ROCKLAND, MAINE: Grace Bailey, a historic schooner built in 1882 and partly owned by actor Mark Evan Jackson, had been involved in several accidents prior to the tragic October 9 accident that killed a Maine doctor named Emily Mecklenburg.
Mecklenburg, 40, a pediatrician from Portland was one of the 33 passengers and crew members aboard the schooner which was returning from a four-day excursion when a 118 ft mast split and crushed her underneath.
Grace Bailey was built in 1882 and was under new ownership this season
The schooner had been involved in three other accidents in the past two years, according to Coast Guard records, as reported by ABC News.
The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the mast failure, the "rarest" thing under normal sailing conditions as MEAWW reported earlier.
Nicole Jacques, spokesperson for the Grace Bailey’s owners, said it was “conjecture” to offer any theories about why the mast failed, AP reported.
During the May 31 inspection, Grace Bailey met all regulatory requirements, the Coast Guard said despite this it had a history of accidents. It was under new ownership this season.
Grace Bailey collided with another schooner in July
The most serious accident occurred on July 8, 2022, when the Grace Bailey collided with another schooner anchored in Rockland Harbor.
Grace Bailey’s front boom hit the American Eagle, causing damage to both vessels.
“The skipper apparently misjudged the distance while maneuvering and struck another schooner,” a Coast Guard report said, as per the agency.
Grace Bailey also ran aground twice, once in 2022 and once in 2019. Both the times, there were no injuries and only minor damage.
The schooner floated free at high tide during both instances, the report mentioned.
Former captain Jim Sharp said mast breaking of schooners is unheard of
Jim Sharp, a former captain of Midcoast schooners with more than 40 years of sailing experience, said, "I’ve never seen anything like this, it’s unheard of."
The Portland Press Herald reported that a folk trio called Skylark was scheduled to perform on the cruise.
Jackson and his partners were offering a 40% discount to Maine residents this season and the next.
He also posted several videos on his Instagram offering deals for sailing on Grace Bailey.
The 118-foot, two-masted schooner has 15 cabins with accommodations for 29 passengers.
The Grace Bailey was built in Patchogue, New York, in 1882 by Oliver Perry Smith and restored in 1990. It was named after owner Edwin Bailey’s daughter, according the ship’s website.
In 1906, the ship was rebuilt and renamed for Mr Bailey’s granddaughter, Martha, who was nicknamed Mattie.
From 1906 until 1990, the schooner sailed using the name Mattie, but in the spring of 1990, after the restoration, the original name was used again.
