Phillip Merril's Sailboat Found Empty In Chesapeake Bay

[CaptainK]

Here's a story about a prominant politician / publisher who went missing while out sailing.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/11/mis....ap/index.html

[Starbuck]

Although there are not many details to base conclusions on, it might be safe to say:

All the experience in the world doesn't replace some basic single-handed safety practices.

[rtbates]

This story reminds me of the story of the very expeienced sailor who while sailing with his wife fell overboard and drowned. His wife kept saying how experienced he was and that was WHY he was NOT wearing a saftey harness or a life vest? HELLO!!! He may have been experienced, but smart he was not.

[staehpj1]

Jacklines, harness, and PFD would not have helped much. He apparently died of a self inflicted gunshot wound.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/loc...home-headlines

Lead poisening will get y every time Then again, sounds like he wnt out on his own terms.

[staehpj1]

Personally I tend to admire folks who "go out on their own terms", depending on the circumstances.

On another note...
I find the "basic single-handed safety practices" comments that seem to always pop up after any incident interesting. I have to wonder how it is that so many folks claim that they always wear pfd's or harnesses and yet I seldom see anyone doing that.

If I have the dates straight, I was sailing in the same general area as Merrell on the same day as the incident. I saw quite a few other folks single handing (as I was too). I did not see a single soul with a pfd or harness in evidence. This is the norm for that area.

I have to wonder if the folks who pass judgement really would practice what they preach if they were sailing in the same location and conditions.

Pete

[Sandero]

If you go overboard and you are singlehanding... there is a good chance your boat will sail away. If you do remain afloat you have little chance of treading water long enough to be found.

Therefore a safety harness shoould be used... And even climbing on board could be a serious challenge when you are tethered.

If he was experienced as they claim, perhaps he commited suicide???

Wayne Madsen Reports:

June 21, 2006 -- Merrill death ruled suicide; Body found in water weighed down by an anchor; Merrill shot through head in a replay of 1978 "suicide" of CIA Deputy Director John Paisley.

The body of Maryland publisher Philip Merrill was discovered Monday in the Chesapeake Bay near Poplar Island with a gunshot wound to the head and weighed down with an anchor. Merrill's body was discovered 11 miles from where his boat was found last week. As with Paisley, investigators concluded Merrill committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a shotgun. Investigators ruled Merrill's death a suicide even before an autopsy was performed, An experienced medical examiner told WMR that bodies found in the water rapidly lose toxicological and other critical evidence, including the presence of drugs in the bloodstream.

WMR was the first to speculate that Merrill's death was more than an accident, as reported last week by the mainstream media. WMR learned that while Merrill, a close friend of Vice President Dick Cheney and financial backer of a number of neo-conservative organizations, was the head of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, the bank made a number of dubious loans to the U.S.-run Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq and a successor agency known as the Trade Bank of Iraq. In November 2003, $500 million in credit was extended to the Trade Bank of Iraq by the US Export-Import Bank. Much of the money was used to facilitate U.S. "exports" to Iraq, which was actually used to pay major U.S. contractors operating in the occupied country. A 2005 audit report by the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction concluded that "the CPA did not establish or implement sufficient managerial, financial and contractual controls to ensure that funds were used in a transparent manner." The report stated that $8.8 billion allocated to the CPA was unaccounted for.

Jef
sv Shiva
Contest 36s

[sneuman]

Well I saw with my own eyes as a friend of mine was saved from going overboard in 30-40ft seas thanks to a jackline. Under those conditions he would have been unrecoverable.

If I ever had any doubts about PFDs and jacklines (I didn't) ... I certainly wouldn't now.

Offshore, wear 'em, always, in the cockpit or going forward!

[staehpj1]

Originally Posted by sneuman

Well I saw with my own eyes as a friend of mine was saved from going overboard in 30-40ft seas thanks to a jackline. Under those conditions he would have been unrecoverable.

If I ever had any doubts about PFDs and jacklines (I didn't) ... I certainly wouldn't now.

Offshore, wear 'em, always, in the cockpit or going forward!

