Ron Breault's Marionette, Marscot/O'Day # 12, Old Lyme, Connecticut (updated October 11, 2011))

Ready to go, early Spring at Niantic Bay Yacht Club

WARNING: There is a lot of detail here - more than anyone, other that a minutia starved Dolphin owner, could ever endure.

This story has been told a few thousand times, and this version is true - too. On a December late afternoon, lightly raining (of course), I passed by the Museum and noticed this poor boat sitting in their rear parking lot under a torn tarp (naturally) with a For Sale sign hanging lopsidedly from the bow pulpit. (Is the set up right?) I had retired early from the ‘game’ and was riding around the Essex boat yards looking for a boat to buy and restore - one that I could single hand and maybe race occasionally. In the dim light :-) I liked her lines so I found a ladder nearby and climbed aboard. The hatch was open, the sole was wet and rain water had half filled the bilge. I found a hand pump in a seat locker, pumped her dry, crawled around the deck, fixed the tarp, went below, sat on the starboard settee and looked around. So began Marionette's new life.

I found out from a staff person inside that she was a Dolphin 24 but that if I wanted any additional information I would have to call a Museum Director who was handling her. Dolphins were quite popular in eastern Long Island Sound in the 60's and 70's and I have an old friend, Stan Secora, who was a marine architect, and was the first owner of Jato, Hull # 7. So I called him. From my description he recognized the boat from years past racing against her. He thought she had been well cared for, and that it could be an ideal boat for my plans. Thinking I had a real bargain coming, that evening  I called the Director, introduced myself and gave him the reason for my call. He stopped me in mid sentence and said

“before you go any further, I am a former Dolphin owner myself and I know that, sooner or later someone will come by who knows what a Dolphin is, and will recognize what a good value this boat is for $2000. We are not going to take a penny less”.

So, I bit my lip and said I’ll take her.

My 1995 restoration goal was simple. Set her up for single handed cruising and short handed racing, with weight control and traditional appearance major considerations. Cost considerations were in the mix but this is a relative thing – having got her for $2000 means the minimal initial investment expense can forever be used as a defense against the inevitable “in house” complaints about where this restoration project is going. And, remember, your significant other will not be able to contain her remorse at her earlier recriminations when she, at anchor with you on a late summer afternoon in West Harbor (Fishers Is), Cuttyhunk , Nantucket, or Camden, ME (I’ll get to those Great Lakes, southern and west coast equivalent haunts when you Yankee and Pacific Dolphin owners tell  me about them) and, sipping her nicely chilled Chardonnay, watches another couple, motoring in to the dock from their 40’ gleaming white, $400K Odyssey Princess or whatever, change course to pass  by your stern to say those famous Dolphin words ‘Pretty Boat”! Priceless.

Webmaster Note: There are other acceptable terms besides "Pretty Boat" that convey this sentiment, although this is by far the most used - its true, it 'fits', not pretentious, and my favorite. Click here for another version of this message.

This boat has no stern pulpit – which I like. She can race without one under the ‘grandfather’ clause. I have a heavy ring mounted on the backstay to which I can, and do as racing conditions warrant, or when single handing, connect snap shackle fitted lifelines from the aft stanchions.

I do not have a "before" picture, and I did not take 'restoration' pictures - this will get me in big trouble with the webmaster. Marionette has a solid mahogany cabin trunk varnished inside and out, with mahogany combings, toe rail and cockpit trim. The plywood deck and top of the cabin was dynel covered and ripped in places when I got her. She has a large main hatch and a two panel hatch in the transom deck – both made of mahogany plywood with mahogany trim. The transom locker inside has a molded opening in the hull for an outboard, storage space on either side for gas tanks, a sealed bulkhead separating it from the quarter berths, a removable panel separating the locker from the cockpit, and a heavy plug that fits neatly in the hull opening for when the outboard is not in use. The panel stores on the side of the cockpit well when access is needed to the engine. More on the transom locker and engine related stuff later. She had bronze genoa track on top of her toe rail and old style bronze winches mounted on built up mahogany pads outside of and bolted to the combing.

