Murray Wright, of Dundee, New York, was a Finger Lakes innovator, craftsman and artist. His sailing designs of the 1930’s won him accolades throughout the northeastern US - and won his boat’s owners plenty of races. In 1932 he was approached by the City of Rochester Manager, Ted Briggs, to design and build a fast, but comfortable, sailboat. Three years later the era of the K-Boat was ushered in. The speedy 16’ sloop was named after the famous Kohinoor Diamond, which was then, the largest uncut diamond in the world. Today, the K-Boat is a valuable treasure of great memories and historic value.

These memories were formed in places like Camp Cory on Keuka Lake, where the boats were a keynote element of their sailing program for 76 years – serving over three generations of some families. Fond memories of racing this Class were formed at university sailing programs, Finger Lakes yacht clubs, the Rochester Canoe Club and cottages through-out the northeast. The Finger Lakes Museum wishes to use this beautiful craft to create generations of memories going forward.

With generous boat donations from persons like Jim Davis, Don and Dorothy Manning and Rachel and Bill Edwards – and with an exciting partnership with the YMCA’s Camp Cory – the Museum has assembled a fleet of 10 historic K-boats. These boats - some fiberglass and some wood - are in various states of repair. They now await love and restoration, so that they can once again sail the waters of Keuka Lake and bring joy to our children and friends.

We wish to welcome all to this fun and environmentally friendly sport through a K-Boat Revival!

Sentinel: One who watches a place; a species that is a good indicator of the living conditions in a particular habitat. The bald eagle is the icon of The Finger Lakes Museum.

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E F I N G E R L A K E S M U S E U M • FA L L | W I N T E R 2012SENTINEL

THE

K-Boat Revival!

IMAGINE THIS...

• Five historic wooden K-Boats restored and maintained by you and your friends in a teaching workshop;

• Five fiberglass K-Boats set on moorings for you and your kids to learn sail handling skills;

• A future fleet of ten boats recreationally racing on warm summer weeknights;

• “No-Octane” Regattas that pit K-Boats, kayaks, canoes, rowing wherries and sculls (and an occasional whaleboat) against each other in friendly competition;

• An exhibit that tells the history of this boat, its builder and of Camp Cory’s storied sailing program;

• An interactive digital database to capture K-Boat memories;

• Putting new sailors on the water – safely and comfortably;

• A renewed world-wide Class Association that allows K-Boat communications via the web, regattas and K-Boat pilgrimages;

• Our kids learning boat handling skills, water safety, meteorology and biology – through sailing.

Steaming ahead.. .After the Museum’s press conference in May, the second half of the year was full steam ahead! Its community awareness series was a huge success. From Canandaigua to Owego, hundreds of individuals were reached through community coffee chats, regional festivals, educational programs, and campfires held in Keuka Lake State Park. A big thank you goes out to our summer Communications Assistant Junelle King for all of our her hardwork and dedication!

In mid-summer, John Halstead, President SUNY Brockport, and his wife Kathy were welcomed as

the first husband and wife team to the Museum’s Advisory Board.

“ I t ’s a l l about s tewardsh ip for us ! Af ter meet ing w i th the Execut i ve Team and tour ing the proposed

s i tes for the F inger Lakes Museum, we were so impressed wi th the core miss ion , bus iness

p lan , and future o f the museum that we chose to suppor t th i s endeavor both f inanc ia l l y and to

g i ve o f our t ime to the Adv i sor y Board . Th i s w i l l be a t rue gem to advance educat ion , tour i sm, and economic

deve lopment for the F inger Lakes Reg ion—a reg ion we dear l y love . We are ver y exc i ted for the future potent ia l o f the F inger Lakes

Museum and are pr i v i l eged to be a smal l par t o f i t .” – John & Kathy Hals tead

In September, the Museum also welcomed its newest member to their Board of Trustees, Bebette Yunis, attorney and vice president of Yunis Enterprises.

“ I chose to suppor t The F inger Lakes Museum to ensure that the cu l tura l her i tage and env i ronmenta l s ign i f i cance of the F inger Lakes reg ion i s promoted and showcased in a pos i t i ve and in format i ve way to benefi t fu ture generat ions .”

- Bebet te Yun is

After the Museum’s press conference in May, the second half of the year was full steam ahead! Its community awareness series was a huge success. From Canandaigua to Owego, hundreds of individuals were reached through community coffee chats, regional festivals, educational programs, and campfires held in Keuka Lake State Park. A big thank you goes out to our summer Communications Assistant Junelle King for all of our her hardwork and dedication!

In mid-summer, John Halstead, President SUNY Brockport, and his wife Kathy were welcomed as

the first husband and wife team to the Museum’s Advisory Board.

In September, the Museum also welcomed its newest member to their Board of Trustees, Bebette Yunis, attorney and vice president of Yunis Enterprises.

On September 21st, the Museum launched its Vine to Wine: Savor Our Finger Lakes series. Taking place in Skaneateles, Mt. Morris, Watkins Glen and Canandaigua, the educational program was well received by all!

