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Donald Attig

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Donald Attig (born February 2, 1936) is an inventor, boat designer, entrepreneur, yachtsman and adventurer.

Biography

Donald Attig has been involved in the establishment of three distinct and separate sets of World Class Benchmark records in both the Adventure Challenge and Endurance Challenge categories. In the late sixties he developed a system for assembly line production of panelized, all molded homes that was considered the number one break through in manufactured housing of the modern era.[1] Attig also created a Research Foundation, which he funded from his own resources and did many other notable things. He was born in Pontiac, Illinois on Feb.2, 1936. Attig attended St. Mary’s Grade School, Pontiac Township High School, and Flanagan, Illinois High School, Our Lady of the Snows, Our Lady of the Ozarks, Sweezy School of Watch-making and Eureka College. At various times, he has been an inventor,[2] plastics engineer/formulator, boat designer, entrepreneur,[3][4] yachtsman,[5] gold prospector, forestry worker, Home birth midwife,[6] fireman on steam powered railroad engines, soldier, missionary,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] building contractor, roofing contractor, CEO, janitor, restaurateur, author,[15][16][17] Chaplin, social worker and pastor. Owned and operated several boat, plastic fabrication and construction companies in places as diverse as Pontiac, Illinois, Osprey, Florida, , Chester, Illinois and Chenoa, Illinois and was highly recommended by Dow Chemical Company as a consulting engineer for product design and development, in the early days of Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic fabrication.[18][19][20][21][22][23] While still in his twenties Attig retired the first time to carry out a record setting voyage in a power cruiser, which he designed and built. Using it he became the first man from the area to make a water journey from Seneca, Illinois on the Illinois River to New Orleans the terminus of the Mississippi River. From New Orleans he moved around the Gulf Coast eventually crossing the Gulf of Mexico to St. Petersburg, Florida and lived cruised for a period on the yacht.

Attig's Schooner under full sail
Toward the International Benchmark records

In 1968 by permission of the Honorable Brian O’Kelly he became the first person to build a 3 mast sailing ship in the US under the Irish Flag from the keel up.[24] For ten years Attig and his family lived and voyaged on the 3 mast sailing ship, which he had built under the Irish flag at Long Ira’s Island,[25] Livingston County, Illinois. Attig skippered the vessel over 5,000 miles on rivers and the inland waterways system before putting it properly to sea.[26][27][28][29] During this 5,000 mile voyage on inland waterways Attig developed and honed the skills which decades later would carry him through the World Class Benchmark record establishing efforts.[30][31] Attig sailed with his wife and new born son to Ireland in 1977 and traveled to many places from there, including ocean crossings.[32][33] Two of his five children, Omar Brendan and John Paul, were born on the vessel. For years Attig and his son Omar operated free sailing excursions, on the Schooner, for at risk youth, with children of any religion from Northern Ireland during the troubles, and others in need. After his eldest son, Omar, who had been born on the Ship, was involved in a fatal car crash Attig turned the ship over to the VEC Youth Reach Program. In 2001, on the day this gift was announced at Ballincollig, County Cork, President Mary McAleese personally thanked Attig for his gift and services to the Irish Nation.

Benchmark Records in his seventies

Between the ages of 71 and 73 he was involved in establishing International Benchmark records in the fields of Endurance Challenge and Adventure Challenge:

2007 Organizer and co-crew in first transit of the entire Shannon Navigation and beyond to the Seaport of Tarbert, County Kerry, in a live aboard boat without an engine. It was previously thought to be impossible to achieve this feat by experienced boaters who understood the hazards involved in such a project. The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland and the UK.

2008 Single-handed transit of the entire Shannon Navigation and beyond to the Seaport of Foynes, County Limerick, using the same live aboard boat without an engine.

2009 First person to transit the entire River Erne Navigation in a live aboard boat without an engine.

These three distinct and different World Class Benchmark establishing record efforts, when combined, involved moving over one ton of live aboard boat and gear over 600 miles (almost 1,000 kilometers) without an engine. Most of the distance was accomplished by rowing.

Additional Benchmark records established include the total of miles transited in the combined efforts. A total of 600+ miles (960+kilometrs) over the bottom in the three contiguous years in an engineless live aboard boat. Also each record benchmark established over the three years has the additional claim of having a person over 70 involved in its establishment.