I installed a new ball bearing traveler with control blocks and cam cleats so that it can be controlled from the weather side. I kept the old heavy, bronze, folding double handle, back stay adjuster but one day I will change this to a multiparty block system adjustable from the cockpit – when I can figure out a satisfactory way to lead the control lines back to the cockpit without making too many holes in the deck, messing up the rear deck hatch and traveler, and being able to easily adjust the backstay while sitting on either the port or starboard side. Meanwhile, the adjustable back stay stays mostly unadjusted…This picture shows the Autohelm 1000 custom bracket (later) and the pin socket where the Autohelm mounts.

I use a 4hp Johnson 2 cycle outboard that, when not in use, is stored, prop end in first, in a 4 foot long, 12” diameter, heavy wall plastic drainage pipe located under the bridge deck/cockpit and fastened to the starboard side quarter berth locker wall. The mounting screws on the motor can clamp the head to the pipe but this is not necessary as I use a heavy shock cord which is all I need.. Coupled with the companionway step system we have – discussed later – this storage system has been very satisfactory. Click here to see a more detailed discussion of the motor storage, companionway steps, bridgedeck lockers, electric panel and cooler which are all in this same area.

The motor, which I also use as a dinghy motor when cruising, weighs 32 lbs and with its Power Prop drives the boat at 4.7 knots, no headwind and flat water. This meets the Off Soundings Club rule that the auxiliary power be capable of driving the boat at 80% of hull speed in these conditions – it does, just. A 3 gal tank I use for racing runs for 5 hours at full throttle. Subject to conditions I use 20 nm as the planning range. I have two 3 gallon and two 6 gallon plastic tanks. When cruising I usually carry a 3 gallon and a 6 gallon tank that store on either side of the transom locker. The 3 gallon tank is easy to move into the dinghy. Click here for a larger view and more on the transom locker and hatch, engine mount and plug.

I could have bought a long shaft motor, and sometimes I wish I had, but since I planned to use the motor as a dinghy motor as well, another compromise had to be made. (There have been developments in Marionette's motor program - click here to go there) I can reverse if I have to by twisting the motor but I, and my back, have never regretted not purchasing a motor with a reverse gear – an extra 33 lbs! I have many times wished I had an inboard, and many times have been glad I don’t have one. I raced Atlantics for nearly 20 years – they are Starling Burgess designed classic 30 footers and don’t have any auxiliary power. (For more on Atlantics click here) I am comfortable with sailing in and out of slips – guests and observers are often less enthusiastic. Anyway, Marionette made the decision for me – she did not have an inboard. A brand new light diesel installed is the cost of a 2 week vacation in Provence where the red ocher cliffs are – more on this later.

I have an Autopilot ST1000+ (above left) that mounts on a pin that fits to an almost flush mounting pad in the starboard seat and connects to the tiller via a custom bracket (click for a close up view and more info of this system). Otto is a great crew, a best friend, works well, is reliable and does not drink my beer. He gets his juice from a 12 volt outlet in back of the bridge deck. I have been known to inadvertently kick the cord out of its socket but nothing is perfect. The location of the outlet facilitates use of the 12 volt spotlight - that I never use. I also have a portable spotlight - that I rarely use. The control line for the centerboard winch exits at the back of the bridge deck (above right), through a cam cleat with the excess line stored over a winch handle holder mounted right next to it.

To the right of the cam cleat is a 12 volt power outlet, and to right of it is a socket for a wired remote control for the Autopilot. I don't think wireless was available when I bought the unit - I wish I had wireless. Anyway, its really cool to to sit on the shady side of the cabin top and fine tune the helm - " a little low, up a little, nope, too much...." with no complaints from the helmsman

The spinnaker twing lines, when set up, lead from small Harken blocks that shackle to rope eyes tied to the bottom of the upper shroud turnbuckle, then to a deck mounted block in front of the winch pads, then to a cam cleat mounted near the top of the outside edge of the combing. Not perfect but I did not want a pass-through hole on the bottom edge of the combing.

Large Harken spinnaker turning blocks are mounted on pads near the transom corners and genoa turning blocks further forward. Sliding Garhauer SS track blocks mount on the bronze toe rail outboard track. Unfortunately this track does not run past the forward edge of the combing. so when reaching with a genoa the lead cannot be moved forward past this spot. Someday I’ll fix this. For more on jib/genoa tracks, click here. And for more on spinnaker set up and rigging, click here.

