|
Marinerit
(the Mariners) is a society for motor boat cruisers. It was
established in 1989 in Finland by motor yachtsmen who all were
experienced in long voyages in motor boats and had all visited ports
south of Sweden. The criteria for membership are that the applicant
is to be an experienced motor yachtsman with a good reputation and
at least one passage from Finland to south of latitude 55° 20’ N and
back. In practice this means his/her having visited Denmark or
Germany in a motor boat.
Members have done several cruises from Finland to Central Europe, the
Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.
The Mariners is not an ordinary yacht club with a home port and
facilities. The club is a place for people of similar boating
interests to meet each other and enjoy the hobby together. Members
come from all around Finland and the club is national – not local.
Members are also members in their home yacht club and fly its flag.
Members
Members are
called mariners.
A Master Mariner meets the requirements of membership as
master of the boat. Masters have a personal member’s number.
A Crew Mariner meets the requirements of membership as a crew
member of the boat. Crew members are often family members, but in
some cases masters who have done the required long distance cruising
as a crew member on board another boat. When later having done the
long cruise as a master, he or she will be promoted a master
mariner.
The number of members is about 50. The demanding
criteria for membership will hardly allow the club to become big.

The flag and the burgee
The membership of Marinerit is
shown with the mariner flag or burgee.
A rising beam divides the flag into two halves. In the upper left
half there is a star and in the lower right part a propeller.
The beam indicates that off-shore water level is seldom horizontal but
when in a calm port the burgee will fall so that the beam will be
horizontal as the water level would, too. The star indicates a long,
lonely distance from home and also has the shape of a compass card
telling that a mariner is deliberately on the way to a destination
and not drifting with the wind. The propeller is below the water
line, as is the case in reality telling what actually is making the
progress possible.
A master mariner is entitled to fly the rectangular Mariner Flag
on his or her motor boat, which is approved by the club as a mariner
boat.
A master or member mariner is entitled to fly the triangular Member’s
Burgee on any boat on board he or she is the master, a crew
member or guest. This burgee can be seen on sailboats, rental boats
and other non-Mariner boats.
Activities
The club supports its members by providing a forum for exchanging
experiences and by supplying support material for cruising.
Technical, operational, navigational, logistical and psychological
themes related to boating are discussed and trained within the club
by means of courses and articles.
The club also arranges courses and lectures
for non-members encouraging and advising them to do long cruises in
motor boats.
A member magazine is published 3 to 4 times annually.
Contact information
Please see page "Yhteystiedot". |