Mighty Merloe

[Wess]

His Facebook page is now gone too. Color me shocked. Actually I am surprised how easy it seems to have been for somebody like this to extract money and sponsorships from major corporations. Can’t imagine what their vetting process was…

Good grief I am in the wrong line of work.

 

[LionIsland]

I myself have never made a single mistake while boating.

And why would you have? it’s boating. Its easy and nothing goes wrong.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

His Facebook page is now gone too. Color me shocked. Actually I am surprised how easy it seems to have been for somebody like this to extract money and sponsorships from major corporations. Can’t imagine what their vetting process was…

Good grief I am in the wrong line of work.

He didn't find "money and sponsorships from major corporations", hence why he has a lot of the challenges that he has. In fact, it's exactly the opposite. He set up a non-profit and managed to get a super cool boat donated to the non-profit, and it appears he has mostly struck out finding sponsors and funding, which has in many ways led to his current predicament.

It's not that easy to find real, meaningful sponsorship to go ocean racing or record setting, don't kid yourself. Other than finding some free gear here and there, it's a hard sell, hence why there's no Americans in the Vendée Globe and the only two to do it were privately funded without real corporate sponsorship.

 

[karst]

This was a terribly conceived idea from years out. I spoke to Cap’n Crowhurst multiple times about his boat shopping and his plans, both when I was at GB and afterwards (about Shockwave). We are both from Maryland and I wanted to root for him, but it was just too obvious that he was WAY out of his depth.

i was saddened when I saw he bought Merloe. I lived in SD and I knew the boat well. I knew this was going to end poorly. In fact, it’s gone worse than I hoped/feared and I doubt it’ll get any better from here. I mean..I get it…we’ve all had shitty passages, but why couldn’t someone drop the tattered headsails and flake the main and throw a sail cover on it? There’s a wanton disregard for the boat.

As far as the donors and sponsors go, I can’t help but smile at their virtue signaling gone awry. Donald’s “con“ wasn’t a con like SBF or Madoff’s. There was zero reason to believe he had the skills to do this…all he had was his race and the white guilt he could leverage for personal gain. Like all con men, it’s hard to tell if his motivations well ill-intentioned or just stemmed from a shocking, biblical lack of self-awareness. God himself couldn’t sail that boat RTW solo in under 40 days and it’s totally cringeworthy to see that stated as a goal.

i guess, in a sense, it’s a bit like the Kanye situation. If you assume that Donald isn’t being intentionally malicious then he’s probably dealing with some mental issues. His hubris and total ignorance of his limitations has made him the laughing stock of an entire community. It seems like it’s time for his loved ones to tell him that maybe it’s time to move on. Sell the boat for whatever they can get for it in its distressed state, and refund the money to his sponsors.

I know we are supposed to “dream big dreams” and all, but this is just embarrassing and sad.

 

[Wess]

He didn't find "money and sponsorships from major corporations", hence why he has a lot of the challenges that he has. In fact, it's exactly the opposite. He set up a non-profit and managed to get a super cool boat donated to the non-profit, and it appears he has mostly struck out finding sponsors and funding, which has in many ways led to his current predicament.

It's not that easy to find real, meaningful sponsorship to go ocean racing or record setting, don't kid yourself. Other than finding some free gear here and there, it's a hard sell, hence why there's no Americans in the Vendée Globe and the only two to do it were privately funded without real corporate sponsorship.

Ah, thought I saw some T-Mobile and Musto stuff on his site. Bottom line is sucks to see what has happened to such a great boat. It deserved better that the delusional nutter it ended up with.

 

[Wess]

This was a terribly conceived idea from years out. I spoke to Cap’n Crowhurst multiple times about his boat shopping and his plans, both when I was at GB and afterwards (about Shockwave). We are both from Maryland and I wanted to root for him, but it was just too obvious that he was WAY out of his depth.

i was saddened when I saw he bought Merloe. I lived in SD and I knew the boat well. I knew this was going to end poorly. In fact, it’s gone worse than I hoped/feared and I doubt it’ll get any better from here. I mean..I get it…we’ve all had shitty passages, but why couldn’t someone drop the tattered headsails and flake the main and throw a sail cover on it? There’s a wanton disregard for the boat.