The mast has 2 turning blocks at the bottom of the mast. The main halyard and jib halyards can be led through these blocks to cam cleats mounted at the back edge of the cabin top. When racing with crew we use this set up for the spinnaker halyard and topping lifts. Webmaster Note: This subject of running rigging for a Dolphin spinnaker was brought up on the Forum. Click here for a rough sketch and more detail on Marionette's set up.

In this picture the author, John Rousmaniere, as part of the 2004 S&S 75th Anniversary, is inspecting Marionette in the Concours d'Elegance (Best Restored Yacht) competition held at Mystic Seaport, July 10, 2004. Elizabeth Meyer of the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS), Newport, RI was down below in the forward cabin making copious notes. John was not responsive to a plea from your Webmaster for a prize category for yachts whose restorations were less than $100K. Webmaster Note: Bolero, having just completed her $4.5 MM restoration, got the top prize....

After a thorough inspection of Marionette's single handed set up John came below and had nice things to say about Marionette's traditional interior in white and varnished mahogany trim. I had installed a short inboard track right next to the cabin trunk in line with the shrouds which I think John liked. I have a small, heavy cloth, Altantic jib that sheets in real tight to a block on this track and is one of my best sails in a breeze – except it is so heavy that I have to roll it to store – a pain in the neck.

Speaking of sails I have a ‘newish’ Farrar Sails built, high roach, long batten main, a light 170% and a heavier 140% genoa – the latter a real workhorse, a small working jib – practically useless when trying to point but nice close reaching, the Atlantic jib , a wonderful high pointing sail (see more on this sail below), and 3 spinnakers. The ‘new’ one is a red monster, a dead downwind maxed sail that Farrar also built. In a light breeze it is like an after burner on a Dolphin.

Up forward on the port side (starboard side would be better but that's another story) is a 9’ aluminum spinnaker pole mounted in deck fittings. There is also a set of traditional Danforth bronze deck storage anchor fittings, a bronze deck fitting for the anchor line, and another bronze screw type ventilator for the anchor locker.

The forward hatch above the forward ‘cabin’ (maybe this term is a bit ostentatious for a Dolphin, after all it is also the head on my boat) is painted the same color as the deck and has mahogany trim. Mounted in this hatch is a solar/battery powered stainless steel vent that runs continuously. It does not have an on/off switch and the fan hum can be annoying at night. The fix is a ball point pen or anything nearby of the right size, jammed in to stop the fan – this does not seem to harm it in any way. Its been operating for 10 years with only 2 rechargeable battery replacements.

Deck color – this NOT pink! All this varnish work required the proper background deck color, plus it had to be historically correct. First I removed all the hardware and stanchions, stripped off the dynel, and repaired a few soft spots in the deck. I bonded a thick fiberglass plate under the mast step. Then I sanded, epoxied coated and resanded the decks and cabin top. Then came the paint job. This deck is Red Ochre, patiently researched by the writer at the Blunt Library at Mystic Seaport, based on the red ochre paints the 17th-19th century French boat builders used. This was custom matched and mixed from a high quality Benjamin Moore alkyd enamel base by our local hardware store’s paint dept –  as this color is not available at any price from a marine paint supplier – color # 2A23-4 Claret Jug?! Readers of the late Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey series should need not be reminded that, in the wooden boat era, the British Navy always highly regarded a French prize because their ships were so well built, were beautiful to look at, and carried excellent wines….

Before I go below I must say a word about dinghies. I have 2, an inflatable and 'TEER, who deserves her own page. Its one thing to restore a boat, another to build one. I built this one. Her picture is worth a thousand words. Click here to find out more..

Down below, Marionette has a traditional looking main cabin, off white cabin top and hull sides, paneled doors, seats, varnished trunk cabin and trim. The sole plywood is painted burgundy so wine spills don't show.

