners are spotted internationally, including Norway and Australia where O’Day granted a license to build them in those locations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1574090516944-D8BOZIFOKW99IDQ8WE66/IMG_2120.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 18-24 Dave Oatley and his sons (#2186 NANTUCKET) along with Alan Schaeffer and his son and daughter (#2470 SIALIA) motorsail on Long Island Sound headed to Mystic Seaport during the Mariner Class Association Rendezvous this past August. Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM is ahead of them while I’m in front with #1922 ORION towing my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE. Harkness Park in Waterford is to the left, and the entrance to the Thames River is near the center of the photo. The wind was a bit fickle that first day of sailing, and there was a period of time when it had petered out to almost nothing. If I were by myself, I wouldn’t have minded waiting around until some wind came back to fill my sails; but with nine other boats in the group and a destination to get to, we started our motors to give us a little boost. The wind filled in off the Thames River, and we had a great sail to Noank before motoring the rest of the way up the Mystic River. Photo: Eric Flower (#1871 SEAFLOWER). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1574690955783-NRHA4WDFBWBZNQXHF983/IMG_0777.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 25-Dec. 1 Back in the summer of 2018, I was sailing in the Niantic River and happened upon another O’Day Mariner I didn’t recognize. I sailed over for a closer look and identified her as #2531 EALA, a boat that I remembered seeing on a mooring on the Waterford side of the river. A gentleman was at the helm with a woman (presumably his wife) as crew, and despite my cheerful exclamation of, “Hey, nice boat!”, my presence went largely unacknowledged and they preferred to keep their distance. Oh well - some folks like to keep to themselves, and I understand that. EALA is in great condition, and you can see that she is sailing with a genoa for a bit of extra speed. Her mainsail has reef points, and a small claw anchor is rigged on the bow, which doesn’t seem to detract from her good looks. I didn’t see EALA on the river this year; I hope she’s around for the next sailing season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1575297553663-OGPVREIFJPZD6REJD3P9/2290.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 2-8 For a few years, Rich Weston, of Haddonfield, New Jersey, owned #2290 SWEET CAROLINE and was a member of the Riverton Yacht Club. While he raced #2290 and participated in many Club activities, he also took part in the 2012 and 2013 Mariner Rendezvous here in Connecticut, bringing his wife Natasha and daughter Chloe with him. This particular picture was taken during the 2012 Rendezvous when we sailed and anchored for one night in the anchorage near Mystic Seaport, then anchored the following night in West Harbor, Fisher’s Island. Unfortunately, Rich experienced motor trouble which required him to be towed both coming and going to our destinations, but various sailors stepped up and helped him without hesitation. Although Rich later became a the Vice President of Membership within the Mariner Class Association, he didn’t hang onto #2290 very long; he understandably bought a slightly larger boat with a roomier cabin since both he and Natasha are over six feet tall! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1575859175542-ME4QAULY31OTXB7E7HKU/3485.JPG 2019 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 9-15 Eric and Kathy Lesniak smile for the camera - in this case, photographer Steve Hock’s camera - as they make their way in #3485 SHOAL MATE from Niantic to Stonington during the 2018 Mariner Rendezvous. It’s a beautiful day, and although the next day was a total washout, we had good sailing both going to Stonington on Friday and returning to Niantic on Sunday. SHOAL MATE is a later-style Mariner with the rounded cabin top and forward hatch removed, but Eric installed a new hatch on the forward deck. Other upgrades have included CDI roller furling gear, new opening portlights, and a Lehr propane outboard with homemade propane tank holders on the transom. Residents of New Jersey, Eric trailered SHOAL MATE up for Rendezvous here in Connecticut in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018; although he didn’t bring his boat in 2017, he drove all the way up just to participate in Saturday’s events before heading home. Last year was the first year he wasn’t able to come at all, and we missed him! Here’s hoping he’ll be back for 2020. (How about it, Eric?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1576509539716-R17I28FGPB9VX0UDVKVC/1338.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 16-29 Jennifer O’Connor adjusts the boom tent on #1338 HOT FLASHES while tied up at the floating docks at Mystic Seaport during the 2014 Mariner Rendezvous. An early-style Mariner, #1338 received a lot of attention under Jenn’s ownership including a new paint job and many custom additions including home-made roller furling gear and several different awning and cover configurations, all made by Jenn herself as she is an accomplished seamstress. One large full-cockpit enclosure is made of bug screen material with waterproof flaps that can roll up when not in use and drop down in the event of rain. A lot of work went into making HOT FLASHES a comfortable mini-cruiser, and she participated in the Mariner Rendezvous from 2013-2015. Unfortunately, Jenn sold her Mariner the next year in favor of a powerboat, but it was great to have both her and #1338 sail with us for a few years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1577670889145-UG07PLUI459F498DM1L4/20190802_173722.jpg 2019 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 30-Jan. 5 While this column is generally reserved to feature other boats, it has been a tradition to end the year featuring ORION. Here she is, berthed at Mystic Seaport during the 2019 Rendezvous this past August with my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE tied alongside. I have owned ORION now for nearly thirteen years and TRUE LOVE for nearly thirty; they will celebrating their 50th birthdays next year as they were both built in 1970. In this picture, TRUE LOVE has her mast stepped and is rigged for sailing as ORION comfortably sits with her hatches open and awning up, awaiting any visitors that come down the dock looking to chit-chat. TRUE LOVE frequently tags along with ORION acting as a tender, and any slight drag encountered while towing is outweighed by the handiness and sheer pleasure of rowing and sailing this little vessel. I wish all of you a very Happy New Year and a great sailing season in 2020. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2019-1 daily 0.75 2019-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1562125582757-EFGQNBC5WZO06HYOAQTN/20190702_155432.jpg Sailing 2019 https://www.mariner1922.com/2020-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2020-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609726591408-EY0QW4FTN56YQ5KWB8IN/nationals.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1578349360512-76SBXM8X7T640OYC4RB9/CIMG3696_536.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1578931403642-EJ373MXV8Y1WXHOQHFUE/1.00+mariner.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 13-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580135258203-II564KTR47JAA19J8C9R/Picture+147.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 27-Feb. 2 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1580738135639-JG1NFA0HUBVB86P27MQL/maggie.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 3-9 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1581352052315-31NCXPF4ZB11RWY8NJNC/albert.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 10-23 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1582582304399-5CPFAQY4XL3526GMC4NI/i-P76MWcV-X5.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 24-Mar. 1 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1583174100966-ZRQ62XFJAZU1W7ZZ59J0/4knots.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 2-8 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1583787483924-KYO23JTYRR7BBVNS3Q47/1963%2Bad.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 9-22 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!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1584939024476-Z6A4TWVO4KZIVB8MLGX1/CIMG3667.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 23-29 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1585539470446-H17T9S39URVMJKG1HQD3/2537.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 30-Apr. 5 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1586228242188-UUMKB4WTYB0II3L1KSRE/Lutz.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 6-12 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1586786183545-9YST1ZQWLG1GEIXL50XK/DSCN2496.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 13-19 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1587348335226-87V5HR58IZI4YMKH2S2N/2018Nats.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 20-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1588015572128-9W3Z5NK75D1Q5O2XC5IX/Oatley.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 27-May 3 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1588561150877-T471PH1VF062HX23CAMT/governorscup.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - May 4-10 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589250212188-72FZMGW57LF3X8RFF47K/WintersWait.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - May 11-17 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1589842706320-2K86OFNWMR1O250AT10H/3214.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - May 18-24 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.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590974771925-SAOKK8KM4ERC0B6INUZE/curley.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - May 25-31 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590973349603-SPF3HCIXZPFA1VTQVHWA/olivier+blanc.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 1-7 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1591586038917-7P9WVVSB40JID7NIEDCD/4093.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 8-14 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592188788784-YMACBF0JXRNI2N5Y80DF/140803MA_Mystic-41.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 15-21 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1592796257535-E2P2EB7HSN0G4MI1408U/Beached+6.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 22-28 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1593393447537-8D4HTPQLHDWZUU3574X7/IMG_6559.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - June 29-July 5 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594006805887-WV14ZM70MD9GX69ULJBO/2923.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - July 6-12 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1594605972584-SMB2SW836CIRGC7XNAV2/3081.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - July 13-19 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1595220126020-RNW951JA5VNT7CUAEGX4/Que+Sera.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - July 20-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1595816711498-C4B4QTJJP71KE8VT7LW7/Gott%2BMariner.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - July 27-Aug. 2 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1596430205032-S7MSCSU0GB36EIHMYMI5/3582.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 3-9 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1597117440848-43M20AI4WM57MTQI83XG/Lively.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 10-16 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1597683548328-9TAVM38SNU6WN2VEUCEE/JulieB.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 17-23 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1598239679594-7ISX8LBKQRDP983T7VIL/Channell.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 24-30 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1598841817834-N8R1ONFHLV46ZX95MKNP/3491.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 31-Sept. 6 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1599528409289-Q2X65PFCIZA6OLHLHITR/3274.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 7-13 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!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1600049255652-0C40XZRFGZ4P0QUWHBBY/1464.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 14-20 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1600694066315-U2PEU3UMNIQ4N65VXA2C/3295-2.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 21-27 #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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1601299234972-G2RPJR44IOD1TJFFUUUV/IMG_20200809_113126.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 28-Oct. 4 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1601862924853-8AZTUP33I0XYHAOF8HJG/DSC02817_874.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1602556356542-06B35VDJ6KC2U4B3GCGG/2663158_1_D4912FB6-DC01-49AB-9A5D-B98751C05A73.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 12-18 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603075358049-NIJT5L2N89L2KZ6630AS/barnfind.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 19-25 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603675840126-DFJGW1P98EB56MTW918R/paikea.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 26-Nov. 1 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1604277106527-8Z5PFLRXISR0XVXE0VRT/nationals.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 2-8 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1604928919815-D2L2ROXSWYO153MTEMXH/reiche.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 9-15 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1605498241822-1X061DG8ZOFPCW6T43T0/Hefel.jpeg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 16-22 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.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1606149413911-I5783MDVNJ2TC0JFWRBM/3589.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 23-29 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1606750701722-4G5GSWWQ222J1DVV86UK/20200807_141332.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 30-Dec. 6 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607308190460-WC63ERC290WL2VZ0OMQR/2016+Mariner+Nationals+329.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 7-13 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1607917506172-H9RBG81NTIPYV1J30ZTQ/stuart.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 14-20 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1608518992661-J1MNYLFUHUQ2M2IQQM5O/DSC02825_856.JPG 2020 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 21-27 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609129831281-GC809N4Z4GMEEO2FIBLP/Orion3.jpg 2020 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 28-Jan. 3 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. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2020-1 daily 0.75 2020-05-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1590176678770-RKLVKMI861VIEM6KPZ9D/20200521_123838.jpg Sailing 2020 https://www.mariner1922.com/2020projects daily 0.75 2021-04-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1603132023148-IPU8EDKP3Y0L8CKBGGLO/deckcore+043.jpg 2020-2021 Winter Projects https://www.mariner1922.com/2021picturesoftheweek daily 0.75 2021-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1614605431703-D7T26C9N5Z7U2EIBL590/IMG_5078.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1609724700946-P67CSGDI35LDCU4IAHD9/IMG_5078-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 4-10 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1610335039202-XYWO3WM2U3RNACLVR431/584.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 11-17 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1610944256696-TF6C1IUX3NQR0C8XACG9/DSC02811.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 18-24 #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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1611581392433-H24B05BLKNQXXX64F7K0/jurgen.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Jan 25-31 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?) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1612155410850-MNF4VVA72P10D7JT7O64/tent.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 1-7 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1612739838338-9LVPMI7D5JLD8CZ4PAU4/rdcc.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 8-14 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). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1613365199694-PKEV4HJMEBNQL5S564N7/IMG_0521.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 15-21 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1613962341166-HU07PP949GGKZZRIONYY/735.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 22-28 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1614605804618-4WXFORF600LZ8WSEWLI8/272.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 1-7 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1615212298926-H9M4T6G1E8B4CKTK7FYV/sunnydays.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 8-14 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1615773214561-VZ78RDA7XTZXJARSXZQC/Preparation1.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 15-21 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616377695287-PWW6GRMKEXOU57U9KC74/sunnydays.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - March 22-28 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616981947084-OQPUR8LS1E8Y2RU0PWNN/bb.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 29-Apr. 4 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1617589454427-5OMLLX87EMXN3MWOOKBK/2676-1.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618197267848-1RJS3NX9F1QWOO7TDZAH/2862.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 12-18 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1618797799714-QBCXD8CJHNM1SA8PJY38/4041.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 19-25 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1619402852635-RDRVMZQY2L4MJVKSUI6N/1464.png 2021 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 26-May 2 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1620044685610-KLAI8DX9XB6SZ7X4EKWN/DSCN0294_555+-+Copy.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 3-9 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1620651139157-D7K9FYC4Z6QE3515IOIU/IMG_0942.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 10-16 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621217858621-THFIIZ7ZM9LFWXP5672M/mariner18316.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 17-23 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621997510830-DJH2C42A4DCWR4P8DAGI/bluebird.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 24-30 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1622511361420-Q9E8PSUUQ9F0F1UAU28R/duluth.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - May 31-Jun 6 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1623032029263-VDU3N7MYKE1NK0AZ66N4/83.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - June 7-13 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1623641176958-PL8CQ8AYS1KB7LEQ2HYG/140711229.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - June 14-20 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1624376169285-O35N8SRPG91LEHVANH66/20200807_142229.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - June 21-27 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1624849110162-9U3O4ZNBDFNUSABKAS9F/stuart.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - June 28-July 4 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1625454632657-ARR8DX1C3DNEOGHT19T8/witsoe.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - July 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626056236244-1H0HUAVO0K4ZTGNOO26A/campbell.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - July 12-18 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1626663542849-KKY7IOJ32GDG1GUHGOW9/50258661587_82305a0a11_o.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - July 19-25 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1627270123872-YGACR7MSJZRK53V1D4I4/RNT_5173.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - July 26-Aug. 1 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1627875020958-RNJPM1FNGWOPK1N7X0ZZ/caborojo.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 2-8 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1628480233355-R1ZJDA2VQKJDY804BGRM/20210805_194958-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 9-15 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629131820217-DFJMVOGPWNPYXFCZ0LBE/DSC_0127-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 16-22 #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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1629691757262-U3RTG0KRCLVQG0B0J6MQ/DSC_0138-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 23-29 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630293287187-LEPUZKDU9C3ITYMELS9T/flathead.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 30-Sept. 5 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1630892209998-2GON2HRY93EVOA5UI9FR/sunk.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 6-12 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1631531547611-AFXRKUBNHK76V9OAJ08A/2931325_0_62A4395C-2CF4-4828-ADAC-82D6A4447269.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 13-19 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1632106898436-CMRVDIR6YJ9IV9SQHUQN/20210806_172435-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 20-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1632707238343-KH04M7BSC9D3HB4B5D9T/ThunderRoad.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 27-Oct. 3 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1633312298268-U1QU8F7WP9CE9A2PE7XY/2831.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 4-10 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! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1633918973933-CDIBKL48PMP7NLLDTDUU/DSC_0072-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 11-17 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1634525336601-OMGIP5CBHOC3HHYLAV77/RNT_4977.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 18-24 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635124097591-7N2199GBNH0H0LH1AA1V/193066216_185569853478836_4182762129577334731_n.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 25-31 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1635765999229-IY1NTFY9BI4JYPR5A2A9/DSC_0132-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 1-7 #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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1636341071875-SQN9E44INN1C8KKMYKCU/RNT_5842.JPG 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 8-14 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1637022819152-PGUAOEPVP1BTMBFBEYBY/Avey.jpeg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 15-21 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!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1637553198563-9OL5XC257BARMU4E49X8/IMG_5555.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 22-28 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1638192472505-2TB576KNCIIWVN5N0MUH/20.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 29-Dec. 5 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1638758365112-ODYOCHGRD4LHGPQJHWT8/DSC_0074-2.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 6-12 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1639402807788-WMOLX1JJOOKPX4SMO7XE/IMG_0453.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 13-19 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1639970728119-X9RCRNGGABD0JRFX90HG/taylor.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 20-26 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1640579073116-9AQ7RCADFL918IHSR10T/IMG_0802.jpg 2021 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 27-Jan. 2 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! https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2021-1 daily 0.75 2021-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1621008709589-UZKUFBEX3MBIUI9Z2DCP/20210513_144921.jpg Sailing 2021 https://www.mariner1922.com/2022-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2022-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1641180140183-2VJJ9ZSXD9TEPIWRQUG2/910.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1641178699739-I8E0EQAS6FMCY9KYGPO7/910.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 3-9 What better way to begin this column for the new year than with a Mariner featured for the first time! This is Kerry O’Sullivan at the helm of his #910 CLARELLANN racing back in 2018 at the Mariner National Championships held at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, Long Island, New York. Kerry has just rounded the windward mark, and his crew has already poled out the jib to run downwind wing-and-wing. The crisp, new sails are just about to be trimmed, and no doubt the centerboard - probably partly raised already due to the shallow racing area of Great South Bay - will be raised some more to reduce drag and eke out just a little more speed. After the first day of racing, the entire fleet of racers are divided up into two divisions with the top racers competing in the Championship Fleet and the bottom racers competing in the President’s Fleet. Kerry ended up coming in first in the President’s Fleet Division - a fantastic result! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1641780449333-2G7218V6L9F1I3DF08JD/durgin.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 10-16 Chuck Durgin keeps his Stuart Mariner in Mill Creek off of the Chesapeake Bay, and instead of hauling her out at the end of the sailing season, this year he elected instead to keep her in the water. He writes, “So far it's been mild weather, water temperature is 45 degrees, bottom paint seems intact, and the small family marina uses a system to prevent ice build up when conditions warrant.” Unfortunately, just a few days after writing this, Mill Creek was hit with nearly nine inches of heavy, wet snow, and Chuck had to shovel out his boat, unbending the sails and removing the outboard. He still plans to keep her in the water, though, ready to take advantage of those milder winter days to sail around the area when most other Mariners are packed away until spring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1642390250478-QYP8XCTOCAFAAPABL5EM/MikeDee.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 17-23 Now here’s a Mariner ready for some serious cruising. This is Mike Dee’s mid-style O’Day Mariner at anchor, and just look at that fabulous cockpit cover! Although it does not cover the entire cockpit, its height practically transforms the companionway area into its own comfortable room. Notice the boom has been raised up to accommodate the cover, and the end of the boom has been lashed to the backstay to keep it in place. Many cockpit covers are draped over the boom, but this cover - complete with tubing, like a bimini - is independent of the boom entirely. Its screens provide plenty of ventilation, and the forward hatch is open to facilitate air flow inside cabin itself. Even though the jib is not attached at the moment to its roller furler, you can tell it’s a genoa jib by its accompanying hardware, the stand-up block on a track on the side deck near the after part of the cover. While there is absolutely no wind and the ensign on the backstay hangs limp, Mike has tied off the halyards with bungee cords to prevent them from slapping against the mast during what promises to be a most enjoyable night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1642994117053-U1DNLR0N4Z7LAXB0SAGG/White.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 24-30 Skipper Tom White stands proudly next to his Stuart Mariner, hull number 4166 LETTIE at his home in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. He writes, “My first sailboat was an O'Day Mariner, 1960's vintage. We kept it at our home on Lake Murray, SC, when we lived there. With relocations and a growing family, I wasn't able to sail it, so I sold it. I have missed the Mariner and decided last year that the time was right, so I bought a 1997 Stuart Mariner. Our new Mariner, LETTIE, is the 2+2 design, with quarter berths extending under the cockpit, in addition to the v-berth. To accommodate that, the cockpit floor is raised from the old designs. It also has two small cockpit drains (which clog easily, sadly). I recall one time in South Carolina coming home from work after a few rainy days, and finding our [early-style] Mariner sunk in shallow water. After that challenge, I thought cockpit drains would be good to have, and I appreciate having them now. I'm looking forward to getting LETTIE back on the water in the spring.” And I’m looking forward to seeing more pictures, Tom - she looks fantastic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1643596228748-8IEPQMS29UYIWSFBPWWF/BMR.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 31-Feb. 6 The detached deck of a Stuart Mariner is suspended above its hull as BMR Services in Florida carefully reassembles the two halves after an interior restoration. It’s not often that one gets to view the complete separation of deck and hull, and it certainly gives one a unique perspective. Notice the three stiffeners underneath the bow of the deck; when working up forward with a mooring line or anchor, it is good to have a firm surface under your feet with no flexing. Just before reassembly, a thick bead of 3M 5200 caulking will be squirted all the way around the lip of the hull to prevent leaks, and once the deck is lowered and put into place, the inner rubrail liner will be put on with either screws or rivets. The vinyl outer rubrail will be snapped and hammered on over the inner rubrail liner, and the results will no doubt look spectacular. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1644206452760-EGD1XM42WKJU31M1YSSE/436.