Donald Attig (born February 2, 1936, in Pontiac, Illinois), also known as Donnacha Attig, is an American inventor, boat designer, entrepreneur and yachtsman.
Life
Attig was educated in Illinois and attended St. Mary's Grade School and Pontiac Township High School in Flanagan, moving on to study at Eureka College. After working in several industries, Attig retired for the first time in his twenties, so that he could cruise on a power boat that he had designed and built. He was among the first to make a water journey from Seneca, Illinois, on the Illinois River to New Orleans, near the terminus of the Mississippi River.[citation needed] After New Orleans, he voyaged around the Gulf Coast, eventually crossing the Gulf of Mexico to St. Petersburg, Florida.[citation needed]
Attig established three World Class Benchmark records in the Adventure, Endurance, and Challenge categories. In the late sixties, he developed a system for assembly line production of panelized, all-molded homes.[1]
Boat design and building, early sailing
In 1968, with the approval of Brian O’Kelly, Attig became the first to build a three-masted, Irish-flagged sailboat from the keel up in the US. [2] For ten years, Attig and his family lived and voyaged aboard the schooner. He skippered the vessel over 5,000 miles on rivers and inland waterway systems before taking it out to sea.[3][4][5][6] During the 5,000 mile experience, he developed and honed the skills which decades later would carry him to his World Class Benchmark record efforts.[7][8] Attig sailed with his wife and newborn son to Ireland in 1977, as well as many other points of call.[9][10] Two of his five children, Omar Brendan and John Paul, were born on the vessel. For years, Attig and Omar offered free sailing excursions on the schooner for at-risk youth of any religion from Northern Ireland. After Omar, who had been born on the boat, died in a car crash, Attig donated his boat to the VEC Youth Reach Program.[11]
Benchmark Records
Between the ages of 71 and 73, Attig was involved in establishing International Benchmark records in the fields of Endurance Challenge and Adventure Challenge:
- In 2007, on a motorless liveaboard boat, he organized and co-crewed the first transit from Shannon Navigation to the Seaport of Tarbert, County Kerry. The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland.[12]
- In 2008, he traveled through the entire Shannon Navigation to the Seaport of Foynes, County Limerick, using the same liveaboard boat.[citation needed]
- In 2008, he was the first person to transit the River Erne Navigation in a motorless liveaboard boat.[citation needed]
During these three World-Class Benchmark record efforts, most of the distance was accomplished by rowing.[citation needed]
Shannon Benchmark records
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, to the Port of Tarbot in the Sea Estuary Attig passed through 33 bridges, six locks, and nine lakes, without mechanical power. The strong flow through many of the bridges on the route can cause difficulty for both powered and non-powered boats. For example, the water flow through Killaloe Bridge can be 600 to 700 tonnes per second.[13] In addition to bridges and fast flow rates, Ardnacrusha power station and prevailing winds from the southwest posed further difficulty for Attig.[14]
2007 Benchmark efforts
During the 2007 record-establishing effort, Jack Donovan of Ballincollig, Co. Cork (who was 60 at the time and had been living with multiple sclerosis)[citation needed] and Attig[15] rowed well over 90% of the time. They rowed mostly in a zig-zag pattern due to the wind resistance on the large topside area and the almost flat box-type bow of the liveaboard boat and gear. When they reached Tarbert, their Satellite navigation device indicated that the pair had traveled more than 268 miles (431 km).[citation needed]
Shannon Navigation attempt
Attig and Donovan started their benchmark establishing effort on June 29, 2007, at Cormongan Beach on Lough Allen at 10:00 a.m. They rowed from there to the Inishmagrath "end of navigation" marker at the top of Lough Allen. They began the first-ever attempt to make an engineless transit of the Shannon in a boat equipped with liveaboard accommodations. Stephan Haeni, a Swiss National living at Cleighran More, witnessed their arrival and departure at the Inishmagrath Marker. They completed the Shannon Navigation on July 28, 2007, entering the Killaloe Canal at 4:20 p.m., marking the moment when official Shannon Navigation had been transited in an engineless liveaboard boat.
Beyond the Shannon Navigation
The Irish Coast Guard attempted to dissuade the pair from continuing on past the end of the navigation marker at the Killaloe Bridge. Attig and Donovan left the Killaloe Canal at 4:20 p.m. on July 28, 2007. They dropped anchor in the bay of the seaport of Tarbert, County Kerry at 8:00 p.m. on August 8, establishing the final Benchmark records of their effort. Attig and Donovan were the first crew to transit the River Shannon Navigation and beyond in an engineless boat with full liveaboard capability.[16][17][18][19][20] Their record-setting efforts were carried out during the wettest summer on the Shannon since 1948.