There is a galley to port (left above) that had, when I got her, a small ‘refrigerator’ below the counter. I removed the refrigerator and replaced it with a single seat. Below and behind this seat are dedicated galley lockers. The seat converts to a shelf for a single burner butane stove at the same counter level as the galley sink forward of it. The sink has a neat bronze hand pump I found in a used marine parts store. It is connected to a 10 gallon flexible tank beneath the port quarter berth. The cushions also help convert the V-berth to a king. Some day I'll get better pictures of the galley set up. August 1, 2009 - here they are. Note that the galley sink is covered with a hand made, fitted cutting board...

To starboard (right above), there is a small 2 seat settee with a hanging locker forward that I modified to accept shelves – sometimes I wish I kept it as a hanging locker. Please note the blue accents - cockpit throwable cushions that double as back settee cushions here, and the blue denim curtain that separates the two cabins.

To starboard, there is a small 2 seat settee with a hanging locker forward that I modified to accept shelves – sometimes I wish I kept it as a hanging locker. Please note the blue accents- cockpit throwable cushions that double as back settee cushions here, and the blue denim curtain that separates the two cabins. I modified the settee so it can convert to a small, rather snug, table for 2, or a chart table, or even a table for 4 with its unique leaf system. This picture taken from the forward cabin looking aft shows the table. In the foreground to the left is the locker containing shelves that used to be the hanging locker. Click for a larger view of Marionette's Table  and lots more details, including the seating for four option - and the entertainment center. Above the seat backs and galley, on both sides, are shelves with mahogany fiddles. Aft there are 2 quarter berths with lockers below. In the starboard side quarter berth locker is a single Group 31, 105A AGM battery and a mounted, but portable, battery charger. (click here to see this set up in detail) I wired 6 cabin lights back to a panel I installed in the bridgedeck.

The companionway steps are ingenious - a previous owner built them. They consists of two simple, 1” mahogany boards.The lower board slides into cutouts in the trim pieces on the edges of the quarter berths. The upper board is suspended by large diameter ropes fastened to rings in the bridgedeck bulkhead. It rests against the bulkhead and the pipe through which runs the centerboard uphaul wire, secured by removable pins. This system is secure, very light, looks good, and is easily removable to access the wide open storage spaces under the bridgedeck and cockpit. Click here for pictures and more on these steps.

The refrigerator was replaced by your basic removable top, small cooler that fits on the port side under the lower companionway step between the quarter berth locker and the centerboard uphaul wire pipe. When I got Marionette the space below the bridgedeck and behind the first companionway step was totally open except for the centerboard uphaul winch. In this space I built a full width multiple compartment locker with panel doors that houses all the boat’s winch handles and extra blocks on the port side, the up haul winch, and an electrical panel on the starboard side. If I had to do this again – and I may – I would have no electrical panel, just a few fused switches. This is the second panel I put in this less than ideal location below the companionway - susceptible to rain and wave spray. I use an oil lamp a lot, and what few cabin lights I need could be local battery powered LED type lights.

More on this in a later technical discussion. Click here for pictures of both the cooler and panel.

While I had the boat stripped out I took some pictures of the interior joinery that might prove useful for people restoring hi bred Dolphins - wood decks, cabin and cockpit on a fiberglass hull. Click here to see those pictures. There is a large mahogany encased internal arch that supports the mast and that divides the main cabin from the forward cabin. This makes for an open, large cabin feeling in a Dolphin - we are speaking here in relative terms...The V-berth has a standard pump out head under the aft center section which is plumbed directly to a custom built holding tank in the forward vee of the hull under the v-berth. We have legal, lockout plumbing, and a rule that, when racing, this tank is EMPTY. There are fill in boards at the aft end that make the V berth very comfortable for two. The fact that the head is underneath the sleeping accommodations is an occasional complication - but not for a male singlehander.... I built a removable partition with mahogany vent louvers to separate the V-berth from the anchor locker in the peak. There are full length mahogany trimmed shelves on either side, and lockers below the seats on the aft sides of the v-berth. A heavy denim curtain (faded blue jeans type material) that fastens to one side provides for privacy. This is not a universally admired solution to the privacy issue but I like it. For a larger view and more pictures of the forward cabin as the head compartment   click here.

