O'Day Mariner #1922, "Orion"

 

Pictures of the Week

Listed here are past "Picture of the Week" entries - they're just too good to delete entirely.

If you'd like to submit your own boat for the "Picture of the Week" column, please e-mail me with your boat's hull/class number and a brief description of the picture.

Hover your cursor over the thumbnail for the description, and click on the picture for the full resolution.

 

2008
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 wind 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." Nice to see those PFDs.
 Nov. 10-16		 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.
Nov. 17-23		 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. Be sure to check out more pictures of Mon Amie at Greg's Shutterfly webpage, also accessible on the "Other Mariners" menu.
Nov. 24-30		 12.01.08 - 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."
Dec. 1-7		 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. Be sure to check out his photo album on the Mariner Yahoo! Group for some before and after pictures.
Dec. 8-14		 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. Here they are crossing the bow of 33' Pearson MkII Northstar.
Dec. 15-21		 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.
Dec. 22-28

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.
Dec. 29-Jan. 4
 

2009
These great sailing days are coming again! Here is Roger Livingston sailing Ghost in a regatta on Webster Lake, Mass. He writes, "This year's race (August 30th) was sailed in almost perfect conditions... moderate wind and great weather.... 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.
Jan. 5-11		 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." Jim has a new set of North sails waiting for the spring - lucky dog!
Jan. 12-18		 Gary Flomenhoft (#3468 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.
Jan. 19-25		  I love this picture of Jim Watson's Naut-a-Toy, #1647 - she's all set, ready to go. 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 writes, "I 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.
Jan. 26-Feb. 1		 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, a more accurate picture for this time of year can be found by hovering your cursor over this picture. Notice the dog in the next picture sitting on the dock.
Feb. 2-8 (1)		 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, a more accurate picture for this time of year can be found by hovering your cursor over this picture. Notice the dog in the next picture sitting on the dock.
Feb. 2-8 (2)		 Although typical for this time of year in New England, this sure is a depressing picture! Here is Roger Livingston's Ghost (see "Pic of the Week" for January 5-11), the first winter he owned her. Roger writes, "Every morning I would look out my kitchen window wondering if spring would ever come. Even now, like everyone else, I look forward to the warm days sailing Ghost across Webster Lake. Sailed Saturday (iceboat), but it is not the same." Roger had titled this picture Long Winter.
Feb. 9-15		 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!
Feb. 16-22
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. Bill wrote that his boat "had been unsailed for at least three years when I bought it in 2005." Sure looks sharp!
Feb. 23-Mar. 1		 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!"
Mar. 2-8		 Time for an action shot! This was taken during the 2008 Nationals held at Surf City Yacht Club, New Jersey. These boats are beating hard in a stiff breeze, headed for the windward mark. 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.
Mar. 9-15		 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!
Mar. 16-22		 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 from his five-day cruise on his Mariner in 2006, plus a small movie and other sailing pictures.
Mar. 23-29		 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.
Mar. 30-Apr. 5		 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 Pic of the Week under the "Pictures" menu bar) is about to enter the water to begin a new season of sailing in Toronto, Canda. Be sure to check out his videos also listed above, especially video #2 when he encounters elephants (!) on Sturgeon Lake.
Apr. 6-12 		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, says that Mears "upgraded to a Columbia 24 about a year after learning to sail the Mariner [as] his wife wanted a bigger boat." Hicks continues to write: "I have owned several boats but the centerboard Mariner is the best one ever."
Apr. 13-19
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." Good company, I would say!
Apr. 20-26		 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." No matter, Rich - she is a fine looking boat.
Apr. 27-May 3		 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."
May 4-10		 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.
May 11-17		 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.
May 18-24		 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.
 May 25-31		 Rich Weston, owner of #2290 Sweet Caroline and member of the Riverton Yacht Club, snapped this picture of race-awaiting 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.
June 1-7		 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. Quite a colorful jib!
June 8-14
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.
June 15-21		 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. In the meantime, check out the restoration progress here.
June 22-28		 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!
June 29-July 5		 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.
July 6-12		 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.
July 13-19		 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"). Follow his remarkable story here!
July 20-26		 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."
July 27-Aug. 2		 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.
Aug. 3-9
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." I would say the motor (a "Mariner") is highly appropriate!
Aug. 10-16		 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."
Aug. 17-23		 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!
Aug. 24-30		 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." I think all of us Mariner sailors would agree!
Aug. 31-Sept. 6		 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.
Sept. 7-13		 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." Note the lifelines for added safety when working up forward.
Sept. 14-20		 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, although everyone still had a wonderful time. 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!
Sept. 21-27		 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!"
Sept. 28-Oct. 4
John Pacetti, a recent member of the Mariner Class Association, 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.
Oct. 5-11		 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." Mariners are great in all kinds of weather conditions.
Oct. 12-18		 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. Be sure to check out his pictures here - special prints are available to purchase.
Oct. 19-25		 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 who lives in Massachusetts and is looking for a Mariner of his own, joined him as crew. It was a great way to wrap up the sailing season.
Oct. 26-Nov. 1		 Bill Hicks, of Atlanta, Georgia, owned Mariner #30 (see the April 13-19 "Picture of the Week") before eventually upgrading to a 2+2 with a closed cabin 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." I think we all agree with that statement!
Nov. 2-8		 The first Mariner Bob Tarantino (now Class Association President) owned was #2537 (now owned by Bill D'Autrechy, Class 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 affectionately named her Generation Gap.
Nov. 9-15		 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." A true cruiser!
Nov. 16-22		 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".
Nov. 23-29
Andrew Myette, of North Attleboro, Mass., has been working hard to restore his early-style Mariner. He writes, "When I bought hull number 1097, for $450, she was flooded with water and sitting in the back of a man's backyard. Now, my '67 Mariner is in the middle of a complete refurb, in the hope of returning her to her original beauty. With a little luck the newly renamed Last Mango will be sailing by May." Looks like a winner!
Nov. 30-Dec. 6		 What a neat picture! 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?"
Dec. 7-13		 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!
Dec. 14-20		 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.
Dec. 21-27		 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.
Dec. 28-Jan. 3
 

