09/11/08

Our boat was named Columbine when she was built in 1981.  The original owners were from Colorado, where the columbine is the state flower.  Additionally, Rod was an Air Force pilot, and his first job in the Air Force was flying President Eisenhower's plane, which was named Columbine.  They lived on her for 18 years, sailing full-time for 15 of those years.  She's been through the Panama Canal 4 times, all the way to Tahiti, and has lived for 4 years in Alaska.  So we thought that it was a good, historical name, and even though we bought her soon after the high school tragedy, we decided to keep the name, hoping to meet friends along the way who recognized her.  Turns out there are about 8 or 9 other boats out there with the same name, and we have nearly crossed paths with at least one of them. 

Mariner 39-foot Center Cockpit Sloop

The Mariner 39  Sloop was built by the Mariner Yacht Company in Rochester, New Hampshire in 1981.  Columbine has had one previous owner who sailed her for some 18 years in the Pacific, Alaska, South America, and the Caribbean.  Her specifications: 

LOA: 38.9 ft                                        Draft: 5.6 ft

LWL: 31 ft                                          Ballast: 6,000 pounds

Beam: 11.8 ft                                      Displacement: 18,000 pounds

Sail Area: 653 ft                                  Water tankage: 100 gallons (Toilet flushes with salt water)

Engine: Perkins 4-108                           Fuel tankage:  80 gallon or range of 400 miles

Water heater: 5 gallons

Electrical generation: 2 90 amp alternators, 230 watts solar power, 600 amp hr batteries

Columbine’s master suite has a queen size bed, with chest of drawers, head and shower.  Her V-berth suite has a double bed, lavatory, a hanging locker and chest of drawers.  The vessel has a sleeping capacity of 6 people when the main salon’s seats are converted to sleeping berths.  Her cockpit is fully enclosed by a dodger and bimini.

The galley consists of a 3 burner propane stove with oven, an under-the-shelf toaster oven, a double sink, and 6 cubic feet refrigerator/freezer.  We can make our own ice.

Electronics: VHF, SSB, and HAM radios, radar, 2 GPS, compass, depth meter, wind speed indicator, knot meter, laptop computer, propane detector, and autopilot.

 Her average speed under sail or power is 6 knots.