Mariette is one in a line of famous cruiser-racers. Designed by American naval architect Nathanael Greene Herreshoff in 1915 in his yard at Bristol, Rhode Island. After the war Mariette went through many different owners and several name changes until she ended up in the ownership of the Italian publisher Alberto Rizzoli. It was not until 1995 that Mariette would undergo a major refit when her new owner, Tom Perkins, decided to restore the yacht to her original luster. The work was based on the boat's original plans. These plans made it possible for Tom Eaton, the leader of the restoration project, and British rigger Harry Spencer to recreate the sail plan and masts in their original configuration.  Mariette has been sailing the circuit since her re-launch in 1995.