Shannon Benchmark records

To make the engineless transit from the start of the Shannon Navigation at the Inishmagrath marker, on Lough Allen, in County Leitrim to the end of Shannon Navigation at Killaloe, County Clare and beyond to the Port of Tarbot in the Sea Estuary required dealing with 33 bridges, 6 locks, and nine lakes, without mechanical power. One of the locks, Ardnacrusha has a descent of over 100 feet (30 m).[34] Guides warn boaters, using large full powered cruisers, to only cross the larger lakes in company.[35] The very strong flow though many of the bridges often throws full powered boats out of control, causing them to smash into the bridge piers. For example the water flow through the Bridge at Killaloe can be 600 to 700 Tonnes per second.[36] This hazard of losing control in or approaching bridges can result in major damage and an occasional sinking. Each of the 4 turbines at the Ardnacrusha power station, which is running, dumps 100 tons of water per second into the narrow, constricted, tail race.[37] This maelstrom must be negotiated for the transit to the estuary. Powerboats are advised to remain in the center of the tail race and maintain high power.[38] The prevailing wind is from the south west and funnels up the Shannon channel. This is a great impediment to an un-powered cabin boat proceeding down stream.

2007 Benchmark

Berths for a family, enclosed toilet room, cast iron heating stove – not your standard rowboat!

During the 2007 record establishing effort Jack Donovan of Ballincollig, Co. Cork (who was 60 at the time and had been living with full blown Multiple sclerosis for over 2 decades) and Donnacha [39] rowed well over 90% of the time. Most of that was in a zig-zag pattern due to the wind resistance of the large topside area and almost flat box type bow of the one ton plus of live-aboard boat and gear. When they reached Tarbert their Satellite navigation device indicated that the pair had traveled more than 268 miles (431 km). At the end of their efforts they had established benchmark records for those attracted to Adventure Challenge and Endurance Challenge to follow.

Shannon navigation attempt

Donald Attig and Jack Donovan started their benchmark establishing effort on June 29, 2007 at Cormongan beach on Lough Allen at 10 A.M. They rowed from that spot to the Inismagrath "end of navigation" marker at the top of Lough Allen to begin the first ever attempt to make an engineless transit of the Shannon in a boat equipped with live aboard accommodations. Mr. Stephan Haeni, a Swiss National living at Cleighran More, witnessed their arrival and departure at the Inismagrath Marker. They completed the Shannon Navigation on Saturday, July 28, 2007 entering the Killaloe canal at 4:20 P.M. At that point the official Shannon Navigation had been transited in and engineless live-aboard boat. Many Benchmark records were established.

Beyond the Shannon navigation

The Irish Coast Guard attempted to dissuade the pair from continuing on past the end of navigation marker at the Killaloe Bridge. They would have prevented the senior citizens from continuing on, if they could have done so legally. Jack and Donald left the Killaloe Canal at 4:20 P.M. on July 28, 2007. Their anchor was dropped in the bay of the sea port of Tarbert, County Kerry at 8 P.M. on August 8, establishing the final Benchmark records of their effort. Senior Citizens Jack Donovan and Donnacha Attig were the first crew to transit the entire River Shannon Navigation and beyond in an engineless boat with full live aboard capability.[40][41][42][43][44] Their record setting efforts were carried out during the wettest summer on the Shannon since the disastrous years of 1947 and 48. The vessel and gear which they used in the benchmark record establishing effort weighed over one ton.

2008 Single-handed feat

Donald Attig established more Adventure Challenge and Endurance Challenge records by making the same basic trip Single Handed in the same vessel, Omar’s River Bird. RTÉ's Nationwide produced a segment about Shannon Challenge 2008 which aired June 6, 2008.[45]

At 1:30 A.M. June 26 Donald Attig started at Cormongan beach on Lough Allen, in County Leitrim. He was driven back by the wind and had to anchor 30 metres (98 ft) from the beach. It was over two days before he could lift anchor and start for the marker at Inismagrath. After two days into the effort and almost no progress Attig still had over 250 miles (400 km) to go to meet his goal. At 12:05 A.M. on August 16, 2008 his efforts ended successfully at the Seaport of Foynes.[46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53] More international benchmark records established for others to attempt to equal or better. Donnacha was 72 years, 6 months and 2 weeks old when these new records were established.

