August 1-3; Niantic to Essex, Conn.
By Nate Bayreuther
Bill Eggers and I grinned at each other as we watched the GPS speedometer climb past 5.5 knots to 6.2, 6.8, 7.3, and then 7.7 before settling back down to just over 6 knots over ground. The wind whistled in the rigging as we surged along under a reefed main and working jib past Giant’s Neck and the southern Old Lyme shores. The taut centerboard cable hummed, momentarily rising in pitch each time we surfed down a wave or caught a gust of wind. “This is fantastic,” I thought. As soon as those words crossed my mind, the handheld VHF radio crackled to life and a fellow sailor exclaimed for all of us within range to hear: “Wow! This is fantastic!”
An hour previously, twelve 19-foot O’Day Mariners with 22 sailors – including Bill, a Mariner owner crewing for me aboard my own 1970 Mariner, Orion – from all over the eastern seaboard had departed with a certain amount of uneasiness from the Niantic River launch ramp. It was the beginning of the 2025 Mariner National Rendezvous with Safe Harbor Essex Island Marina as our destination, but the event had gotten off to an inauspicious start.
Steve Hock’s #1866 Windy is launched at the Niantic River Launch Ramp. © Nate Bayreuther
Mariners headed to Essex © Nate Bayreuther
In the days leading up to it, the marine forecast predicted strong winds with seas two to four feet and pouring rain, and a small craft advisory was issued for Friday, August 1, the day of our departure. One skipper, having arrived Thursday afternoon from New Jersey to rig his boat, had to quickly de-rig it in the middle of the night and return home to attend to a family emergency. Two balky outboards caused trouble, for one boat trying to leave the launch ramp and another between the Niantic highway and railroad bridges; fortunately, nearby Mariner skippers came to their rescue, passing towlines to haul them out into Niantic Bay where we all braced ourselves for challenging conditions.
We were astonished as we motored into the bay to find nothing more than a healthy breeze with seas one foot or less. A quick scan over the bay revealed only an occasional whitecap. Almost all of us had taken the precaution of tying a reef in our mainsails before we left the launch ramp, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one considering shaking it out. Yet, with the wind coming from the northeast we were clearly in the lee of the land, and I decided to keep the reef in just in case conditions changed out in Long Island Sound. One by one, motors throttled down, sails went up, and outboards were shut off and kicked out of the water as we turned and ran wing-and-wing to Black Point.
Averaging five knots downwind, we started to pick up even more speed as we rounded the point and roared by Hatchett Reef heading toward the Connecticut River on a broad reach with the current in our favor and smiles on our faces. I was happy I’d left the reef in the mainsail as we cut inside the Saybrook breakwater and started tacking our way up the channel. Here, however, the current had not yet changed and we saw our speed over ground drop to just under four knots. No matter – Bill and I had moved from the back of the fleet to the very front, and as we had planned to make it through the Old Lyme drawbridge all clustered together, we were in no hurry.
The author sailing up the Connecticut River © Steve Hock
Once everyone had caught up just south of the bridge, we fired up our motors to help push us through. While some elected to furl their sails and motor the final two miles to Safe Harbor Essex Island, those who kept them up were rewarded with a gratifying sail all the way to the docks in flat water and a steady breeze. The dockhands were most helpful as we made our way to our floating slip and tied up; it was an amusing sight to see our little 19-footers surrounded by towering power cruisers visiting from ports including Newport, Montauk, and New York. More than one well-dressed powerboater sipping cocktails in their cockpit or air-conditioned cabin cast a wary eye in our direction, watching us carefully and sizing us up to see what sort of riff-raff had come to town. Their apprehension deepened as homemade cockpit awnings and covers of all shapes, sizes and colors – most fashioned from inexpensive poly tarps – were erected over booms and we made ourselves at home.
The rest of the afternoon and evening were spent familiarizing ourselves with the marina and its offerings, the tiny ferry to the mainland, and nearby stores and restaurants. As dusk approached, I had an urge to motor around the mooring field, so I and Steve Hock, another Mariner owner whom I invited aboard, cast off our docklines and cautiously threaded the needle, backing up between other Mariners on one side and large yachts looming on the other with about two feet to spare on either side. Once out in the mooring field, we were treated to a beautiful sunset amidst such boats as Herreshoff’s 33-foot centerboard yawl Aïda built in 1926, S. S. Crocker’s 37-foot ketch Chautauqua from 1928, and the 39-foot Tiny Teal, designed in 1939 by Philip Rhodes, the designer of our own humble Mariner. Looping around Nott Island, we returned to our own berth after a very pleasant half-hour. A few Mariner sailors had rented hotel rooms nearby, but the vast majority slept in their own cabins, appreciating the cool temperatures which allowed a peaceful night’s rest.
