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April 2013 www.sname.org/sname/mt www.sname.org/sname/mt ( historical note )Nathanael Greene Herresho The Wizard of Bristol was a pioneer in high-performance vessel design BY RIK VAN HEMMEN There is hardly space enough in an entire issue of (mt) to do justice to the work of Nathanael Herresho. In the realm of naval architecture and marine engineering, there is quite possibly no other human being whose list of accomplishments is longer. Undoubtedly there have been engineers who have delved deeper into certain specialized subjects, and others who may have become better known to the general public. But Nat Herresho belongs in the very small club of great engi- neers and designers regardless of their specialties. An historical note on the man in this issue of (mt) is particularly appropriate because he is so intricately linked with high performance in all its applications within naval architecture and marine engineering. In the area of improvements in speed, Herreshoff stood at the forefront of both powered design and sail boat design. He designed both high-speed powered vessels and the actual steam engines and boilers for those craft. In sail- ing, he holds the distinction of having been the Americas Cup house designer from 1893 to 1920, and even today some of his other designs continue to collect trophies at a steady pace. He was the rst designer of high-performance sailing catamarans and, ironically, was so far ahead of his time that he was the cause of the outlawing of catamarans in sailing competitions for nearly a century. With regard to materials performance, it boggles the mind to know that today the United States Coast Guard will accept a structural design that conforms to Herreshos rules for wooden vessel construction. In addition to being a wood design master, he also designed and built in alu- minum and other exotic materials. His designs are still manufactured and are very dicult to improve upon as far as their original mission is concerned. Even further into the nitty gritty of engineering design, Herresho cleats (or anchors) are still used, manufactured, and admired for their functionality and beauty. Herreshoff did not engage in Leonardo da Vinci- style unrealized dreams. Instead, he functioned as a true engineer: He would see a need; synthesize a solution; implement the solution; get it to work; and earn a living doing it. Greatness and legacy Undoubtedly, Herresho was brilliant, but his legacy was the product of various components that are still relevant and useful to engineers today. What makes an engineer great and contributes to a lasting legacy? Nobody can fully predict what it takes, but when certain components are present, the odds of suc- cess are increased. Luck does have something to do with that, and Herr eshos life was charmed. Born in 1848, he was part of a solidly middle class family and grew up in a marine tinkerers environment. In his youth, engineer- ing profession was regarded as a noble profession, and Herresho received an excellent education with a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT. He fell into employment with an excellent engineering and manufacturing company, and immediately became involved in high-performance projects with his employer. After tasting success as an engineer, he partnered with his Nathanael Greene Herresho, the Wizard of Bristol. Photo courtesy Herresho Marine Museum and Americas Cup Hall of Fame.