I finally got around to getting pictures with the cushions in. Solo, I tuck up on the starboard side, without the inserts. To convert to a king size berth two boards stowed on the sides fit into the opening and the 2 cushions from the port side seat fit perfectly over them. The 2 eyes staring out are the reflective patches on the medical kit which stores neatly in a small gap at the forward end of the cushions

Its the small things that count. The arcing dolphins hooked hug made by the Admiral fits neatly in the v berth cutout space, and one's toes, upon leaving their toasty warm spot in the sleeping bag, are not discomforted by a cold damp wood sole. The card received with the tin of homemade chocolate chip cookies made a colorful reminder of what sailing is all about.

Inevitably, a proper post and beam barn, with a 2nd floor wood shop and a small loft above that, was designed and built. She is on a poured foundation. These are the primary set of doors making up a 10'x10' opening for a Dolphin. Note the 3 door system.To the left is an 8' x 8' bay which was then occupied by a 51 year old classic wooden runabout very slowly undergoing her 2nd restoration. The third set of double doors out of view, leading out from the second floor, is used for large objects produced in the wood shop behind them - like the afore mentioned most beautiful dinghy. Click here for more Barn.

The shop is modestly equipped to suit the equally modest skills of the writer, a table saw, band saw, drill press, large work bench, a grinder, a large table for drawings and stuff - and, naturally, a small refrigerator! There is a link at left to the Barn, and from there you can link to the shop tools, or you can go to them directly by clicking here. The windvane above it all, is, of course, a copper sailboat.

In this recently discovered photo, taken at the Off Soundings Club Spring Block Island regatta in 2005, Marionette is in 'Dolphin Country' - in close to a shoal rocky shore with a good breeze. The water is flat in here - outside where the big boats are there's a mean 2-3' chop that Dolphins really don't like! She is moving fast, traveller is down, shorthanded as usual, and she's wearing her Atlantic jib. A friend, who raced on both Atlantics and Dolphins back in the '60s, told me that they used an Atlantic jib in strong breezes on the Dolphin and it worked really well. This is an old jib from our Atlantic, Relish A-91, a heavyweight cloth sail, about 7/8ths height on the forestay, with short battens. The sheets lead to a short track inside the shrouds right next to the cabin trunk.

In this photo she is in cruising mode somewhere - maybe Hadley's Harbor in the Elizabethian Islands near Woods Hole. The swim ladder moves around but when placed in line with the shrouds you can pull yourself up hand over hand on the lower part of the upper shroud, thus keeping the water out of the cockpit. More on ladders? Click here. Then a rinse off with solar powered warm fresh water from the black shower bag hanging off the mast, and after toweling off, you walk back all warm and tingly, to pick up your waiting, nicely iced Vodka and Tonic. Nez Pas? Click for larger image.

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June 17, 2010 Marionette raced and won her Class again in the 2010 Off Soundings Club Spring Series - a 2 race series out to and around Block Island. The first day, Friday, June 11, was a drifter starting off Watch Hill, RI out to Block Island. After a long day no one in our Class finished within the 7 hour time limit so the race was abandoned - probably good for us since we were not having a great race. But, at the party, we did not lose the opportunity of accusing our faster boat competitors of luffing up at the finish line to let the time run out as they were justifiably concerned that with the time-on-time scoring our handicap advantage would crush them! The 2nd day was the traditional Around the Island Race - a 20 mile counterclockwise course in 10-15 knots, going to 18 knots on the last weather leg, bright sunny skies - a glorious Block Island racing day for the 121 boat fleet. Marionette won her Class by 7 minutes on corrected time, 9 boats including 2 Pearson 30s, 2 Pearson 31s, a C&C 30, a Beneteau 30, a Ranger 26 and a Holland CTM 1/2 ton. In the stronger puffs we had downwind surfing conditions on the backside of the island, nearly broaching on one occasion. We were racing with a crew of 3, your webmaster as movable ballast, pole jiber and worried navigator/parent, helmsperson daughter Nicole, and main, jib, spinnaker trimmer and all else that needs to be done, son Mike - a better 2 of 3 crew is hard to imagine.

Postscript June 19, 2010 Thanks to Dick Morris crewing on Spirit, Norm Peck's Morgan 36 passing us offshore, here is Marionette under her big spinnaker in close to the bluffs on the south side of Block where bigger boats fear to go - Mike trimming, Nicole helming, your webmaster ballasting and looking for rocks...