As far as the donors and sponsors go, I can’t help but smile at their virtue signaling gone awry. Donald’s “con“ wasn’t a con like SBF or Madoff’s. There was zero reason to believe he had the skills to do this…all he had was his race and the white guilt he could leverage for personal gain. Like all con men, it’s hard to tell if his motivations well ill-intentioned or just stemmed from a shocking, biblical lack of self-awareness. God himself couldn’t sail that boat RTW solo in under 40 days and it’s totally cringeworthy to see that stated as a goal.

i guess, in a sense, it’s a bit like the Kanye situation. If you assume that Donald isn’t being intentionally malicious then he’s probably dealing with some mental issues. His hubris and total ignorance of his limitations has made him the laughing stock of an entire community. It seems like it’s time for his loved ones to tell him that maybe it’s time to move on. Sell the boat for whatever they can get for it in its distressed state, and refund the money to his sponsors.

I know we are supposed to “dream big dreams” and all, but this is just embarrassing and sad.

So well said…

 

[ronnie_simpson]

Ah, thought I saw some T-Mobile and Musto stuff on his site. Bottom line is sucks to see what has happened to such a great boat. It deserved better that the delusional nutter it ended up with.

i think he got some safety gear kicked down from Mustang Survival, not Musto. He did some type of photo shoot with T-Mobile and Space X, but not sure it came with any funding. I have spoken with him a few times as well. As another sailor whose dreams are far bigger than their pocket book, I wanted to root for him, but i think it's really clear that the ORMA 60 was simply the wrong horse for the course in regards to trying to set solo records, especially on a shoe string budget.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

God himself couldn’t sail that boat RTW solo in under 40 days and it’s totally cringeworthy to see that stated as a goal.

To my knowledge, he never said he was going for the 40 day outright RTW record, or for Gabart's 42 day record. He said he was going for the American record, which was 107 days and for the solo non stop record for 60' or under, which is basically Armel le Cleach's VG record of 74 days.

I am also saddened to see how things have played out. I hope that the story and the boat can at least have some type of happy ending. I think a lot of peope are confused when they say he 'bought' the boat or that he should 'sell' the boat. It was donated to his non-profit, which means that he would be stuck with the boat for 3 years before he could sell it. his only options would be to lease it out to generate money for the non-profit, or to use it for the non-profit's inended mission statement for a period of three years. no one will want to lease it out now that it's so wrecked. I hope he can at least get the boat patched up and maybe go through the canal and back to maryland and use it to take school groups out, and as a training platform for people of color and other young sailors. that would fit well within his mission statement. there are some pretty hot race boats in Acapulco and some pretty legit technicians and boat builders. i hope he can at least get the boat and sails patched up and maybe find a crew of folks that want to help him transit the canal and delivery mode it to Maryland.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

Ah, thought I saw some T-Mobile and Musto stuff on his site.

Wessly's research strikes again

 

[MR.CLEAN]

His hubris and total ignorance of his limitations has made him the laughing stock of an entire community. It seems like it’s time for his loved ones to tell him that maybe it’s time to move on. Sell the boat for whatever they can get for it in its distressed state, and refund the money to his sponsors.

I know we are supposed to “dream big dreams” and all, but this is just embarrassing and sad.

It's only embarrassing for one who has the awareness to be embarrassed. Lawson does not seem to have that issue, perhaps because he has made no effort to become a member of the sailing community. Since he didn't raise any real money from anyone who would demand accountability, he doesn't need the community.

His boat, his choice.

He's Reid Stowe with a riskier ride and darker skin tone.

 

[karst]

To my knowledge, he never said he was going for the 40 day outright RTW record, or for Gabart's 42 day record. He said he was going for the American record, which was 107 days and for the solo non stop record for 60' or under, which is basically Armel le Cleach's VG record of 74 days.

There are many references to his desire to break the solo non-stop RTW record Including on his own website. This Outside article is a great example of the journalism-free puff pieces that the SBF’s of the world get.

Donald Lawson Is Poised to Rip Up Sailing’s Record Books

The 40-year-old captain is taking the sailing world by storm, aiming to break dozens of records, including the fastest solo, nonstop circumnavigation of the globe

www.outsideonline.com

I had an ex-gf who’d sing karaoke when she got drunk. She was convinced that she was the next Kelly Clarkson, just waiting to be discovered. It was tough to be a good boyfriend on those karaoke nights.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

I hope he can at least get the boat patched up and maybe go through the canal and back to maryland and use it to take school groups out, and as a training platform for people of color and other young sailors.

This is a very bad idea. The best thing that could happen to this program is for the boat to be broken in half by a squall with the crew swimming to shore somewhere beautiful. Lawson will have a book to write and lots of media appearances to make, and no sail trainees or panga crews will die or be gravely injured.

 

[jdazey]

Ronnie, you're being way too kind.

OK, we'll take it that his non-profit has it for three years from the time of donation (another two years?). Fix it up? He couldn't get sponsorship then, and not likely to get it now. Any idea of what a new main will cost for that boat? New headsails? Hauling out and repairing the damage to the hulls? From all appearances he's walked away from this disaster. Perhaps his non-profit could donate the boat to another non-profit, but who would take it.

