Welcome to the Sweet Sixteen! That’s how many mini-cruiser sailboats are left in our curious little contest. Expect round 2 matchups to be closer and to generate more angst for voters. Here goes….
The sweet-sailing Mariner has been around since 1962, with more than 4,000 built. In fact Stuart Marine is still building them today.
On her seaworthiness: The Mariner shows good initial stability. The boat does heel a bit, but was also less affected by gusts and stronger wind than we’d expected. During a spell hard on the wind, with three aboard, one of us slid down to the leeward coaming and the Mariner hardly noticed. Her flat bottom, deep weighted centerboard and internal ballast appear to provide plenty of stability. Owners confirmed as much—almost unanimous in their praise of the Mariner’s performance when the going gets rough.
On compromises: Clearly the Mariner sacrifices some cabin volume in favor of her spacious cockpit, but it’s a functional compromise. Space is somewhat limited below, but how many 1300-pound trailerables with large, racing-friendly cockpits have bunks for a family of four?
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