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S/V Merlin

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+#REDIRECT [[S/V Merlin]]
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-{{Infobox person
-| name               = Chip Merlin
-| birth_name         = William F. Merlin Jr.
-| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1959|03|19}}
-| nationality        = American
-| occupation         = Attorney, professional sailor, author
-| years_active       = 1985-Present
-| website            = {{URL|https://www.merlinlawgroup.com}}
 }}
-'''Chip Merlin''' (born March 19th, 1959), is an American attorney, author, and professional [[sailing (sport)|sport sailor]]. His Merlin Law Group is the second-largest firm in the United States in the field of representing insurance claims for natural disaster victims, for which the Tampa Bay Times named him "The Master of Disaster." In 2018, Merlin purchased the [[S/V Merlin]] and became a professional [[boat racing|boat racer]], successfully participating in numerous races and [[regatta]]s. Merlin's transition from attorney to professional sailor was the subject of an autobiography, ''Mavericks and Merlins,'' self-published through [[Forbes|ForbesBooks]].
-==Early life==
-Merlin was born in 1959. He is the son of retired U.S. Coast Guard admiral and sailor Bill Merlin, who had a brief career as a professional yacht racer in the 1950s. As a child, Merlin aspired to become a professional racer himself and won several titles in [[Flying Scot (dinghy)|Flying Scot]] races, but ultimately decided to pursue a legal career instead.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Museler |first=Chris |title=Iconic Merlin in the Biennial Newport-Bermuda Race |url=https://www.sailmagazine.com/racing/iconic-merlin-in-the-biennial-newport-bermuda-race |website=Sail Magazine}}</ref>
-==Legal career==
-Merlin founded his firm in Tampa in 1985.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Harrington |first=Jeff |title=Tampa's Merlin Law Group expands nationwide footprint |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tampas-merlin-law-group-expands-nationwide-footprint/2281178/ |website=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref> He initially rose to national prominence when his firm took on numerous cases related to [[Hurricane Katrina]],<ref name="auto-1">{{Cite web |last=Harrison and Ponder |first=Bobby and Geoff |title=AG Lynn Fitch settled Katrina insurance cases for pennies on the dollar compared to others |url=https://mississippitoday.org/2022/10/03/lynn-fitch-katrina-insurance-cases/ |website=Mississippi Today}}</ref> including successfully representing the Port of New Orleans in a $150 million claim against Factory Mutual Insurance.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Harrington |first=Jeff |title=Tampa's Merlin Law Group expands nationwide footprint |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tampas-merlin-law-group-expands-nationwide-footprint/2281178/ |website=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref>
-Beginning in 2012, Merlin expanded his firm to the Northeast to represent clients impacted by [[Hurricane Sandy]], representing over 400 people; Merlin advocated on behalf of his clients to the U.S. District Court of New Jersey asking for greater transparency from insurance companies in natural disaster cases.<ref name="auto-2">{{Cite web| last=Zimmer |first=Russ| title=Judge rips Sandy insurer over flood report change| url=https://www.app.com/story/news/local/2014/11/10/flood-insurance-engineering-reports-changed/18822017/| website=Asbury Park Press}}</ref> In 2016, the firm expanded to include 41 attorneys representing clients in [[Chicago]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], and [[West Palm Beach]], making it the second-largest law firm in the United States specializing in insurance claims for natural disasters.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Harrington |first=Jeff |title=Tampa's Merlin Law Group expands nationwide footprint |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tampas-merlin-law-group-expands-nationwide-footprint/2281178/ |website=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref> In addition to his legal career, Merlin is a regular contributor to Forbes, writing about insurance law. <ref>{{cite web |last=Staff |title=Articles by Chip Merlin|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbooksauthors/people/chipmerlin/?sh=76899f726c84| website=Forbes}}</ref>
-==Sports career==
-In 2017, Merlin purchased the SV Merlin. He had initially only intended to charter the boat as a present for his father to race in the 2017 [[Newport Bermuda Race]]. Merlin had been aware of the boat since 1977, when he read about it's victory in the [[Transpacific Yacht Race]] in an issue of [[Sports Illustrated]]. Upon seeing the boat for the first time, Merlin instead opted to purchase it and embark upon a professional sailing career, forming the Merlin Yacht Racing Team. He additionally purchased a [[B Boats B-32|B-32]] he christened the "Chip's All In" to add to the team.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Truax|first=Greg|title=It's Now Chip's All In| url=https://alivetampabay.com/politics/its-now-chips-all-in/|website=Alive Tampa Bay}}</ref>
-His first race was the 2018 Race to Habana, for which Merlin received [[line honors]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Museler |first=Chris |title=Iconic Merlin in the Biennial Newport-Bermuda Race |url=https://www.sailmagazine.com/racing/iconic-merlin-in-the-biennial-newport-bermuda-race |website=Sail Magazine}}</ref> He then participated in the Regatta del Sol al Sol to Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
