Donald Attig

Donald Attig
Born (1936-02-02) February 2, 1936
Pontiac, Illinois
Other namesDonnacha Attig
Alma materEureka College
Occupations

Donald Attig (born February 2, 1936) is an American inventor, naval architect, entrepreneur, and yachtsman. He is known for traveling long distances without an engine on Ireland’s inland waterways and for setting boating benchmark records.

Early life and career

Attig was born on February 2, 1936, in Pontiac, Illinois. He was educated at St. Mary's Grade School, Pontiac Township High School, and Eureka College. In his twenties, he was cruising in a self-built powerboat. He was among the first to make a journey on the Illinois River from Seneca to New Orleans. After reaching New Orleans, he sailed along the Gulf Coast, eventually crossing the Gulf of Mexico to St. Petersburg, Florida.

Attig established three world-class benchmark records in the adventure, endurance, and challenge categories. In the late 1960s, he developed a system for the assembly-line production of panelized, all-molded homes.[1]

Boat design and early sailing

In 1968, Attig became the first to build a three-masted, Irish-flagged sailboat from the keel up in the United States.[2] For ten years, he and his family lived aboard and voyaged in the schooner, covering more than 5,000 miles on rivers and inland waterways before taking it to sea.[3][4][5][6] During that period, he refined seamanship skills later applied to his benchmark record efforts.[7][8] He sailed with his wife and newborn son to Ireland in 1977, among other passages.[9][10] Two of his five children, Omar Brendan and John Paul, were born aboard the vessel.[11] For years, Attig and his son Omar offered free sailing excursions on the schooner for at‑risk youth from Northern Ireland.[12] After Omar’s death in a car crash, Attig donated the boat to the VEC Youthreach programme.[13]

Benchmark records

Between the ages of 71 and 73, Attig undertook endurance and adventure benchmark voyages on Irish inland waterways in an engineless liveaboard boat.

  • In 2007, he organized and co‑crewed a motorless liveaboard transit from the Shannon Navigation to the seaport of Tarbert, County Kerry. The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland.[14]
  • In 2008, he traveled the full Shannon Navigation to the seaport of Foynes, County Limerick, in the same liveaboard boat.
  • In 2008, he completed a motorless liveaboard transit of the River Erne Navigation.

During these efforts, the greatest distance was covered by rowing.

Shannon benchmark records

Attig started his journey at the Inishmagrath end‑of‑navigation marker on Lough Allen in County Leitrim and continued via Killaloe to the seaport of Tarbert on the Shannon Estuary. Along this route, he reportedly passed 33 bridges, 6 locks, and 9 lakes without mechanical power. Strong flows at several bridges created difficulties for both powered and engineless craft; conditions at and around Killaloe Bridge are noted for high discharge rates (average ≈ 180 tonnes per second; maximum ≈ 600–700 tonnes per second).[15] In addition to bridges and flow, the Ardnacrusha power station's reach and prevailing south‑westerly winds added to the challenge. For hydrometric data, see published flow and level charts by the operator.[16][17][18]

2007 benchmark efforts

During the 2007 record‑establishing effort, Jack Donovan of Ballincollig, County Cork (who was aged 60 at the time and had been living with multiple sclerosis) and Attig rowed well over 90% of the time. They rowed mostly in a zigzag 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).[19]

Shannon Navigation attempt

Attig and Donovan started their benchmark‑establishing effort on 29 June 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 28 July 2007, entering the Killaloe Canal at 4:20 p.m., marking the moment when the 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 past the end of the navigation marker at Killaloe Bridge. Attig and Donovan left the Killaloe Canal at 4:20 p.m. on 28 July 2007. They anchored in the Tarbert seaport bay at 8:00 p.m. on 8 August 2007, marking the final benchmark records of their journey. At the time, the attempt was described as an engineless transit of the Shannon Navigation and beyond in a liveaboard boat.[20][21][22][23][24] Their record‑setting efforts were carried out during the wettest summer on the Shannon since 1948.

2008 single-handed feats

Attig undertook further endurance and adventure “benchmark” voyages, repeating the route single‑handed in the same vessel, Omar’s River Bird. RTÉ’s Nationwide aired a segment about “Shannon Challenge 2008.”

At 1:30 a.m. on June 26, 2008, Attig departed Cormongan Beach on Lough Allen in County Leitrim but was driven back by wind and anchored about 30 metres (98 ft) from the beach; after more than two days, he proceeded toward the Inishmagrath marker. He reached the seaport of Foynes at 12:05 a.m. on August 16, 2008.[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]

2009 benchmark records

Attig is reported to have completed the River Erne Navigation single‑handed in an engineless liveaboard boat on the same boat that was used in 2007 and 2008. Travel guidance notes that Upper Lough Erne can be shallow and complex to navigate, while Lower Lough Erne is wider and deep, with open‑sea‑scale conditions in wind.[33]

This attempt began at Belturbet, County Cavan, on 6 August 2009 at 6:30 p.m. The effort concluded on 30 August 2009 at 7:45 p.m. at the public dock in Belleek, County Fermanagh.[34] [35]