2010
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.
Jan. 4-10		 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, and Mike is looking forward to getting her back in the water once Sebec Lake thaws out.
Jan. 11-17		 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." Mariners truly are excellent performers in all kinds of weather.
Jan. 18-24		 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 with her freshly-painted name.
Jan. 25-31		 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).
Feb. 1-7		 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. Like Orion, 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.
Feb. 8-14		 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!
Feb. 15-21		 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.
Feb. 22-28
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 located 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 again in July. According to Nick, however, "the best sailing days are in the fall."
Mar. 1-7		 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."
Mar. 8-14		 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!
Mar. 15-21		 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 possible caption for this picture, Peggy offered several suggestions, including "Hot Babe Wanders Near Broken Down Boat", "Comely Woman Emerges From the Sea", and "She's Holdin' Up Good (the boat, I mean)"!
Mar. 22-28		 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.
Mar. 29-Apr. 4		 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.
Apr. 5-11		 Taken in October of 2008, this shot is from the 2008 Fall Windup at the Riverton Yacht Club in New Jersey. Riverton's Fall Windup is always a big event with Mariners racing in their own class. 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.
Apr. 12-18		 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!" Zach is a recent member of the Mariner Class Association, one of two members from Mississippi.
Apr. 19-25
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."
Apr. 26-May 2		 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.
May 3-9		 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.
May 10-16		 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. Chris has been a member of the Mariner Class Association since 2002, and 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.
May 17-23		 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.
May 24-30		 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!
May 31-June 6		 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.
June 7-13		 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."
June 14-20
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.
June 21-27		 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 get a copy and add it to this website.
June 28-July 4		 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! Be sure to look around their site for more of their projects.
July 5-11		 This picture was taken by yours truly back in October of 2007. It was nearing sunset, and I took this shot as we were approaching Niantic Bay. The quotation is by Elwyn Brooks White, famed author of books such as Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little and father of noted naval architect and Brooklin (Maine) Boat Yard owner Joel White. This and many other wonderful quotations relating to the sea can be found in the compilation Essays of E.B. White.
July 12-18		 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?". Like Orion, she is a mid-style Mariner, an early 2+2.
July 19-25		 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 almost non-existent until we were well on our way home, but everyone still had a great time.
July 26-Aug. 1		 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."
Aug. 2-8		 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!"
Aug. 9-15
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.
Aug. 16-22		 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.
Aug. 23-29