Jeff wrote:
Cap Nat never graduated - he took a three year special course but never
actually got a degree. I'm not sure if his brother went to MIT or Brown
- I'll look that up.


In L.Francis' books, he said that his father claimed that John was the
better engineer of the two. John also went blind, which is one reason
why Nathaniel joined him in his business.


As for spelling his name correctly, that's a matter of common respect.

True enough, but spelling isn't really an exact science. The language
has borrowed many words & names and is constantly evolving. I agree that
it's a mark of respect to make the effort to spell other people's names
correctly (which I'd define as the way they themselves spell it).


As the greatest Naval Architect of his time, and perhaps all time, I
think he deserves that, especially from sailors.


Agreed again. N.G. Herreshoff was a unique combination of brilliant
engineer with a true artist's eye. While L.Francis was perhaps as great
(or greater, according to some) an artist, he didn't have the technical
brillance (IMHO one of the things that fueled his curmudgeonliness as he
got older is that he never had the racing successes of his father).
Sidney and Halsey certainly have much to be proud of, but neither is
*the* definitive naval architect of their generation. An amazing family.

BTW, someone commented on the "gender" of L. Francis' middle name. I
think it was actually a family name. Nat's grandfather had married the
daughter of John Brown (of Brown University) who was related to Governor
Francis of Rhode Island. Nat's mother came from several prominent
Boston families, and Nat himself was named for the Revolutionary War
general who was Washington's second in command and his father's best
friend. Definitely good breeding.


That explains how they were so easily accepted into the graces of the
New England Sailing Mafia, where it's very important who your
grandfather was.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King