2009 More Benchmark Records

Belleek and the finish of 960+ kilometers (600+ miles) without an engine in 3 years

Donald Attig became the first person (we know of) to complete the entire River Erne Navigation single-handed in an engineless live aboard boat. He used the same boat for this effort as was used in 2007 and 2008. There are enough hazards on the Erne Navigation to make passage in an engineless boat large enough to be live aboard a world class challenge. The Northern Ireland tourist site warns that Upper Lough Erne is a shallow maze and that waves on Lower Lough Erne can reach open-sea dimensions.[54] Violent wind shears from the cliffs of Mago can create grave difficulties for full powered cruisers at any time. All this combines to create a formidable challenge for an engineless boat that has the windage connected with live-aboard accommodations. This Benchmark Record Establishing effort started at Belturbet, Co Cavan August 6, at 6:30 P.M. when HE Priscilla Jana,[55] Ambassador to Ireland from South Africa officially launched Omar’s River Bird into the Erne River, at the Dunking Pool Jetty. Other dignitaries were present at both the launching and reception at the 7 Horseshoes in Belturbet. These included Rowan Hand, well known Newspaper columnist, Radio show host, and International Television Presenter.[56] Mr. Hand travelled to the Ceremony to present Mr. Attig with a certificate of Recognition from Dr. W.G. O’Hare, Ambassador to HRH Prince of Wales for corporate Responsibility Northern Ireland. Attig was interviewed and filmed by Fermanagh TV while rowing through Enniskillen. The effort was completed Sunday August 30 at 7:45 P.M. when Omar’s River Bird was rowed up to the Public dock in Belleek, County Fermanagh, by Attig.[57][58][59] To view a TV segment of Attig rowing over a ton of boat and gear and hear his thoughts about the unique little boy he was raising funds for and his advice to Senior Citizens put www.fermanagh.tv into your search engine. When the Fermanagh TV site comes up go to their "archive search" and the dates which include July 13, 2009 and put “GLOBAL” Category search box and "Bouy of Hope" into the Key Word search box. (The B and H are capital letters)

Efforts witnessed and supported

All three of the above Benchmark establishing efforts were witnessed by thousands of persons and recorded at length in the media and press. The members of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland supported, followed and chronicled the efforts. In 2007 the Lough Derg branch of IWAI awarded the boat and crew honorary membership in their annual Lough Derg rally. In the same year, the IWAI Cruising Club formally welcomed the boat into Foynes harbor, as it returned after completing the Benchmark establishing efforts at Tarbert. The club also made the crew and boat officially part of the 2007 Killaloe to Killrush Cruise in Company.

Fabricated housing

Hailed around the world as the greatest leap forward in housing of our modern era

Installing roof on panelized plastic house

From 1968 to 1971 Attig developed the world’s first all molded conventionally appearing housing system. Previously 28 United States companies each spent over one million dollars attempting to develop this system, without success. The companies that failed after such expenditure included industry giants Dow Chemical Company which gave up after eight years and General Electric which set the record by throwing over ten million dollars into their failed attempt prior to giving up on the project. Attig designed the system and produced the first small panels in his plastic company located on Route 66 at Pontiac, Illinois. He then produced full sized molds, and directed production of the prototype in the Dura Plex Industries Plant located in Herrin Illinois. This system was hailed as the number one break through in house fabrication of the modern era. Many technical journals in all the widely used languages of the world described this system, for example Modern Plastics[60][61][62] and it is also included in a book about the space age use of plastics which is still available.[63] 22 national governments sent representatives to the grand opening of the prototype on the Du Quoin, Illinois State Fairgrounds.