-In the 2017 Transpacific Race, Merlin placed third in his division and eighth overall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |title=Ho competing aboard the legendary Merlin in the Transpac Sailing Race |url=https://www.lahainanews.com/news/local-news/2019/07/18/ho-competing-aboard-the-legendary-merlin-in-the-transpac-sailing-race/ |website=Lahaina news}}</ref> Following the race, Merlin began extensive renovations on the yacht under the supervision of [[United States Navy]] architect Alan Andrews ahead of future races.<ref>{{YouTube|H0_xFRAs96g|title=Chip Merlin and Bill Lee — Perspectives of the 50th Transpac}}</ref> In 2018, Merlin captained the boat alongside his father in the [[Newport Bermuda Race]], placing eighth overall but beating every other boat to begin the race departing [[St. David's Island, Bermuda|St. David's Island]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Museler |first=Chris|title=Merlin's Path: A Strong Grip on the Wheel|url=https://bermudarace.com/merlins-path-a-strong-grip-on-the-wheel/|website=bermudarace.com}}</ref> In the 2019 Transpacific Race, Merlin again placed third in his division.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |title=50th Annual Transpac Race Results |url=https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_detail.cfm?Race_Number=1&eID=4758 |website=Yachtscoring.com}}</ref> In 2019, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Transpac, Merlin and Merlin SV designer Bill Lee filmed a [[short film]] from aboard the ship documenting the boat's retrofitting under Andrews.<ref>{{YouTube|H0_xFRAs96g|title=Chip Merlin and Bill Lee — Perspectives of the 50th Transpac}}</ref> The same year he competed in the Tampa Bay to Ft. Meyers race with the Chip's All In, finishing third.<ref>{{Cite web|last= staff|title=2019 Tampa Bay to Ft. Myers Race|url=https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2019/05/25/2019-tampa-bay-to-ft-myers-race/|website=Sailing Scuttlebutt}}</ref>
-In 2020, Merlin competed in the St. Pete's [[National Offshore One Design]] with the Chip's All In,<ref>{{cite web|last=Staff|title=Romance and Racing at the St. Pete's NOOD|url=https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/02/12/romance-and-racing-at-st-pete-nood/|website=Sailing Scuttlebutt}}</ref> placing seventh in his division.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Staff|title=2020 St. Petersburg NOOD Results|website=Yacht Scoring}}</ref>
-In 2021, he competed in the Rolex Big Boat Series. The same year he wrote ''Mavericks and Merlins,'' documenting the first four years of his yacht racing career.<ref>{{Cite web | last=Weaver| first= Chris| title= Chip Merlin on Finding His Perfect Match With Merlin|url=https://goodjibes.libsyn.com/chip-merlin-on-finding-his-perfect-match-with-merlin|website='Good Jibes with Latitude 38'}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bennett |first=Nikki |title=Chip Merlin on Finding His Perfect Match With Merlin |url=https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/podcast/episode-14-chip-merlin-finding-perfect-match-merlin/ |website='Lectronic Latitude}}</ref> As of 2024, Merlin has participated in nine races with the SV Merlin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |title=Chip Merlin SV Merlin Record |url=https://yachtscoring.com/yacht_results.cfm?Yacht_ID=140748 |website=Yachtscoring.com}}</ref>
-As of late 2021, Merlin is making plans to begin racing alongside the [[West Coast of the United States]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Staff|title=Dramatic Finishes in Classic Bay Breeze Embody Day Two of Rolex Big Boat Series|url=https://rolexbigboatseries.com/news/article/dramatic-finishes-in-classic-bay-breeze|website=Rolexbigboatseries.com}}</ref> The same year, he competed in the 2021 Davis Island Halloween Regatta with the Chip's All In, placing second in his division.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff| title=2021 David Island Halloween Regatta Results|url=https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=23173&show_divisions=1&media_format=1|website=Regatta Network}}</ref>
-In 2023, Merlin competed in the Tampa Bay Hospice Cup with the Chip's All In, placing second.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Staff|title=2023 Tampa Bay Hospice Cup Results|url=https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=25904&show_manufacturer=1&show_crew=1|website=Regatta Network}}</ref>
-==Other work==
-Merlin contributed content to ''Winds over Bolivar,'' a 2010 book documenting the impact of [[Hurricane Ike]] on [[Bolivar, Texas]].<ref>[ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13179848-winds-over-bolivar Winds Over Bolivar]</ref>
-==Bibliography==
-* Henley, Brenda Cannon, with foreword by Ron Deleo & Chip Merlin. (2010) ''Winds Over Bolivar.'' CreateSpace. {{ISBN|9781617898044}}
-* Merlin, Chip. (2020) ''Pay Up!: Preventing A Disaster With Your Own Insurance Company'' {{ISBN|978-1946633828}}
-* Merlin, Chip. (2021) ''Mavericks and Merlins'' {{ISBN|978-1642251227}}
-== References ==
-{{reflist}}
-==External links==
-* [https://merlinyachtracing.com/] - Merlin Yacht Racing
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Merlin, Chip}}
-[[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:20th-century American lawyers]]
-[[Category:21st-century American lawyers]]
-[[Category:Florida lawyers]]
-[[Category:Trial lawyers]]
-[[Category:1959 births]]