Design and Construction
The Mariner 19 is built predominantly of fiberglass with a rounded raked stem, vertical transom, and transom-hung rudder on a tiller. Rebel's Spindrift version carried slightly updated hull and deck molds and added portlights on either side of the cabin, while remaining a centerboard-only boat unlike the broader design's fixed fin keel or optional centerboard. The hull traces directly to the Rhodes 19, and Steve Henkel notes the underbody reads as old-fashioned by the time Rebel built it, a point Stuart Marine later attributed to slightly inaccurate sales brochure drawings rather than the boats, stating the drawings — not the hulls — show a narrower entry than the original Rhodes lines anchor. Richard Sherwood describes a sharp bow entry and high freeboard, traits that suit a day sailer more than a modern racer.
Rig and Handling
The boat wears a fractional Bermuda sloop rig with a mast tabernacle that, in the centerboard version, makes trailer launching relatively easy thanks to the shallow retracted draft of 0.83 feet. With the board down she draws 4.92 feet; the keel-equipped variant sits at 3.30 feet and carries more stability, though Rebel built none of those. Sherwood found the Mariner able to handle heavy weather, a capability he ties directly to the 210-pound centerboard acting as ballast when lowered. Under sail the design carries 184 square feet of canvas including a 115-square-foot main, and posts a PHRF average of 285 with a 5.65-knot hull speed — figures that place her firmly as a typical day sailer rather than a thoroughbred.
Accommodations
Below, the Mariner offers a small cuddy cabin that O'Day enlarged in 1969 under the "2+2" designation. Headroom is a snug 44 inches. Sleeping is for two on a bow V-berth, or four with the addition of two quarter berths, and the Spindrift boats inherited this layout unchanged. There is no pretense of cruising volume; the cabin is a shelter for overnights and gear, consistent with a 19-foot trailerable.
Known Issues
The Spindrift production carries one documented competitive anomaly: hull No. 4037, a factory boat brought by company president John Barnett to the 1981 Mariner Nationals, was reputed to be about 40% lighter than O'Day-built boats, and the class officers retroactively revoked its measurement certificate and re-scored the event anchor. Beyond that, the only noted quirk is the Stuart brochure drawing discrepancy already mentioned, which the builder attributed to artwork rather than the hull.
Refits and Ownership
Spindrift made only a small quantity of boats before Stuart Marine became the licensed builder in 1986, so most Mariner 19s on the water are earlier O'Day or later Stuart hulls. Rebel's 78 centerboard-only boats are a distinct subset, identifiable by hull numbers 4000-4078 and the added side portlights. A 3 to 6 hp outboard is the normal docking power, and owners fitting the optional 105-square-foot genoa, spinnaker, or boom vang extend the boat's day-sailing range without altering the core hull.
The Verdict
The Spindrift Mariner 19 is a minor but well-defined footnote in a long-lived Rhodes-derived design: a tiny centerboard-only run with updated tooling and a single stained racing result. As a boat it inherits the Mariner's docile trailerable nature and weather-tolerant hull, and the Spindrift specifics are mostly cosmetic and historical rather than structural.
Pros
- Shares the proven Rhodes 19 hull with sharp entry and high freeboard
- Centerboard with 210 lb ballast gives heavy-weather tolerance and easy trailing
- Added cabin portlights improve the cuddy's light over earlier molds
Cons
- Only 78 built, limiting spares and class-specific support
- Centerboard-only — no keel stability option as offered elsewhere in the design
- One factory boat's 40% lightness claim left a revoked-certificate mark on the class record
