Historic Sailing Vessel Involved in Fatal Accident Had a Troubled Past
A historic sailing vessel, the Grace Bailey, found itself in a tragic accident as its main mast shattered, causing the death of a passenger. But this isn’t the first time the ship has had its share of misadventures. In 2022 and 2019, under different ownership, the vessel had been a part of three previous accidents, according to Coast Guard records.
The Grace Bailey, a remarkable creation from 1882, was returning from a four-day voyage when disaster struck near Rockland Harbor. The broken mast fell onto the deck, claiming the life of a doctor and injuring three other passengers.
In July 2022, a mishap occurred when the Grace Bailey’s skipper miscalculated and collided with another schooner anchored in Rockland Harbor, the American Eagle. This incident left the American Eagle’s mainsail damaged and the Grace Bailey’s boom plunged into the water, as per a Coast Guard report.
In 2022 and 2019, the Grace Bailey ran aground, but fortunately, these incidents caused no injuries and only minor damage. The schooner was able to float free at high tide both times.
The vessel underwent a change in ownership this season, passing an annual inspection on May 31 while being compliant with all regulatory requirements, according to the Coast Guard.
The unexpected mast failure in ordinary sailing conditions suggests a possible weakening of the mast, likely due to water intrusion and rot, as suggested by Jim Sharp, a former schooner owner.
The Grace Bailey was carrying 33 passengers and crew when the mast broke, leaving many stunned by the sudden catastrophe. Nicole Jacques, spokesperson for the Grace Bailey’s owners, refrained from offering theories on why the mast failed, emphasizing that the Coast Guard would determine the cause.
As of now, it remains unclear when the mast was last inspected, as these inspections, which require the mast to be removed from the vessel and inspected on land, are less frequent than the annual inspections, as explained by Sharp.