While we'd all like to see a good outcome from Mighty Merloe/Defiant, that's just wishful thinking.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

There are many references to his desire to break the solo non-stop RTW record Including on his own website. This Outside article is a great example of the journalism-free puff pieces that the SBF’s of the world get.

Donald Lawson Is Poised to Rip Up Sailing’s Record Books

The 40-year-old captain is taking the sailing world by storm, aiming to break dozens of records, including the fastest solo, nonstop circumnavigation of the globe

www.outsideonline.com

I had an ex-gf who’d sing karaoke when she got drunk. She was convinced that she was the next Kelly Clarkson, just waiting to be discovered. It was tough to be a good boyfriend on those karaoke nights.

Copy/ pasted from the Outside article that you just linked:

"in January 2024, he’ll attempt the solo nonstop circumnavigation. For the sailing class that Lawson’s journey will fit into, the current world record is 74 days. Lawson will attempt to do it in 70."

Again, "for the sailing class that his journey fits into"... He was going after the solo, non stop RTW record for 60 foot and under boats, which would include IMOCA and ORMA. He may lack humility, but even Don knew 40-42 days was impossible. He was going after Armel's VG record

 

[karst]

Wessly's research strikes again

Mr. Clean in the house!

I’d support banning TikTok if for no
other reason than just because it almost makes standing on a docked boat and sipping coffee seem like an action video.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

He may lack humility, but even Don knew 40-42 days was impossible. He was going after Armel's VG record

Which is equally impossible, which is to say Don has a 0% chance of accomplishing either goal (or really any record whatsoever unless he can airlift the tri to some inland pond

 

[karst]

Copy/ pasted from the Outside article that you just linked:

"in January 2024, he’ll attempt the solo nonstop circumnavigation. For the sailing class that Lawson’s journey will fit into, the current world record is 74 days. Lawson will attempt to do it in 70."

Again, "for the sailing class that his journey fits into"... He was going after the solo, non stop RTW record for 60 foot and under boats, which would include IMOCA and ORMA. He may lack humility, but even Don knew 40-42 days was impossible. He was going after Armel's VG record

I don’t know if you’re intentionally trolling…but the byline says it all.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

It was tough to be a good boyfriend on those karaoke nights.

I'm sure you had something to shove in her mouth that would shut her up!

 

[ronnie_simpson]

Ronnie, you're being way too kind.

OK, we'll take it that his non-profit has it for three years from the time of donation (another two years?). Fix it up? He couldn't get sponsorship then, and not likely to get it now. Any idea of what a new main will cost for that boat? New headsails? Hauling out and repairing the damage to the hulls? From all appearances he's walked away from this disaster. Perhaps his non-profit could donate the boat to another non-profit, but who would take it.

While we'd all like to see a good outcome from Mighty Merloe/Defiant, that's just wishful thinking.

Yes, I have a pretty good idea what sails and proper repairs would cost. I'm putting an entire inventory on my Open 50 in April, and the ORMA sails are probably right about double what my sails cost. And i'm pulling my rig tomorrow. Shit's expensive, I get it. Bank account can verify.

The man very clearly bit off more than he could chew. It's very clear that he won't set any records on the boat.

But hauling the lightweight boat in Mexico with a crane... slapping some carbon or even some glass over the exposed core and fairing the hull... Making it water tight and at least sea worthy... repairing the exisitng inventory and then getting some crew to help delivery-sail it to the Chesapeake would be possible. It's probably wishful thinking, but I am one of those guys that roots for under dogs. A lot of people are probably talking shit on me for launching an Open 50 solo rtw racing campaign. But i'm a dreamer and a doer, and that's where I can empathize with Don. He clearly bit off way more than he can chew, but with a bit of humility, hard work and good fortune the story could potentially have a happy ending. He's not gonna set any records on the boat, but if you break down his stated goals to their very core, he can maybe still make a positive influence on some people's lives and add some pigment to the sport. Wishful thinking, perhaps.

I hope he can find some humility and make something positive happen before it's too late.

 

[Hydrolance]

Getting down to Acapulco is fairly easy. Getting back, not so easy!

I was approached by a friend a few weeks ago that was offered the opportunity to deliver the boat to the Chesapeake and turned it down after realizing that the captain is just a poser.

I guess he realized his plan to sail to Hawaii and then RTW from there with that boat was not realistic. Now it looks like he may not even make it to the new multihull mecca that multihuler is putting together in Washington NC. I plan to stop by there in two weeks as I sail down the intercoastal on my monohull cruiser to escape the cold.