Dejected Sailor Apparent Suicide Dec. 05 2005 Starry Ledger 09928

A middle aged man was found dead in his PDQ 36 sailing catamaran. The
Coast Guard was first alerted when a fishing boat spotted the vessel,
sailing slowly and listing heavily. Her port hull was partially filled
with sea water. The owner was found in the cockpit, a line from the
headsail wrapped around his throat.
"Looks like he used the sail and wind to strangle himself," Said USCG
Captain Merrit. "We've seen this type of thing a few times before with
these boats."
A woman, thought to be the owner's wife suggested that he had filled
one hull with water to make the boat heel and sail like a proper
sailboat. "We always told him the boat was a mistake and the whole
family hated it. But we never wanted it to come to this." She said,
alternately laughing and crying.
The woman later claimed that this was the only time he had actually
hoisted sails on the boat, but for a sad and remorseful purpose on this
final voyage.



RB
35s5
NY