References

  1. ^ FANTASTIC PLASTICS WELCOME ABOARD by Harold W. Haugan, Published in 1974 by Exposition Press, New York ISBN 10:0682475157
  2. ^ news.google.com/patents/about?id=bYU8AAAAEBAJ
  3. ^ Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois Sept. 20 ,1973 front page “Coal device inventor Attig says he fell in love with area”
  4. ^ The Daily Register Harrisburg, Illinois January 17, 1974 “Smokestack gas scrubber for high sulfur coal burning explained to C. Mills group”
  5. ^ Wide-Waters Yacht Club Soundings Wide-Waters Yacht Club Seneca Illinois Jan edition 1978 page 2 “From the Crow’s Nest”
  6. ^ St. Charles Banner-News St. Charles, Mo. Oct. 8, 1976 page 3 “SALING Family Finds Life a Breeze Aboard Schooner”
  7. ^ The Stuart News Stuart Fla. April 30, 1979 page A6 By T.R. Bellon “Retirement for small family turns into mission on high seas”
  8. ^ The Okeechobee News Okeechobee, Florida August 14, 1980 Page 1 B “Adventure”
  9. ^ The Sunday Pantagraph Bloomington-Normal, Illinois June 6, 1982 page 2 By Barb Kueny “ ‘Mission family’ on the move for God”
  10. ^ The Sunday Pantagraph Bloomington-Normal, Illinois June 6, 1982 page 2 By Barb Kueny “ ‘Mission family’ on the move for God”
  11. ^ News Tribune Ft. Pierce Florida. Dec. 4, 1983 Lifestyle section page 1 By Malinda Gladfelter “With God at the tiller”
  12. ^ The Post Martin County, Florida. Oct. 3, 1984 page B 4 Photos by Milt Putnam “Family Sails on Spiritual Missions”
  13. ^ The Times-Herald Hampton Va. Nov. 18, 1986 B4 of Living section By Chuck Bauerlein “Maritime missionaries”
  14. ^ Evening Echo Cork, Ireland Sept. 10, 1988 Front page By Pat Crean “Bible couple cast their nets”
  15. ^ MY FRIEND THE PRESIDENT MUST DIE ISBN 1 899050 - 00 - 0 Published 1994 by Muireann Seosamh publishers 9 North Main St. Cork City
  16. ^ THE WOMEN BEHIND PILATE,CAIAPHUS AND SIMON PETER ISBN 0 9534258 0 0 Published by Equality Press, second floor, 14 Princess St. Cork City
  17. ^ THE NON-ELECTRIC DEPTH SOUNDER Practical Boat Owner No. 354 June, 1996
  18. ^ Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois August 19, 1973 page 33 By Cindy Harrell “Sea Lord Manufacturing – Chester boat firm handling Wankel engines”
  19. ^ The Pantaghraph Bloomington-Normal, Illinois July 6, 1969 Page A-5 By Bob Pollitt “New Industry ‘Mushrooms’”
  20. ^ The Pantagraph Bloomington-Normal, Illinois July 6, 1969 page A-5 by Bob Pollitt “New Industry ‘Mushrooming’”
  21. ^ Peoria Journal Star Peoria, Illinois Aug. 10, 1969 page B-1 by Marcus Al Agatucci “Chenoa Firm May Be Midwest’s Fresh Mushroom Center”
  22. ^ Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois Sept. 20 ,1973 front page by John Trimble “New device may aid area coal industry”
  23. ^ Randolph County Herald Times Illinois Nov. 8, 1973 Section 2 page 6 photo of Don Attig and his working model of coal smoke emission scrubber with caption
  24. ^ The Pantagraph Bloomington Normal, Illinois Oct. 17, 1968 page A5 By Bob Pollitt “Pontiac Mariner Building Seaworthy Prairie Schooner”
  25. ^ The Pantagraph, Bloomington-Normal Illinois Page A-3 June 18, 1969
  26. ^ The Daily Times Ottawa, Illinois August 18, 1976 “Dream sailboat leaving Seneca”
  27. ^ Journal Star Peoria, Illinois Sept. 2, 1976 page B1 by Juanita O’Hara “Home is a 67 foot Schooner”
  28. ^ Alton Telegraph Alton, Illinois Nov. 2, 1976 page A-3 By Mary Hendricks “Irish ship and new baby have just begun to see the world”
  29. ^ Globe Democrat St. Louis Mo. Oct. 4, 1976 By Byron St. Dizier “2 became 3 before taking on the world by sail”
  30. ^ Gulfport Star Journal Gulfport, Mississippi April 14, 1977 page 2 By Judy Robison “World cruise on schooner made family affair”
  31. ^ Daily Herald News Punta Gorda, Florida May 4, 1977 page 5 By John Lear “Baby Born Aboard Schooner”
  32. ^ Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois Jan 15, 1978 by Chris Moenich “Parents marvel at couple’s ocean odyssey”
