Marie Stella

Le sloop Marie Stella, coque blanche à liseré vert, sous voiles
Marie Stella under veils.
  • Boat type — Carriacou decked sloop
  • Alternative spelling — Maristella
  • Captain and owner — Michael Bethel
  • Built by — unidentified shipwright
  • State — destroyed by Hurricane Beryl in July 2024

One of the greats of the Carriacou regatta

Marie Stella has long been among the best large decked sloops at the Carriacou Regatta Festival. The Grenada Informer newspaper described her in 2024 as one of the flagship boats, present for years and which long dominated the regatta.

In 2003, Michael Bethel's sloop finished second in its class, behind Glacier. In 2004, the two boats swapped places: Marie Stella won the large decked sloop class, ahead of Glacier.

In 2007, again with Michael Bethel at the helm, Marie Stella took third place in her class, behind Margeta O and Glacier, and then second place in the round-the-island race. In 2008, the boat finished third in another race, again behind Margeta O and Glacier.

In 2010, Caribbean Compass presented Marie Stella as the smallest boat in the large decked sloop class. From 2011 onwards, the sloop raced in the small decked sloop class and dominated it: first in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019, and second in 2016 behind New Version. In 2011 and 2013, New Moon And Run Away complete the podium.

Marie Stella au près dans une mer formée, coque blanche à liseré orange, équipage au vent
Marie Stella in the race, seen from a support boat.

In August 2023, Marie Stella is still at the start of the island tour, alongside Glacier, Power Surge, Power Play and Windward Pride.

July 2024: Destroyed by Hurricane Beryl

On July 1, 2024, Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4 storm, struck Carriacou and sank Marie Stella. This information was also reported by the competitors of the Carriacou Regatta Festival 2026, where the former owner was present to attend the race.

On July 12, 2024, The Grenada Informer announced that the regatta would most likely be cancelled, as several large decked sloops had been badly damaged or destroyed.

One of the premiere crafts which has been around and ruled the festival for years, Marie Stella, has been destroyed by the Hurricane.

The Grenada Informer, July 12, 2024

The newspaper then mentions another lost sloop: Power Play.

Its loss serves as a stark reminder: these boats don't just disappear for lack of shipwrights to build them, but also in a single morning, when the sea intervenes. In a fleet that now numbers only about twenty vessels, every hull lost is a significant loss.

August 2026: the regatta returns without Marie Stella

Early August 2026, on the eve of the return of Carriacou Regatta Festival, The Explore Carriacou and Petite Martinique page pays tribute to Captain Michael Bethel and his crew. The boat, severely damaged by Beryl, will not be at the starting line.

For years, Maristella was a proud competitor on our waters, creating unforgettable memories and fierce rivalries.

Explore Carriacou and Petite Martinique, August 2026

In the comments, locals recall following the island's circumnavigation by boat or bicycle from the shore each year to cheer on their favorite. A close friend of the captain describes a particularly fast sloop that loved to overtake other boats and hints that a successor is being prepared.

What remains to be found

Neither the shipwright, nor the year of construction, nor the length of the boat are documented.

L’épave de Marie Stella échouée sur les rochers après l’ouragan Beryl
The wreck of the Marie Stella after Hurricane Beryl, July 2024.

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Contact — Marie Stella

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