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September 30, 2016 – Southern California
One of the true titans of competitive sailing passed over the bar yesterday: 'Gentleman Jim' Kilroy was 94. Having campaigned a succession of five splendid racing yachts — all named Kialoa — and garnered frequent victories, Kilroy was a dominant influence within the international sailing community for decades. In fact, he is regarded as a pied piper of sorts, having inspired many other yacht owners to follow his lead in competing at prestigious regattas around the world. The sport of sailing would not have been the same in recent decades, without his tireless enthusiasm and thirst for innovation. Born in Alaska in 1922, Kilroy's childhood memories included his mother transporting him, his brother and sister in a dogsled. The family moved to Southern California in 1927 (Jim was five). There his father left, leaving Jim's mom to raise the family alone. When Jim was old enough he helped out by mowing lawns, delivering papers and working in a bike shop. He graduated high school a year ahead of the norm. In 1940, Kilroy dropped out of UC Santa Barbara's engineering program to work at Douglas Aircraft, which then built Navy dive bombers. In 1944, he joined the Army Air Corps, where he studied all facets of aerodynamics and airplane construction — and learned to fly. |
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