  33. ^ Evening Echo Cork, Ireland June 12, 1978 "Off to the Azores" front page lead story By Kevin Mills
  34. ^ "The Shell Guide to the River Shannon" Appendix - Limerick to Killaloe pages i and ii Edited by Ruth Delany Published by Shell in association with Waterways Ireland
  35. ^ example "Cruising Ireland Captain's Handbook and Charts" page 13. Published In association with Irish Boat Rental Association and Erne Charter Boat Association by ERA-Maptec, 36 Dame Street, Dublin 2
  36. ^ Page 16 "City Cruising" Published by Afloat in association with Waterways Ireland, Shannon Development and Limerick Corporation
  37. ^ "City Cruising" by Edgar Heenan pages 7 and 8. Published by Afloat in association with Waterways Ireland, Shannon Development and Limerick Corporation
  38. ^ Page 9 "City Cruising" by Edgar Heenan Published by Afloat in association with Waterways Ireland, Shannon Development and Limerick Corporation
  39. ^ Irish ExaminerCork, Ireland June 26, 2007 local news page 10 By Eoin English “Shannon odyssey to raise money for Indian orphans”
  40. ^ Daily Leader Pontiac, Illinois Wednesday May 30, 2007 Front page lead story “Pontiac native ready to set sail”
  41. ^ The Corkman Muskerry Edition (Ireland) June 14, 2007 news section page 3 “First-ever shannon transit is voyage with a difference”
  42. ^ The Guardian Irish Edition July 7, 2007 Lifestyle page 31 By Simon O’Duffy “Senior citizens attempt new Shannon record”
  43. ^ The Ballincollig Advitiser Ballingcollig, Co. Cork, Ireland July 2007 edition “SHANNON CHARITY CHALLENGE”
  44. ^ Inland Waterways News Inland Waterways of Ireland Association Magazine Vol. 34, Number 3, Autumn 2007 edition page 4 “LOUGH ALLEN TO THE SEA”
  45. ^ RTE News, The RTE television documentary program Nationwide site will come up for June 6, 2008. Click on the "BOY OF HOPE" tag and the appropriate video segment will play.
  46. ^ News Of The World Irish edition July 6, 2008 page 23 By Danny Conlon “PENSIONER’S OARSOME BID TO BY NEW LIMBS FOR BY GENIUS 9”
  47. ^ Irish Daily Star Sunday Dublin 6, Ireland July 6, 2008 page 36 “RIVER ROW FOR LITTLE TONY
  48. ^ Irish IndependentDublin July 7, 2008 News page 11 Photo by Keith Heneghan “Donald sets sail in bid to help orphan”
  49. ^ The Athlone Voice Athlone, Ireland July 8, 2008 page 9 By Stephen Errity “Shannon charity rower to pass through Athlone”
  50. ^ Leitrim Observer Carrick On Shannon, Ireland July 11, 2008 page 2A Photo by Willie Donnellan “Charity row on slow boat from China”
  51. ^ Limerick Leader Limerick, Ireland August 11, 2008 front page By Gerard Fitzgibbon “Donnacha puts his back into Shannon charity challenge”
  52. ^ Irish Examiner Cork Ireland Aug 21, 2008 Regional News page 11 By Sean O’Riordan “Man, 72, rows shannon in mercy mission”
  53. ^ Daily Leader Pontiac, Illinois Sept. 8, 2008 front page “Attig meets Irish challenge”
  54. ^ [1]
  55. ^ Photo at "Diary" tab of web site www.donattig.wordpress.com
  56. ^ The Anglo-CeltAugust 12th, 2009 South African ambassador in Belturbet, by Sean McMahon
  57. ^ Cork County Counsel’s Web site for the week of July 12 to 18, 2009 under the MAYOR’S WEEK section
  58. ^ The Evening Echo Cork Ireland July 18, 2009 page 26 in News section By Kieran Dineen “I’ll row ton weight for Indian charity”
  59. ^ The Impartial Reporter Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, N.I. Aug. 20, 2009 by Rodney Edwards “Charity rower in voyage of hope”
  60. ^ Modern PlasticsJune 1973, s.104
  61. ^ e-pub.uni-Weimar.de/volltexte/2007/877/pdf/Voight_08.pdf
  62. ^ e-pub.uni-Weimar.de/volltexte/877/pdf/Voight-Dok_07.pdf
  63. ^ FANTASTIC PLASTICS WELCOME ABOARD by Harold W. Haugan, Published in 1974 by Exposition Press, New York ISBN 10:0682475157

External links

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