The Mutineer is a 15' sloop that was introduced in 1971 by Chrysler Marine's Sailboat division. It was developed by boat designers Rod MacAlpine-Downie and Dick Gibbs. The boat was initially intended to be marketed as a beginner's daysailer and trainer, but with the extensive features such as the roller-furling jib, spinnaker, foredeck launcher tube, boom vang, hiking straps, hiking stick, jib haulers, and more, this was no beginner's boat. If anything, it was a racer trainer. All of these features were considered innovative, and leading edge in those days, so the fact that the basic design was never changed, and that many of the innovations are found on most of today’s racing boats says a lot about the designers. It turned out to be an all-round fun daysailer for families, couples or individuals. Her exceptionally wide beam and spacious 7' cockpit make it easy for her to carry a large crew, yet sail on her proper lines. The Mutineer's large sail plan feels every wisp of breeze.

If you are looking for a boat that you can get into for cheap, just look around your home town. According to Dick Gibbs, the designer in charge of production, Chrysler Corp. built almost 8,000 of these boats from 1971 to 1980. When Chrysler Corp. restructured, they sold the sailboat division to Texas Marine Industries, (TMI). TMI built the boats from 1981 thru 1982. In 1982, Wellcraft Marine bought the rights to the boat and built them under the Starwind name until 1984 when Gloucester Yachts got the rights to build them. Then in 1987 Cardinal Yachts acquired the rights to be the builder, and they still hold that right.

Recently, in 2003, Nickels Boats purchased the molds from Cardinal, and has plans to clean and refurbish them. Perhaps soon, we will see the first brand new Mutineer since 1984 come to market!