“L iv ings ton County has been de l ighted to suppor t the concept o f The F inger Lakes Museum s ince i t s incept ion . With programs l ike the breathtak ing “Back f rom the Br ink” and th i s year ’s in teract i ve “V ine to Wine” ser ies , both o f wh ich h igh l ight L i v ings ton County ’s connect ions and contr ibut ions to our sp lend id F inger Lakes Reg ion , we cont inue to look forward to a br ight

F inger Lakes Museum future .”- L i sa Tremblay Burns , V ice Pres ident - Of f i ce o f Tour i sm and Market ing L i v ings ton

County Chamber o f Commerce

“The open ing event for the Museum’s V ine to Wine program at Br i s to l Harbour was a great p leasure to at tend . To be

immer sed in the h i s tor y o f upstate New York ’s legac y as premiere w ine countr y was both en l ighten ing

and a source of pr ide . Hav ing grown up in th i s communi ty, I reve led in the oppor tun i ty to

ce lebrate an essent ia l par t o f our reg iona l ident i t y.”- Jon Pa lzer, Assoc ia te Professor o f Eng l i sh

Cha i r o f the Depar tment o f Humani t iesF inger Lakes Communi ty Co l lege

Last, but not least, the Museum and its programs would not be made possible without the countless hours given by its volunteers. Special thanks goes out to Blair Hall, who has assisted the Museum at each of its milestone events this year. Thank you Blair and to all Finger Lakes Museum volunteers!

Non-ProfitOrganizationUS Postage

PAIDSeneca Falls, NY

Permit No. 80Keuka Park, NY

3

On August 16th of this year, Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy joined local officials and the Museum Board of Trustees to break ground at the Museum’s Discovery Campus in Branchport. The Museum was identified by the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council as a priority project in 2011 and was awarded a $2.3 million matching grant to support the renovation of the former Branchport Elementary School.

“The F inger Lakes Museum is a t rans format iona l pro jec t that w i l l c reate much-needed jobs and prov ide a s ign i f i cant boost for the tour i sm indust r y and loca l -area bus inesses ,” sa id L ieutenant Governor Rober t J . Duf fy. “The F inger Lakes reg ion i s one of the most beaut i fu l areas o f New York

State , as we l l as our countr y, and the Museum wi l l ser ve to re in force i t s h i s tor y and aesthet i c beauty. The Reg iona l Counc i l demonst rated great forward- th ink ing v i s ion in ident i f y ing th i s pr ior i t y pro jec t that uses

our past to bu i ld a path toward a br ighter economic fu ture . We are ext remely p leased to see i t break ing ground and mov ing forward wi th const ruct ing the Discover y Campus , and I look forward to coming back

to v i s i t the completed Museum and learn even more about the h i s tor y and cu l ture o f my home- town reg ion .”

Breaking Ground at the Discovery Campus

Since this Groundbreaking, work has begun at the Discovery Campus. The Museum has exciting plans for next year in opening this campus and launching new programs and exhibits, including a live bald eagle aviary! Despite the stubborn economy, the Museum has been working hard to raise $1.3 million that is needed to match the $2.3 million grant. This is where you can you help!

Please consider a gift to the Museum. Whether it be a pledge over five years, a one-year donation, or multiple donations over a years time, any gift is welcome and greatly appreciated!

Leading by example, the Museum’s leaders have committed to bridging this gap. Thanks to $35,000 in contributions made by our Board of Trustees in November, it was their hope that their gift would inspire matching contributions from valued supporters like you.

Your donation will make a world of difference. We promise you!

Gifts can be made through our website at www.FingerLakesMuseum.org or by mail to: The Finger Lakes Museum PO Box 96 Keuka Park, NY 14478.

The Finger Lakes Museum is chartered by the NYS Education Department and incorporated as a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization. Board of Trustees: John Adamski | President, George E. Farenthold | Vice President, William Gaske, Esq., Cynthia Kimble | Treasurer,

Henry Maus | Vice President, John Meisch, Tim Sellers, Ph.D., George Slocum, David J. Wegman, Bebette Yunis, Rolf A. Zerges, Ph.D., | Vice President

Staff: Don Naetzker | dnaetzker@fingerlakesmuseum.org | John Adamski | jadamski@fingerlakesmuseum.org | Richard Lane | rlane@fingerlakesmuseum.org | Natalie Payne | npayne@fingerlakesmuseum.org

PO Box 96 | Keuka Park, NY 14478 | 315.595.2200Contributing Photographers, Designers, & Editors: John Adamski, Michelle Kisley, Richard Thomas, Chris Cooley, Camp Cory

PHOTO CAPTIONS: Top Left: Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy & Museum President,

John AdamskiMiddle Left: Audience at Discovery Campus Groundbreaking

Bottom Left: John Adamski, Lt. Gov. Duffy, & Museum Advisory Board member, Albert Simone

Bottom Right: Mike Allen with bald eagle Spirit