ws lirakis – Page 97 – stephenlirakis.com

NEW SPEED RECORD AND HOLDING ON TO THE MOON

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Sailrockethas raised the bar once again. 65 knots over 500 meters. I do not see anyone else eclipsing their accomplishments any time soon. Particularly since they are not finished. The program is finally dialed in.

We had our first snow today. Not much, but enough to signal winter.

BILL JACKLIN NEW WORK

One has nothing at all to do with the other. I was visiting Bill Jacklin today at his studio. We talked while he continued to work; he has an exhibit in a few months in London.

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

The continuing story of my Mill study. The Blackstone River was an important part of the Industrial revolution in America. It was not only the power source for the many mill along it’s banks, it was the highway on which the goods were transported.The railroads laid their tracks by the banks on the rivers of the world and the blackstone was no exception. In this case it was the Providence & Worcester Railroad Line.

At the Northern end in Rhode Island is Woonsocket, in it’s time one of the largest textile manufacturing cities in the United States. As someone said to me ” the scale of the buildings in Woonsocket are something we are unaccustomed to in Rhode Island.” They seem too big for the state.

Woonsocket reminded me of a small version of Portland, OR, with its many bridges encountered in the most surprising places on occasion. The glory of the cities heyday are evident.

The rivers came first then the railroads and finally the roads for automobiles. Just look at the major cities in the United States, or anywhere for that matter. They all started with as port for ships, the railroads had to service them.

68 KNOTS UNDER SAIL

I am waiting for video to become available. But the Sailrocket team is dialed in. Where is the new limit? Naturally this new record is subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.

ONE MORE LOOK AT MANTOLOKING, NJ

Nature’s power ever ceases to amaze and awe. Still, do does not diminish the sadness for those who lost everything, including all their memories.

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE GRANDFATHER

HORSESHOE CRAB DRAWN BY MY GRANDFATHER 1913

HORSESHOE CRAB DRAWN BY STEPHEN LIRAKIS 1967

I am not in line at Best Buy or any other store. I have a little trouble with the logic of shopping in crowds and traffic. I am instead doing chores at home and working and shopping by computer; eating leftover turkey. I have had for many years the drawings from my grandfather and my mother and myself. I have not looked at them in years; having had the intention of scanning them for the future. It was one of those daunting tasks that is easily put off.

My grandfather’s drawings were done when he was working summers at Wood’s Hole, while at Harvard Medical School. My mother’s from Biology lab while at BU and mine while at URI.

It is clear that I did not share the same delicate hand as those who came before, even if in my mind I thought I did.

THANKSGIVING SHOOT

We(Jimmy Gubelmann and I) have shot together for years, every shotgun game that we could find or invent,even traveling for tournaments. Yesterday it was at Addieville East, in Mapleville, RI along with Jamie Hilton, and Alex Auersperg shooting sporting clays. We have had many adventures over the years. No one ever stopped smiling.

For those of you who object to guns, I hope you might at least acknowledge the possibility of fun,safe shooting, that requires skill.

REBUILDING CLASSIC YACHTS

We have all known many of these boats through the years. I first saw “Adventuress” when she was named “Isabell

” and belonged to Steve Vaitses.

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR TWO BOAT TESTING

I have long believed that there is only one way to learn sailing and that is with another boat near you. Training with a second boat is even better than racing, if you want to learn. Certainly in our college years it is what we did; practice makes perfect, even when you are good.

PAST THE 60 KNOT BARRIER

This accomplishment should not be under estimated. BRAVO to Paul, Helena and the team. It gives solid meaning to the idea that records are meant to be broken. As with most things it was the preparation that got them there. Solid science.