Design and Construction
The hull is solid fiberglass, swelling to 3 inches thick at the turn of the bilge, and the underbody carries a short fin keel with a separate skeg-hung rudder and a propeller sheltered in an aperture. External lead ballast is held by Aquamet stainless-steel keel bolts, a detail that speaks to the builder's unhurried approach to structural integrity. Above the waterline the balsa-cored deck is laid with solid fiberglass beneath every fitting, and the hull-to-deck joint is through-bolted on 4-inch centers. Hall Spars supplied the keel-stepped mast and boom, while top-quality deck hardware is through-bolted with backing plates rather than screwed to a thin skin. Natural light and airflow come from 12 aluminum opening ports, seven aluminum opening hatches, and two fixed ports. Teak is used where it earns its keep: a rubrail, a wide toerail, cabin-side driprails, cockpit coamings, and handrails.
Rig and Handling
Most Mariner 39s are masthead sloops, though a few were finished as cutters or ketches, and the class shows two shroud geometries — an earlier inboard arrangement and a later iteration that moved the shrouds outboard. With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.2 and a displacement-length ratio near 270, she is no featherweight, yet writing in Cruising World, the reviewers found that while it's heavy by modern standards, it does remarkably well in light winds. The same assessment judged the Mariner 39 a fine passagemaker, a verdict consistent with the protected propeller, skeg-hung rudder, and substantial bilge thickness.
Accommodations
Both layout options place a V-berth forward cabin ahead of a large head and shower with a vanity. The main saloon centers on a fixed drop-leaf table flanked by large settees that serve as berths, and the center cockpit itself is large and comfortable, with high coamings and seats long enough to stretch out on. The standard galley is honest cruising kit: a small amount of counter space, a deep double sink, and a two-burner propane stove. Aft, the owner's cabin opens through its own companionway into the cockpit and holds an enormous berth plus a second large head with vanity, storage, and shower. In the Moorings charter version, the aft starboard corner trades the navigation desk for an enormous refrigerator/freezer.
Known Issues
The one structural caveat that period survey work flags is the rudderstock's vulnerability to crevice corrosion, which demands a close look during any survey. No other defect appears in the authoritative record, and the through-bolted hull-deck union and backing-plated deck hardware argue against casual worry about joint integrity.
Refits and Ownership
Owners taking on one of the 29 built should note the Perkins 4-108 diesel, an 80-gallon fuel tank, and 150 gallons of water capacity as the baseline mechanical and tankage envelope. The teak exterior trim — rubrail, toerail, driprails, coamings, handrails — will reward regular maintenance but is straightforward to renew. Rig variety means a buyer should confirm whether the boat at hand is sloop, cutter, or ketch, and which shroud layout it carries, since those choices affect both sail handling and spar tuning.
The Verdict
The Mariner 39 is a thoughtfully engineered limited-production cruiser that punches above her displacement in light air and was clearly built to a standard rather than a price. The charter-derived aft cabin and optional freezer layout make her a plausible liveaboard or bluewater candidate, and the structural details — thick bilges, Aquamet bolts, frequent through-bolting — reflect a builder unwilling to cut corners. The small production run means rarity, and the rudderstock inspection is the one non-negotiable survey item.
Pros
- Solid-fiberglass hull to 3 inches at the bilge with Aquamet keel bolts
- Balsa-cored deck with solid glass under fittings and 4-inch hull-deck through-bolts
- Center cockpit with stretch-out seats and a private aft cabin companionway
- Light-air performance unexpected for an 18,000-pound cruiser
Cons
- Rudderstock prone to crevice corrosion — requires close inspection
- Only 29 built, so finding one takes patience
- Standard galley counter space is limited
