1937 Dyer Marlin 18 Boat in Harbor Springs, MI 49740 US

Own a piece of history with this 1938 Marlin 18 "Mari 'elle". A classic one-design sloop that once had active fleets in Harbor Springs and New England. Designed by Philip L. Rhodes who was a prolific, lifetime designer of all types of vessels from small recreational dinghies to large yachts. He was particularly known for the wholesome good looks and sailing qualities of his yacht designs. His 12 Meter Class "Weatherly" won the Americas Cup in 1962. Built by The Anchorage, Inc./Dyer Boats in Warren Rhode Island where they had been building fine boats since 1930 when Bill Dyer founded the company. The Marlin 18 was designed to prepare young sailors for keel boat racing on Long Island Sound. Twenty-four boats were built over the winter of 1937-38. Twelve of those boats were delivered to the Little Traverse Yacht Club in time for racing in 1938. They were used to prepare young sailors to move up to the Northern Michigan (NM) 33' sloop well into the 1950's. This boat was number six of the 12 that went to LTYC. As fate has it, the Great Hurricane of 1938 struck across all New England killing hundreds and destroying everything in its wake. The flooding hit The Anchorage Company hard burying it under 15 feet of wreckage and water. Subsequently, the original Rhodes Marlin 18 design with its open deck configuration, slated for the Warwick Country Club Yacht Squadron of Rhode Island was not produced. "Mari 'elle" is one of few Marlins still in existence today.

Short Story of a Long Restoration

The restoration of this Marlin began back in 1971 by Dr. Jim Gunn along with a written account at the bottom of a repair list that she would be "ready to launch". At the time, the boat was a worn-out Marlin 18 (Rhodes) from the training fleet at the Little Traverse Yacht Club. By further account of Doc Gunn's family members, the Marlin became somewhat of a lawn ornament on their cottage property located in Horton Bay on Lake Charlevoix. Year after year, Doc Gunn gave her little attention as she rested winter and summer under a barrage of tarps. In early 2000's, Doc Gunn now in his early 70's, committed himself to fixing up the Marlin thus bringing her back to Grand Rapids to restore. Yet, with time catching up with him, Calvin College students were hired to help with restoration being his muscle and labor.

It is evident that the restoration and launch of the Marlin, along with the dream of sailing her across the big lake to Green Bay, WI helped inspire Doc Gunn throughout the remainder of his life, passing in 2018 on the cusp of his 94th birthday. The current owners are dreamers as well, and in the autumn of 2018 their eyes first fell upon the Marlin, which at the time was a fiberglass over wooden hull with dilapidated deck frame, along with a menagerie of boat parts that were all entombed inside a dusty old boat garage.

Over these past 8 or so years, the new owners have cherished the quiet sanctuary and grace this boat possesses. In Dr. Gunn's spirit, and all those who have sailed her, they have now completed their part to bring this Marlin back into light and she is now ready to launch.

With its combination New England-style open deck configuration, and LTYC sail and rigging, the "Mari 'elle" is a true hybrid of Philip Rhodes original two distinctive design platforms intended for the Marlin 18 hull.

Original Construction Specification

The Marlin 18 is planked with 7/16" Philippine mahogany fastened to White oak frames with hot dipped galvanized screws. The stern and keel are also of White oak and the ballast is a 430 pound iron shoe bolted through a wooden fin. The decks were covered with Masonite pressed wood with the rough side up, instead of with canvas.

Equipment and Improvements

• Varnished wood planked deck
• Varnished wood splash guard and cockpit coamings
• Varnished wood tiller
• Varnished wood cockpit benches
• Varnished wood grate cockpit floor
• Varnished wood mast and booms
• Varnished wood transom
• Main sail, jib and spinnaker
• Standing and running rigging
• Wood and brass blocks and hardware
• Mast supports for trailering
• Painted White hull sides
• Red boot stripe
• Blue bottom paint
• Single-axle galvanized trailer with jack-stands