References

  1. ^ Haugan, Harold W. (1974). Fantastic Plastics: Welcome Aboard. New York: Exposition Press. ISBN 0682475157.
  2. ^ Pollitt, Bob (1968-10-17). "Pontiac Mariner Building Seaworthy Prairie Schooner". The Pantagraph. Bloomington–Normal, Illinois. p. A5.
  3. ^ "Dream sailboat leaving Seneca". The Daily Times. Ottawa, Illinois. 1976-08-18.
  4. ^ O’Hara, Juanita (1976-09-02). "Home is a 67‑foot schooner". Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois. p. B1.
  5. ^ Hendricks, Mary (1976-11-02). "Irish ship and new baby have just begun to see the world". Alton Telegraph. Alton, Illinois. p. A3.
  6. ^ St. Dizier, Byron (1976-10-04). "Two became three before taking on the world by sail". Globe‑Democrat. St. Louis, Missouri.
  7. ^ Robison, Judy (1977-04-14). "World cruise on schooner made family affair". Gulfport Star Journal. Gulfport, Mississippi. p. 2.
  8. ^ Lear, John (1977-05-04). "Baby born aboard schooner". Daily Herald News. Punta Gorda, Florida. p. 5.
  9. ^ Moenich, Chris (1978-01-15). "Parents marvel at couple's ocean odyssey". Southern Illinoisan. Carbondale, Illinois.
  10. ^ Mills, Kevin (1978-06-12). "Off to the Azores". Evening Echo. Cork, Ireland.
  11. ^ "Don Attig's Boat Journeys for The Boy Of Hope". Don Attig's Boat Journeys for The Boy Of Hope. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
  12. ^ Ryan, Conor (2012-02-07). "Sail programme runs aground". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  13. ^ Ryan, Conor (2012-02-07). "Sail programme runs aground". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ "Navigating the Killaloe–Limerick Waterway" (PDF). Derg Motor Yacht Club. p. 2. Retrieved 26 August 2025. Water flow under Killaloe Bridge: avg. = 180 tonnes per second; max. = 600 to 700 tonnes per second.
  16. ^ "Hydrometric Information — River Shannon". ESB. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  17. ^ Heenan, Edgar. "City Cruising". Afloat. In association with Waterways Ireland, Shannon Development, and Limerick Corporation. pp. 7–8.
  18. ^ "City Cruising". Afloat. In association with Waterways Ireland, Shannon Development, and Limerick Corporation. p. 16.
  19. ^ English, Eoin (2007-06-26). "Shannon odyssey to raise money for Indian orphans". Irish Examiner. Cork, Ireland. p. 10.
  20. ^ "Pontiac native ready to set sail". The Daily Leader. Pontiac, Illinois. 2007-05-30. p. 1.
  21. ^ "First‑ever Shannon transit is voyage with a difference". The Corkman (Muskerry Edition). County Cork, Ireland. 2007-06-14. p. 3.
  22. ^ O’Duffy, Simon (2007-07-07). "Senior citizens attempt new Shannon record". The Guardian (Irish edition). p. 31.
  23. ^ "Shannon Charity Challenge". The Ballincollig Advertiser. Ballincollig, County Cork, Ireland. July 2007.
  24. ^ "Lough Allen to the Sea". Inland Waterways News. 34 (3). Inland Waterways Association of Ireland: 4. Autumn 2007.
  25. ^ Conlon, Danny (2008-07-06). "PENSIONER'S OARSOME BID TO BY NEW LIMBS FOR BY GENIUS 9". News of the World (Irish edition). Ireland. p. 23.
  26. ^ "River row for little Tony". Irish Daily Star Sunday. Dublin, Ireland. 2008-07-06. p. 36.
  27. ^ "Donald sets sail in bid to help orphan". Irish Independent. Dublin, Ireland. 2008-07-07. p. 11.
  28. ^ Errity, Stephen (2008-07-08). "Shannon charity rower to pass through Athlone". The Athlone Voice. Athlone, Ireland. p. 9.
  29. ^ "Charity row on slow boat from China". Leitrim Observer. Carrick‑on‑Shannon, Ireland. 2008-07-11. p. 2A.
  30. ^ Fitzgibbon, Gerard (2008-08-11). "Donnacha puts his back into Shannon charity challenge". Limerick Leader. Limerick, Ireland. p. 1.
  31. ^ O’Riordan, Seán (2008-08-21). "Man, 72, rows Shannon in mercy mission". Irish Examiner. Cork, Ireland. p. 11.
  32. ^ "Attig meets Irish challenge". The Daily Leader. Pontiac, Illinois. 2008-09-08. p. 1.
  33. ^ "Northern Ireland — County Fermanagh/Lough Erne". Geographia. 2006-10-03. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  34. ^ Dineen, Kieran (2009-07-18). "I'll row ton weight for Indian charity". Evening Echo. Cork, Ireland. p. 26.
  35. ^ Edwards, Rodney (2009-08-20). "Charity rower in voyage of hope". The Impartial Reporter. Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.