Matchless (pleasure yacht)

The Matchless was a British sailing boat which sank in Morecambe Bay, off north west England, in 1894 with the loss of 25 lives.

[1]: 2 [2] The Matchless was a Lancashire nobby sailing boat, used for fishing in winter and for pleasure trips in summer.

On the day of the disaster, as was usual except in rough weather, it was operated by a single boatman, its owner Samuel Houghton, aged 54 and an experienced skipper.

The foreman of the jury was the chairman of the local authority, so had an interest in maintaining the town's reputation as a safe resort for holidaymakers.

There was criticism of the speed with which the inquest had been held, giving families no time to hear the news and make arrangements to attend.