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 7-13 O’Day Mariner #436 SWIPPERT was built in 1965, and she still sports a lot of her original features from nearly 60 years ago. Most noticeable is the blue stripe which wraps around her coamings and cabin, the classic look of the early-style Mariner. Her mahogany coaming tops most certainly have been refinished and are in excellent shape, and her original jib sheet leads and fixed cam cleats are on the cabin top. The owner of #436 cleverly made a custom hatch for otherwise-open cuddy cabin, and he also elected to mount his four-horsepower Johnson outboard motor on an adjustable bracket attached to the transom instead of directly onto the opening in the aft “deck” visible just above the rudder. This allows the outboard to drop further into the water, a real advantage especially if one only has a short-shaft motor. SWIPPERT was for sale in Maryland back in 2010; her current whereabouts are unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1644804044474-5C7RRL9NCJU6SCRNQSFT/DSC_0040-2.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 14-20 Harald Hefel (#1998 NETTICKS) stands astride his boat and #3200 NORA ROSE as skipper Bruce Robbins and crew Mural Rao prepare their boat at the start of the 2021 Rendezvous last August. They spent the previous night aboard their Mariners at anchor in the Niantic River, and with the sun up and more Mariners arriving at the launch ramp, Bruce is beginning to unpack the mainsail while brother-in-law Mural is hanking on the jib. Bruce and Mural have attended several Rendezvous over the past few years, and although this was Harald’s first, he is by no means an inexperienced sailor; he has owned NETTICKS for a few years now and has even trailered her all the way to Florida. A native of Bregenz, Austria, he currently resides in Pawcatuck, Connecticut and is as strong as an ox - he is a professional mason and frequently works with his son who is a mason as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1645411989492-PZAMQJ1S9SHE8I3S20EG/Gallina.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 21-27 Charlie Gallina, of Merrick, New York, blasts along in Middle Bay on the south shore of Long Island last September. Charlie writes, “My ‘new to me’ 1977 Mariner #3428 came with a genoa and a jib. I have yet to sail single handed. The boat has two sets of blocks and winches mounted on the rails that I use with the the genoa and a set of cockpit pulleys that I use with the jib. My crew is holding the genoa sheet in the photo but he can use a cam just forward of the winch to tie it off. Middle bay is small, skinny water so we never stay on one tack very long.” Charlie’s Torqeedo electric motor, while expensive, is light-weight, saving a lot of stress on the transom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1646006091607-1E4KDKOXAT3E4HLBI6MR/735.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 28-Mar. 6 How’s this for a patriotic paint job! This is Sandra Shipp’s #735 NAUTI, an early-style O’Day Mariner now based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Check out the red stripe that wraps around the bottom of the cabin near the deck and continues on the coamings. Her registration numbers are red as well as her mainsheet! A new member of the Mariner Class Association, Sandra writes, “I have owned, with partners, an O’Day Mariner for quite a while now, called NAUTI. She is fully in my possession now, and I have began a restoration of her.” Although another boat listed in the Association has been long identified, based on her sail numbers, as Mariner hull #735, Sandra provided a picture of her O’Day factory-stamped hull plate confirming her boat as being the actual 735th Mariner built. While it is doubtful the true identity of the other boat will ever be determined, the other owner has graciously agreed to modify the identity of his boat to #735W, the “W” for WILDFLOWER - the boat’s new name. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1646623549278-MG40UENJGESFDZRQUFU4/Wales.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 7-13 This beautiful shot is Adam Wales’s O’Day Mariner resting off a Maine Island near Acadia. Adam lives on Mount Desert Island in Maine, and he writes, “My teenager and I sailed the Maine Island Trail a few years ago from Portland to Southwest Harbor… all sail and oar, no motor. A great 9 day adventure!” His trip was even published in the 2018 summer newsletter of the Maine Island Trail Association. He bought his Mariner in 2016 and spent a lot of time fixing it up with his son, Eli, and when they embarked on their journey, according to the article, “overall, the trip was the dream they imagined it would be.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1647832183788-2RQ1ZYDAW4FKFOECKLN6/image-asset.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 14-20 The rising sun glints off the starboard portlight of Glenn Fitch’s mid-style O’Day Mariner, #2225 KATE, as she rests calmly on her mooring in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The pristine green gelcoat is original, and it is in remarkable condition consider KATE is 52 years old this year. Glenn writes, “This is my 1970 after a fresh buffing this year after 20 years of neglect. Incidentally I was told that the gold spars were a 1971 feature but this boat was purchased late in 1970 and the salesman made a point of mentioning he was sweetening the deal with this new color rig.” The spars were gold anodized by the O’Day factory as a way of recognizing George O’Day’s gold medal won as a sailor in the 1960 summer Olympics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1647830990957-6QWO0F75FMH7GKZN87EA/RNT_5020.JPG 2022 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 21-27 Sailing is one of those sports or hobbies that can be enjoyed by different generations within one family. Such is the case with skipper Newt Wattis (#2604 MY LIGHTNING) who now regularly races with his granddaughter at Surf City Yacht Club on Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Newt, a long-time racer at Surf City and five-time Nationals champion, is a fixture within the Mariner community, frequently matching prospective owners with Mariners for sale; he introduced me to #1922 just over fifteen years ago. He cherishes the opportunity to sail with family, and he was the driving force to have the Mariner Class Rules amended last year to allow two or more family members to co-skipper in one boat. This was to encourage Mariner owner family members to share the skippering experience in a regatta or even in the middle of a race instead of requiring the same skipper for the entire regatta, and the amendment passed almost unanimously. This picture was taken during the 2021 Nationals, and Newt and his granddaughter came in eighth out of seventeen boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1648422830873-R5KNX3RCY1XVTZGJJ0XB/Lipson.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 28-Apr. 3 While most Mariners are located on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Mariners can be found all over the world; this particular Mariner is located approximately 10,000 miles away in Australia! According to owner Bill Lipson, “We live and sail out of Shute Harbour in the Whitsunday Islands in Australia. A protected waterway behind the Great Barrier Reef with 74 coral fringed islands, it is a sailing paradise.” In the late 1960s, the O'Day Sailboats Corporation sold the rights to build the Mariner in Australia, and they were manufactured by the company Quest Marine and produced as the "Quest 19" right into the 1980s. You can see the design is of the early-style Mariner, and although the rudder profile is different, it might not be original. And just look at the scenery - it certainly does look like, as Bill writes, a sailing paradise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1649042737935-1X46LXAZSZWOJRVOP32H/hawrilenko.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 4-10 Stuart Mariner #4082 LAPWING begins to bury her rail as skipper Alice Hawrilenko races her on Little Sarasota Bay, Florida. She writes, “We have a little club called the Pelican Cove Sailing Club. It is not private. Anyone can join if they sail a boat under 28 feet with keel/centerboard/dagger board. An eclectic group of boats engage in chase races for two weeks each month October through April. We have a wonderful time. Handicaps are reset after each two week series and close finishes are the norm!” Alice was the Newsletter Editor for the Mariner Class Association from 2010-2014, and she has remained an active Association member. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1649633895808-6GFE3NSVE8N7BWFGJ3FW/IMG_5291.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 11-17 There’s nothing quite like the excitement of purchasing your first Mariner, and Caroline Megan is all smiles standing in front of O’Day Mariner #2009 recently purchased together with her husband, Peter. The boat was for sale at Stuart Marine up in Rockland, Maine where newer Stuart Mariners have been in production since the mid-1980s, and this picture was taken inside Stuart Marine’s shop. Peter writes, “I surely have some cosmetic work to do but happy to report boat #2009 appears sound. Dave [Whittier] at Stuart Marine was terrific for us. So happy to have purchased this fine old dame from him!” She’s the same mid-style vintage as ORION and still sports her original green gelcoat which seems to be in great condition for a 52-year-old boat. Best wishes to you both with your “new” Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1650252770669-1HBNCIN1WRNT930NH4GI/1866.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 18-24 A number of years ago, Steve Hock, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, purchased #3627 WHITECAP and sailed her for a few years. He eventually sold her to “move up” to a Catalina 22, but once the Mariner bug has bitten, it’s hard to shake, and he recently began a search for a Mariner once again, this time for a mid-style O’Day model. He found one and quickly bought her. Steve writes, “After a week and a half of sorting out and repairing and rehabbing this and that on my recently acquired 1970 (#1866) model, I finally got on the water for a float / leak test and a solid hour of running on the little Tohatsu 3.5 with no issues. All went well… no surprises. Beautiful day on Lake Nockamixon, PA for a two hour cruise with lunch aboard.” Wife Rita and friend (and past Mariner Class Association President) Russ Schuss holding the docklines, Steve took this picture. A professional photgrapher, many pictures in this ‘Picture of the Week’ column were taken by Steve. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1650855895761-JW0XYU4N9KN496TISLSD/DSC_0109-2.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 25-May 1 Bruce Robbins’s #3200 NORA ROSE rests at a floating dock at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut during last year’s Mariner National Rendezvous. It is early in the morning, and the wind is just beginning to stir in patches on the Mystic River. If the picture was zoomed out a bit more, one could see the beautiful catboat BRECK MARSHALL on the left and the historic fishing schooner L. A. DUNTON on the right, both owned by the Seaport; pretty nice company, I should say! Bruce and his brother-in-law, Mural Rao, have participated in a few Rendezvous with NORA ROSE, and they plan on coming to this year’s event scheduled for August. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1651500977966-SOA46V695F6WRK29C8MJ/image-asset.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 2-8 Brad and Caroline’s #3582 SWEET SADIE heads west in a moderate breeze during the last day of the August, 2021 Mariner Rendezvous. It was a cloudy day which certainly made for comfortable sailing, and the northerly winds - unusual for August - kept all of us going at a pretty good clip as we returned to Niantic from Mystic Seaport. There are several features that make SWEET SADIE stand out, including a fantastic, light-yellow paint job on the hull; white bottom paint beneath a thin, dark blue bootstripe; a black rubrail; an aftermarket bow pulpit; running lights on the bow; and double reef points in the mainsail. Brad’s interest and expertise in motors was put on display that weekend as he helped to diagnose or fix three balky outboards, earning him the title “Rendezvous Mechanic.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1652062225185-R4QG4ON7GXMAIJZIM8Q3/738.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 9-15 Skipper Tom Green and wife Michelle sit on the windward rail as they beat to windward in high winds during Saturday’s racing of the 2019 Mariner National Championships at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. Barnegat Bay is covered in whitecaps as #738 GUMBY thrashes upwind; high winds would persist throughout the day and even increase through the next day, cancelling racing on Sunday and limiting racing scores to the four raced that day. #738, while an early-style Mariner, exhibits a cabin-top cut-out allowed by the Racing Rules to mirror the companionway of a mid- and late-style Mariner. Tom and Michelle are veteran Mariner racers, and they eventually placed 10th out of 22 boats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1652669389270-ZSCMSJEUSAPQY3FEU2UE/2280.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 16-22 This Wednesday, registration will open for the 2022 Mariner National Rendezvous from Niantic to Essex, Connecticut, so I thought it appropriate to feature a picture from 2017, the last time Essex was the Rendezvous destination. Here we have Bill Eggers’s #2280 JULIE B getting underway to sail back to Niantic at the close of the event. There’s a good breeze as Bill, wife Teresa, and daughter Jillian head south down the Connecticut River, and JULIE B relishes having a genoa jib to pull her along smartly. The docks of Brewer Dauntless Marina are in the background, and the white steeple of the First Congregational Church of Essex, actually located a half a mile away at the top of Main Street, pokes up above the trees at the extreme right of the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1653272221183-A5I9AM7MRBHDDJECFAWW/1418.JPG 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 23-29 Skipper Jeff Freedman, his wife, Tess and another crewmember sail #1418 REALITYWAVE during a race last June on Lake Onondaga, New York. Although the winds are light, Jeff knows how to get the most out of his Mariner and she is moving right along. He writes, “We still race REALITYWAVE in our Sunday Handicap series at Onondaga Yacht Club here in Liverpool, New York adjacent to Syracuse and win more than our share of races. We have owned REALITYWAVE since 1976, fully 46 years now and still wax her every spring. I once asked someone how long she might last. The answer came back... ‘longer than you will!’” Jeff continues, “We actually gave away our Mariner cabin cushions to one of our new Mariner sailors since at our age we prefer a bit more space and amenities when cruising overnight.” The Onondaga Yacht Club has four Mariners now, and with a fifth sailor interested in the boat, there’s talk of starting a new Mariner fleet. Who would have thought that a boat designed nearly 60 years ago would still be generating enough interest to start a new fleet? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1653882815768-069RT1S9YCM6KFPUEUMK/3627.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - May 30-June 5 Last week I featured an O’Day Mariner sailing on Lake Onondaga, New York, and here is another O’Day Mariner which is also a member of the Onondaga Yacht Club. This is #3627 beating to windward during the last race of the 2020 season at the beginning of October that year. She sports a bow pulpit and a simple trolling motor for getting her to and from her slip at the Club, and keen-eyed observers may even notice “3627” in decals at the very top of her mast. It’s a little hard to tell, but the aft half of her coaming tops are covered in wood; at one point, a previous owner had constructed an elaborate yet rather unsightly wooden pirate ship-like rail in a horseshoe shape around the transom. The next owner prudently removed this rail yet kept the flat wooden pieces on the coaming tops. This owner was none other than photographer and close friend (and the Association’s current webmaster) Steve Hock who named her WHITECAP and later sold her. It’s nice to know #3627 is still active and cared for. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1654481591296-T0XPUZEJNOCFJUKSDRRQ/735W.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - June 6-12 There are some people who fix up their boats just enough to look decent, and there are others who go far above and beyond to make their boats even better than how they came out of the O’Day factory. This is David Satter’s early-style O’Day Mariner, and the improvements he has made are truly remarkable. Notice the custom curved tiller, the mirror-shine hull paint, the white and tan deck paint, the absolutely gorgeous paneled cabin doors, the clear forward hatch, the short bowsprit with the claw anchor and deck pipe for the chain, the two portlights on one side, the brown-painted rubrail to look like wood - and this is only what you can see on the outside! The inside is just as remarkable and will be featured in this column at a later date. While unrecognizable from her earlier incarnation as #735 PROXIMUS (see October 17-Nov. 6, 2016), her hull number has since been determined not to be #735; her true identity remains somewhat of a mystery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1655086589239-C2O1AROM2PVA7O5OS4H3/invictus.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - June 13-19 INVICTUS, a 2013 Stuart Mariner, rides on her mooring near commercial fishing boats as a small chop kicks up in the harbor. Factory reconditioned in 2019, INVICTUS is one of the most upgraded and tricked-out Mariners out there. Besides standard features such as a roller-furling jib and a custom paint job, she also sports a full compliment of electronics and is for sale through Stuart Marine at the rather heart-stopping price of $49,950. When Stuart Marine bought the old O’Day Mariner molds from Rebel Industries in the early 1980s, they were quickly deemed to be too worn out to be usable. Naval architect Jim Taylor was hired to take the lines off of an existing Mariner so new molds could be made. Stuart Mariners are nearly identical to O’Day Mariners, and they are able to be raced together as a one-design class. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1655697916339-9CBZNRZDMEU5UE4KUTQ1/texas200.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - June 20-26 Brandon and Brian Fetterman celebrate after completing the Texas 200 event this past weekend in Brandon’s early-style O’Day Mariner THUNDER ROAD. According to their website, the Texas 200 is a “Raid”-type event; that is, it involves a scheduled gathering of small boats traveling more or less in company from Point A to Point B over a period of several days, camping along the way. The Texas 200 goes through the Laguna Madre and the bays of South Texas for five to six days and about 200 miles. Held annually since 2008, the event is an endurance test of both boats and sailors, and this year there were 90 registered boats, four of them O’Day Mariners. Congratulations to all participants, most especially to the Fettermans and the other Mariner sailors! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1656299072197-N2LMC6X8P8YR9T8NM2F7/3189.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - June 27-July 3 Even when winds are somewhat light, O’Day Mariners are able to make good headway as is shown here by skipper Ron Pryer and his #3189. His sails are not overly trimmed; he and his crew are sitting on the leeward side, allowing the boat to heel just a bit and keep the sails full; and #3189 is comfortably making knots, putting smiles on the sailors’ faces. Ron sold his boat last month, and the new buyer benefited from many of Ron’s improvements made in 2021, including new sail covers, new Stuart Marine custom cockpit cushions, cabin wiring and a new battery, new bottom paint as well as inside the cabin, new running rigging - the list goes on. A great boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1656902438813-NHRO336ATFGNK4Z6YXV2/DSC_0232.JPG 2022 Pictures of the Week - July 4-10 Alan Schaeffer motors his newly-acquired mid-style Mariner, #1692, across the shallow waters of Hallock Bay on Long Island, New York as the sun sets. Alan sailed in company with me, Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM), and Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF) during a trip to Greenport this past week; click here for more details about the trip. In this picture, we were searching for a place to anchor, and we entered Hallock Bay in the northeast corner of Orient Bay. Our centerboards and rudders were raised, and when we anchored in a small creek, we awoke the next morning to find our boats aground! Alan has owned #2470 SIALIA for many years, although as of late he had been looking for a mid-style Mariner with more comfortable cruising accommodations. He found #1692 for sale in New York and bought her, and this was his first real trial sail. #1692 passed with flying colors, and we all had a great time on the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1657509880811-KX1UDAY32MAT2J2H33OG/verret.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - July 11-17 Mark Verret’s late-style O’Day Mariner SPARKY is beached at one of the stops during the Texas 200 event this past June 13-18. A couple of weeks ago, I featured in this column another couple of Texas 200 participants, Brandon and Brian Fetterman, who also successfully completed the event; in fact, four Mariners took part in the 88-boat fleet. Mark writes, “We were close hauled and slicing through three-foot waves in 20 knot winds for about eight hours. SPARKY came alive and performed flawlessly. This was only my third time sailing her and it was the moment I experienced for myself what a grand boat a Mariner is.” Be sure to read more about Mark’s experience in the upcoming Notice to Mariners newsletter which will be published soon by the Mariner Class Association. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1658115663752-8X1XQR2554HKBB78ZPQ8/1572.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - July 18-24 Lately, a number of sailors have been searching specifically for the mid-style O’Day Mariner built between 1969-1971. Mark Walters, of Rochester, New York, certainly didn’t have to look very far to get his. He writes, “My parents bought Mariner #1572, a 1969 2+2 centerboard model, in the fall of 1987 here in Rochester, NY. I was a bit over one year old at the time, so I don't recall a time the Mariner wasn't around. I took over the responsibility for the boat in 2020 and plan to keep her sailing on Lake Ontario for the next generation. Prior to my parents purchasing #1572, it had at least two different owners. I found out that the (presumed) original owner took her to compete in the 1971 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club where she finished every race, pretty cool! Rumor has it that the boat has also been sailed across Lake Ontario at least once.” How neat to see Mariners kept for multiple generations! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1658718412652-878SBBDI7134SLNZU34O/painting.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - July 25-31 Every once in a blue moon, a Mariner pops up as the subject of artwork. Tim Harincar made a superb Adobe Photoshop illustration (see the Picture of the Week for May 25-31, 2009); Brian Gilbert made a drawing for Small Craft Advisor magazine (see January 9-15, 2012); Ken Stetz painted a few watercolors (see July 7-13, 2014); and Alice Kettelhack made a pen an ink print (see Jun 8-14, 2015); just to name a few. This beautiful oil painting was recently discovered by fellow Mariner sailor Alan Schaeffer who saw it displayed by the Old Lyme Art Association here in Connecticut. The artist, Steve Linde, is an incredibly accomplished painter who recently retired from the Newington Connecticut School System where he taught Art for 43 years. This great painting, entitled “Dry Docked”, shows a late-style Mariner covered by a tarp while it rests on its trailer in an overgrown field with its mast stepped. The oil painting is for sale for $1,200, and while it might be a little out of my price range, it would certainly be a worthy addition to anyone’s home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1659362651878-I3F2CAX29VUUSLWUK190/PR.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 1-7 A group of four Mariners with their crews rest at Club Náutico de San Juan after racing at San Juan Bay, Puerto Rico last weekend. Participant Miguel Casellas Sastre writes that they always race with a crew of three because the winds are always around 14-16 knots, and they like the extra ballast! The eventual winners of the event, Robbie Ramos, Robbie Ramose Jr., and Ricky Barreto, sailing BLACK DIAMOND, had to fix their starboard spreader in the middle of one of the races. Miguel writes that it “almost broke while racing when a gust of wind approximately 22 knots hit them. In order to keep their hopes alive, they managed to replace their badly bent spreader with an aluminum hiking stick with the same diameter.” It was a fantastic regatta attended by the San Juan Mayor, Miguel Romero. Congratulations to the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1659931218577-NT9AKXPBEB93IQKGBG9P/20220806_064632.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug 8-14 This past weekend, 15 Mariners and over 40 sailors participated in this year’s Mariner National Rendezvous. This picture shows a whole bunch of Mariners tied up to the docks at Safe Harbor Essex Island, Connecticut, early Saturday morning. We had a great sail on Friday to the marina from the launch ramp on the Niantic River, and on Saturday, we spent time in our boats touring Selden Creek upriver and sailing back to the marina in high winds before exploring the town in the afternoon. That evening, we had our “Open Boat” time on the docks where we shared goodies and snacks, and we sailed back to Niantic yesterday morning. A full write-up of the event will be published soon as well as a shared Google photo album, so check back occasionally for updates. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1660533765183-0P8CIQ34FEUX9AOCHAIS/DSC_0281-2.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 15-21 While this column is generally reserved for boats other than my own, today is my son’s tenth birthday, so I’m hijacking the column this week to feature him at the helm of ORION. This was actually taken back in July of 2019, about a month before he was to turn seven years old. We had just slept aboard the boat in the Niantic River after sailing to West Harbor, Fisher’s Island the day before, and we were headed upriver the next morning to do some exploring. There was absolutely no wind that early, so we fired up the outboard and towed my Dyer Dhow dinghy TRUE LOVE behind us. We anchored off of Turkey Point and rowed into shore to hike some of the Oswegatchie Hills Preserve trails, then we went swimming at the small beach there before making our way back home under sail. It was a great couple of days, and I hope we can go sailing again soon. Happy birthday, Harry - I love you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1661279714299-N2BUU42OTFCT0HGR6HUN/Mariner+Nationals+-+2022+-+Riverton+Yacht+Club.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 22-28 Even though I’m a day late updating this column, I wanted to be sure and post this picture sent to me by Miguel Casellas. A resident of Puerto Rico and a member of the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet, he traveled up to Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey last weekend to participate in the National Championships in a borrowed boat, #3122 (seen in this picture out in front of everyone else)! According to another competitor, the winds were frustratingly all over the place, but that didn’t stop anyone from having a great time. Miguel writes, “You guys are a class act. Thanks for your hospitality and all the details. We really enjoyed your club and the people. Camaraderie was second to none. Racing was challenging and great. No protests and a gentleman atmosphere in the water. We are definitely visiting you back.” More details and pictures about the Nationals will be forthcoming. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1661771677321-2R5ZBAD75T12FDYSSNLC/DSC_0281-2.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 29-Sept. 4 Although Rebel Industries only produced a handful of Mariners under their Spindrift One-Design label in the early 1980s, many are still sailing today, especially in the Michigan area where they were first built before Rebel moved to Florida. This Spindrift Mariner, #4046 GREBE, hails from Goshen, Indiana and sailed with fourteen other boats during the Mariner Rendezvous at the beginning of August here in Connecticut. Skipper Richard Worsham is at the helm with daughters Loretta and Eleanor, and friend Jesse Stotzfus is on the foredeck. While GREBE has a new paint job with a dark blue hull and a buff cabin top and deck, she still has her original, blue-striped sails, the same color scheme displayed on the very first Spindrift Mariner in their 1981 advertisement featuring #4000. Richard and crew traveled quite a way to participate in the Rendezvous, and they were all smiles the entire weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1662345123340-782F2MPRU8DP6S94LW3J/IMG_7044.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 5-11 For the past number of years, the typical Mariner Rendezvous itinerary has been to sail to a destination on Friday, hang out at the destination on Saturday, and sail home on Sunday. This past Rendezvous, however, we took a Saturday morning excursion from our home base of Essex up the Connecticut River and motored through the narrow, Everglades-like Selden Creek which separates Selden Island from the Lyme mainland. The Island, known as Selden Neck State Park and home to several trails and campsites, is a popular place for kayakers, boy scout groups, and other boaters with shallow-draft boats which are able to nose up to any one of four small beaches. This picture was taken at the northernmost beach and campsite where five Mariners beached together so everybody could enjoy a great swim before returning to Essex. Having the ability to beach the Mariner is one of its many assets! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1662986256884-CNQXOA2JWN08DHVY21NP/MariNat-34.