The 38’ Tollycraft Mariner, introduced in 1965 is a great example of the genius of Ed Monk, Sr., working in collaboration with “Tolly” Tollefson to provide an efficient, spacious and comfortable Northwest cruiser.
“Zeas” will become “Thisuldu”
Instantly recognizable, these iconic boats carry the signatures of both men. There is no question who drew the design and who executed it. Tolly began building plywood boats in 1952, and almost all were drawn by Monk. They quickly established a reputation for building attractive, high-quality, strong and seaworthy craft. This is Monk design number 2463, finished April 4, 1964. The 38’ Tollycraft Mariner is a testament to Ed Monk’s mastery of materials and cruiser design. It carries features and layout you will see in his work dating back to the 30’s when he began creating the pilothouse cruisers that are so revered here. He often placed the motors under the aft deck, utilizing v-drives to achieve efficient shaft angles and propulsion system packaging. Doing this gave tremendous flexibility and space forward for tankage and systems, eliminated noise and fumes from the cabin, and allowed him to create roomy, comfortable living spaces, well laid out and finished, with storage everywhere you look.
As this is a planing as opposed to displacement hull, weight dramatically affects efficiency at cruise. Again, Monk had this dialed in. Weight is distributed evenly throughout the boat to help it plane efficiently. She cruises effortlessly at 14 knots and tops out well over 20. Yet with the inherent stiffness of its structure, the “Conolift” design also provides a stable, capable boat in rough seas. Incredibly, this boat, with all of its utility, room and comforts - two heads, full galley and the ability to sleep six, (not to mention twin stations) weighs only 7 tons. By comparison, a 36’ Grand Banks weighs nearly three times as much!
We acquired the boat about twelve years ago, repainted the hull, re-powered, reupholstered, rewired the 120VAC, improved some onboard systems and upgraded the galley. The interior finishes are still mostly original. As with all boats, the projects never end, but we have enjoyed “Thisuldu” for the past decade now and intend to continue cruising the boat for years to come.
Dick Dow
