John W. Griffiths | |
|---|---|
 John W. Griffiths | |
| Born | October 6, 1809 |
| Died | March 30, 1882 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Naval architect |
| Known for | Designer of Rainbow, the first true clipper ship |
John Willis Griffiths (October 6, 1809 – March 30, 1882) was an American naval architect who was influential in his design of clipper ships and his books on ship design and construction. He also designed steamships and war vessels and patented many inventions.[1][2] Maritime historian William H. Thiesen wrote, "Of all the nineteenth-century American shipbuilders, John W. Griffiths did more than any other builder to champion American shipbuilding methods. An experimenter, an advocate for formal ship-design education, and a working intellectual, Griffiths proved to be most remarkable of America’s nineteenth-century shipbuilders.”[3]
- ^ Ferreiro, Larrie (Winter 2007). "A Biographical Sketch of John Willis Griffiths from Primary and Biographical Sources". Nautical Research Journal. 52 (2): 221–227.
- ^ Chapelle, Howard Irving (1967). The Search for Speed Under Sail, 1700-1855. New York: Norton. pp. 321–371.
- ^ Thiesen, William H (2006). Industrializing American Shipbuilding, The Transformation of Ship Design and Construction, 1820-1920. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida. p. 76.