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 12-18 Notice anything unusual about this picture? Keen-eyed observers will recognize the portlights on this Mariner have been installed backwards! (The tapering edge of the portlights should be facing forward, not aft.) One wonders if this was a mistake at the factory or an owner modification. Nevertheless, the positioning of the portlights had no bearing on #938’s sailing ability last month during the Mariner National Championships at Riverton Yacht Club; sailed by brothers Bobby and Billy Martin, they won the entire regatta and brought home the winner’s trophy. Terry Fennell, regatta coordinator writes that Bobby and Billy “came home to sail the river they grew up on in the family Mariner #938 and showed what a lifetime of sailing, a little river knowledge, and new sails can do.” Racing conditions were challenging with winds bouncing around the river in all directions and strengths, but every participant had a great time. Congratulations to the Martin brothers! Photo: Becky Seidelmann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1663602191139-LKOQUEB1B07RZ9IAKOH6/1095.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 19-25 The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge and the skyscrapers of Philadelphia loom in the background as skipper Bob Corney sails #1095 YIN YANG during the 2022 Mariner Nationals last month at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. According to Bob, the wind was incredibly frustrating as it blew from all directions in strengths varying from nothing to fifteen knots. Racing is particularly challenging on the Delaware River as the current is fierce; racers have known to drop anchor in light winds during a regatta to prevent themselves being swept off the race course. Bob was the Mariner Class Association’s Secretary and Treasurer for a term in the late 1990s and then served two terms as President from 1999-2003. He just recently rejoined the Executive Board by taking on the role of Chief Measurer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1664195108026-JZIVIY3PSB8KRG4CD6VZ/maggie.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 26-Oct. 2 Skipper Tim Reiche peers ahead as he motorsails #2170 MAGGIE up the Connecticut River with his wife Erin and son Owen during the Mariner Rendezvous this past August. They have just passed underneath the Interstate 95 highway bridge, and the railroad bridge - “Old Lyme Draw” - can be seen in the background. The Reiches hail from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and they have only missed one of the annual Rendezvous here in Connecticut since they first started attending in 2012. Tim has outfitted MAGGIE to be a comfortable cruiser by adding removable foam blocks in the cockpit to support a platform which converts the cockpit into a double bed at night. He has also rigged a portable air conditioning unit to his gear along with a full cockpit enclosure, and he and his family sleep just fine during hot and humid conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1664806340357-4J63OAV8O2MYKFYDI1TA/IMG_4271.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 3-9 As I have said before, I’m a sucker for sunset shots, and this great one is courtesy of Hunter Stump who took this picture back in 2016. A native of Southampton, Long Island, he spotted Mariner #173 in between some bushes near his home with “free” spray-painted on both sides of the bow. At just sixteen years old, he took the boat and completely restored her and even named her “The Free.” Up here in the northeast, many boats are being put to bed for the winter, and the opportunity to take more sunset shots like this will have to wait until next season. ORION is still in the water, but it won’t be long until she returns to her shed here at home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1665368969106-T5PJSQY0CJ3F43CP7QV7/fudge.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 10-16 O’Day Mariner #3468 PHOENIX sits idly at her mooring as a morning breeze just begins ruffle the surface of the water. Her owner, Brian Fudge, actually lives here in Connecticut but has family property in Michigan where PHOENIX is kept during the summer. Notice the 2:1 jib sheets and the mainsheet all the way aft instead of the typical mid-boom or Crosby setup. Notice also the small rainbow pictured above the boom. Brian writes, “I love this boat - I searched long and hard to select a model and then this actual boat. It's perfect for our spot in Michigan where we need to pull up into shallow water to dock.” Looks like a great boat to me! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1665969242822-WG5DD1BN80R9IJDZVFIP/Satter.jpeg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 17-23 David Satter’s early-style O’Day Mariner WILDFLOWER was featured in this column back in June, and she deserves to be featured here again. She has undergone a remarkable transformation under Dave’s ownership with new paint, added portlights, a bow anchor roller, custom woodwork and much more. Dave writes, “After two years of working on her I'm just happy everything is working well. Just little things have to be addressed, mast gate, getting my centerboard winch to work smoother. Maybe a topping lift. The lithium battery I bought for my electric motor has been great. No gas motors on the lake here [in New Jersey]. I'll get my old Johnson 4 hp tuned up this winter so I can sail other places. For now, I'm going to bring her back home and tinker with things. I should be able to get her in the water early next year.” What a beautiful boat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1666664561267-61JRDHSVMIPHJ0B72AX9/bosket.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 24-30 Yet another beautiful sunset shot with a Mariner! This is Curt Bosket’s Stuart Mariner, #4195 ALIKAT whose homeport is Waukesha, Wisconsin. A breeze is still up as the sun is going down, but ALIKAT is safely anchored for the evening in this snug harbor. She sports a number of conveniences that Stuart Marine added when she was built, including a roller furling jib, bow pulpit, stern swim ladder, topping lift, and lazy jacks for the mainsail. Two snubbing winches and jib sheet tracks on the cockpit coamings indicate the jib is a genoa. The boom is situated unusually high; this allows for a great field of view under sail and the ability to use an effective vang. However, there is the risk of the aft end of the boom hanging up on the backstay during a jibe, but so far, ALIKAT has behaved herself just fine for her owner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1667220431996-8UO1GE8I08H8WEYCXLRA/PXL_20220806_135621333.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 31-Nov. 6 During the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous back in August, Mariner sailors motored their boats up the Connecticut River from Essex through the narrow Selden Creek. There are a number of incredible houses on both sides of the river, and we passed this one situated on the Lyme riverbank as we neared the entrance to the creek. That’s Alan Schaeffer in his O’Day Mariner #1692, and while it looks like he could run aground at anytime, the picture is deceiving; there is about ten feet of water almost right to the edge of the rocks. Alan owned late-style Mariner #2470 SIALIA for a number of years but wanted a mid-style Mariner (like ORION) as they have some cruising advantages, such as a forward hatch for ventilation and no mast support pole which inhibits movement in the cabin. He found #1692, and while he still needs to name her, he has already had several successful cruises in her and finds her to be just what he was looking for. Photo: Dave Oatley. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1667792329251-SZXBHVWRZCSW2TGUF36B/jurgen.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 7-13 Jurgen Braunohler proudly stands next to his mid-style O’Day Mariner, #2240 SEA VENTURE. The year is 2010, and he has just purchased her and brought her to his home in Elliot Lake, Ontario so he could work on restoring her. A highly-experienced sailor, Jurgen kept in touch with me over the years, sending e-mails about the work he was doing and recalling past sailing adventures, and he would always make a point to wish me a happy birthday. Ill health in recent years forced him to slow down his restoration work, and when Covid hit, he wrote, “When this blows over, I'll get back to [the restoration]. I do want to cruise a bit in the North Channel, one of the reasons I moved here… I'm very attached to this boat.” Not having heard from him in some time, I was devastated to learn just recently that he passed away last November from pneumonia after undergoing several serious surgeries. Fair winds, Jurgen - you are missed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1668433201279-8I4BZQKMVLRVGMCHHPU2/IMG_5424.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 14-20 With a gathering of this many Mariners, it can only mean one thing: either a Rendezvous or a regatta! In this case, it’s the latter, and this picture shows Mariners resting at the docks of Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club in Puerto Rico after this past Saturday’s race. Racer Miguel Casellas writes, “There were seven Mariners and three Rhodes 19. We sailed a total five races: two Saturday, three Sunday. Saturday: 10-16 knots; Sunday: 6-8 knots. Joanne McCarthy and Steve Creighton brought to Puerto Rico their Mariner [from New Jersey!] to sail with us. Newcomer José Fullana was the winner sailing with Efraín Lugo - Quantum Sails. The first four boats had a great and close battle for the top spots the whole series. Saturday there was a great party and Mariner sailors celebrated with fellow competitors from other classes.” It sounds like a fantastic event - congratulations to all the Mariner sailors! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1669000034843-BNFJEM9RNHK2PWIKH3X9/_DSC0178_1539.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 21-27 Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF) sails just behind Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) as they pass by some rocks in the Connecticut River during the Mariner Rendezvous to Essex this past August. Both boats have adjustable outboard motor brackets which help keep their motors well clear of the water to prevent drag. Dan and Chris both live here in Connecticut and were the earliest members of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet organized in 2009. They also are the only skippers, besides myself, who have attended every single Mariner Rendezvous - fourteen consecutive years. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1669600028647-0CDNJAI8OHIG56IQYHJ1/1975.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 28-Dec. 4 Here's a great drawing done by Gary Patton in 1975 which was printed in that year's spring edition of the Mariner Class Association’s Notice to Mariners newsletter to advertise the upcoming Nationals. In 1975 the Championships were held in Mobile Bay, Alabama, the only time the Nationals went below the Mason-Dixon Line. The invitation to sailors in the newsletter read, “The Mobile Mariners cordially invite you to visit our fair city. Let us entertain you - and let’s see just how hot some of you Yankee sailors really are! We don’t wish to resurrect any of the ‘late unpleasantness between the States’ - but we might just even up the score a bit! Y’all come!” Nineteen boats made it to the start line - an excellent turnout. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1670099731593-Z1MIXB7XCJPDADXEW92Q/susan.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 5-11 Susan VanHolstyn’s mid-style O’Day Mariner rests on her cradle at Lake Leelanau in Leland, Michigan. The sun is going down after a great day on the water; Susan writes, “New mainsail, Mariner logo, awesome sailing, anchoring and swimming. Made a new harness to lift mast up to prevent swaying. It worked well.” The jib has been secured in its bag and the mainsail is waiting to be covered, and the raised cradle keeps her far enough out of the water so anti-fouling bottom paint isn’t needed. While sailing on a lake can be tricky with unpredictable wind shifts, there is no tide to worry about, and it allows for lifts and cradles to secure boats without fear of them being damaged by currents. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1670814023660-OGQD3O3P7SZ6TRNHS845/stuart.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 12-18 A worker at Stuart Marine in Rockland, Maine applies a fresh coat of bottom paint on a 1987 Stuart Mariner as part of an extensive refurbishment project. The sturdy wooden cradle supports the Mariner at a nice height; it is tall enough to work comfortably underneath the boat, and with two fluorescent lights attached to the bottom of the cradle, there’s no chance of missing a spot! Stuart Marine is the current manufacturer of the Mariner, first started by a gentleman named Stuart Scharaga in 1982 and shortly afterward bought by employee Dave Whittier once Stuart decided he wanted to return to the real estate business. The Mariner has been produced by Stuart Marine for 40 years - more than twice as long as when the Mariner was built by O’Day Sailboats, its original manufacturer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1671426299849-J36GH1PE1QXC9HCW34XA/20220807_101417+%281%29.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 19-25 This is a bit of an odd sight - three Mariners sailing in nearly windless conditions with their mainsails reefed. However, there’s a good reason for this. It was the last day of the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous back in August, and the forecast predicted winds upward of twenty knots as we made preparations to return home from Essex, Connecticut to the Niantic River Launch Ramp. Almost every boat tied a reef in their mainsail before leaving the dock, and even though it made for slow going as we sailed through the lee of Hayden’s Point in the Connecticut River, once we came around the corner by the Interstate 95 highway bridge, the wind hit us full force, and we were all grateful we had prepared ahead of time. Brad W. and Caroline DiDomenico’s #3582 SWEET SADIE is in the lead, Chris Albert’s #2714 FLOTSAM is in the background, and Richard Worsham’s Spindrift Mariner, #4046 GREBE with the multi-colored mainsail is bringing up the rear. Photo: Bruce Robbins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1672021106589-D09MJA2FI9XFZZSOSKM7/Orion2019.jpg 2022 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 26-Jan. 1 It has been a tradition to have my own ORION featured in this column the last week of the year, so I humbly offer this photo taken by Steve Hock. It’s the final day of the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous, and I’m standing on ORION’s cabin top as the motor idles, waiting for the Mystic River highway bridge to open with my nine-foot Dyer Dhow TRUE LOVE in tow. The large white house in the left background with the stone retaining wall is actually the site of several shipyards that once built and launched many schooners and full-rigged ships back in the mid-1800s. Now a private residence, the area is filled with historic houses once owned by shipwrights and ship captains. Mystic Seaport was our Rendezvous destination back in 2019, and it will be again this coming year. I wish everyone a happy New Year and a wonderful sailing season in 2023! https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2022-1 daily 0.75 2022-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1651952605468-9ZIZ98K3LENGL7YAVWLH/IMG_9627.jpg Sailing 2022 https://www.mariner1922.com/1965 daily 0.75 2022-10-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/3e944052-71cb-4495-9564-0c0661fe8d75/Ad1.jpg 1965 Flyer - "Sailingest Boat" - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/2023-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2023-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1673816774972-J0EREDZGRFP6RHVC5JAP/584.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1672624907381-AF05BC89WYW6FVQ307EY/MissSteak.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 2-8 Happy New Year! To start the year off right, here’s a great picture of Jarrod Spangler’s beautiful 1967 O’Day Mariner MISS STEAK sitting at her mooring in Kittery, Maine. Jarrod launched her this past May, and she is in excellent condition for a 56-year old boat. The custom red lettering on the transom matches the bootstripe which, in turn, contrasts with her dark blue bottom paint and sail cover. The snubbing winches and lack of a roller-furler indicate MISS STEAK uses a hanked-on genoa jib, no doubt stored in the cuddy cabin alongside her rudder which is unshipped while on the mooring. Her outboard motor is tilted far out of the water; there’s no chance of it catching on her mooring pennant. A close inspection of the picture reveals small running lights on top of the transom and on the starboard side of the cabin denoting the presence of a battery. All in all, she is an outstanding boat in a perfect location for Mariner exploration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1673230776399-N7BM76JD7RE4M2S6B8L8/3504.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 9-15 Terry Moulton has been involved with Mariners for many years and has served on the Mariner Class Association’s Executive Board in various capacities, including Vice-President (1995-1996), President (1997-1998), and Newsletter Editor (2020-2021). More recently, he has been involved with refurbishing old Mariners at his house in Deptford, New Jersey and reselling them. Here he is pictured sailing #3504 BAY LADY sometime around 2005. Terry writes, “The person with me was Willis Gray who is a long time member of Surf City Yacht Club. We were in a race. Maybe a National at Surf City. We decided to go off on a port tack. I remember saying to Willis, when he asked why we were doing this, “We are going off on our own to surround them!” It accurately worked out and we won that race!” Picture credit: Chris Cox. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1673815103491-P44GGLSWDA7V8CR4I36R/584.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 16-22 How’s this for an action shot? Skipper Paul Coward and his crew hike out on the cockpit coaming of O’Day Mariner #584 during the 2019 Mariner Nationals at Brant Beach Yacht Club, Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Tom and Michelle Green are keeping pace in the backround with another old style Mariner, #738. Whitecaps are all over the place as they blast through the water with winds topping 20 knots; winds were so stiff on Sunday, in fact, the race was canceled for the day and final scoring was based on Saturday’s racing only. Out of 22 participating boats, Paul placed eighth, a respectable finish in a highly competitive field. Don’t let the dirty rubrail fool you into thinking #584 isn’t in good shape - she is a veteran racer and has helped Paul win the National Championship first place trophy four times: 1989, 1999, 2004, and 2007. Picture credit: Becky Seidlemann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1674439119441-PL8RPTGO06ABDESADIHT/1866.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 23-29 Steve Hock’s #1866 WINDY sits at her berth at Essex Island Marina during the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous last August. Steve had previously owned a later-style Mariner, #3627 WHITECAP, but he sold her a number of years ago. This past spring, he happened upon this mid-style O’Day Mariner - the same style as ORION - with an enclosed cabin and forward hatch with the classic “bump-top” cabin top. He had been searching for a mid-style model for a while, and when this boat came on the market, he jumped at the opportunity to buy her. The awning provides great shade in the hot sun, and the opening forward hatch certainly makes staying in the cabin much more comfortable in the summer weather. Right now, WINDY is sitting under a tarp waiting for warmer conditions, but Steve is already putting together a list of spring projects to get her in tip-top shape. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1675037072557-BQ836RAON2HUP9ON2EJ0/MariNat-03.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 3-Feb. 5 Skipper Sebastian Casellas, a member of Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey, looks back to keep an eye on his nearest competition during one of the Mariner National Championship races this past August at Riverton. He’s sailing an early-style Mariner and is keeping just ahead of another early-style Mariner (#664) skippered by Harry Mayer. Sebastian’s father Miguel, sailing as crew, can be seen just below the boom and lives in Puerto Rico. A Mariner owner himself, he is an active racer in the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet and made the trip to Riverton Yacht Club to sail with his son for the Nationals, earning the award for “Farthest Traveled.” He and Sebastian came in fifth overall out of a fleet of fifteen boats, and Sebastian also won the award for “Best Rookie Skipper.” There are many racers in the Mariner community who sail with their families, passing down the love of sailing and competition to the next generation. Photo: Becky Seidlemann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1675635956350-WTBA71D1B44JK2K0HVB3/Mandolin+Wind.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 6-12 Onondaga Yacht Club, in Liverpool, New York, is home to three O’Day Mariners, and this mid-style Mariner is one of them. Here is MANDOLIN WIND competing in last September’s Devore-Mahoney race on Onondaga Lake, and she is in great condition for a 50-year-old boat, especially the wood coaming tops and cabintop handrails. Although the jib tack is unusually high off the forestay chainplate, especially for racing, it offers an excellent view underneath the jib to keep an eye on nearby competitors. The Yacht Club was founded in 1883 and chartered February 3, 1886, making it one of the oldest boating organizations in New York State. This race was actually won by another O’Day Mariner, #3627 KATIE, the Picture of the Week for May 30-June 5, 2022. Photo credit: Onondaga Yacht Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1676249959274-TYGJ7275LG4A7WNEMK3T/735W.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 13-19 Good Lord. Dave Satter’s work on his early-style O’Day Mariner #735W WILDFLOWER continues, and the results are absolutely stunning. He writes, “I had some great old mahogany boards so I cut and finished them for ceiling strips to be applied to the V-berth hull in the cabin. Along with having new cushions made. Should make the V-berth feel a little more comfortable than just the fiberglass hull. I went with three-inch thick cushions. Wanted it to be comfortable but not lose too much head room.” Look at those beautiful shelves, cabin sole, cabin light - what a fantastic job Dave has done. Who wouldn’t want to go cruising in this Mariner with a cabin like that to relax in at the end of a long beat to windward? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1676864739816-PWZ5DB6WG9W3JTTU8Q4J/3322061_1_River.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 20-26 Look at the incredible reflection in this picture! One of the advantages to taking a photograph in perfectly calm conditions is that you get two images at once. It’s not quite six o’clock in the morning in early June, 2019 in Michigan, and while cars and trucks are going back and forth across the bridge in the background, David Raithel’s #2344 SHADOWFAX at rest at her mooring in Michigan with not even a breath of wind to disturb the water’s surface. Regretfully, David is selling SHADOWFAX after coming to the decision he and his family don’t use her enough to justify keeping her although, as David writes, “She is an absolutely beautiful boat and we love the time we get to spend on her.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1677466356384-PHDJU17F3R4CJ0UELN1M/DSC_0032-3.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 27-Mar. 5 #3200 NORA ROSE rides at anchor in the Niantic River as the last rays of the sun shine on her before dipping below the horizon. It’s the evening of August 5th, 2021, and skipper Bruce Robbins with brother-in-law Mural Rao had trailered NORA ROSE up from New Jersey during that day to participate in the Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport with thirteen other Mariners. Her sails have yet to be bent on, but otherwise, she is ready to go, complete with a small yacht ensign on the transom which will no doubt be removed soon as protocol dictates all flags flown should be stowed at sunset. Bruce and Mural have sailed in a number of Rendezvous over the years, and word on the street is that they’ll be returning with NORA ROSE for this year’s event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1678074660201-RASWI0P2E43JZGYYJQZ0/_HLA2344-2.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 6-12 In 2015, the Mariner Class Association’s National Rendezvous took place on the Chesapeake; nevertheless, at the end of June, a group of Mariners sailed from Niantic to Mystic Seaport to visit the WoodenBoat Show. As all the Seaport’s docks were filled with exhibiting watercraft, we all brought dinghies and anchored in the anchorage just above the Seaport. In this picture, Tim and Erin Reiche have anchored their ever-photogenic Mariner, #2170 MAGGIE, just south of the historic Elm Grove Cemetery, their nine-foot Dyer Dhow KITTY tied alongside. It just so happened that Alan Hlavenka, a photographer and Mariner sailor from Narrasketuck Yacht Club in Long Island, was in the area and spied a bunch of Mariners coming up the Mystic River. Grabbing his camera, he dashed to the Seaport and snapped a bunch of photos as the fleet approached the anchorage, and he later sent me his fantastic images; this is one of them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1678678142004-50NDWTCM66W1CKW21UV6/2511.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 13-19 While the vast majority of O’Day Mariners may be found on the eastern seaboard, they can be found all over the United States - and beyond. This is #2511 resting at her dock on a lake in central Kentucky. Her jib isn’t bent onto the CDI roller furler yet, nor is her rudder attached, but her mainsail is on and a small trolling motor is ready to give a little extra propulsion. There’s no rush to get her going with almost no wind on the lake, although the ripples on the surface of the water in the background look promising. What a luxury to walk across a short ramp to a small floating dock where your Mariner is waiting for you. That’s one of the nice things about sailing on a lake: there are no tides, so a trolling motor suffices and the dock layout is relatively minimal. Who wants to stroll down this dock and simply step aboard #2511 to go for a sail? I do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1679280419705-FY5Y2IO9K723RWKAH6X7/pr.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 20-26 Back in the middle of November, seven Mariners participated in the "Discover the Caribbean" regatta held at Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club in Puerto Rico. Two races were held on Saturday and three on Sunday with Mariner racing in their own one-design class. Miguel Casellas (O'Day Mariner #3122), who traveled from Puerto Rico up to Riverton Yacht Club this past August to race in the Nationals, reports: "The first four boats had a great and close battle for the top spots the whole series. Newcomer Jose Fullana was the winner." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1679868851022-75SORKQ0K6RN2J8307IT/watters.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 27-Apr. 2 Another picture taken just a few days ago from the beautiful sailing grounds of Puerto Rico. Here is Bill Watters with crew Tim Gallagher, members of the Brant Beach Yacht Club Mariner Fleet in New Jersey, who traveled down to join the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet at Villa Somar in Salinas and enjoy the marvelous racing conditions there, something they hope to do frequently. According to host Miguel Casellas, “Villa Somar has a private yacht club owned by the Ramos Martin family. Robbie Ramos Martin is the owner of the fast [O’Day Mariner] BLACK DIAMOND, a local rocket and winner of many Mariner regattas in Puerto Rico. [The yacht club] is right in the mangroves overlooking the world famous anchorage Salinas Bay.” Miguel also writes that “Bill is donating sails and the templates to our fleet. A true gentleman. In reciprocity, we are donating to him lots of Puerto Rican sunshine, turquoise waters and plenty of beer. We are having a super time.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1680488093246-L8EEQ8JCM9IBJB6B7RAR/DSC_0234.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 3-9 The sun has set, and skipper Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) works to set up his cockpit tarp before taking in his burgees and settling down for the night. It is the end of June of last year, and Chris, Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF), Alan Schaeffer (#1692), and I had sailed our boats across Long Island Sound, stayed one night in Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island, and had found refuge the second night up a very shallow creek in the northwest corner of Hallock Bay in Orient, New York. It is hard to tell, but there is only about a foot of water underneath Chris’s keel; in fact, we all woke the next morning to our boats aground in the soft creek mud. No matter - we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise and breakfast before the incoming tide lifted our boats just enough to allow us to carefully power our way out of the creek and into Orient Bay. It was a wonderful trip, and pleasant evenings like the one in this picture stay with us through the winter months as we plan and dream about adventures during the next sailing season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1681091931030-ND2D4V33G9I5RUKU7VY8/DSC02817_874.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 10-16 Skipper Mike Hansen motors his Mariner, #4040 BREN MARIE in the Niantic River at the start of the 2020 Rendezvous to Crocker’s Boat Yard, New London. Although the Coronavirus pandemic had slackened a bit by August of that year, it was still raging around the country; nevertheless, the Rendezvous proceeded as planned with sailors keeping their distance from one another. Mike and his wife trailered their boat all the way from Michigan to take part in the Connecticut event, and it was the first time many of us - myself included - had seen a rare Spindrift Mariner, produced for only a few years by Spindrift One Designs once they acquired the molds from the O’Day Corporation in 1980. While Spindrift Mariners are lighter than O’Day Mariners, the main aesthetic difference is immediately recognizable by the addition of a second portlight on each side of the cabin. Although very few Spindrift Mariners were actually built, two have now participated in the Annual Rendezvous, and one - #4052 - recently won the Nationals in 2015 and again in 2017. