TULSA — Fans mourn the loss of Doug Jackson, a popular youtuber famous for building a tremendous ship in his front yard. Jackson died early Saturday morning from tragic injuries sustained during an explosion at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. He was 63 and is survived by his son and three grandchildren. Jackson had recently returned from Antigua after his sailboat suffered a dismasting on his first voyage at sea.
Port employees heard a loud crack, Friday, after an explosion ripped through the 72 foot Junk Rigged Origami Hull. Several of the ship’s structural welds were ruptured in the blast. Jackson was rushed to the Tulsa General Hospital by paramedics and declared dead on arrival.
Authorities have not ruled out foul play or suicide, but are currently investigating the situation. Sheriff Nick Hardtaps told reporters, “I think he probably had a slow gas leak of some kind, most likely oxy-acetalene, and when he returned from Antigua all doped up on a combination of Dramamine and Scopamine, he clumsily triggered the disaster with a static shock, with his camera equipment, or possibly with the cigars found on his dead body.”
Many are seeing irony in Jackson’s death, after he faked a video in 2020 showing himself suffering a grievous head injury in a similar explosion aboard his ship.
“He tricked thousands of people into thinking he was dead, but now that his prank has apparently really happened, I don’t even feel sorry for him,” fan and longtime viewer Sharona Filepop wrote on the SVSeeker youtube channel.
Some viewers are refusing to believe that Jackson is deceased, and are convinced he has drawn the entire community into an even bigger prank to push forward the long-delayed launch of his ship.
Fan and commenter Horatio Bloodaxe told reporters, “Yeah you know, he’s been tied up in red tape and insurance safety bullshit for months now, and he can’t get the boat in the water any other way. He had to do it again, for publicity. Here in a week I’m sure he’ll pop up again in the papers, on the news, and the port will be forced to allow him into the water. It’s just another test for the faithful, and I will be worthy to be on that great man’s crew. Those without faith will be weeded out.”