Racing short handed in a breeze on Marionette is always exciting. Since we have hank on sails (in the spirit of tradition), choice of starting jibs is important as we do not want to change jibs unless critically necessary. The wind was pretty light so we started with a 170 jib, and used our big red spinnaker. On the last weather leg the wind got up to maybe 18, way too much for that jib - perfect for our 140 in the bag below. The 170 jib has a couple of tack grommets, the highest one maybe 12 inches up the luff so we were able to reduce luff length and sail area some, and we had a single reef in the main. Still overpowered but manageable enough to finish - and win!

At the party after the race a number of guys who had owned or raced on Dolphins in the past came over to congratulate - a Dolphin moment!

Leaving Block on Sunday, a rainy, foggy day,  we lost the water pump on the 4 hp Johnson to what appeared to be a plastic bag sucked into the intake! Naturally, no spare on board. After a couple of hours and the help of the expert mechanics from Class C-6 competitor Tigger, Too, we decided the only thing to do was put Marionette on a mooring, and take the ferry, with motor in hand, get her fixed back on the mainland, and come back later in the week to get her.

This story is not yet finished. The water pump is fixed and the motor is running superbly - but leaking water like a lawn spinkler. Seems like the relative gaskets got fried when the motor overheated. These are special order items from some place in the Midwest so daughter Nicole and I have borrowed an outboard and are taking the ferry back out to Block Island tomorrow and sailing Marionette back to Niantic Bay YC in Connecticut - about 6 hours as the tide is serving.... Stay tuned.

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June 18, 2010. A glorious 6 hour sail from Block Island to Niantic Bay. The picture at left is the Race Rock lighthouse off the southwest shore of Fishers Island guarding the entrance to Long Island Sound.. Interesting development. The borrowed motor was a (60lb) 2.5 hp Yamaha 4 stroke. It pushed Marionette at 5 knots! in flat water. The best my Johnson 4 hp can do is 4.7 knots, same conditions. The engineer owner of the Yamaha told me that 4 stroke motors deliver relatively more torque to the prop than 2 strokes. This needs further investigation.... Postscript. The special order gaskets needed to repair the Johnson 4 hp took nearly 2 weeks to get, effectively closing the 'cruise to Maine" June 22 - July 1 window. Some thought was given to trailering her up but not having a tow vehicle meant an $800 fee plus costs to derig, haul, then rerig and relaunch - maybe $1500+? Decided to wait until next year...

July 29, 2010 - Check out Marionette's Cruise to Newport in the stories Section.

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July 11, 2011. Well, it's a year later and Marionette is finally back in Maine. That ongoing story is covered in the Stories Section, Marionette's Log, Summer, 2011 - click here to go there. This update has to do with the motor issue. We now have a back up. A nearly identical motor, but with a 5" deeper shaft, was found for $25 at a local marine education facility. It had been donated to them along with a 22' sailboat. The motor was stored indoors and, while appearing almost brand new, was not running. I got it for $25, and spent $400 rebuilding it at the shop that has taken care of my present 15 year old Johnson 4hp. Their comment on seeing the motor for the first time was that it looked almost new. The 'new' engine with its deeper shaft adds 3 lbs in weight (35lbs), but it should provide better top speed performance. We'll see.

After a few weeks waiting for parts and inspecting and cleaning the guts, replacing all the gaskets, the throttle control, water pump, etc. I am told its like a new motor. Field trials are scheduled in Maine and a report will be forthcoming. Stay tuned.

Note the shaft extension

August 8, 2011. I'm sure many have been waiting for news of field trials on the above motor - and this report is overdue. Basically, trials were successful. The "new" motor drives Marionette .5 knots faster than the original motor! And there have been additional developments including the acquisition of a 3rd motor. Click here to go to Marionette's motor page.

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September 19, 2011. Marionette, ready to be hauled at the end of her shorted 2011 Summer Cruise. Flawless work, again, by the yard crew at Journey's End Marina in Rockland, Maine. That story was covered in the Stories Section, Marionette's Log, Summer, 2011 - click here to go there.

gotta like this shot....