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1681693185591-L5O4OVPV8VZZZ9YBF5OI/3075.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 17-23 Back in January of 2021, the Facebook page of Good Old Boat posted this great black-and-white picture taken by photographer Chris Cooper of O’Day Mariner #3075 sailing in shallow water. The Facebook posting reads, “Transport yourself to a simpler time, with easy choices, joyful living and a clear-eyed outlook - then grab that mood and bring it into your present. This O'Day Mariner could have been snapped decades ago, but it's just a few summers back.” Good Old Boat magazine, while primarily focusing on the rehabilitation and restoration of larger cruising boats from the “classic plastic” era, occasionally features the Mariner; they even published an article of mine about ORION’s restoration in their July/August 2014 edition. O’Day Mariners are indeed good old boats! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1682297742408-T5TXLEIV3M1NQLAM2ES0/dronen.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 24-30 There’s nothing quite like having your Mariner readily available for a sail, patiently waiting at the end of your own dock. This is Scott Dronen’s #2231 in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, sails up and waiting for the breeze to fill in so he can cast off and enjoy the beautiful fall day. #2231 was one of the last mid-style Mariners built before the front of the cabin was streamlined and the “step” with the forward hatch removed. This mid-style was only produced from 1969-1971, but they are very popular within the Mariner community as they have an enclosed cabin yet retain the forward hatch for excellent ventilation. Of course, I suppose I’m a little biased; my own ORION is a mid-style Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1682902365569-ZM683D1R9SSAA5ZF3WLY/11.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 1-7 Brandon Fetterman, of Flower Mound, Texas, stands in excited amazement in front of his new acquisition: O’Day Mariner #11, made within the first two weeks of Mariner production by the O’Day Sailboats Corporation in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1963. Already the owner of another early-style Mariner named THUNDER ROAD and a popular YouTuber showing his Mariner projects and sailing adventures, Brandon was enticed by the prospect of owning one of the earliest Mariners ever made. While #16 CHANCE is still sailing in Vermont and #20 LORELEI is in Pennsylvania, Mariner #6 briefly surfaced in 2011 in a garage in Libertyville, Illinois before disappearing again. (See the Picture of the Week for Feb. 28-Mar. 6, 2011.) That makes Mariner #11 currently the oldest active Mariner. Brandon drove through three states and over twelve hours each way to get her; he writes, “Now the work really begins!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1683509093760-WJ5DNM7QE1BO1H83FNTI/hawrilenko.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 8-14 You read that correctly - the “Ooops Award” is indeed a real thing, and it was awarded to Alice Hawrilenko, skipper of #4082 LAPWING pictured here. Alice, a member of the Pelican Cove Sailing Club in Florida who recently received this award, writes the following about the December incident: “I was cruising home downwind. I had pulled up my centerboard as I was headed into shallow waters. My routine is to furl my jib and then lower the main. Uh oh. My jib furler wound up on the bow! I didn't notice that when I deployed the jib. I was single-handing. Oh well. I turned her into the wind and crawled up on the bow. I retrieved the furler line and was hanging onto the shroud with one foot in the cockpit when over she went. Lesson learned. But guess what? I lost only the cabin sliding hatch. My engine works, my sails are in perfect condition and even my radio which spent 24 hours in the water floating works beautifully. Anyone have a used hatch?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1684115404568-KFIJZP1OIY50L5FVWFFY/rendezvous2011.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 15-21 This Wednesday, online registration for the 2023 National Mariner Rendezvous will open at the Mariner Class Association’s website. Sailors will once again be sailing from Niantic to Mystic Seaport, and this week’s picture is from the very first Rendezvous to Mystic back in 2011; it’s hard to believe it was twelve years ago! Erin Reiche sits on the cabin top of #2170 MAGGIE while her husband Tim is at the helm, and skipper Ed Wise is not far behind in #2862 CHRISTINA T. Both boats were part of a five-boat fleet that year; last year’s Rendezvous had three times that number, and the same is expected for this year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1684718573764-6FQQOGQ2WF42E69BX2XW/173.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 22-28 Hunter Stump’s #173 THE FREE has been featured in this column several times, but it deserves to be featured yet again. Here Hunter is at the helm, sailing with a bunch of his friends near Southampton on Long Island, New York, although he is getting a bit of help from his Lehr propane outboard to keep him moving smartly along. As mentioned before, Hunter spotted the bow of this early-style Mariner sticking out between some bushes by the side of the road spray-painted with the words “FREE” on either side. He took the boat home, restored her, and launched her with her new name. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1685409941218-0VCG5644E92J1J3IPPI7/sweetsadie.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - May 29-June 4 Skipper Brad W. with his wife Caroline sail their late-style Mariner, #3582 SWEET SADIE, in Long Island Sound on their way to Niantic. It’s the final day of the 2021 Mariner National Rendezvous, and SWEET SADIE is one of many heading back from spending the weekend at Mystic Seaport. The pristine hull paint is set off by the black rubrail separating the white deck and cabin top, and the custom decal on the starboard quarter looks just right. This August, Rendezvous participants will be heading back to the Seaport once again. Even though we have been there six times over the past ten years, sailors don’t seem to tire of sailing there; all sixteen slips were accounted for withing ten days of registration opening up on the Mariner Class Association’s website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1685930899255-WAZBNBTZ80T2PEWC60VI/byron.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - June 5-11 Riverton Yacht Club, on the Delaware River in New Jersey, hosts the Mariner National Championships every four years or so, and whenever they are held, Riverton photographer Byron Campbell has been on hand to take some great snapshots of the action. This picture was taken ten years ago at the 2013 Nationals, and Byron writes that the boats are “going for the Jersey side mark. #2604 [skippered by Newt Wattis] is in the lead.” Newt would go on to win the Nationals that year, the fifth time he would hold the winner’s trophy. An avid boater and Vietnam army veteran, Byron was fiercely proud of his Scottish heritage and maintained a family history website along with a website for his many boating boating pictures; it was from this extensive collection that he would periodically sent me snapshots for this “Picture of the Week” column. I was deeply saddened to learn he passed away a little over a week ago. Farewell, friend - thank you for sharing your talent on this webpage for so many years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1686536605547-H559CUZD4DDPNX2GVCJQ/3397064_3_4BB9DE4E-09C5-4CC2-942A-52617158330D.jpeg 2023 Pictures of the Week - June 12-18 The shallow draft of the Mariner allows you to sneak into many secluded areas, as demonstrated by Stefan Avey and his #1464 DAWN TREADER amongst water lilies in Florida. Previously owned by another Florida resident (see the Picture of the Week for September 14-20, 2020), Stefan bought #1464 and hoped to make the Florida 120, a cruise-in-company event for small boats. Although it didn’t work out, Stefan writes that instead, he “did cruise my local waters for two days and two nights). Great thing about sailing locally was I got to bring my kids (5 and 6) aboard for one night at anchor and we had fun. The Mariner really is a great family boat.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1687140436956-K95M5LX2M4CJS2IQ83OM/Fetterman.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - June 19-25 Those are awfully happy smiles from skipper Brandon Fetterman and his crew in front of his early-style O’Day Mariner THUNDER ROAD. They have every reason to smile; they just finished the grueling Texas 200 endurance event, even with a bent mast. Brandon writes, “Made it to the finish line! With a bent mast and all! Wind gust slammed me into a deck overhang about five minutes after launching in Port Isabel, thought for sure we were pulling out of this one before even starting. THUNDER ROAD is a tank of a boat, I knew she wouldn't let us down. We got less than two nautical miles from Camp Five until we ran aground, and then the outboard prop was turning mud, so we aborted and turned around and headed to the finish line at Maggie Beach. What an awesome adventure!” Congratulations to Brandon and all the participants! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1687746746585-RDIJ4M8K8C9ZHYJY2762/3720.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - June 26-July 2 Who wouldn’t want to jump in this Mariner, raise the mainsail, unfurl the jib, and simply sail away? This is Brad Hallock’s #3720 KAREN ANN based in Indiana. Built in 1979, the O’Day Sailboats Corporation would cease Mariner production after building just 59 more Mariners, focusing instead on building larger models. KAREN ANN sports some special features, including roller furling, mid-boom sheeting, and an adjustable backstay. A closer look reveals a navigation light forward of the portlight, indicating an onboard battery; a small snubbing winch on the edge of the cabin top, perhaps to aid in raising the mainsail; blocks mounted on the after edges of the cockpit coaming through which the jib sheets are led; a vintage Johnson motor; a transom-mounted ladder; bow pulpit; and more. She’s actually for sale, and the next owner will be receiving a beautiful boat in fantastic condition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1688355568450-5B4VWHET2Q8ZARHBS3SU/spindrift.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 3-9 Here’s a great action shot of a Spindrift Mariner racing on Lake Lewisville near Dallas, Texas. One crewmember is adjusting the jib sheet while another crewmember is setting the whisker pole for a downwind run. Notice there’s no outboard motor in order to cut down on weight on the transom. Spindrift One Designs, under the parent company Rebel, bought the Mariner molds from O’Day in 1980. They added a second portlight on each side of the cabin and made a few other slight changes, but Spindrift abandoned the Mariner after only a couple of years, preferring instead to build the Spindrift 22, a development of the Spectrum 22 build in Florida. Stuart Marine would come to the Mariner’s rescue shortly thereafter and has continued producing the Mariner since then. Spindrift Mariners, like the one pictured above, can still be found all over the United States despite the relatively limited production run. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1688950270709-T0RP5UARNM5BYVBTTG6Q/2149.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 10-16 Who says you have to have a spick-and-span Mariner to enjoy it fully? This is CJ Reynard’s mid-style Mariner #2149 he just bought three weeks ago, and although the sails looks like they are original to the boat (over 50 years old!), everybody looks like they’re having a great time. CJ writes, “I got to take her out three times so far to Buckeye Lake (Ohio), and every time has been a blast; fast, nimble, comfortable, easy to control and all around amazing. As a first full-sized sailboat I am really pleased and cannot wait to finish all the projects I have lined up for her.” O’Day Mariners are fantastic boats for the novice and the experienced sailor alike. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1689561618580-GOFIJMEKUIWZ2XGMGYP6/735.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 17-23 If there is anyone who deserves an award for best restoration of an O’Day Mariner, it’s Dave Satter of Branchville, New Jersey. His old-style boat, originally #735 PROXIMUS (see this photo from the Picture of the Week back in February 22-28, 2021) has received soup-to-nuts refurbishment like I have never seen before. Instead of restoring #735 WILDFLOWER to its original configuration, he made the decision to completely transform his boat. He created a new tiller, fabricated wooden hatch doors, added a second portlight on each side, installed an anchor roller; the list goes on. When he sent a picture of the cabin of his boat that I used for this year’s February 13-19 Picture of the Week, my jaw dropped, and I new his completed boat was going to be something special. He certainly did not disappoint. Congratulations, Dave - what a spectacular Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1690172852918-Z56UOLKRC911DA4ZT4N0/Mariner23_Sat60.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 24-30 Roger Knight with his crew surges upwind in #2564 during the Mariner National Championships this past Saturday at Narrasketuck Yacht Club on the south shore of Long Island, New York. Twelve boats competed on Saturday, and although racing was unfortunately canceled on Sunday due to lack of wind, all the racers had a fantastic time. Roger was actually the Mariner Fleet Captain and Event Organizer for the last Nationals at Narrasketuck in 2018; this past Saturday, he finished the day in fifth place. Congratulations to all the competitors and most especially to Marie Cohen, the current Mariner Fleet Captain and Event Organizer, who did an absolutely outstanding job. Photo credit: the extremely talented Alan Hlavenka, himself a Mariner owner and member of the Narrasketuck Yacht Club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1690811398395-YK4ARTAA928ZJ3NHQMGR/DSC_0076-2.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - July 31-Aug. 6 Three Mariners head eastward in past the coast of Waterford, Connecticut at the start of the 2021 National Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. From left to right: skipper Bruce Robbins (#3200 NORA ROSE), skipper Bill Eggers (#2280 JULIE B), and skipper Gifford Eldredge (#4079 RIPPLE). All three of these boats will be returning to Connecticut this coming weekend for the 2023 Mariner Rendezvous, once again heading to Mystic Seaport with sixteen other boats participating, the highest attendance for any Rendezvous. The abandoned Seaside Sanitorium can be seen on the extreme left of the picture, a historical landmark first built in the 1930s. While the fleet struggled with light winds that day, the forecast for this coming Friday is predicting winds of 10-15 knots. Let’s hope the weather works out in our favor! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1691413709522-4LUDFCO6VISVYGDVRXMR/DSC_0013.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 7-13 Skipper Fred Wright motors his beautiful, maroon-hulled Mariner, #4133 SWEET P, up the Mystic River on the way to Mystic Seaport during this past weekend’s Mariner National Rendezvous in Connecticut. This was Fred’s first Rendezvous, and he drove up all the way from North Carolina to participate. SWEET P is a Stuart Mariner made by Stuart Marine and is nearly identical to the late-style O’Day Mariners. Check out that electric outboard on the transom - it’s an EPropulsion motor with the removable, rechargable battery pack on top of the unit itself, so it doesn’t require another battery stored somewhere onboard the boat. It is fairly new technology, and while it is by no means inexpensive, it is a great solution for small boats like the Mariner; this particular model produces 3.5 horsepower. An ex-Coast Guardsman, Fred returned to familiar waters as he sailed past the mouth of the Thames River, just south of the Coast Guard Academy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1692022911217-TIFUGIKI3IIKX0A2KTFA/Corney1b_sm.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 14-20 Skipper Bob Corney with crew Craig Zoll sail O’Day Mariner #1095 YIN YANG eastward to Mystic during the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous at the beginning of the month. Out of nineteen participating boats, YIN YANG was the only early-style Mariner, but she was one of the fastest; Bob races her frequently, most recently during the 2023 Mariner National Championships at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey near the end of July where he came in sixth out of twelve boats. Bob also serves on the Executive Board of the Mariner Class Association as the Class Measurer. This was his very first Rendezvous, and he and Craig drove all the way up from Maryland to take part in the event. As such, Bob and four other first-time Rendezvous skippers received a $50 gift card to West Marine as well as a Mariner tote bag. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1692589501523-K76EOZPU2VXAMVVJ2TLB/DSC_0002.JPG 2023 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 21-27 Steve Hock enjoys a mug of coffee with his wife Rita aboard their O’Day Mariner #1866 Windy. It is 7:00 am on Saturday, August 5th during the Mariner National Rendezvous at the beginning of the month, and they had trailered Windy all the way up from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to participate in the event. Steve originally owned a later-style Mariner but sold it a number of years ago; he maintained his Mariner Class Association membership and bought this midstyle model last year in order to take advantage of its forward hatch and slightly more spacious interior unencumbered by a mast support pole. He served on the Association’s Executive Board as VP Communications from 2010-2012 and came back on the Board in 2021 to serve as its webmaster. He gave Windy a lot of attention this spring, and both he and Rita certainly appreciate the results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1693186323570-BHIG2ME4PE4Z964AUM75/tkal+facebook.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 28-Sept. 3 Greg Tkal’s Mariner #4134 MON AMIE rests at her dock at Galway Lake, New York after a great sunset sail just las week. Greg has been a longtime member of the Mariner Class Association, and MON AMIE has been featured several times in this column, the first time back in November 24-30 of 2008. This shot of her as the sun sets is pretty spectacular. MON AMIE is a Stuart Mariner, built by Stuart Marine of Rockland, Maine. When Stuart Scharaga and Dave Whittier acquired the old O’Day molds from Spindrift One Designs in the early 1980s, they were worn out and practically unusable. They hired famed naval architect Jim Taylor to take the lines off an O’Day Mariner in excellent condition and make new molds from scratch, incorporating a few modifications without altering the overall design. The resulting Stuart Mariners are almost indistinguishable from the older O’Day Mariners, allowing the two models to be raced together as a one-design class. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1693802085095-2H880X8XOWTDIF4XO024/PR+Downwind.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 4-12 The weekend of July 22nd, a total of eight Mariners participated in the Second Annual Agustín Tejero Regatta in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, and this great shot shows two Mariners battling each other during the downwind leg. Participant Miguel Casellas writes, “Andrés Socarrás sailing with Geraldine and Chupi Bermúdez dominated arriving in a comfortable First Place. Local food, Don Q Rum and Medalla Beer were abundant and camaraderie was second to none. Santa Isabel is located just 4.5 miles west of Salinas, Puerto Rico and is probably the best place for racing in Puerto Rico with well-protected waters and 13-15 knots consistent winds. Racing in Santa Isabel is spectacular and our teamwork was superb that weekend. Andrés Socarrás says, ‘Our boat is very well-equipped and our sails are flawless. We are now sailing Mariner #3122 that I just bought from Miguel Casellas and our fleet keeps on growing. It was good to see eight Mariners out there racing the waters of Santa Isabel. What a venue!’” What a venue indeed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1694385826248-F8R4Y9P8NV1MLN42JY1R/3.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 11-17 Terry Moulton has been deeply involved with Mariners for decades. Past Mariner Class Association Vice President, President, and Newsletter Editor, he has owned, raced, and restored countless Mariners over the years. His latest endeavor is a partnership with fellow sailor Bruce Robbins (#3200 NORA ROSE) to restore and resell Mariners in need of help. Terry writes, “I am lucky to live in New Jersey which seems to be the heart of Marinerland. I am also lucky to live on 47 acers of land with several garages and barns. Bruce Robbins asked if we could work together on a Mariner a friend had given him. Together, we took one of my garages, installed a two-ton hoist and our adventure began. Several Mariners later we are happily sanding, power spraying and fiberglassing our way through our ninth Mariner.“ A great way to breathe new life into these 60-year-old boats and keep them sailing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695041503072-KWMQP6HM9H3JZ93TDS8J/stelpstra.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 18-24 Robert Stelpstra takes the helm of Alan Schaeffer’s #1692 SPRAYSONG during the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport at the beginning of August. Robert, along with a friend, made a ten-hour drive all the way from Quebec, Canada to attend the event, and Alan was kind enough to take him along as crew while his friend met him at the Seaport with their car. This was Robert’s second Rendezvous as he made the same trek by himself last year, and we were so pleased he was able to join us again. SPRAYSONG, a mid-style Mariner, is Alan’s second boat; he originally owned #2470 SIALIA but wanted a cabin unobstructed by a mast support pole, so sold SIALIA a couple of years ago and purchased SPRAYSONG. Notice the bridle he has for the mainsheet which helps to center the boom when close-hauled. This modification was recently approved for class racing, but some cruisers find it just as helpful for their own daysailing and cruising. Although the winds were not as strong as they were forecasted to be, SPRAYSONG’s curling bow wave indicates she was easily making plenty of knots. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1695644027494-AUOQ4N05VRZLAUOOMQ2R/1545.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 25-Oct. 1 One of the largest Mariner racing fleets can be found at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey on the Delaware River. However, located only a hop, skip and a jump away in Edgewater Park is the Red Dragon Canoe Club, a historic organization dedicated to boating activities on the River. They are home to a number of O’Day Mariners, and although the sailing season is beginning to wind down, Red Dragon still offers boating activities through the end of October. A couple of Saturdays ago, skipper Tom Gilman and his crew participated in a three-boat race in his #1545 PILGRIM SHADOW, a mid-style boat he uses primarily for racing and daysailing. Notice the sizeable outboard on the transom! Winds on the Delaware are notoriously unpredictable, and the stiff local current has been known to sweep boats far from their destination, so big motor is most appropriate for these waters. Photo credit: Jeff Rife. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1696248580210-8ZFVNIJW114EFWHP6SDQ/Eddie+Ramos+Casellas+-+Midwinters+1965+-+San+Juan%2C+Puerto+Rico.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 2-8 Although the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet is one of the newest fleets in the Mariner Class Association, Mariners have been sailing in Puerto Rico since they were first manufactured. Here is a clipping from a newspaper from 1965 showing Eddie Ramos Casellas racing with his two sons in San Juan. According to Miguel Casellas, who sent me this clipping, “In 1964, the Puerto Rico Sailing Federation was formally established and a series of regattas were held in our waters to prepare for the upcoming 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games. Former and late Federal Judge Juan Torruella had the privilege of representing Puerto Rico during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the Finn Class bringing all the knowledge of how to run a big event. Finns, Sailfish, Snipes, Sunfish and Daysailers were invited and sailors from the East Coast participated in our Midwinters. Eddie Ramos Casellas is the founder of formal sailing in the south of Puerto Rico and the father of twins Ronnie and Robbie, owners of Villa Somar in Salinas. (Villa Somar is a private yacht club where we keep our Mariners.) Robbie is our leader and one of our top racers and currently sails [O’Day Mariner #3122] BLACK DIAMOND.” What a great history and legacy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1696809456930-IRYB4PHC2P6V7NFVT2UA/ryc.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 9-15 Skipper Chris O’Brien in #3599 DOUBLE O’MITZVAH stays ahead of Harry Mayer in #664 MARE during a mid-summer race at Riverton Yacht Club on the Delaware River. Both Chris and Harry have been very active with the Club over the years, and both have served stints as Club Commodore. Chris, in particular, has raced in local and national Mariner regattas and has also trailered his boat up to Connecticut a few times to participate in the National Rendezvous. This Sunday, Riverton will be hosting the David Reily Memorial and Mariner Fall Wind Up Regatta with five races scheduled. David Reily, a beloved Board member of the Club and active racer with Mariner #1249 SILK PURSE, died in 2014, and since then an annual regatta has been organized in his memory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1697459660865-S2WNSQ8XI0NB1UYOCWZC/thunderroad.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 16-22 Brandon Fetterman keeps churning out fantastic pictures as he sails his early-style O’Day Mariner, THUNDER ROAD. Here’s a great picture he just took a couple of days ago while sailing on Grapevine Lake in Texas. It was gusting to 25 knots, enough wind to drop the jib and continue under a reefed main. Notice how the mainsail is roller-reefed around the boom, and the mainsheet is attached to a “reefing claw” that permits the boom to rotate inside of it. While this particular piece of hardware is brand new, the mechanism is not; this was O’Day’s standard way of reefing the mainsail as far back as the early 1960s when Mariners were first produced. While perhaps not as efficient for sailing as other reefing techniques as the bagginess of the sail affects performance and there’s no way to use a vang, it is certainly is an interesting concept and a clever way to reduce sail area. Most modern boom-reefing systems still struggle with maintaining proper sail shape when reefed. THUNDER ROAD seems to do just fine with her boom-reefed main - look at her go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1698066779069-PP2H7829LZ6QAPPQQ7IV/Ulrich_wave_sm.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 23-29 Skipper Ulrich von Hollen keeps an eye on the wave off his starboard quarter as he sails east on the first day of the 2023 National Mariner Rendezvous this past August. He and his two sons, Caspar and Konrad, are nearing the entrance to New London, and the swift currents from Long Island Sound combining with the currents from the Thames River typically create a chop that takes about ten minutes to sail through. It can be dreadful on a windless day when the sails slat back and forth shaking the wind out of them, but on this day, there was enough wind to keep #2234 OB-LA-DI and the other eighteen participating Mariners plowing right through the choppy patch. Ulrich and his sons have participated in several Rendezvous beginning in 2014, making the trip up to Niantic, Connecticut from Lebanon, New Jersey. He keeps his mid-style Mariner in fantastic shape, and his inventory of parts for sale from other Mariners he has collected over the years is impressive! Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1698632969194-U2I8VRN24M2C0PWO1F30/2019.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 30-Nov. 5 Mariners plow through the water in high winds during the 2019 Mariner National Championships held at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. National Championships usually consist of two days of racing; four races on Saturday and just two on Sunday, giving sailors a chance to pack up their boats after a weekend of intense yet fun competition. However, the winds were so strong on Sunday that racing was canceled and the scoreboard only counted the four races that had been completed the day before. Paul Coward, racing in #584 and four-time National Champion, ended up placing eighth while Tom Green in #738 finished the regatta in tenth place. Next year’s National Championships will once again take place at Brant Beach Yacht Club, and they are excited to host - they have already completed the NOR (Notice of Race) even though it’s more than nine months away! Photo credit: Becky Seidlemann. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1699317384380-GLOR9AXPHXO24VWQJ5ML/joel.