Einstein's Boat - what is it?

[ShockandAwe]

Okay, here is one for you wise-guys. Below is a picture of A. Einstein with a little dinghy. What do you make of it? The caption said this was on towards the end of his life when he was at Princeton so I guess 1950 or so? (He died in 1955.) The woman pictured is his "last girlfriend" Johanna Fantova. They are on Lake Carnegie in New Jersey. So there are a few clues for you.

What is it?


http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Co..._11a.widec.jpg

[JohnRPollard]

It looks like a Relativity, possibly with Quantum sails.




Seriously, not much to go on there. Anymore photos available?

[CalebD]

I am going to say that it is a wooden Cat boat. Single sail, gaff rigged, center board job that is very forgiving to sail and a really shallow draft with the board up. I just don't know which one it is: Barnstable Cat, Beetle Cat etc.

Get your Lightning yet?

[imagine2frolic]

Worst Marine use to sell a shirt with Einstein on the back with a spoked wheel in hand on a sailboat. It was one of my favorites for nearly 17 years. It's a wee bit worn around the edges now...........i2f

[ShockandAwe]

I looked at that dagger board, too, and the very simple rigging evident near the mast. I also thought of some sort of cat boat. I will look for more photos.

I did find another clue:

"One of Einstein's favorite form of recreation was sailing on his boat "Tinef" (Yiddish for "junk"). It was small, maybe about 15 feet or so, and very unprepossessing."

You may know that he had a more elaborate boat when he was in Europe. It was a small cruiser given to him on his 50th b-day. I wish I could get someone to give me one of these on my 50th b-day!

Oh, to answer your question, no, I have not bought a Lightning yet. I am off on business travel for a while then I thought I would try to crew on one of those at my local marina. I still have to sort of peddle the idea to my wife... and we have a major home renovation going on.... and



SaA

[SOUNDBOUNDER]

There is also a story I have read of him running aground on the CT River.

Talk about not having any brains

[deniseO30]

Barnegat sneak box! (could be) Or possibly one of the sailing canoes from that era,

[NaviGsr]

That sure looks like a catboat. Maybe this Schock design?

The Rudder Treasury: A Companion for ... - Google Books

Hey shock, forget the lightning. Go grab this free soling:

Soling sailboat

[tweitz]

Apparenly Einstein was a sailing addict all his life, usually with small sailboats without motors, and he was a very undisciplined sailor. Here is a reprint of an old Cruising World article on him. http://www.deficitattention.info/einsteinSailor.htm

[deniseO30]

it's too narrow for a catboat IMO