Nosing up into Hamburg Cove © Scott Haywood
The next morning, a bunch of Mariner sailors – including folks like Bill who couldn’t participate with their boats this year but had instead driven to the event to enjoy the activities – crowded into five boats to motor north and explore the gorgeous scenery of Hamburg Cove. Five minutes from the dock, however, we were startled by the sound of a police siren directly behind us. Quickly turning around, I saw a police boat tailing us with its lights flashing. I couldn’t imagine what the problem might be; could they be doing a random check of life jackets? We certainly weren’t in any danger of exceeding the speed limit in the channel with our little outboards! We all throttled down, and I watched as he sidled up alongside one of our boats and began speaking with the skipper. After about three minutes and a lot of gesturing, the police boat shut off its lights and roared away upriver. The rest of us, bursting with curiosity, motored to our friend and asked what in the world that was about. The police had noticed his expired registration sticker, and after assuring them his current sticker was at home he received a verbal warning. Quite an exciting way to start the day!
Docked at Safe Harbor Essex Island Marina © Nate Bayreuther
Hanging a right between the two Hamburg Cove entrance buoys, we slowly powered up the channel, taking in the views of the stunning landscape with historic houses and well-maintained lawns and docks. Passing through the crowded mooring field in the Outer Cove, we continued upstream until we came to the Hamburg Cove Yacht Club and the adjacent Cove Landing Marine. A mix of striking wooden and fiberglass sailboats and powerboats were tied up at docks ready for use or on jackstands near the water’s edge receiving maintenance. This sheltered and secluded area was a joy to experience, and it was well worth the trip.
Turning around after running out of room, we motored back down to the Connecticut River where we set our sails and took advantage of an absolutely beautiful day with five- to ten-knot winds and bright sunshine. I had taken aboard as crew a new Mariner sailor, Scott, who had driven to the event that morning, and we sailed back down the river now teeming with heavy boat traffic roaring past us in both directions. We tacked back and forth in the area between Essex and Nott Island, dodging moored boats and those underway in the channel. We marveled at the powerful ebbing current laying over channel markers and moorings, threatening to send us into them. Eventually, we fired up the outboard, dropped our sails, and motored back to our slip, thoroughly pleased with our sail.
Sailing on the Connecticut River Museum’s Onrust replica © Nate Bayreuther
That afternoon, nearly thirty sailors, friends, and family walked down Main Street to the Connecticut River Museum for a two-hour sail aboard Onrust, a replica of the ship Adriaen Block used in 1614 to explore the Connecticut. It was nice for us all to take part in a group activity, and to relax and let someone else do the sailing! After motoring upriver, we turned around near the entrance to Selden Creek, set the mainsail, and let the wind lazily push us back down the river again at the whopping speed of about three or four knots. Our charter captain entertained us with historical facts about the ship and area, and he even sang a number of sea chanteys as his two crewmen helped with the sheets and massive tiller. As we approached the Essex mooring field, the inboard diesel was started and the mainsail brailed, and the captain expertly maneuvered us back to the museum dock.
The rest of the afternoon and evening were spent at our traditional “Open Boat” time – an hour set aside for boaters to gather on the docks, check out each other’s Mariners, and swap stories and snacks – and finding dinner at the various restaurants on the island and mainland. Essex is always a busy place in summer, but everyone managed to find food without having to wait very long. We enjoyed another cool evening and woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and perhaps a bit disappointed the Rendezvous was nearing an end.
Dave Oatley with sons Jackson and Parker sailing home in #2119 Argo © Nate Bayreuther
Leaving the docks at 10:00am, we’d prepared ourselves to motor all the way home since the forecast predicted light and variable winds. Once again, Mother Nature pulled a fast one by greeting us with a nice southeasterly of about eight knots at the mouth of the Connecticut River, allowing a close reach at five knots over ground with help from the ebbing current. We reached Niantic Bay much sooner than expected, and as we motored into the Niantic River, we found the launch ramp a beehive of activity. Boats and jetskis were vying for room at the floating docks waiting impatiently to be pulled out of the water, and cars and trucks with trailers were lined up near the ramp, ready to aggressively roar into the first available space and careen backward into the water to launch or retrieve their vessel. It was a madhouse, but eventually all Mariners made it out of the water, and sailors took their time derigging and preparing for the trip home after another successful Rendezvous.
For nearly 60 years the Mariner Class Association has worked hard to foster a sense of community with its racing and cruising events. The Mariner National Rendezvous, established as an annual event in 2013, is a shining example of that community. Veteran sailors and first-timers support each other, starting at the ramp by helping to raise masts and get boats launched, and continuing on the water, ready to tow a boat in trouble or simply offer friendly advice. This year, a sailor who arrived early from Maine discovered they forgot to pack their boat’s boom; another sailor coming up from New Jersey got the message in time and brought a spare! The camaraderie shared is a breath of fresh air in a time of hardship and divisiveness, and the future of the Association and the National Rendezvous is bright indeed. Come check us out at next year’s event, won’t you? ■
Nate Bayreuther has served on the Mariner Class Association’s Executive Board since 2009 including four terms as President. A licensed captain and professional organist, he keeps his 1970 O’Day Mariner, #1922 Orion, on the Niantic River. Visit mariner1922.com for more on his boat, and usmariner.org for more about the Mariner Class Association.