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 6-12 Ramerez Jeol slowly lowers his early-style Mariner named SERENITY in the waters of Chicago back in the beginning of September. When using a rope bridle, the backstay must be unattached so it doesn’t get in the way. The rope bridle then must be attached to the chainplates as well as the aft cleats, and those aft cleats must have some sort of backing plates to prevent them from ripping through the deck. Ramerez writes, “It's definitely scary when it's in the air. I'm the only Mariner in my club so no one really had anything positive to say about my choice of lifting points. People were definitely putting doubt in my head at the club. Before splashing I reenforced the rear cleat backing plates, and am using 3/8” eye spliced dyneema on a 10,000-pound D-ring girth hitched. I'm using 1/4” shackles (750 lb. rating) at the chain plates and attached a clip rated at 850 lbs. Everything went well.” While many clubs launch their Mariners with a crane, it can certainly be a little nerve-wracking, especially when you’re doing it for the first time as shown in this picture! Congratulations to Ramerez for making it happen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1699846217153-4F4ESUHBHAIS18IORE6S/1532.jpeg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 13-19 This picture looks like it could have been taken in the spring, but it was in fact taken just a few days ago! Don Fitzpatrick is taking his mid-style Mariner for an early-November sail in Newport, Rhode Island, one of the most renowned and historic areas for yachting on the eastern seaboard. Don writes, “I bought hull #1532 in February and after a few minor repairs had her out by late July. I drysail her out of SailNewport in Fort Adams State Park in Newport. I have many projects slated this winter - number one is remove and re-bed every deck fitting and port lights. The boat has numerous leaks and a persistently wet bilge - fortunately all from above the waterline! I cannot thank the Mariner community enough for all of the resources you all provide! I have had numerous boats but the Mariner Association tops them all!” Although there doesn’t seem to be much wind, any time on the water - especially so late in the sailing season here in the northeast - is time well spent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1700498768151-TCZ0MPDGDDNMBN0TWMXY/DSCN0297_558.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 20-26 Eric Flower’s #1871 SEAFLOWER was the hit of the 2019 Mariner Rendezvous when he sailed her with friends and family to Mystic Seaport. Sporting new hull, deck, cabin, and bottom paint; freshly-varnished coaming tops, hatchslides, hatchboards, and cabintop handrails; lifelines, a roller-furling genoa, and more, she was picture perfect. But that was just the start - her refitted interior looked as if someone could live aboard for a month. Custom curtains, cushions, bedding, pillows, Bluetooth speaker system, and lighting all contributed to a jaw-dropping display of how a Mariner can be transformed into a comfortable pocket cruiser. Regretfully, Eric had to sell #1871 the next year due to his job relocating him inland, but she is still here in Connecticut and hopefully will grace the waters of Long Island Sound again before too long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1701091316950-T2P5IM0JJS0YOF4A3LVG/IMG_2377.jpeg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 27-Dec. 3 Night has fallen, but the flash from the camera reveals eighteen Mariners tied up at the Mystic Seaport docks during the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous at the beginning of August. A nineteenth boat actually took part in the event yet had to leave early due to prior commitments, making this year’s gathering the highest-attended Rendezvous yet. Although we had light winds both coming from and going back to Niantic, they were steady enough to allow us to sail both ways, something that does not always happen on Long Island Sound in early August. Since today is my birthday, I wanted to feature a picture from a particularly meaningful sailing trip, and this is it. It takes months to plan a Rendezvous, and when it all comes together, it’s great to share the experience with other sailors. Many of this year’s attendees have taken part in numerous Rendezvous, and it is always a pleasure to see them again. I am already looking forward to next year’s event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1701719580378-WSY69BR9JTPMX909XEV6/gard.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 4-10 David Gard charges along in his early-style Mariner with spray flying in Force 6 winds (22-27 knots) off the coast of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. A British sailor living in Canada, he writes, “OK.. does the Mariner have a planing hull? I couldn't believe how fast she was going, so I turned on my mobile sat nav (being very economic with battery)… 9.6 knots... and, I'm sure she was going faster than this, too. Broad reach... surfable waves... When it turned into Force 7, I dropped main and ran under jib to Lunenburg, constantly over 6 knots.” Although the jib and mainsail luffs could use a little tightening, David clearly didn’t need anymore help getting up to hull speed (and beyond) and having a fantastic sail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1702249452084-PKUT06YJPBPECZRSD0E3/postcardfront.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 11-17 This photo is actually the front of a postcard from the mid-1960s and shows a family enjoying an early-style O’Day Mariner. The description of the picture, found on the back of the postcard, reads: “Boating on the Bay with the Causeway Bridge in the background, Long Beach Island, New Jersey”. The photo was taken by Don Ceppi, and the postcard itself was published by the Long Beach Candy Company from Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island. The rudder on the Mariner has not been attached yet as the person on the helm motors by other nearby boats, but the sails are bent on and ready to hoist once they get out into the popular sailing waters of Manahawkin Bay. Others may be able to identify the other unfamiliar types of boats in the foreground and background, but the beautiful lines of the Mariner are unmistakable and instantly recognizable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1702906125364-XNBH175RURW4C0NP0N7E/happyholidays.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 18-24 I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when I received this picture from my friend Miguel Casellas Sastre in Puerto Rico earlier in the month. Look at all those Mariners sailing in the snow! See? The Mariner is so shallow-draft, they can be sailed practically anywhere there is moisture beneath them! This took some skills with Photoshop to create, and credit goes to one of the members of the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet. Incidentally, that fleet is the fastest growing fleet in the Mariner Class Association with an active racing schedule, and they have established a relationship with the Brant Beach Mariner Fleet (Long Beach Island, New Jersey) where some members travel to Puerto Rico on a fairly regular basis to participate in some of the races there. They are passionate about growing their fleet and are always inviting other sailors to make the trip. Word from other Mariner sailors is that their hospitality is second to none! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1703560844782-T6UN582ULDTJKBW8SB9M/20230624_084416.jpg 2023 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 25-31 Traditionally, the very last picture of the year in this column has been one of my own ORION, and this is one of my favorite pictures taken this past June when my son and I sailed to Mystic Seaport for the 2023 WoodenBoat Show. After a couple of weeks of near drought conditions, it finally rained - almost the entire weekend of the Show. I was worried Harry would have a lousy time during our two-day excursion, constantly damp despite the cockpit awning at anchor and our head-to-toe foul weather gear. Instead, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and memorable trips we have taken together. The icing on the cake was when, just before we left the event to sail home, he asked, “Dad, can we go to next year’s WoodenBoat Show?” On this Christmas Day, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a great sailing season in 2024. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2023-1 daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1683838998669-4OK2OOYRNK72MOB08GSF/20230511_124758.jpg Sailing 2023 https://www.mariner1922.com/2024-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2023-12-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1704063477110-SBPWTWZI32SDGE379ITH/20230804_090347-2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1704062498679-S7V6F3SV5V5SVWYYABOP/20230804_090347-2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 1-7 Happy New Year! Here’s a great picture to start the year with Fred Wright sailing his #4133 SWEET PEA in Niantic Bay, heading eastward to Mystic Seaport for the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous this past August. A resident of North Carolina, he trailered SWEET PEA to Connecticut to sail in familiar waters as he is an ex-Coast Guardsman, and the Coast Guard Academy where he trained is a short distance up New London’s Thames River. Although he started out the trip under a reefed main, he eventually shook it out as the wind dropped, and fortunately, he and everyone else was able to sail the entire way to Mystic. He has Daniel Auger along as crew for this leg; Daniel came down from Quebec with fellow Canadian Robert Stelpstra to participate in this event. Both men, living nearly 1,000 miles apart, met in Niantic to sail together in the Rendezvous - how neat is that? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1704684484041-B1RFN4J1221VLE92ZF78/dan.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 8-14 It’s the year of Dan’s boat! Here is skipper Dan Meaney sailing O’Day Mariner #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF in Niantic Bay back in 2016. On this day, I just so happened to meet both him and fellow Niantic sailor Chris Albert (#2714 FLOTSAM) out in the Bay on a gorgeous afternoon in July. I happened to have my camera along and was pleased to be able to take some great pictures of the two boats. Both Dan and Chris have been members of the Southeast Connecticut Mariner Fleet right from the very beginning when the three of us first got together in August, 2009 to organize a daysail. They are also the only other skippers besides me who have attended every single Rendezvous I have organized since that time. All of Dan’s family - wife, son, and two daughters - have sailed with him in CLEW-SEA-NUF, and one year, all five sailed to the Rendezvous. Other sailors were quick to point out the “boat full of Meaneys.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1705288735924-VZKAI83TQGRDPVWDGPIL/DSC_0215.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 15-21 Skipper Alan Schaeffer sits aboard his mid-style O’Day Mariner #1692 SPRAYSONG in the beautiful Coecles Harbor anchorage, Shelter Island, New York. Alan had sailed his boat along with me in ORION, Dan Meaney in #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF, and Chris Albert in #2714 FLOTSAM (visible just behind SPRAYSONG’s mast) for a three-day cruise across Long Island Sound to Shelter Island and Greenport back in 2022. The previous owner of the later-style #2470 SIALIA, Alan really wanted a mid-style Mariner with a forward hatch and without a mast support pole for more comfortable cruising, and he was fortunate to buy #1692 almost as soon as she came on the market. She sports a handy RudderCraft rudder and a bow pulpit, and although her jib is not roller-furling, Alan has rigged a downhaul line to help lower the hanked-on jib in rough conditions and prevent it from flogging around. SPRAYSONG has proven to be a fast boat, outdistancing many other Mariners in group sailing events (including this cruise), although I suspect Alan’s superb handling of her may have something to do with it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1705884941647-BXIEBVHNUXVL7KWOXT7E/48701524516_285ece6fe0_o.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 22-28 O’Day Mariner #83 blasts along with a big bone in her teeth in ideal sailing conditions a few years ago near Newburyport, Massachusetts. Built in the very first year of Mariner production at the O’Day factory at 168 Stevens Street in Fall River, Massachusetts (a larger factory was later constructed nearby at 848 Airport Road), she is now entering her sixth decade of sailing. This picture was taken by Charles Crowley, a professional photographer based in Newburyport who, at one point, briefly owned #83 before selling her to a good friend who has owned her ever since. A lot of her hardware is original including the jib sheet leads and cam cleats, although she does have a newer roller-furler jib, cabin top handrails and a replacement forward hatch. The 9.9 horsepower motor is the limit for what the Mariner’s transom is designed to handle, but it conveniently kicks completely out of the water even without an adjustable outboard bracket, minimizing drag despite the motor’s weight. Here’s to another sixty years of sailing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1706485638764-XAUTVJWZRWV8SKDAHFRO/PR.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 29-Feb. 4 At first glance, one might think this is a photo of a Mariner sailing under a reefed main with the top part of the mast bent forward! But, of course, this is not the case; the top of the Mariner mast just happened to line up with the mast of a much larger sailboat berthed behind it. This boat is one of the many Mariners comprising the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet, and they enjoy spectacular racing all year long. Because of the high winds and occasionally rough conditions there, it is standard to have one skipper and two others as crew, not just one, as the second crewmember serves primarily as ballast. Like the Mariner racers on the east coast of the United States, the Puerto Rico Mariner sailors never reef their mainsail, electing instead to push their boats to the limit going upwind so they can enjoy a fast downwind leg with a full mainsail set. Their mainsail has four battens instead of the usual three, and they have 2:1 jib sheets for extra trimming power. Beautiful days like the one in this picture will be returning to the northeast soon! Picture credit: Miguel Casellas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1707086351776-VZNP4GOJ2EC8NH3H1V8S/ingram.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 5-11 With the winter holidays firmly behind us, many sailors start thinking about tackling big projects while there is still plenty of time before the sailing season. This early-style centerboard Mariner built in 1968 will be spending time in both Washington state and Maine - the locations could hardly be farther apart! Right now, she is spending some quality time at Stuart Marine in Rockland, Maine; Stuart Marine is the current manufacturer of the Mariner and has been for over 40 years. She is firmly supported in a wooden cradle allowing easy and comfortable access to the centerboard which, as the picture shows, clearly needs a little attention. A quick look around the Stuart Marine shop reveals a Rhodes 19 draped with cushions, various step platforms, and an upper level ringed with brand new Tohatsu outboards where most of the woodworking is done. This boat can rest assured she will be receiving the highest level of care from Stuart Marine, and she will undoubtedly be a real head-turner no matter where in the country she sails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1707700720681-19O2VUMAZYTCOHVL4PPZ/Barrett.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 12-18 I just happened to pick up the winter edition of Points East Magazine today, and I was pretty surprised and happy to see an entire article entitled “The Legacy” about the restoration of an early-style, 1968 O’Day Mariner! Owner Mark Barrett, a frequent contributor to the magazine, purchased her in the late-1990s for $1,500 and was “struck right away by her lines. There was something jaunty and seaworthy about her raised bow and little cuddy cabin with the single portlight on the side, like a merry eye. The iron [fixed] keel was knife thin, with a bulb at the bottom, and covered with rust. Her hull was a pale, sky-blue, well-faded and chalky to the touch.” He embarked on a soup-to-nuts restoration, renamed her BLUE SKIES, and created some special memories aboard her with his young daughter, Alison. Be sure to check out the full article here at the Points East Magazine website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1708305053615-VV63CA4GDX51SCBNRXJ3/20200807_154712.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 19-25 Bill Eggers in #2280 JULIE B and Alan Schaeffer with his family in #2470 SIALIA sail in light winds up the Thames River, New London, during the 2020 Mariner National Rendezvous. Bill, from New York, and Alan, from Connecticut, were part of a group of 16 participating boats that sailed from Niantic to Crocker’s Boat Yard, New London the beginning of August. Although the Mariner National Championships had been cancelled that year for the first time in Mariner history due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rendezvous continued as it was possible for sailors to keep their distance from one another during the weekend. Some plans had to be modified, and many shops and stores in the city were closed, but all the sailors had a good time regardless. We will be going back to New London this August with plans to visit some sites previously unavailable to us, including the historic Custom House where many maritime artifacts are on display. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1708915160391-S5BUGCWX2VIHDA9SAVQL/bandido.jpeg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 26-Mar. 3 Now that’s one heck of a green boat! This picture of skipper Blas Buono’s late-style Mariner BANDIDO was taken last Saturday by Manuel Portela from his own O’Day Mariner CAMALEON during the Mid-winter Mariner Regatta held in Salinas, Puerto Rico. Sixteen (!) Mariners participated in the event, including two with crews who traveled all the way from Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey to join in the fun. Seven races were held in 80-degree weather and 13-18 knots of wind, and according to participant Miguel Casellas, the regatta was “a complete success. Great ambiance, greatest sailing venue, no damages on boats; camaraderie was wonderful. Those old style Mariners are fast upwind in a breeze.” Blas Buono in BANDIDO would eventually come in first place. Congratulations to all sailors! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1709511864462-G9K3R70I619TZ25A7OEF/125.jpeg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 4-10 Who wouldn’t want to be aboard this Mariner, blasting along with a big bone in her teeth? This picture actually comes from an old brochure from 1964 and is also featured in another brochure from that same year as well as 1965. Interestingly enough, the photos were altered for each advertisement with a different sail number! (I assume, in the case of the 1965 brochure, the number was raised from 125 to 215 to demonstrate how many Mariners had been built by that time.) Although keen-eyed observers may spot a jib sheet track for a genoa on the starboard deck, there is no block attached to it, nor is there an accompanying snubber winch on the coaming; perhaps those additions were yet to come. But she certainly doesn’t need a genoa to get up to hull speed in these conditions - just look a her charging along with whitecaps on the water and the smiles on those aboard! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1710114816476-K54IVY087S2E3UT1PCXJ/20240305_170221.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - March 11-17 The Mariner that started it all! Back in the mid-1990s when I was a teenager, this boat showed up at my family’s marina, Bayreuther Boat Yard, a derelict full of water after sitting uncovered in a back yard for ten years. I instantly fell in love with the classic lines, the enclosed cabin, and all the potential for coastal cruising it offered. I tracked down the owner, bought the boat for a dollar, and brought her home. Unfortunately, it became pretty apparent the boat needed more help and expertise than I possessed at sixteen years of age, so I reluctantly offered it for sale for free. Julie Femino, a licensed captain and boat surveyor from Massachusetts, responded to my classified ad and came down to Niantic with a friend to trailer it home, generously giving me a few hundred dollars - a fortune to me! This grainy picture from the mid-1900s shows Julie and her friend about to trailer her home. I never forgot about that boat and learned later on she completely restored it, proclaiming it the “nicest looking 1969 Mariner I’ve ever seen.” I swore to myself I would get another Mariner some day, and a decade later, I found #1922. The rest, as they say, is history! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1710723794151-ITA2FY0BF8H1Q57URY31/Img_3544.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 18-24 The Mariner Fleet in Puerto Rico is one of the most active fleets in the Mariner Class Association, and most of the information I receive about their activity comes from my friend Miguel Casellas Sastre. He owns the old-style Mariner pictured above, #1023 LA QUE HAY built in 1967. He writes, “My son Sebastian (23 years old) is at the helm. I tried to imitate a Rhodes 19 layout for main halyard, jib halyard, main downhaul and jib cloth.” Miguel also has some pretty impressive equipment on his boat including low-friction fairleads on the jib sheet cars. He also has a telescoping ladder on the transom for safety. As far as the name is concerned, Miguel explains that “La Que Hay” has different meanings: (1) It is what it is; (2) Take it or leave it; or (3) What’s up.” #1023 was reportedly used in a recent Netflix movie, “Muriel and Joyce Get a Boat” produced by SHE Films Media - more on that to come! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1711331063044-QCUWUGSKYEL0EUAI23MK/nunyet.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 25-31 There are some people who go crazy tricking out their Mariners for racing, adding fancy hardware or sail controls to gain just one more tenth of a knot. Then there are others who go all out making their Mariner into a comfortable mini-cruiser, and Rob Jones from Fork, Maryland is just such a person. His mid-style Mariner, #2026 NUNYET, has been transformed over a number of years with many custom projects completed by Rob, including a cockpit sole grate, a drop-leaf mahogany cabin table that fits over the centerboard trunk, a speaker system, a cockpit table with cupholders, and more. The most prominent addition, as you can see in the above picture, was his custom-built solar panel bracket with an attached bench seat. While he admits this may not be everyone’s cup of tea aesthetically, it certainly works for him, and that’s all that matters in the long run for each of us, isn’t it? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1711973498380-T2AXRMRHUM3WEAHXYVCS/forsale.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 1-6 All good things must come to an end, and it is with a very heavy heart I offer ORION for sale. I have owned her since 2007 and after all these years of enjoyment, it is time to part ways. I’m hoping to do more extended cruising, and as much as I love sailing, I was recently offered the chance to buy a beautiful powerboat which will enable me to cruise with a little bit more comfort than what ORION can provide. This is a chance to buy an immaculate 1970 O’Day Mariner, restored and upgraded over many years, all of which has been documented on this website. I will desperately miss ORION, but I know she will go to a good home. Her asking price is a firm $2,500. CLICK THIS LINK FOR THE CLASSIFIED AD with more info. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1712545874038-NH7278CCPRJHYJGVQHUT/20200807_141327.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 8-14 I hope everyone who saw last week’s picture clicked on the link at the bottom and realized my announcement about selling ORION was an April Fool’s joke! This week’s picture shows #3200 NORA ROSE at anchor off Bushy Point Beach in Groton, Connecticut during the 2020 Mariner Rendezvous to New London. Owner Bruce Robbins is standing in the cockpit with brother-in-law Mural Rao is on the foredeck, and they have anchored for lunch and even possibly a swim while on route from Niantic to Crocker’s Boat Yard up the Thames River. Bruce and Mural have attended many Rendezvous together over the years here in Connecticut, trailering NORA ROSE up from Pitman, New Jersey. Activities during the 2020 Rendezvous were limited due to pandemic restrictions, but as all such restrictions are now thankfully long gone, 2024 Rendezvous participants are looking forward to returning to New London this August and enjoying all the city has to offer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1713182603229-4OL65PKQKZWNJ84TFRDE/corney.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 15-21 Good luck getting out to this Mariner to go sailing! This is Bob Corney’s old style Mariner, #1095 YIN YANG, sitting on her trailer by the docks on the Chester River, Maryland. There has been a tremendous amount of rain on the east coast over the past few weeks, and water levels have risen dramatically; all the fixed docks at this location are completely covered with water. Bob is currently the Chief Measurer of the Mariner Class Association, and while he primarily races YIN YANG, he trailered her up to Connecticut to participate in last year’s Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Boating season is just starting here in the northeast, and many Mariner owners are in the middle of projects preparing their boats for the summer. It won’t be long before YIN YANG - and ORION - will be back out on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1713792755022-0T2VC77U2AI1IAXP3UCE/prracing.jpeg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 22-28 Although the Puerto Rico Sailing Team (PUR Team) has been Puerto Rico’s national sailing authority since 1963, the presence of Mariners there has increased dramatically in recent years. Their fleet now numbers close to 20 Mariners of all vintages, and most of them regularly participate in events all over the island. In just a couple of weeks, from May 4-5, the Mariner fleet will be racing in Festival Mar y Arena de Guayama at Bahía de Jobos, organized by the Federación de Vela de Puerto Rico. A number of Mariner owners actually sit on PUR Team’s Board of Directors, including Miguel Casellas who keeps in touch with me and lets me know about all the Team’s Mariner activities. It is a fantastic organization, and a number of Mariner sailors from the States have been traveling to Puerto Rico to borrow a boat and race in their regattas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714394191381-BQGRHX7IS7YIVYR5ZBBA/brenmarie.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 29-May 5 There’s nothing quite like a spinnaker to get the most out of a downwind run, and O’Day Sailboats always offered spinnakers as an option when purchasing a Mariner. Here is Mike Hansen’s Spindrift Mariner BREN MARIE with her spinnaker up and drawing well. Mike writes, “I've begun tinkering with a spinnaker pole. Working on a topping lift and downhaul. Only have yet to configure an auto pilot: just a bit more stable than a bungie cord.” Symmetrical spinnakers are difficult to fly when sailing solo, and many single-handers choose to use an asymmetrical spinnaker which eliminates most of the equipment needed with a conventional spinnaker including a topping lift, downhaul, and spinnaker pole. The only disadvantage is the inability to sail directly downwind, something Mike is able to do quite well with his setup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714965579936-GR84I9Y1W0N8W4UQ0N3B/3257.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - May 6-12 Jay Bouchard, of Denver, Colorado, yanks on the outboard lanyard after launching his #3257 for the first time under his ownership. Sure, she still has her original, now-baggy sails, but who cares? She’s ready to take Jay, his family and friends out on new adventures - almost. Jay writes, “Good news: she floats. Bad news: the centerboard is so rusty/corroded it wouldn't drop—even with quite a bit of force. I managed to snap the cable, too, which feels incidental at this point. I knew I had to do the centerboard project eventually, but I was hoping I might be able to sail a couple times before taking it on. Alas, that project starts now. Thanks to everyone in the Mariner Class Association forums for documenting your process. Getting the centerboard out is my priority, and from there I'll refinish it correctly. Onward!” Good luck with your Mariner, Jay - you’ll be sailing before you know it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1715563726604-CNT72DFAX4A3A2BFLM3N/2315.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - May 13-19 While my own ORION sits on her mooring awaiting her first official sail of the season, here is a picture of O'Day Mariner #2315 sitting on her mooring just before she is hauled out at the end of last season in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Look how nice her blue sail cover matches the bottom paint beneath the classy dark-red bootstripe. #2315 was one of the first newer-style Mariners built when O'Day switched from the classic "bump-top" cabin to the more modern, streamlined cabin in 1972, also removing the forward hatch in the process. Her owner reports regularly taking out four adults and two children on daysails; quite a feat for a nineteen-foot boat, but possible thanks to her generous cockpit courtesy of designer Philip Rhodes. She went up for sale just a few days ago, but her classified ad already states "sale pending." Mariners in this good a condition do not stay for sale very long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1716176033933-L75ZF4NC3TRO51VIQET6/DSC_0060-2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - May 20-26 Skipper Spencer Clapp motors his late-style O'Day Mariner ALUNA in the Niantic River while he waits for the railroad bridge to open at the start of the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Although Spencer has a crewmember along, ALUNA has a number of features helpful for singlehanded sailing, including a jib furler, a bow pulpit for added safety when working on the foredeck, and a topping lift to assist with mainsail reefing and furling. This was Spencer's first and only Rendezvous as he ended up selling ALUNA that winter for a larger boat, but he later told me he had a great time and enjoyed the company of so many other Mariner sailors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1716775775036-0JH3REVL5X99X132YJAF/1000000737.