4 posts in 3 years? And one of those posts was about an outboard motor and not the actual boat.
I bought my Mariner 32 about 6 months ago, and I've spent that time trying to become acquainted with her. She is a solid sturdy vessel, if not a bit odd and quirky. If anyone who owns a Mariner should frequent this forum--if you know of any resources where I could find original blueprints, plumbing or electrical diagrams, or anything else for these boats, I'd appreciate it.
For anyone else thinking of buying a Mariner, these are a few of my impressions:
She is full keel, and she is as smooth as butter in foul weather. When other boats are heeling 90 degrees, she is gently rocking back and forth like a cradle.
These boats are obviously rare, and it appears that much love and care went into the design of every square foot. There was no dearth of mahogany and teak, and quality stock parts which, even 40 years later, still hold up. These boats are certainly no Hans Christian, but they are also a far cry from the mass produced assembly line vessels that got churned out like so many plastic bathtub toys.
I won't win any races. She is heavy, but faster than you'd expect, and although that Catalina will get there a day earlier, I'll get there a day happier. And really, isn't the point of life the journey rather than the destination?
Like any boat of this age, fittings and hoses and other odds and ends wear out, and so it is a constant effort keeping her updated (stuff wear outs or breaks every other week), but the skeleton is adamantium and the core is solid. Even if all the "small stuff" breaks, the boat will still get you where you need to go and stay afloat while doing it.
My only real complaint is the LOA at 32'. They did a really good job of fitting a 36' boat into a 32' space, but I'm 6'2" and still bump my head when going into the Vberth, and you have to be a midget to fit comfortably into the head. Even smaller female guests have found that space too cramped. If it was a choice between this or a 36' Hunter, I'd still go with the Mariner, but only because I'm a solo sailor. I've heard there are larger Mariners, and it would be interesting to see the inside of one of those if any are still out and about anywhere.
I bought my Mariner 32 about 6 months ago, and I've spent that time trying to become acquainted with her. She is a solid sturdy vessel, if not a bit odd and quirky. If anyone who owns a Mariner should frequent this forum--if you know of any resources where I could find original blueprints, plumbing or electrical diagrams, or anything else for these boats, I'd appreciate it.
For anyone else thinking of buying a Mariner, these are a few of my impressions:
She is full keel, and she is as smooth as butter in foul weather. When other boats are heeling 90 degrees, she is gently rocking back and forth like a cradle.
These boats are obviously rare, and it appears that much love and care went into the design of every square foot. There was no dearth of mahogany and teak, and quality stock parts which, even 40 years later, still hold up. These boats are certainly no Hans Christian, but they are also a far cry from the mass produced assembly line vessels that got churned out like so many plastic bathtub toys.
I won't win any races. She is heavy, but faster than you'd expect, and although that Catalina will get there a day earlier, I'll get there a day happier. And really, isn't the point of life the journey rather than the destination?
Like any boat of this age, fittings and hoses and other odds and ends wear out, and so it is a constant effort keeping her updated (stuff wear outs or breaks every other week), but the skeleton is adamantium and the core is solid. Even if all the "small stuff" breaks, the boat will still get you where you need to go and stay afloat while doing it.
My only real complaint is the LOA at 32'. They did a really good job of fitting a 36' boat into a 32' space, but I'm 6'2" and still bump my head when going into the Vberth, and you have to be a midget to fit comfortably into the head. Even smaller female guests have found that space too cramped. If it was a choice between this or a 36' Hunter, I'd still go with the Mariner, but only because I'm a solo sailor. I've heard there are larger Mariners, and it would be interesting to see the inside of one of those if any are still out and about anywhere.
