Lawson’s trimaran capsized off Mexico

(July 26, 2023) – The family of missing sailor Donald Lawson reports a vessel found capsized off the coast of Mexico is, indeed, Defiant, Lawson’s 60-foot racing trimaran.

The U.S. Coast Guard informed Jacqueline Lawson, Donald’s wife, that the Mexican Navy was on the scene. Jacqueline positively identified the vessel as Defiant.

A U.S. Coast Guard Cutter has been dispatched to help in searching for the missing sailor from Baltimore, MD and is en route, 150 nautical miles out from the location.

The Coast Guard told Jacqueline yesterday that a vessel was found 315 nautical miles south/southwest of Acapulco.

Lawson had left Acapulco on July 5, 2023, singlehanding the ORMA 60 bound for the Panama Canal and ultimately Baltimore to prepare for a single-handed round the world record attempt this fall.

He communicated on July 9 that he had been experiencing problems with his hydraulic rigging and was without engine power, relying solely on a wind generator. But when he lost his wind generator due to a storm on July 12, he decided to return to Acapulco but contact was lost later that day.

Following a proclamation in June 2020 that he’d identified 12 records held by the World Sailing Speed Record Council that he planned to break, Lawson bought the ORMA 60 in April 2022 to pursue this initiative.

However, equipment issues and accidents marred his ownership of the boat which delayed his record-setting pursuits of which none were ever achieved.

UPDATE: As of July 27th, there has been no new information on the boat or Lawson.