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - May 27-June 2 When Dave Oatley, of Blairstown, New Jersey, announced he had sold his mid-style O'Day Mariner, #2186 NANTUCKET, I was awfully disappointed since he had attended several Rendezvous with his sons and they would be missed. Thankfully, he had come into posession of another mid-style Mariner, #2119, and he couldn't keep both, so he sold #2186 and hopes to attend next year's event in his "new" boat. In the meantime, he writes, "I've actually been out once so far this year, but the boat is currently out of the water so I can install a swim ladder. I went on a trip in early April with two friends... definitely the earliest I've ever been out. We sailed from Onancock, VA to Crisfield, MD. We then had to shelter for a couple days while there were 40-50 knot winds and several feet of coastal flooding. [The picture above is of #2119 beached at Crisfield.] It was still a great time and thankfully the tent held up to the elements!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1717384471972-DT5MC1ZD2CZMV6XHRQ8Q/4133.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - June 3-9 Fred Wright's #4133 SWEET P was the first boat featured in this column this year, and here she is again during an overnight cruise he took a week ago from Hertford, North Carolina to Edenton, nearly 19 miles away. He writes, "Got into the [Albemarle] Sound, and the wind and waves started building. By the time, I'd gotten near the bridge, the waves were about four feet, and it was a wild, surfing broad reach or run. Navionics on my phone was showing bursts of 8.2 - 8.3 knots. Once recorded 9.2 knots. All with a reefed main. I pulled the centerboard most of the way up to make steering easier and avoid broaching. Rounding the corner north to Edenton, the shoreline sheltered me from both wind and wave. It had been almost four wild hours, and I was tired, thirsty, and hungry, so about a half mile out I dropped sail and motored in." With many lessons learned and a list of improvements he wants to make, Fred plans on coming up to Connecticut to participate in the Mariner Rendezvous for the second year in a row. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1717960359390-AL4GGFC4VJS4WZNNW013/thunderroad.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - June 10-16 Brandon Fetterman's early-style Mariner THUNDER ROAD has been launched to prepare for the Texas 200 event beginning tomorrow. Brandon participated with THUNDER ROAD in last year's event, succesfully completing the 200-mile journey spread out over five to six days. Established by Chuck Leinweber, founder of Duckworks, the test of nautical endurance is specifically geared toward small boats traveling more or less in company to several waypoints, camping on shore along the way. Brandon became a two-Mariner owner last year when he purchased Mariner #11, built within the first two weeks of Mariner production at the Fall River plant in Massachusetts in 1963. We wish him the best of luck in the Texas 200! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1718598923426-I03JNU8WMU8QDXQEZFGX/2387.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - June 17-23 Skipper Zach Maupin's early-style Mariner sails with a full crew aboard at Riverton Yacht Club, New Jersey just a couple of days ago. Although she sports a sail number of a later-style Mariner, Zach's boat is actually an early-style boat; she is simply using second-hand sails. The mainsheet is run in the Crosby-rig style, but with the boom so close to the cabin top the vang does not have much effect in shaping the sail. Nevertheless, it looks like a great day for a sail - indeed, Zach has elected to leave the outboard motor on land as the breeze does not seem to be stopping anytime soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1719201490454-PPDA2WCK2XV075OSDUNC/Verrett.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - June 24-30 Brandon Fetterman's THUNDER ROAD was featured in this column a couple of weeks ago as he and a friend prepared to participate in the Texas 200 event, but Mark Verret was another O'Day Mariner sailor who sailed solo with his 1974 boat, #3069 SPARKY pictured here. According to Mark, "She performed beautifully especially in higher winds. One of the highlights was sailing through a few rain squalls." Although the height of the bimini forced the boom to be raised and the mainsail area to thus be reduced, it was a worthwhile addition as it protected Mark in both pouring rain and scorching sun. Congratulations on a successful finish! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1719789153979-UBJF232ZJ9DHRR5WLDRV/Sunk2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 1-7 This is not how you want to find your Mariner! Last Sunday, a fast-moving, severe storm flipped this mid-style O'Day Mariner over on her mooring at the Red Dragon Canoe Club in New Jersey. When she capsized, she turned turtle and her mast broke off; a crane on a barge had to be brought out to flip her back over. Many members rushed to the rescue, salvaging equipment, pumping her out and getting her ashore so the full extent of the damage could be assessed. Hopefully, she'll be operational again within short order. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1720490757914-KGXKI0MWVPL8LZQ3B8K6/satter.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 8-14 David Satter's early-style O'Day Mariner WILDFLOWER is truly a remarkable vessel, restored and fitted out to an astronomically high level of quality. Besides the obvious new paint job (including painting the rubrail tan), David added a bowsprit with an anchor roller, full electronics inside the cabin, and even a second portlight on each side of the cabin. A couple of years ago, Mariner burgees were sent out to all the Mariner Class Association members - nearly 450 of them - and David later sent this picture to me writing, "Thanks for the burgee, Nate. Holding up to 20-knot winds on the mooring. I gotta get a mainsail with reef points." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1721158733160-EL3UKLFLLG89CX9048RJ/bouchard.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 15-21 Who cares if there's no breeze on the water? Sailing a Mariner is still the perfect thing to do. Here's a great shot of Jay Bouchard's #3257 STORMY DONNA drifting along on a late afternoon in Colorado. Jay writes, "It's my first year with a Mariner and I've been working to get her in shape. Upgrades so far: refurbished centerboard; new (to me) mainsail; bow, stern, and cabin lights; battery and switch panel mounted in cabin. Thanks to all the Mariner Class Association members for their guidance as I readied this boat for sailing." Notice the trolling motor on the transom to help get #3257 in an out of her slip. And yes, that is an orange lifejacket wedged in between the mainsail and the mast - an unusual place to store one, but I doubt it has any effect on the aerodynamic shape of the sail on such a windless day! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1721615426763-J02TRNEOLP23F8MJ0N88/schiemer.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 22-28 Matt Schiemer sails his mid-style O'Day Mariner a few years ago in Texas during a hot summer day. Clearly, the most noticeable addition to his setup is the bimini with side curtain, and he writes: "It was a stock bimini bought on Amazon. Not expensive, not custom. The 36" front to back length was perfect to fit between the backstay and the mid-boom sheeting for the mainsheet, which I changed from the Crosby rig setup it came with. In order for me to sit upright under the bimini, with a few inches to spare above my head, it required me to cut about 12" off the foot of my mainsail and resew in the tack and clew patches with new grommets. That way I could raise the boom up. Now with the boom up that high, it would catch the backstay, so I had to cut about 4" off the end of the boom. Fortunately, that still left room for the entire (newly sized) foot of the sail. Here in Texas, that shade is king, so it was all worth it for me!" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1722208707354-BBZJ6K07O1VEUGQ8FBXC/rogers.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - July 29-Aug. 4 Mike Hansen sails his 1981 Spindrift Mariner, #4040 BREN MARIE past the abandoned Seaside Sanatorium in Waterford, Connecticut during the 2020 Mariner Rendezvous to New London. Originally built in the early 1930s as a tuberculosis facility, it closed in 1997 and is fenced off while the grounds remain open as the state decides what to do with it. Mike trailered his boat all the way from Michigan to take part in this event, and it was very interesting to compare a Spindrift boat with the other O'Day Mariners. This week, the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous participants will set sail from Niantic with New London as the destination once again, this time able to enjoy activities previously curtailed by the pandemic in 2020. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1722913609699-B6SBTDJDBDT802ZQ0OLE/20240804_101249.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 5-11 Ian Robbins waves from the bow pulpit as his grandfather, Bruce Robbins, sails O'Day Mariner #3200 NORA ROSE along with Bruce's two other grandsons, Isaac and Arthur. All four took part in the Mariner National Rendezvous this past weekend, sailing from Niantic to Crocker's Boat Yard in New London, Connecticut. On the way, the group stopped at Bushy Point Beach in Groton to go for a swim, then the next day they visited Fort Trumbull and the Shaw Mansion before enjoying a catered dinner at the historic Custom House. Everyone sailed home first thing Sunday morning, and that is when this picture was taken. All four had a great time, and they hope to return for next year's Rendezvous, wherever and whenever it will be. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1723436630445-Q4A2OQ85WXB0SZWOSHG3/nationals.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 12-18 Skipper Rob Boetticher and crewman Brad Friedman get into position with O'Day Mariner #3151 during the Mariner National Championships held at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey this past weekend. Fifteen boat participated in the regatta, and Tom Green III with his son Tommy in #738 GUMBY ended up hoisting the trophy - their boat is the green boat in the background just ahead of #3151's headstay. According to event organizer Ginnie Iverson, "The Mariner Nationals had a challenging day on the water for the first day of racing. Shifty winds, no wind, and nice gusts at the end of the day; we saw it all! We got two races in on Sunday after a morning postponement waiting for the breeze to fill in. Thanks to all who came." Congratulations to all the competitors! More results will soon be available on the Association's website, www.usmariner.org. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724013807731-8BSKKSTXZS29ZIUMK6SL/20240804_192255.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 19-25 Skipper Steve Hock with his wife Rita sail #1866 WINDY during the 2024 Mariner National Rendezvous a couple of weekends ago. The winds were pretty light sailing from Niantic to New London, Connecticut, but he still made good time - passing me in the process - with help from second-hand racing sails from Mariner #735 (hence the number on the mainsail). Keen-eyed observers might recognize them as racing sails due to the lack of reef points and the thin, dark blue draft or camber stripes which sailors use to help shape the sails in various wind conditions. As some of you may have seen in one of my updates, I recently stepped down from the Mariner Class Association presidency, and Steve stepped up to fill the role. Congratulations, Steve! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1724634356775-L0T7O1FS0M5Z9O9OPQ7E/_DSC3262.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 26-Sept. 1 David and son Jason Sasportas sail Stuart Mariner #4117 OCEAN PEARL in Niantic Bay during the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous at the beginning of August. The winds were very light as we took advantage of the outgoing current heading eastward to New London, and we eventually resorted to the "iron wind" to help us get to our destination of Crocker's Boat Yard. You can see on David's transom that his iron wind is one of the EPropulsion electric motors; we got a good chuckle at the launch ramp when the crisis of his motor failing to start was solved by inserting the starting fob, something he had actually packed two of yet forgot to unpack when he launched his boat! This was David and Jason's second Rendezvous, and as David is a Connecticut resident, he hopes to be back for more. Photo credit: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1725227148970-TZPU5GP39ZOYR6S54HZD/rogers.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 2-8 With kids already back in school, one wonders how many more opportunities there will be for those of us in the northeast to have days like this. Here is Matt Rogers's 1978 O'Day Mariner TUPELO HONEY anchored after taking her out for the very first time. He writes, "Got the boat out for the first time and after a day of Mariner familiarization on Lake Charlevoix, MI, and exploring the local Venetian festival, we had a fairly enjoyable 30 NM day to Beaver Island yesterday. At least 85% sailing to 15% motoring! Hard to beat Michigan in the summer. Philip Rhodes and George O'Day--brilliant!" TUPELO HONEY was built in the last year of Mariner production before the O'Day Sailboats Corporation decided to shift their effort to building bigger cruisers. She sports a bow pulpit to aid in working on the foredeck, and keen-eyed observers may notice a snubbing winch on the cockpit coaming indicating the neatly furled jib in its bag to be a genoa. A fine looking boat on a fine looking day for sailing and swimming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1725837771956-3S15QNQCEJO5LSOAV1O9/ponce.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 9-15 Look at that sky! Look at that water! Look at that great-looking Mariner! This shot was taken by Alfonso Pagan at Ponce, Puerto Rico about a month ago, and according to many Mariner sailors from the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet, Ponce is not only a hotspot for racing but for absolutely gorgeous waters and beaches. This sailing crew has stopped for lunch and only lightly gathered the jib and mainsail since they will be on their way soon enough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1726441313060-1UGUH3M0QAP3OTJABXR3/20240802_133237.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 16-22 One of my favorite pictures from the Rendezvous this past August! Fifteen Mariners sailed from Niantic to New London, and on the way, many of us anchored at Bushy Point Beach on the Groton side of the river for lunch. It was a warm day with not much wind, and the water was too tempting to resist; a bunch of sailors jumped over the side and enjoyed the cold - yes, remarkably cold - water. The first to go in were Steve Creighton and Joanne McCarthy from New Jersey sailing #1969 THE POD, and they were the last ones out! Steve and Joanne have participated in every Rendezvous but one since 2014, and when they are not cruising in THE POD, they race #629 BLIND SQUIRREL at both National Championships and local regattas at Brant Beach Yacht Club. They purchased THE POD specifically as the mid-style Mariners have a cabin arch instead of a mast support pole, making overnight stays in the cabin that much more comfortable, especially since Steve is well over six feet tall! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1726954216952-PRI37HA9HCFF8ATW8P24/Newport.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 23-29 Something tells me these days are over for this year. This picture was taken back at the end of July and shows Glenn Fitch (#2225 KATE, on the right) and Don Fitzpatrick (#1532). Both skippers are from Rhode Island, and they rafted up together during the Newport Folk Festival. Watercraft of all kinds - surfboards, paddleboards, inflatables, powerboats, sailboats, etc. - anchored or hovered around Fort Adams State Park to listen to the impressive lineup of musicians playing from on shore. Glenn was even able to improvise a small awning from his mainsail to get some relief from the sun. Both he and Don were happy, as Glenn put it, to "represent Mariner nation" for the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1727653560988-UIOL3XU19IK1L9WB1EWM/315.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 30-Oct. 6 A perfect day for Mariner sailing! This is Nansi Thomas's #315, close-hauled and slicing through the relatively flat water. She is an early-style Mariner, built at the first O'Day Sailboats plant in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1965, and Nansi writes: "This is my 'Ancient Mariner'... I've owned her since 1975. She's the original version, needs a boom tent as the cockpit isn't self bailing, has an iron keel and lovely wooden floor boards. She's my joy." Many owners of older-style O'Day Mariners say they are more comfortable than the later 2+2 models since the lower cockpit sole allows for more legroom. Although #315 has a set of reef points in her mainsail, they are not needed on this day! Look at her go! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728162331686-0Y2C5N9AEWG3W9EJ5572/pr.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 7-13 Mariners cross tacks in light winds as they compete during the Regatta Advantix of Ceiba in Puerto Rico, hosted by Marlin Sailing School. Manuel Casellas is ahead in #1023 LA QUE HAY, but Robert Ramos Martin is not far behind in BLACK DIAMOND. The Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet has exploded in popularity - their numbers have surged from five or six to 20 boats, and an online newspaper article was recently published about them. You may notice each boat has a skipper and two crewmembers instead of the usual one; although this photo shows calm conditions at the moment, it is quite windy where they sail in Puerto Rico, usually necessitating a second crewman for ballast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1728858657257-MFU4EV0PGVADKDTO0WHB/gilman.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 14-20 Tom Gilman luffs his sails smartly as he approaches the floating docks at the Red Dragon Canoe Club, Edgewater Park, New Jersey. This picture was just taken yesterday while Tom was competing with his mid-style O'Day Mariner, #1545 PILGRIM SHADOW, during the 2024 Burlington Island Race along with five other boats including a double-seat kayak, two lasers, a Capri 14.2, and a Cape Dory 28 - you can't get more of a diverse lot of boats than that! The Red Dragon Canoe Club (RDCC) is home to a number of Mariners and is located just up the river from Riverton Yacht Club, one of the "big four" Mariner racing fleets. Although a lot smaller than Riverton, the RDCC offers many different sailing and social opportunities for its members, and Mariner membership has increased there over the past few years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1729471809204-D1PY073DVB8HF19568LT/11.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 21-27 Well, he did it - Brandon Fetterman completely restored O’Day Mariner #11, built within the first two weeks of Mariner production at the old O’Day Sailboats Corporation factory on 168 Stevens Street, Fall River, Massachusetts. Brandon, from Flower Mound, Texas, already owns another early-style Mariner, and his adventures are well-documented on his YouTube channel, SV THUNDER ROAD. When he came across this one, he just had to have her, and after toiling for many months - including all new wooden interior, floorboard stringers, original paint scheme, and new keel boats after removing the fixed keel - he finally launched her the beginning of this month. It was a triumphant moment, and she is currently the oldest-known Mariner actively sailing. Brandon is selling her to make room for future projects, and whoever buys her will be buying a true piece of Mariner history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1730068650442-ZB78912E04P1CEO0QOJD/SAWP9955-2.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 28-Nov. 3 Last week’s picture featured O’Day Mariner #11, and here is another old Mariner, built within a few weeks of the previous boat. This is #20 LORELEI, one of the oldest Mariners still around and possibly the oldest centerboard Mariner. She is berthed here at Mystic Seaport during the 2013 Mariner Rendezvous, a huge event celebrating 50 years of Mariner production and the first big non-racing event for the Class Association. She was one of 18 participating boats that year, skippered by Bill Snyder who sailed her with the others through storm conditions from Niantic to Mystic. Although Bill is now selling LORELEI, he had a great time with her, and it was a real pleasure to have her sailing with the rest of the fleet for that special weekend eleven years ago. Picture credit: Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1730689519172-5K9NO1A3JN214QV2DPB1/2024+Rend+1+Cross.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 4-10 Chris Albert in O’Day Mariner #2714 FLOTSAM peers underneath his mainsail and genoa jib as he crosses in front of Fred Wright’s Stuart Mariner #4133 SWEET PEA during the 2024 Mariner National Rendezvous in the beginning of August. When Stuart Marine bought the old Mariner molds back in the early 1980s, the company discovered the molds were too used up to be of much value, so they hired naval architect Jim Taylor to take the lines off a later-style O’Day Mariner like FLOTSAM for the purpose of creating new molds. While there are a few slight changes to the Stuart molds, they are nearly identical to the O’Day boats allowing them to compete together as a one-design class. Chris keeps his boat in Niantic and Fred’s homeport is all the way in North Carolina; he has trailered SWEET PEA up to participate in the Rendezvous for the past two years. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1731283201651-Z02ZI7UZE2LM9Q476WIK/ponce.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 11-17 And the fantastic pictures from Miguel Casellas down in Puerto Rico just keep on coming! This beautiful shot was taken just yesterday at the Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club where twelve Mariners were competing in a local regatta, eight of them skippered and crewed by family members - how neat is that? They enjoyed 12-16 knots of wind, and a new Mariner owner, Jonathan Lipusek with Quantum Sails pro Efraín Lugo and son Alejandro Lugo scored first place. In secon place, however, there was a three-way tie between Sebastián Casellas, Miguel Casellas III and Miguel Casellas IV sailing #1023 LA QUE HAY; Kenneth Sewell, Willie Olivo, and Luis Borges sailing another Mariner; and Dr. Andrés Socarrás sailing with “Chupi” Bermúdez and Geraldine Vissepó in #3122 JULEPITO. The Ponce Yacht and Fishing Club, established in 1948, is the largest marina on the south coast of Puerto Rico, and the Mariner Fleet there is extremely active. With a beautiful setting as shown in the picture, no wonder it is a popular place! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1731967891174-P7GTKJ73VTYU4OXHALGA/IMG_0273.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 18-24 Skipper Mark Bentley (#2779 INVICTUS) begins furling his sail after anchoring while he waits for the Mystic railroad bridge to open during the 2016 Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. At the very beginning of the event, Mariner sailors launched their boats at the Niantic River boat ramp and worked to find a place on the floating docks to tie up while others were still launching. One skipper, reluctant (rightly so) to dock his boat next to a large protruding bolt connecting two sections of the dock, asked if there was anything that could help him. Mark replied, “Wait a minute,” went below into the cabin of his Mariner, and came back out with the largest ball pein hammer I have ever seen in my life! He leaned over the dock, gave the bolt a hearty “thwack”, and it moved back into place far enough to allow the other Mariner to dock. We all laughed at the sight and wondered what use such a hammer could possibly have aboard a Mariner! Mark sold INVICTUS a few years later, but it was great to have him participate in the Rendezvous from 2016-2018. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1732492221578-IM6UXTRZUZUCETO4GIJZ/ducks.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 25-Dec. 1 Ducks swim behind an O’Day Mariner resting on her mooring in this beautiful, tranquil picture. The thick fog erases the line dividing sea and sky; the air is still, and the reflection in the water is barely disturbed by a few ripples as her mooring pennant hangs limply. The sea grass poking above the water’s surface suggests very shallow water, no problem for a Mariner which has only ten inches of draft. The mainsail and hank-on jib are most likely folded and safely stored below inside the cabin, ready to be bent on when the fog burns off and a breeze starts to beckon the boat’s owner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1733097547676-3Z8PCCZ27W6O9VSENU6P/marinerchristmaslights.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 2-8 It is not uncommon for folks to start decorating for the Christmas season immediately following Thanksgiving; all the fall decorations are quickly removed and hurredly replaced with trees, lights, and figurines. While most people think about adorning their homes with lights, there are those who are able to keep their boat in the water most of the year and thus have the opportunity to spend some time decorating their watercraft instead. This is Joe Nabors’s 1989 Stuart Mariner at his dock on a freshwater lake - look at that spectacular boathouse with the motorboat underneath and the jet-ski nearby. Quite a luxury! But it is the Mariner that receives the attention with all the lights, and the reflection off the water is pretty remarkable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1733842145027-7X8EJJN8Q0IOS2U6YDML/marinerdeck.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 9-15 After some technical difficulties with my website, I finally managed to put up this week’s photo. It’s not every day you see a deck separated from its hull, but that’s exactly what Ted Penfield did with his O’Day Mariner. He writes, “After quite a few years of delay, I am continuing with the rebuild/restoration of my 1976 Mariner. Many other projects have taken priority, but now my focus is returning to the Mariner. Over the past 7-8 years, I have refinished the keel, repaired blisters below the water line and separated the two boat 'halves' to do a replacement of the flotation foam and other improvements. I will be transporting the boat to my summer house on Cape Cod to continue the work and hopefully will finish it for this coming season. I put the boat halves back together loosely for the transportation. In the meantime, I'll be building a gantry/hoist to lift the top half of the boat off, as I did previously.” Good luck with your restoration, Ted! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1734317113467-WC4FSFLK05Z45KBTMKLP/Maggie.JPG 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 16-22 Skipper Tim Reiche stands at the helm as he motors out through the Shaw’s Cove Railroad Bridge in New London, Connecticut this past August. He, his wife Erin, and his son Owen are departing Crocker’s Boat Yard at the end of the Mariner National Rendezvous having attended the event in their mid-style O’Day Mariner, #2170 MAGGIE. Tim and his family have figured out how to convert MAGGIE into a true cruiser by adding supports and plywood in the cockpit to transform it into a spacious double-berth, a full cockpit enclosure, and even a portable air-conditioning unit to make even the hottest nights extremely comfortable. The Reiches have attended every single Rendezvous but one since 2011, trailering MAGGIE up from Pennsylvania each time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1734915117097-PURLG2SBP783LG9Y9PSA/eric_Radiant.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 23-29 Skipper Eric Lesniak smiles as he drifts in O’Day Mariner #3485 SHOAL MATE near the Millstone nuclear power plant in Niantic Bay. He has just returned from the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous’s destination of New London this past August and is taking a quick break after furling his sails before lowering his outboard and powering through the Niantic River bridges on his way back to the launch ramp with the rest of the participants. His CDI furler makes quick work of furling the jib, and lazy jacks help contain the mainsail as it is lowered. He has a long painter attached to the bow eye which in turn attaches to his anchor rode; this allows him to anchor safely and comfortably from the cockpit without having to go up forward. Although he sails occasionally with family, he has set up his Mariner primarily for single-handing, and over the years, he has attended seven Rendezvous. I hope he’ll come up to Connecticut again in 2025! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1735518236952-E60V2AIQ90BV0U3JZKLG/IMG_2290_Radiant.jpg 2024 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 30-Jan. 5 It has been a tradition for the past thirteen years to feature ORION as the final “Picture of the Week”, and I humbly submit this photo taken by Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF) during the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous back in August. We were all sailing home from New London, and after trimming the sheets and setting the TillerClutch just so, I ventured forward while ORION sailed herself. The wind was just right to allow me to do that, and she sailed without my input at the tiller for at least a mile before I had take over and come about on the next tack. It was pretty exhilarating. As 2024 comes to a close, I wish everybody a very happy and safe sailing season in 2025. Thanks for checking out my website, and I hope it has been of interest and help and provided inspiration. See you in the new year. https://www.mariner1922.com/orion-for-sale daily 0.75 2024-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/2b1254e6-72fa-4a55-a28a-ffa200a2a09b/Mystic+6.jpg Orion For Sale - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2024-1 daily 0.75 2024-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1714787269210-E4MS997QBQVF4Y9JDQZV/20240503_115743.jpg Sailing 2024 https://www.mariner1922.com/2025-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2025-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1737333240523-LO88LOVV87A41PDGUG9W/IMG_6678_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1736131579964-5KR4I1S33KO3HJS2WG81/Mariners+to+Mystic+2013+032.