2008 Single-handed feats
Attig established more Adventure Challenge and Endurance Challenge records by making the same trip single-handed in the same vessel, Omar’s River Bird. RTÉ's Nationwide produced a segment about Shannon Challenge 2008 which aired on June 6, 2008.[21]
At 1:30 a.m. June 26, 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 Inishmagrath. At 12:05 a.m. on August 16, 2008, he reached the Seaport of Foynes.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]
2009 Benchmark Records
Attig became the first person to complete the River Erne Navigation single-handed in an engineless liveaboard boat.[citation needed] He used the same boat for this effort as was used in 2007 and 2008. The Northern Ireland tourist site warns that Upper Lough Erne is “In some places [..] a shallow channel, in others it's five miles wide and very deep.”[30] This Benchmark Record Establishing effort started at Belturbet, Co Cavan August 6, at 6:30 p.m.[31] The effort was completed Sunday, August 30 at 7:45 p.m. at the Public dock in Belleek, County Fermanagh.[32][33][34]
Efforts witnessed and supported
The members of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland supported, followed and chronicled the efforts of Attig.[citation needed] In 2007 the Lough Derg branch of IWAI awarded the boat and crew honorary membership in their annual Lough Derg rally.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed] The club also made the crew and boat officially part of the 2007 Killaloe to Kilrush Cruise in Company.[citation needed]
References
- ^ FANTASTIC PLASTICS WELCOME ABOARD by Harold W. Haugan, Published in 1974 by Exposition Press, New York ISBN 0682475157
- ^ The Pantagraph Bloomington Normal, Illinois Oct. 17, 1968 page A5 By Bob Pollitt “Pontiac Mariner Building Seaworthy Prairie Schooner”
- ^ The Daily Times Ottawa, Illinois August 18, 1976 “Dream sailboat leaving Seneca”
- ^ Journal Star Peoria, Illinois Sept. 2, 1976 page B1 by Juanita O’Hara “Home is a 67 foot Schooner”
- ^ 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”
- ^ Globe Democrat St. Louis Mo. Oct. 4, 1976 By Byron St. Dizier “2 became 3 before taking on the world by sail”
- ^ Gulfport Star Journal Gulfport, Mississippi April 14, 1977 page 2 By Judy Robison “World cruise on schooner made family affair”
- ^ Daily Herald News Punta Gorda, Florida May 4, 1977 page 5 By John Lear “Baby Born Aboard Schooner”
- ^ Southern Illinoisan Carbondale, Illinois Jan 15, 1978 by Chris Moenich “Parents marvel at couple’s ocean odyssey”
- ^ Evening Echo Cork, Ireland June 12, 1978 "Off to the Azores" front page lead story By Kevin Mills
- ^ Ryan, Conor (7 February 2012). "Sail programme runs aground". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ Feeley, Hugh B.; Bruen, Michael; Bullock, Craig; Christie, Mike; Kelly, Fiona; Kelly-Quinn, Mary (2017). ESManage Project: Irish Freshwater Resources and Assessment of Ecosystem Services Provision. Vol. Report No. 207. EPA. pp. Section 3.1.2. ISBN 978-1-84095-699-3.
- ^ Page 16 "City Cruising" Published by Afloat in association with Waterways Ireland, Shannon Development and Limerick Corporation
- ^ "City Cruising" by Edgar Heenan pages 7 and 8. Published by Afloat in association with Waterways Ireland, Shannon Development and Limerick Corporation
- ^ Irish ExaminerCork, Ireland June 26, 2007 local news page 10 By Eoin English “Shannon odyssey to raise money for Indian orphans”
- ^ Daily Leader Pontiac, Illinois Wednesday May 30, 2007 Front page lead story “Pontiac native ready to set sail”
- ^ The Corkman Muskerry Edition (Ireland) June 14, 2007 news section page 3 “First-ever Shannon transit is voyage with a difference”
- ^ The Guardian Irish Edition July 7, 2007 Lifestyle page 31 By Simon O’Duffy “Senior citizens attempt new Shannon record”
- ^ The Ballincollig Advertiser Ballingcollig, Co. Cork, Ireland July 2007 edition “SHANNON CHARITY CHALLENGE”
- ^ Inland Waterways News Inland Waterways of Ireland Association Magazine Vol. 34, Number 3, Autumn 2007 edition page 4 “LOUGH ALLEN TO THE SEA”
- ^ RTE News[permanent dead link ], The RTÉ 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.
- ^ 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”
- ^ Irish Daily Star Sunday Dublin 6, Ireland July 6, 2008 page 36 “RIVER ROW FOR LITTLE TONY
- ^ Irish IndependentDublin July 7, 2008 News page 11 Photo by Keith Heneghan “Donald sets sail in bid to help orphan”
- ^ The Athlone Voice Athlone, Ireland July 8, 2008 page 9 By Stephen Errity “Shannon charity rower to pass through Athlone”
- ^ Leitrim Observer Carrick On Shannon, Ireland July 11, 2008 page 2A Photo by Willie Donnellan “Charity row on slow boat from China”
- ^ Limerick Leader Limerick, Ireland August 11, 2008 front page By Gerard Fitzgibbon “Donnacha puts his back into Shannon charity challenge”
- ^ Irish Examiner Cork Ireland Aug 21, 2008 Regional News page 11 By Sean O’Riordan “Man, 72, rows shannon in mercy mission”
- ^ Daily Leader Pontiac, Illinois Sept. 8, 2008 front page “Attig meets Irish challenge”
- ^ "Northern Ireland - County Fermanagh/Lough Erne". Geographia.com. 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
- ^ Photo at "Diary" tab of web site www.donattig.wordpress.com
- ^ Cork County Counsel’s Web site for the week of July 12 to 18, 2009 under the MAYOR’S WEEK section
- ^ The Evening Echo Cork Ireland July 18, 2009 page 26 in News section By Kieran Dineen “I’ll row ton weight for Indian charity”
- ^ The Impartial Reporter Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, N.I. Aug. 20, 2009 by Rodney Edwards “Charity rower in voyage of hope”
External links
- Shannon Rower Donald Attig reaches Limerick Archived 2008-09-17 at the Wayback Machine
- Donald Sets Sail in Bid to Help Orphan[permanent dead link ]
- Inventor: Donald B. Attig[dead link ]
- Don't forget to watch RTE Nationwide this weekend on the 6th July
- RTE Nationwide link to BOY OF HOPE segment[permanent dead link ]
- 70 year old will row and sail the length of the river Erne[permanent dead link ]
- South African Ambassador in Belturbet
- Information site about the Erne and its hazards
- Don Attig has set off today from Donoughmore again
- Link to Donald Attig's article on the Glouster Depth Sounder
- Don Attig's Boat Journey pictures
- Autumn Edition from 2010
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