I agree, but Merrell was on the middle to upper Chesapeake. Steady winds were at 10 mph or less all day except for one little spike to 12. Gusts were generally well below 20. Waves maybe 2' tops, but probably more like 1' most of the day. The bay isn't wide and boats were everywhere. If he were wearing a harness he would have been the only one or nearly so.

Do you wear a harness under those conditions? I freely admit that I don't.

Pete

[Sandero]

He commited suicide or was murdered. No harness required.

Jef
sv Shiva
Contest 36s

An important point here is self accountability. There are people who free climb, solo dive (Including myself), and single hand. All of those activities include certain hazards. As sailors, it is our responsibility to be responsible for our ship. The actions, and the consequences are ours alone to bear. As soon as those consequences become a burden to others, we have failed. I do not know his family situation, and also do not know if he left the vessel in such a position as to be a hazard to others, but I would be far more apt to critisize those decisions than his decision not to wear a PFD.Considering he commited suicide, I would guess his judgement was not very sound at the time anyway.

[Talbot]

Had a case recently in UK where a singlehander was connected on by harness (and also I think had a lifejacket on. He went overboard and could not get back aboard. The boat continued sailing on, and he drowned. May have had better luck not actually being secured by lifeline.

Personally really dislike the location of jackstays on most boats, where it is on the side deck. It can interfere with your footing, and has little chance of stopping you go overboard. Mine is on the cacroof, and is thus much easier to clip on, and provides a good handhold while going foward as well as allowing a much shorter harnes attachment.

[Talbot]

Had a case recently in UK where a singlehander was connected on by harness (and also I think had a lifejacket on. He went overboard and could not get back aboard. The boat continued sailing on, and he drowned. May have had better luck not actually being secured by lifeline.

Personally really dislike the location of jackstays on most boats, where it is on the side deck. It can interfere with your footing, and has little chance of stopping you go overboard. Mine is on the cacroof, and is thus much easier to clip on, and provides a good handhold while going foward as well as allowing a much shorter harnes attachment.

[DeepFrz]

I have resisted commenting on this post for some reason, however I feel that it is important that I do comment now.

I didn't know Mr. Merrill or his family and don't know any of the circumstances of his life and not being a doctor I am not prescribing that Mr. Merrill was depressed. Having said that however, depression can play a nasty role in peoples lives. I once sat and talked with a man I had known in business some years before the following incident; a man who seemingly had everything going for himself; successful in business; married to a very respected and successful woman; very well connected politically. Two days after our conversation he walked over to a nearby park with his shotgun and ended his life. (I mentioned the accomplishments above because of the importance we as a society place on these things). I later talked to a psychiatrist about this incident, and asked why I hadn't noticed anything wrong. The doctor said that he knew enough about depression to say that he could never "put a face on it". That is to say that someone can be near the point of taking his/her own life and yet not be recognizeable as depressed. I found that rather shocking coming from someone who regularly treats patients who are suffering from depression.

I think it's important that we discuss these things in a mature way. It's also important that we recognize the role society plays in dissuading people from seeking treatment before it is to late. Making judgments about someone's behaviour is best left to whichever god one subscribes to.

I am posting several URLs about depression and suicide for those who are interested. The first is all about depression, the other is entitled "In Harm's Way, Suicide In America". The following is quoted from the first page.

If you are having thoughts about harming or killing yourself, you should seek consultation with a medical or mental health professional immediately.

http://www.allaboutdepression.com/gen_04.html

http://www.allaboutdepression.com/gen_27.html

Fair Winds;

Deep

Deep, I agree with you 100%. Having dealt with this personally, I can say that it is really hard to tell when someone is desperately seeking attention, and when they are seriously contemplating suicide. The really sad thing is most are blind to the pain they will leave behind. But...For someone who feels their life is completely beyond their control, it is often the one thing they feel they CAN control. Sad really. The scarey part is the ones who are not after attention, often hide their intentions. Those are the ones who walk in front of trains. No backing out once the decision is made. Personally I think it is rather selfish of them. A bit judgemental, maybe, but that is my opinion FWIW.