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 6-12 Here’s a picture taken near the start of the big 2013 Mariner Rendezvous. Skipper Anne Fogarty with crew Greg Koski are motoring #2654 TIA MARIA in the rain through the Niantic bridges out into Niantic Bay. The docile conditions pictured here quickly changed turned into a storm out in the bay with gusts to 30 knots. While most Mariners successfully fought their way to Mystic Seaport, TIA MARIA’s rudder and tiller broke while still in Niantic Bay; at the same time, her outboard stopped working. Drifting dangerously toward shore, Anne and Greg managed to set their anchor and radio for assistance. Dan Meaney, close by in #2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF, turned around and managed to take them in tow back to the launch ramp. (He then sailed over the following day to join the group at the Seaport.) Although TIA MARIA was out of action for the event, Anne and Greg simply drove over to the Seaport to join in the fun with everybody else. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1736722158154-VYOU8UCA3CZ3NA1A62LI/IMG_6678_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 13-19 Steve Creighton and Joanne McCarthy surge ahead in Mariner #1969 THE POD with Bruce Robbins in #3200 NORA ROSE close behind. They are sailing up the Connecticut River during the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous to Essex, and keen observers may notice a couple more Mariners in the far right background; a total of 16 boats participated in the event. Robert Stelpstra is sitting on NORA ROSE’s cabin top - Robert drove all the way from Quebec, Canada to join in the fun, and Bruce kindly offered to have him crew for him on the way from Niantic to Essex. He hopes to one day participate in a Rendezvous with his own boat! THE POD is actually Steve and Joanne’s second Mariner as their primary Mariner, the old-style #629 BLIND SQUIRREL, is used (quite successfully) for racing in their home waters of Brant Beach, Long Beach Island, New Jersey. THE POD, a mid-style boat, offers slightly more comfortable cabin accommodations for cruising, but she is also quite speedy on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1737330505016-DY0IUJBS8I18AIR3BQ2G/IMG_0611_600845845.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 20-26 Stuart Mariner #4195 ALIKAT sails in light winds on Portage Lake, Onekama, Michigan. ALIKAT’s boom is perhaps a bit higher than most; while this may cut down on sail area and therefore boat speed, it certainly does not seem to bother her skipper, Curt Bosket, who is all smiles on this gorgeous day on the water. It also provides an excellent view forward, but Mariner sailors must be cautious about raising the boom up too high lest it inadvertently - and dangerously - catch on the backstay when tacking or jibing. ALIKAT’s bow pulpit certainly helps keep a sailor safe when working on the foredeck, and her roller-furling jib is a breeze (get it?) when sailing solo. Curt is sailing her with a working jib today with the jib sheets led through cabin top blocks and swiveling cam cleats, but she is also set up for a genoa jib as evidenced by the block on a sliding track and snubber winch - used as a handhold by one of the crew in this picture - on the starboard coaming top. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1737934687705-M71UQL6H6EMLHODAB4KX/Bandido.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 27-Feb. 2 There’s no chance of mistaking this boat on the water! This is Blas Buono’s ultra-green BANDIDA, a late-style Mariner part of the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet. She is often raced, and you can see the four sets of telltales on the mainsail leech, a series of telltales on the jib, and draft lines which help the sailors to shape the sails depending on what the wind is doing. In this picture, BANDIDA’s crew is hiking way over the side of the boat, something not allowed in Association-sanctioned races; crew are expected to keep their feet in the cockpit area. But this is a local regatta where some rules may be bent a bit, and the Puerto Rican sailors generally sail with one skipper and two crew to aid in ballasting the boat given the typically strong winds in that region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1738552835300-IPFPP7C8HBUODDNSP2SE/snowymariner.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 3-9 While racing, daysailing and cruising continues all year long in parts of Florida and Puerto Rico, those of us in the northeast are chomping at the bit to get back out on the water. The snow is falling here in Connecticut as I write this, and it reminded me of this picture I have been saving for a while. This late-style Mariner in Virginia is quickly getting covered as she sits in her driveway for the winter months. Her owner didn’t have time to put a cover on her before the snow began, but no matter; she will be back in the water before too long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1739162021384-VK4DLWETG04OKEVQG9LE/_DSC3271+%281%29.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 10-16 Andy Stotz with wife Bonnie sail by the New London waterfront in their late-style Mariner, #3223 SHELDON JONES, during the Mariner National Rendezvous last August. Andy and Bonnie have participated in six consecutive Mariner Rendezvous so far, and they recently confirmed their attendance for this year’s event with the excited Facebook posting that their “room is reserved and ready to go!!!” They trailer SHELDON JONES all the way from Maine, making them the northern-most regular participants. Notice their gold-anodized boom; this is actually a second-hand boom taken from a slightly older Mariner built during the time when all spars were gold anodized to recognize and celebrate George O’Day’s gold medal won for sailing during the 1960 Olympics. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1739748577012-QO0WOWSJ7RRR1F5MOR2W/3122_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 17-23 Jose "Chupi" Bermudez smiles as he finishes putting final touches on O’Day Mariner #3122 JULEPITO. He’s getting ready for next weekend’s Festival de Vela Regatta to be sailed in Salinas, Puerto Rico. According to fellow Puerto Rican Mariner sailor Miguel Casellas, “Festival de Vela will have the participation of Optis, ILCA, 420's, Sunfish, Hobie Cats and Mariners and our Mariner fleet has decided to name it the Caribbean Midwinters. Chupi is a very accomplished sailor with lots of hours under his belt, having crewed for top notch boats around the Caribbean and doing foredeck with famous boats like TITAN, having won the Rolex Cup - St. Thomas, BVI Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week multiple times just to name a few.” Thanks to Miguel for passing along the photograph, and good luck to all Mariner sailors in next week’s regatta! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1740356956004-JD7U0FIVLHB2FV3K1WBX/3574.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 24-Mar. 2 Jim Nicolini and Nicholas Nicolini concentrate as they approach one of the marks during the 2023 Mariner National Championships at Narrasketuck Yacht Club, New York. Members of Brant Beach Yacht Club (New Jersey) and sailing O'Day Mariner #3574, they scored two firsts, one second and one fourth place in the four races sailed Saturday, July 22nd. The shallow waters in Great South Bay are notoriously tricky to navigate, and sailors must keep a constant eye on the centerboard lest it start to drag in the mud. Unfortunately, racing was canceled the following day due to lack of wind, but that kept the Nicolinis in first place allowing them to take home the Championship trophy! Photo credit: Alan Hlavenka, a professional photographer (and Mariner sailor) based at Narrasketuck Yacht Club who has taken many fantastic Mariner pictures over the years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1741039289462-DBW8RO8AJFB663QI3U22/prracing.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 3-9 The mid-style O’Day Mariner AIRE blasts through the water with a huge bone in her teeth during the second Festival de Vela in Salinas, Puerto Rico a couple of weekends ago. Hosted by the Borinquen Islands Sailing Association, twelve O’Day Mariners from the Mariner Class Association’s Puerto Rico Mariner fleet turned out for this event, and AIRE placed seventh with skipper Luisma Rodriguez at the helm. One skipper and two crew are the rule for racing in Puerto Rico with their strong winds; notice also their 2:1 jib sheets for extra power sheeting in the jib. The Puerto Rico fleet takes great pride in their Mariners, and many of them are either painted with bright colors or they sport custom decals applied on the hull. This fantastic action picture and many others were taken by photographer Carlos G. Lee. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1741568872459-Z4U1ZV9AG08U5HJXHKFD/Picture+148_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 10-16 Back in 2015, nine Mariners sailed to Mystic Seaport the same weekend the WoodenBoat Show held their event. All the docks were filled with boats on display, so those of us who sailed from Niantic had to tow dinghies and anchor in the anchorage above the Seaport. Here, Tim and Erin Reiche have anchored and set a full cockpit cover over their Mariner, #2170 MAGGIE, near the historic yawl KLANG II. Built in 1924 in Falmouth, England, KLANG II took part in Operation Ariel as one of the famous “Little Ships” that helped to rescue over 338,000 British and Allied troops from the shores of Dunkirk and other French ports in 1940 near the start of World War Two. She crossed the Atlantic in the mid-1960s, spending most of her time near Essex and later at Mystic. Unfortunately, since this picture was taken, KLANG II has fallen on hard times and was last reported to be on the hard at a Rhode Island boat yard, available for free to anyone with deep enough pockets to be able to restore her. Let’s hope she receives the attention she so desperately needs and deserves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1742174189401-YN79AR7EYSAALTTY0L8P/1720.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 17-23 Scott Cavato, of Deland, Florida, smiles as he stands proudly next to his new-to-him mid-style Mariner, #1720. He writes, “Sure, she needs a couple of things but is ready to sail as is. The PO [previous owner] took my girlfriend and I out on the water for a brief test sail. This was my first time ever sailing (as well as my GF), and I loved every minute of it. The winds did get a bit spicy shortly after getting out on the water- perhaps 25-30 knots with a reefed main and choppy water. During a jibe, the boat laid almost completely horizontal, rail underwater, and the cockpit combing sitting just a hair above. My girlfriend and I immediately jumped the the other side of the boat, myself trying to hike out. Once the mainsheet was free, #1720 righted herself right up. My girlfriend and I thought we were getting ready to capsize (perhaps we were). Risk aside, it was an exciting ride! This definitely was an eye opener as to how a jibe could pose a capsize risk. I'm taking a brief sailing course next week and look forward to getting this old Mariner out on the water!” Congratulations, Scott - you have a fantastic boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1742820756514-GC2OYH2B4E0BTTR0ATJG/sunset.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 24-30 I’m a sucker for sunset shots, especially ones with Mariners in it, and this one sent to me by Dave Satter is just about as good as it gets. He sent this to me back in 2023 from his early-style #735W WILDFLOWER, and it’s the kind of picture that makes you wish you were right there at this very moment. Dave’s restoration of WILDFLOWER is nothing short of remarkable; his knowledge and expertise in woodworking is extensive, and his website - Satter’s Restorations - shows some of his past and current projects. His boat has been featured in this column several times in the past, and I’m looking forward to sharing more of his beautiful pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1743375104838-HTAOODYOOLLHHTME54WH/gard_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 31-Apr. 6 Warren Katz’s early-style O’Day Mariner, #1176, calmly sits at her mooring, sails bent on, ready to go as the wind makes its way across the lake in New Hampshire where he keeps his boat. While Warren admits to being somewhat new to sailing, he couldn’t have picked a better boat in which to learn; the Mariner is incredibly forgiving. She is in fantastic shape with a gloss-black hull, white bootstripe and topsides, and red bottom paint along with varnished coaming tops. While her sails are original and suffer from a few dime-sized holes in her mainsail, that doesn’t stop Warren from having an absolute blast sailing her, and he is no doubt looking forward to a full season of sailing #1176 since he just bought her last September. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1743974292884-X5T17NEIHDYGZNVQNSN7/wildblue_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 7-13 Ty Johnson’s 1987 Stuart Mariner WILD BLUE rests at anchor just off a beach along with other participanting boats during the 2022 Texas 200 event. An “exhausting, endurance test of boat, captain and crew” (taken directly from their website), a gathering of small boats journey through the Laguna Madre and the bays of south Texas for five to six days covering approximately 200 miles. Over the years, several O’Day Mariner owners have participated in the event, including Matt Schiemer in O’Day Mariner #2014 ODISEA who eventually became a member of the Board of Directors and the main contact person. WILD BLUE is well-equipped to deal with the Texas summer heat and sun as she sports a most welcome forward hatch, a bimini and a cockpit awning which can be deployed at anchor. She happens to be for sale, and her buyer will enjoy a Mariner in pristine condition with many extras. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1744581394102-35BGJ4EGCKRP6YHR3LHC/IMG_0565.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 14-20 The sky and sea are nearly the same slate-grey color as Bill and Teresa Eggers power O’Day Mariner #2280 JULIE B in windless conditions on Long Island Sound. Look how her white topsides stand out! They are heading toward Niantic, returning from the 2017 Mariner Rendezvous to Essex. Although there was a great breeze coming from Essex to the mouth of the Connecticut River, rain clouds quickly moved in and it poured while the wind died. It never picked back up, and we resorted to the using the iron wind all the way home; in JULIE B’s case, she is powered by a Lehr propane outboard, unfortunately no longer in production. This year’s Rendezvous sailors will be headed back to Essex this August, and hopefully JULIE B will be a member of the fleet once again. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1745199300846-P707QFYOHS5TK8WP7QHQ/IMG_2331.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 21-27 I can always count on my friend Miguel Casellas to send me fantastic shots of the Puerto Rico Mariner Fleet. Published by Ádrenalina Náutica, this is Miguel and his crew practicing sailing upwind in his early-style O’Day Mariner, #1023 LA QUE HAY. Notice the internal bracing to keep the boat as stiff as possible with control lines run under the cabin roof. Also notice the substantial mast support pole to allow the shrouds to be as taut as possible. The mainsheet is the typical Crosby rig setup and the jib sheets are 2:1 for extra purchase in the stiff Caribbean winds, and Miguel also added a second backstay chainplate allowing a split backstay straddling the tiller to center it. Thanks for the great picture, Miguel - keep them coming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1745803203050-BJPX7W6L6W78O6438GKM/BBYMariner_Radiant2.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Apr. 28-May 4 An employee polishes the hull of a mid-style O’Day Mariner in the showroom of Bayreuther Boat Yard, February, 1972. The snubbing winch on the port coaming and the jib sheet track on the side deck indicate this boat was set up to have a genoa jib, and the small blocks at the very after end of both coamings reveal a Crosby-rigged mainsheet setup (instead of a mid-boom sheeting arrangement). Notice also the protective flap over the transom to prevent an outboard motor from marring the gelcoat. (Perhaps one of the brand new Evinrudes in the lower right-hand corner of the picture?) Bayreuther Boat Yard, my family’s marina from 1946-2000, was a dealer of O’Day sailboats, and this picture was featured in the spring, 1972 edition of “Sail Sell”, a newsletter for O’Day dealers. The featured boat was one of the last mid-style Mariners; that same year, O’Day began manufacturing Mariners with a more streamlined cabin with no forward hatch and wider coamings with no wood trim along with some other alterations, known as the late-style. I personally think the mid-style is the best iteration of the Mariner, although I admit to being heavily biased as ORION is a mid-style boat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1746413634589-I4T9U6FNYWGAKQ90PFOB/DSC_0064-2.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - May 5-11 Brad Wall waves from the helm as he and his wife Caroline motor O’Day Mariner #3582 SWEET SADIE in the Niantic River prior to the start of the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous. Brad writes, “We bought this boat to see how one of us would like sailing, with hopes of buying a much bigger boat in the future. As such, we spent over $10,000 in upgrades and took more than a year retrofitting her with the types of hardware and features you would normally find on a much larger coastal yacht.” The list of upgrades is too large to mention here, but suffice it to say that Brad totally transformed this boat inside and out. She’s now for sale, and her next caretaker will have an absolutely fantastic Mariner to enjoy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1747092781730-EERVP3LT7PIX7C2VEAP7/173_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - May 12-18 Two friends cautiously make their way to the foredeck as O’Day Mariner #173 THE FREE plows through the water on a breezy, late afternoon sail back in 2014. Discovered on the side of the road on Long Island, New York with “FREE” spray-painted on her bows, a young man named Hunter Stump rescued her, brought her home, and restored her over a period of several months. Although you can’t see him, he’s at the helm in this photo, no doubt proud of his boat as four of his friends enjoy the fruits of his labor. THE FREE is an early-style Mariner, built in just the second year of production in 1964 at O’Day’s manufacturing plant on Stevens Street in Fall River, Massachusetts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1747607205398-FEO8ZPBZBHPZ70F6MBK4/IMG_2932_1948348419+%281%29_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - May 19-25 Ryan Williams’s #3491 STELLA MARIS waits patiently at the state-owned launch ramp at the absolutely gorgeous Lac La Belle, Michigan. While her sails are not bent on yet, her outboard motor is ready to provide auxiliary power should the wind remain calm. Lac La Belle - literally, “Lake the Beautiful” in French - is 1,146 acres and connects to Lake Superior through the Mendota Canal. It is part of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan that, as described by author, historian and photographer Mikel B. Classen, “is full of ghost towns, abandoned mines, lighthouses, waterfalls, and remarkable beauty. The discovery of copper there turned it into a thriving region that made millionaires and then paupers of the same men.” It looks like a fantastic place to explore, perfect for an O’Day Mariner. Who wants to go on a roadtrip? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1748211238848-64D20Z3XZYPAGZPJ31U2/2019Nationals.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - May 26-Jun. 1 Skipper Chris O’Brien in #3599 DOUBLE O’MITZVAH keeps laser-focused as he approaches the orange inflatable windward mark at the 2019 Mariner National Championships at Brant Beach Yacht Club, New Jersey. The stiff breeze is kicking up whitecaps on the water, and #3599 has her leeward rail buried despite both skipper and crew on the windward rail and the jib backwinding the luff of the main. In fact, sailors could only compete on Saturday as high winds canceled both of Sunday’s races. Skipper Jack McCarthy in #4059 is looking for room at the mark, while Rob Seidelmann in #4052 SIN BIN has already rounded the mark and is headed for the leeward gate. Out of seventeen competing boats, Chris came in ninth, Jack placed sixteenth, and Rob came in fourth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1748832398553-6LFOFRKUJRQ597MXS758/140803MA_Mystic-111_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - June 2-8 Skipper Steve Hock (#3627 WHITECAP, right) sails by skipper Dan Meaney (#2024 CLEW-SEA-NUF) en route to Mystic Seaport during the Mariner Rendezvous back in 2014. Although the winds were light, thankfully there was just enough to allow all of us to sail the entire way from Niantic to Mystic. Steve sailed with his wife Rita that year, but Dan sailed with his entire five-member family, prompting many of us to comment on the “boat full of Meaneys.” Steve sold his boat after a few years in favor of a Catalina 22, but after a while, he recognized the error of his ways and purchased another Mariner, this time a mid-style boat like ORION. Currently the President of the Mariner Class Association, perhaps this goes to show that once you’re a Mariner sailor, it’s hard to quit them! Photo: Stuart Watson. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1749507719541-61TPO560WQ9YVLV5GG0D/P1010329.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - June 9-15 Bill Snyder finishes attaching his United States flag ensign to the backstay of his O’Day Mariner #20, LORELEI at the Mariner Association’s 50th Anniversary Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut. He trailered LORELEI up from Lewisberry, Pennsylvania and, along with friend Roger Kirwin, sailed with 16 other Mariners nearly four hours in a storm all the way there. Bill’s son-in-law, Kevin just told me this past week his wife, Liz (Bill’s daughter) “remembers him being on that trip. She told me she somehow knew that he was in a storm at the time and stopped what she was doing and prayed for his safety.” The event ended up being a huge success, and although I would invite him back every year, he would always respectfully decline, not because the interest wasn't there, but it was quite an ordeal to trailer his boat so far. He and I kept in touch, and I was saddened to learn he had passed away last month. Even though I didn't know him as well as many other folks, it was a pleasure to have known him as much as I did. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1750035668629-HFLGXACQT5N5E01ZN6FB/bill_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - June 16-29 Bill D’Autrechy finishes some last-minute work before his Mariner, #2537 LAST CHANCE, is launched at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey this past weekend. Surf City launches all their boats from several cranes, and LAST CHANCE - formerly GENERATION GAP - is suspended from the crane’s hook with a four-point bridle while resting on two step ladders for support. The bridle attaches to the side chainplates and the aft cleats, although it is important for those cleats to have some sort of backing plate so they don’t rip out through the deck. Bill has owned #2537 for many years and served on the Mariner Class Association Executive Board as Treasurer from 2010-2016; now in his 90s, Bill doesn’t show any sign of slowing down and is looking forward to this year’s racing season. Picture: Terry Moulton. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751235390122-LAGCZ3T8ECDPMPXMYAQB/scrubs.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - June 30-July 6 A couple of days ago, I sailed with my son Harrison to the WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport - more on that later - and I happened to spy this early-style O’Day Mariner in the mooring field just off Noank. Named SCRUBS, her open cuddy cabin has been enclosed with custom wooden companionway boards to help keep out the elements, perhaps also protecting her mainsail and unattached roller-furling jib. Her coiled main halyard dangles loosely, the end of the boom rests unsecured in the cockpit, and the boom’s mainsheet block is empty, all suggesting she might have been just recently launched for the season and has yet to receive final preparations. Her rudder is kicked down and her tiller is secured with a line athwartship, possibly in an effort to keep her from dancing around on her mooring. Her old Sailmaster 9.9 hp outboard is at the limit of what Mariners are designed to accept for auxilliary propulsion. Nice to know another O’Day Mariner is in the neighborhood! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1751771705484-AV4EK4F4YEOAKRDRU2QV/IMG_2362_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - July 7-13 And the great pictures from Puerto Rico just keep on coming! My friend Miguel Casellas writes, “Festival Mar & Arena was held last June 28-29 on the beautiful waters of Bahía de Jobos - Guayama, Puerto Rico. It is a very well protected bay with plenty of winds where you can watch dolphins and manatees. And just to its west, there is a Boilumunicest Bay. It is the perfect venue for sailing, especially Mariners. A total of ten Mariners competed in the event. Local North Sails Christian Plaza won the event sailing TIO MILLO in a very tight and cut throat competition from Dr. Andrés Socarrás, veteran sailor and former Olympian Robbie Ramos, former Opti sailor Sebastián Casellas and Air Force veteran Luisma Rodriguez. Winds ranged 14-21 knots, 10-15 degrees wind shifts, flat water, 85 degrees temperature, windward leeward courses with gates, .6 miles windward legs, a total of 10 races with one throw out, Quantum Sails Fraito Lugo helping with all the rigging and tuning of all boats, great food and ice cold beers! It couldn’t get any better than that!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1752461517687-SVVXDM33K5QZH5DUESCX/1977_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - July 14-27 Jake Berger’s 1977 Mariner sits on her mooring in shallow tidal marshes in Massachusetts. That’s one of the great things about the Mariner - with a ten-inch draft, they can “float on a heavy dew”, as someone once put it it, and sneak into the skinniest of waters. Her sails are not bent on and her rudder is unshipped while she waits for Jake to take her for her next outing, but what a nice place to wait! In the meantime, Jake has put her up for sale as a change in work circumstances will soon be preventing him from spending much time sailing. He has taken excellent care of his boat, and fresh bottom and topside paint as well as a recently refurbished centerboard ensure whoever becomes her next owner will have little maintenance to attend to before enjoying her on the water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1753671636742-53BFS1PB8K730Y5PSC2H/20220805_112852_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - July 28-Aug. 3 Skipper Dave Oatley smiles at the helm along with his sons Jackson and Bennett as they sail #2186 NANTUCKET during the 2022 Mariner Rendezvous. That year, participants sailed from the Niantic River to Safe Harbor Essex Island, a distance of about 15 miles; this coming weekend, Rendezvous sailors will return to Essex Island to enjoy the marina, historic main street of downtown Essex, and even a sail aboard a replica of the 1613 ship ONRUST built by Adriaen Block which he used to first explore the Connecticut and Hudson Rivers among other locations. Dave, Bennett and Jackson will be returning this year although in a different mid-style Mariner. If you’re in the Essex area between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning, pay us a visit! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754276159500-VYBG3DDT7H7NWKXS6A2C/20250803_073046.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 4-10 The sun begins to rise over a whole bunch of Mariners tied up to the docks at Safe Harbor Essex Island Marina yesterday morning, Sunday, August 3rd. Twelve Mariners and over 30 sailors took part in the 2025 Mariner Rendezvous sailing from Niantic to Essex, Connecticut. A small craft advisory on Friday morning turned out to be an absolutely fantastic sail, and light winds predicted for yesterday morning turned out to be a gorgeous sail home. Many more pictures and a full write-up will be available soon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1754868705708-NX6Y79I6K2WVZSLSDSID/DSC_0317_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 11-17 Skipper Steve Hock balances himself to get a shot of some of the Mariner fleet departing Essex Island Marina the last day of the Mariner National Rendezvous just a week ago here in Connecticut. He has #1866 WINDY’s outboard idling as he uses an arm against his boom to steady himself for the perfect picture. I have featured many pictures taken by Steve on this website, and it’s nice to finally get a good one of him in action! His service as a military photographer in Vietnam helped him to hone his skills, and he knows just what to look for when setting up a shot. Currently the President of the Mariner Class Association, Steve owned a late-style Mariner before selling it and eventually purchasing this mid-style boat with a little more room below (no mast support pole) for cruising. He’s a great friend as well as a great sailor and fantastic photographer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1755473639269-4HQ0ZXKX3BDN8TL5FC4Y/4046.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 18-24 Richard Worsham motors #4046 GREBE with family and friends during the inaugural Raid Erie event a couple of weekends ago. He writes, “This was officially a Dinghy Cruising Association (https://www.dinghycruising.life/) event, but it was open to any small boats… Around 40 boats were entered. Over the course of the weekend we covered 44 nautical miles with excellent wind and weather. The Mariner performed excellently and shocked everyone with her capacity for crew, pets, and gear.” Back in 2022, Richard, his two daughters and a friend trailered GREBE all the way from Indiana to Niantic to participate in that year’s Rendezvous; he hopes to return for next year’s event. GREBE is a rare Spindrift Mariner manufactured in the early 1980s by Rebel Industries after they bought the old Mariner molds from O’Day. She still sports double portlights - a Spindrift Mariner trademark - as well as her original, multi-colored mainsail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756078509016-VPDIDAW0UY0EREU9EROS/983.