The Brilliant, discussed in the book, The True Adventures of Jim Stark, is a sixty-two foot, two masted schooner. Eight of my fellow Sea Explorer scouts and I went aboard the Brilliant for a week-long cruise when I was fifteen-years-old.
The boat, located at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut, was built in 1932 to a design by Olin Stephens of Sparkman & Stephens as an ocean racing yacht. On her maiden voyage, it crossed the Atlantic Ocean in just over 15 days, 1 hour and 23 minutes,[1] a record for a sailing yacht of her size.
During World War II, the schooner was acquired by the U.S. Coast Guard and used to patrol the New England coast for enemy submarines. During that time, two machine guns were mounted on Brilliant’s deck.
After the war, Brilliant was purchased by the accomplished sailor Briggs Cunningham, Cunningham also invented what became known as the “Cunningham,” a tie-down for the tack (the lower, forward corner of the mainsail) that allows the sail to maintain a more efficient. He donated the Brilliant to Mystic Seaport in 1957.
Mystic Seaport now uses the Brilliant as an offshore classroom and features her as part of their collection of watercraft. The Brilliant is famous and appears in murals and wallpaper prints. I once saw its image covering a wall behind a bar in St. Augustine, Florida.
Thanks for your good comments about Great Lakes Skipper. If you would like a signed copy of the Adventures book, contact me directly at stark3217@aol.com.
Just finished your book, Great lakes Skipper and enjoyed it. I spent several years living in Willowick in the 50’s and have always enjoyed Cleveland. I went back for a long weekend a year ago and enjoyed re-acquainting myself with the city.
As a teenager I sailed in Lake Erie off Port Clinton and am familiar with its personality, a body of water that can get ugly very quickly.
I think I will investigate your book about sailing and motorcycling. I should have bought it at the book fair in The Villages where I obtained the above book.