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Aug. 25-31 What a neat shot from Slim Miller in Vermont of his early-style O’Day Mariner #983 SCRAMBLER! He writes, “Well, just back from a successful maiden voyage/shakedown cruise! Launched from Converse Bay on Lake Champlain, and spent two nights out. She sailed beautifully in 10-15 knots of wind. Tried out the reef point, gas and electric motors, sorted out lines and what not. Dallied and swam at a beautiful anchorage with a cold beverage, and was even briefly visited by Captain UV Ray! No harm done other than a deeper tan!” Slim worked on his boat for three years before even taking her out for a sail, and many modifications are seen in this picture, including stainless rails at the bow instead of a pulpit, a second portlight on each cabin side, a custom tabernacle, a wooden companionway sliding hatch, wooden risers for the genoa track and winch, and a mainsheet bridle instead of the traditional Crosby or mid-boom setup. He goes on to write that he’s “not too happy with my waterline paint job,” it looks fantastic to me! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756144714732-NFBO1Q7TO6VC05HCAJAK/sweet.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 1-7 Not long ago, #3582 was refurbished and belonged to fellow Connecticut sailor Brad Wall as SWEET SADIE; he sold her this past May to Scott Nelson from Maine who has shortened her name to SWEET and has been enjoying her ever since. Scott writes: “We live in Old Town, Maine and trailered SWEET to Roque Bluffs where my wife and I rented an Airbnb. Two friends joined us for a sail on Sunday. Winds were 15-20 knots out of the south with 2-foot seas in the bay behind Roque Island. We beat upwind under double-reefed main and full jib at 4.5 knots with minimal spray and no drama. After a very nice lunch, we attempted going upwind towards Jonesport but seas were 5 feet and winds gusting 25 knots. We turned around and had a relaxed sail back to Rogue Bluffs under full jib and no main. I thought to myself when we turned around in the unprotected waters, “This is why people get a bigger boat, but the shoal draft and ease of sailing makes SWEET a perfect boat for us." We spent a night aboard SWEET near Mount Desert Island and it's a comfy camp cruiser as well.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756155486179-07ZZC28DCZK64G03K19Y/dorsey.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 8-14 Ricky Dorsey’s #3660 GRAY LACE rests on a mooring waiting for the wind to pick up before going for a sail on Lake Waccamaw in southeastern North Carolina. Ricky writes, “This is my third year of sailing and I’m fortunate to have her at my pier during sailing season on beautiful Lake Waccamaw. This is a natural lake that’s three miles by five miles and the deepest depth is ten feet. Such a wonderful place to enjoy this boat.” GRAY LACE sports the typical color scheme of the O’Day Mariners built in the last couple of years of production; only 112 more Mariners would be constructed after #3660 before the O’Day Sailboats Corporation ceased manufacturing the Mariner to concentrate on building larger cruising sailboats. O’Day filed for bankruptcy just ten years later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756208865115-YS2V1Q3Q2NJ5KK08DSMO/bouret.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 15-21 Roberto Bouret tends to his jib while his O’Day Mariner rests at anchor in the summer of 1976. Notice the custom cockpit cover and also the built-up coamings; this was done to help keep water out of the cockpit during a long passage. Friend Miguel Casellas writes, “Being a good sailor and pilot he wanted to make an adventure of sailing solo from Puerto Rico to Antigua… you need to cross the Anegada Passage which is around 110 miles long and 90% of the time a 12-15 knots beat.” Roberto reports that his boat “did great self steering, just a couple of blocks and a little shock chord. On the way back came straight from St. Barts to San Juan non stop. I left St. Barts at 17:00, I woke up in the middle of the Anegada Passage looking at both the peak of Saba and Tortola; I passed by The Narrows and then I woke up in front of El Morro, almost 40 hours.” What a trip! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756210801112-PTYZF1IE4WVVNPY4CISF/4156.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 22-28 Now, here’s what it’s all about - look at those smiles! Skipper Steve Hallowell writes that in the middle of August, his family of five “got out in our new-to-us Mariner on salt water for the first time this past week, spending a few days sailing near Bremerton, Washington. Our kids had a blast. The highlight of the week was having a pair of Orcas swim directly under our boat! We’re getting more efficient at rigging and de-rigging but it was wonderful to be able to leave her in a marina overnight for two nights. We sailed 12 miles the first day to an ice cream stop in Poulsbo and then did 8-mile cruises the next two days. I’m really pleased with the boat. Having enough space for three kids and two adults within 19’ is not small feat. The kids played in the cabin and on the bow, even giving my wife and I a few quiet moments together in the cockpit. And she sailed beautifully in the moderate breeze.” Steve’s boat is a Stuart Mariner, #4156. The opening hatch certainly provides good ventilation at night, and the double lifelines go a long way providing safety and security, especially for kids. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756231843926-KTT98IPO6P5RAO38UWLF/a30c6e0f-c8a4-4a51-9ba1-0fb00679a2ae.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Sept. 29-Oct. 5 Look carefully at this picture… what seems unusual about this early-style O’Day Mariner sailing along in perfect conditions? That’s right - there are two headsails! Brandon Fetterman managed to rig a bowsprit on his 1964 Mariner THUNDER ROAD and set a second jib, and he reports that it went “surprisingly well.” A veteran of the Texas 200 event, Brandon was inspired by other sailors of that event with similar rigs and wanted to try it out on his own boat. In this year’s Texas 200, THUNDER ROAD was struck by lightning and, according to Brandon, it “sounded and felt like a huge cannon! Lost all electronics, everything's fried. Bolt hit the top of the mast disengaging the windex and made its way down the starboard shrouds down by where I stow the battery and set that on fire briefly and took a chunk out of the railing. Really scary white knuckle ride.” Brandon has an active YouTube channel with many videos of his projects to rehab both THUNDER ROAD and Mariner #11, made within the first two weeks of Mariner production at the O’Day factory in Fall River, Massachusetts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756257304569-WW92I7FU9X421PGCVFAL/stewart.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 6-12 This sunset picture of Stewart Mayer’s #1781 TORTUGA couldn’t be prettier. Is this a photograph or a painting? Stewart writes, “After two years of on-and-off restoration, the TORTUGA's first ‘real’ sail was in Toddy Pond, located in Surry, Maine, just north of Blue Hill. I enjoyed getting to know the boat, along with my 13-year-old son as crew. The boat sailed beautifully, much more agile and responsive than I had predicted. After a few weeks practice in the lake, we spent our last week in Maine sailing in Blue Hill Bay, with beautiful Acadia as a backdrop.” It’s hard to imagine anything more picturesque. Stewart was kind enough to write, “Your website was part of my inspiration to spend two years fixing the TORTUGA.” Thanks, Stewart - I’m glad it was helpful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1756645865665-OS5REH3AQ3HJIE3GK8OP/Eric+Hall.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 13-19 Can you imagine a more beautiful place to sail? This is Eric Hall sailing his Mariner, #2989 VAGARY, on Lake Champlain, Vermont with the hills and sky looking like it was painted on the ceiling of a Newport mansion. Eric writes, “I joined the Mariner family and launched VAGARY in June of 2024. Lake Champlain offers numerous options for launching from the Vermont shore so trailer sailing is the way to go! I have been impressed with how the Mariner handles in the 2-3 foot swells and 15 knot winds Champlain often dishes up, and after a spring interior renovation look forward to longer cruises in future. With the Adirondack mountains to the West, ANY location on Champlain will offer a tremendous sunset cruise when the weather is right! My log [back in August] says we have traveled about 165 miles in about 40 hours on the water this summer and we should have a few more good days to come.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1760916915632-TGT77383IPQAQ0MS4IJ1/IMG_0261_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 20-26 Skipper Jack Lorraine sails his boat, Mariner #1469 TWE, under mainsail alone up the Mystic River during the 2016 Mariner Rendezvous to Mystic Seaport. Jack trailered TWE (short for THIN WATER EXPLORER) all the way up from Hampton, Virginia to sail in this event, and he returned to take part in the next two annual Rendezvous to Essex and Stonington. In 2016, his motor failed on the approach to the Seaport, so he sailed up the Mystic River as far as he could before turning into the wind, dropping the main and skillfully grabbing a towline from ORION, all within a hundred yards of the Mystic railroad bridge. TWE was recently restored, but Jack has decided to put her up for sale. He writes, “After Covid, I had two hips replaced, and TWE went unused. My grandkids are grown up and have no time for sailing. Best to pass the boat on to someone who can enjoy it.” It was great to sail with you those three years, Jack - thanks for participating. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1761617670428-P96X69I6IWSU83N1H3Z2/3221.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Oct. 27-Nov. 2 Brad Johnson’s fully-restored and upgraded #3221 MERRY PERRY rests right up near a beach after a great day of sailing. Brad writes, “I received #3221 for free at the end of May, 2025. She was very dirty and hadn’t been in the water for three or more years. She sits on a trailer way too small and is stinky on the inside. Honestly, I was looking for a bigger boat like a 21’ or 23’ but #3221 fell into my lap and it’s a wonderful thing. The community around these boats and their versatility is exactly what I was looking for. After a good assessment she seemed to be solid and seaworthy (other than a 2” hole in her hull for a knot meter that was nonfunctional and leaking). At this point I decided to go all in. I put in way more hours than expected, mostly over thinking the placement of things. I wanted to sail her in June, then July, then by the end of August she was finally ready. I have had a number of day sails as well as three epic overnights with my wife so far. Everything has worked out wonderfully.” Congratulations, Brad! She looks fantastic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1762136909212-816AKIG4VCFNM3MC1O0U/DSC_0239_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 3-9 Chris Albert works on adjusting the reef in #2714 FLOTSAM’s mainsail during the 2025 Mariner Rendezvous from Niantic to Essex, Connecticut this past August. A small craft advisory prompted most sailors to tuck in a reef before heading out into Niantic Bay, and although we were glad we did, the wind strength was nowhere near what was predicted. It was a lively yet enjoyable sail westward to the Connecticut River. Chris keeps his boat fully rigged on a trailer at Mago Point Marina right next to the launch ramp; he simply hooks up his trailer and plops it in the water whenever he wants to go sailing. No bottom paint needed, and he never has to worry about moorings dragging or mooring pennants fraying in bad storms. He is one of only three Mariner owners who has participated in all seventeen Rendezvous beginning in 2009. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1762746758407-5YCU23ND2PE0L7X3AVXO/Tupelo.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 10-16 Matt Rogers’s 1978 O’Day Mariner TUPELO HONEY on a shell-strewn beach last week on the final day of her sailing season. Matt writes, “The sailing season has ended for me here in Michigan. TUPELO HONEY is put away in the pole barn for the winter. But not before we snuck her out one more time to explore the Erie Islands for the first time and only for one night.” The Mariner’s centerboard allows her to sneak into shallow bays and secluded coves where other, deeper-draft vessels cannot possibly go; having the ability to come right up on a beach is a wonderful thing, especially since no tender is needed to go ashore. An added bonus for freshwater Lake Erie sailors: no bottom paint needed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1763338246692-10S109QQBL6BJJK8Y64C/pr.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 17-23 While most of us here in the northeast have our boats put away for the winter and have seen the first flurries of the season, spectacular sailing continues in Puerto Rico. Miguel Casellas writes: “Nine O'Day Mariners saw action this past weekend and a total of four races were sailed off the coast of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Sailing conditions were spectacular. Winds 13-20 knots were sailed Saturday and Sunday races were cancelled due to thunderstorms and very bad weather. Windward and leeward courses duration were 35- 40 minutes each. Veteran pro David Kerr and the Race Committee did a SUPER job. Spanish Rock and Reggae music by Berklee College of Music guitar guru Millo Torres was played Saturday night and the concert was excellent.” The next regatta is scheduled for March, 2026 in Salinas. Miguel finishes his e-mail to me: “Life is too short. Come down to Puerto Rico and enjoy our weather and culture. So make your plans ahead.” Boy, Miguel, it sure is tempting… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1763935066637-IDDRKS29RVAG9O7PQGVJ/MarinerFog.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Nov. 24-30 Brendon Flanagan’s late-style Mariner rests on her mooring in Hancock, Michigan as a low-lying bank of fog hugs the surface of the water. Her jib is hanked on the headstay and her mainsail is bent on, ready to be raised the moment the breeze starts to fill in, sending her on her way. Although it is undoubtably more convenient to keep one’s boat at a slip allowing owners and guests to board and disembark with ease, having one’s boat on a mooring allows the boat to keep head to wind in a blow no matter the direction, eliminating the possibility of having the boat repeatedly bash itself against a dock. On the other hand, there is the possibility of the mooring dragging or even having the mooring pennant part during a storm, so there are drawbacks and advantages to both situations. Financially speaking, it is certainly more cost effective to have a mooring; ORION’s annual mooring fee is less than $100 while nearby slips are around 30 times as much! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1764561352863-G143AMH5YGDRPQSK4LXB/2862_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 1-7 Skipper Ed Wise makes an adjustment as he sails his #2862 CHRISTINA T westward toward the Connecticut River at the start of the 2025 Mariner National Rendezvous this past August. A small craft advisory that morning prompted most of those sailing from Niantic to Essex to tie a reef in their mainsails before getting underway, and Ed has done so here. It was a smart move, especially since he was sailing solo and would have had his hands full upon reaching the Connecticut River when the wind shifted to be nearly on the nose. Ed bought CHRISTINA T brand new in 1974 and has cared for her ever since. He has also participated in eight Rendezvous since 2011, trailering CHRISTINA T up from Pennsylvania each time. While health problems have prevented Ed from attending more Rendezvous over the years, he always makes the annual event a priority, and it’s great to sail with him when he can make the trip with his Mariner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1765251064642-GOWJPERV8SHTEPV79KFN/spohr.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 8-14 As I mentioned in the caption for the Picture of the Week a couple of weeks ago, it is wonderfully convenient to be able to keep one’s Mariner at a dock, and skipper Chris Spohr has his boat ready to go for a cruise. The cooler is stowed onboard as well as the portable gas tank, and once the mainsheet is rigged, they will be on their way. Chris’s additions to his boat include a telescoping boarding ladder on the transom, a beefed-up rudder, stainless handrails on the cabin top, a second portlight on each side of the cabin, a Bomar forward hatch, and a solar panel on the cabin top to charge his onboard battery. He also took the extra step of enclosing the cabin a bit more like the later 2+2 models. A great-looking Mariner! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1765758180260-O90BJP9Z4KJ1HSHR7SLM/DSCN2512.JPG 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 15-21 Skipper Ed Wise pauses to smile for the camera as he scrubs the salt off his boat during the 50th Anniversary Mariner Rendezvous back in 2013. The day before, he was one of 18 Mariners that braved stormy conditions and sailed his boat, #2862 CHRISTINA T from Niantic to Mystic Seaport, Connecticut single-handed. I first met Ed when he trailered his boat from Pennsylvania to Connecticut to take part in the 2011 Rendezvous, and we became good friends and kept in touch by e-mails and occasional phone calls through the years. He would participate in more annual Rendezvous in 2012, 2017-2019, 2022, 2024, and 2025. A lifelong sailor and Navy veteran, he trailered CHRISTINA T (named after his daughter) to various locations to both race and cruise, although he enjoyed the latter much more than the former. Battles with illnesses and cancers kept him from sailing more, and I was deeply saddened to learn he had passed away last Monday at the age of 77. It’s hard to think of the Rendezvous with him not there; it simply won’t be the same without Ed. Everyone enjoyed his presence, and I already miss him. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1766361359158-CNCNIOYD8SCKAYQFISCB/4304100_5_IMG_1200.jpeg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 22-28 The hull of Brad Johnson’s #3221 MERRY PERRY glows as it reflects the light from a nearby beachside campfire. Brad and his wife spent a remarkable three-day adventure exploring Great Sacandaga Lake in upstate New York back in September, and he writes: “At the north or outlet of Great Sacandaga Lake it’s relatively narrow and you find yourself in a ‘holler’ where the mountains are steep, tall, and provide natural wind shelter. We spotted a sandy beach that’s part of a public lake access. We stopped by and decided this was where camp was going to be. The beach is unique here as it’s all sandy and very steep. We could swing MERRY PERRY sideways, parallel to the shore. With two anchors deployed one off the bow and one off the transom you can step from beach to cockpit without getting your feet wet! Amazing! We had a fire on the beach, cooked some steak and rice, and slept on MERRY PERRY for the night.” Altogether, they sailed over 90 miles, and Brad concludes, “Those three days and two nights will forever be in our memories. Our first multiple day outing on a sailboat out of hopefully many, many more.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1766971845675-C5XH3CWX6QU2S8YLY4MX/_DSC6885_Radiant.jpg 2025 Pictures of the Week - Dec. 29-Jan. 4 It has been a tradition since 2011 to end the year with a picture of ORION, and this is a great shot by Steve Hock during this year’s Rendezvous to Essex. We had a hat full of wind sailing out of Niantic Bay and up the Connecticut River, and after motoring through the Old Lyme drawbridge and underneath the Baldwin highway bridge, we enjoyed a great sail the rest of the way to Essex Island Marina. My friend and fellow Mariner owner Bill Eggers (#2280 JULIE B) was with me, and Steve snapped this photo of ORION at hull speed, the lee rail a stranger as we roared to Essex. It was a great event. I hope everyone has enjoyed this website for the past 18 years. You can expect more pictures, projects, and updates in 2026; in the meantime, Happy New Year to all, and I hope to meet some of you on the water next season. https://www.mariner1922.com/sailing-2025-1 daily 0.75 2025-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/4b0857e7-1d72-4826-b8e8-10c7c056c040/20250627_153359_Radiant.jpg Sailing 2025 https://www.mariner1922.com/2026-pictures-of-the-week-1 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/66dd49a4-4c52-4538-aa4d-8ba636ac4e22/735.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1767619379805-847WRA9BJXD0XRVTEM92/735.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 5-11 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1768191079857-ABRKZY7VNRQ9XCVDU86Q/nelson_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 12-18 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? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1768792959255-NTEPSSMW009O8HVI2S01/1048_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 19-25 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1769387416163-N84UUJQ4UGDKIGOQRYWM/GPTempDownload.JPG 2026 Pictures of the Week - Jan. 26-Feb. 1 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1769986707135-682LQGU78GT1SQPXIWJX/DSC_0231_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 2-8 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. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1770586645455-4HRBOTE6LX7GIZWC7J6Y/edwards.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 9-15 Chris Edwards’s early-style Mariner, #683 HOPE, rests at a marina in the Keys during a cruise in autumn, 2024. Chris owned HOPE for a whopping 35 years, and he writes, “I have cared for it, resurrected it from two capsizings, and sailed it extensively in the northeast and Florida. It has been in Florida for 25 years.” Take a look at some of his custom additions: opening portlights, wood risers for the snubbing winches on the coamings, cockpit cushions with matching backrests, and custom bow railings. Running lights on either side of the cabin top also indicate an onboard battery. Notice the graphic on the hull? That’s the logo of SMILE Design Center, a dental practice Chris (Dr. Edwards, DDS) established in 2003 in Florida. Prior to becoming a dentist, he graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and continues to make sailing a priority in his life. Although he is now selling HOPE, Chris has already purchased a Corsair Sprint Trimaran, although he writes he “still loves Mariners.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1771196962618-5AHA7I8URVUWU0VL3ORA/fanshawe_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Feb. 16-Mar. 1 Two sailors take a mid-style O’Day Mariner 2+2 for a spin on Fanshawe Lake, a man-made reservoir on the historic Thames River within Fanshawe Conservation Area in London, Ontario, Canada. This boat, WANDERER, is one of the boats kept at Fanshawe Yacht Club, and she has been beautifully restored - look at that gorgeous paint job, especially the gold stripe just below the rubrail. She has a custom kick-up rudder, and the furling jib and handrails on the cabin top certainly help make single-handing easier and safer. No outboard motor is needed on the motor mount today; she is slipping along through the water just fine in relatively light air. According to the Yacht Club’s website, they provide “a wonderfully casual atmosphere for families and all those who want to get out and have fun on or near the water.” It certainly seems like these sailors are enjoying themselves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1772410121833-OGNT8SJPHOT37D6G8M08/GIFFx_sm_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 2-8 Gifford Eldredge and Danuta Misthal sail #4079 RIPPLE in Fisher’s Island Sound on the way to Mystic Seaport at the start of the 2023 Mariner National Rendezvous. Although Giff lives outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he actively races RIPPLE across the Delaware River in New Jersey at the Riverton Yacht Club. RIPPLE is a Stuart Mariner, and she’s scooting along just fine in rather light winds on a beam reach. If you look closely, you may notice a mainsheet bridle system where the mainsheet runs through a block attached to the center of a line, or bridle, that runs athwartship near the transom. This arrangement - recently approved for Mariner Class racing - allows the boom to be brought nearer to the centerline to sail more effectively closer to the wind. That, as well as the adjustable backstay and vang, all contribute to fine-tuning the mainsail to achieve optimum performance on all points of sail in all sailing conditions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1773061326341-5DLEJCJS30AP9RTGBC2R/DSC_0125-2_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 9-15 James Hollister sails #1574 LIVELY on the last day of the 2021 Mariner Rendezvous on Long Island Sound. That year, as we sailed home to Niantic, Connecticut from our destination of Mystic Seaport, the wind came from the north, an unusual occurance but one which allowed us to enjoy a great beam reach almost the entire way back. In fact, LIVELY turned out to be such a fast boat that James arrived back in Niantic Bay ahead of most everyone else. So he turned around and sailed eastward again, passing by the fleet before the wind died and he motored home. The stand-up block on a track just below James’s hand is for sheeting in a genoa jib, but he didn’t need it on this trip - the working jib he hoisted in his CDI furler did just fine! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1773626101276-DQ630GIGPPO6U9R2G4RP/LastChance.JPEG 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 16-22 Skipper Bill D’Autrechy keeps his eyes looking ahead as his crew - son John D’Autrechy - carefully watches the boat from where this picture was taken as they go roaring by. They are sailing during last year’s Mariner National Championships at Surf City Yacht Club where Bill is a member; 22 boats crossed the starting line, and exactly half of them were from the host Club. For many years, Bill raced Mariner #2537 GENERATION GAP with his son, but he sold that boat and later purchased this Mariner, #3446 which, in a light-hearted nod toward his advanced age of 91, he named LAST CHANCE. Take a close look at the rubrail - notice anything unusual? In the mid-2000s, after receiving significant damage to part of the hull-to-deck joint lip or flange, her restorer took the drastic step of cutting off the lip entirely with a saw and fiberglassing the two halves together, adding a stainless half-round rubrail on both sides. This eliminated any leaking in the joint and reportedly stiffened the boat noticeably. Bill is certainly enjoying the results, and let’s hope he will have many more chances to compete against fellow Mariner sailors as he has done for decades. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1774227044710-N55Q0HO6CPMDP6H8W1AM/beach_Radiant.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar 23-29 Two Mariners are anchored off Bushy Point Beach in Groton, Connecticut during the 2024 Mariner Rendezvous from Niantic to New London. Despite a promising start to the event with decent wind coming out of Niantic Bay, it quickly died off Waterford, and we reluctantly fired up our outboards to make some progress against the flood tide and chop approaching the Thames River. One by one, Mariners approached Bushy Point Beach and anchored their boats for lunch. The cool water proved irresistable for many, and soon they hopped over the side. In this picture, Bruce Robbins’s grandsons aboard #3200 NORA ROSE are preparing to jump while Steve Creighton’s and Joanne McCarthy’s #1969 THE POD rides at anchor just behind them; Steve and Joanne are already in the water out of sight of the camera. Photo: Steve Hock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1774875184029-9H9IYPXIR5F90G3Y3YJV/Beached.jpg 2026 Pictures of the Week - Mar. 30-Apr. 5 #1464 DAWN TREADER is beached on an island during an 80-mile, 26-hour trip with her skipper, Stefan Avey and a friend from Titusville to Fort Pierce, Florida last weekend. Stefan writes, “The trip was mostly just for fun/adventure but also to get an idea for what a longer trip like the Everglades Challenge would look like. We aimed to make the trip as quickly as possible and without using the motor (which we brought just in case). I recently installed oar locks and purchased 10' oars so this would be the real test to see if the system worked.” The trip actually began in the evening and they sailed all night, “taking turns sleeping in the V-berth for a few hours at a time. This was the first time I've slept on my boat when not docked or at anchor. It was pretty cool to wake up to the sunrise while listening to the sounds of the water rushing along the hull (the boat is named DAWN TREADER after all).” The trip was a successful and memorable one, and Stefan hopes to use this experience to plan for longer, multi-day excursions. https://www.mariner1922.com/photobook daily 0.75 2021-03-06 https://www.mariner1922.com/photobook/lsftbrlzay9p741mx9yt1vcbbdkmxy monthly 0.5 2021-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1615007621231-I2TG5JUXJ8W305VAKCZC/Cover.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616604848521-DSZDYY4V5R9BLT7LLZME/samplepage4.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616082423174-1KDXDUMOU9IW7MN0AKHC/20210311_111831.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616082426943-ALAA5F3OAE95KO2DAUZV/20210311_111915.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616082427809-76GRJG72I9MP1YYSHEBM/20210311_111930.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616604848175-J8RXYWBF5A5L4A51X1K1/samplepage5.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616604857354-EW4CQV5RJKGUM7S2VO5B/samplepage6.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616082423143-MU5QJB08TW4DP7UNKEJZ/20210311_111850.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57adf1552994ca3f83004a76/1616604857302-YDYH97CKOZWMB9MG1J3Q/samplepage7.jpg A Class of Their Own - "A Class of Their Own"