Tag Archives: rory wilson

Teacher to give presentation on epic rowing journey to Hawaii

Former Bainbridge High School teacher Rory Wilson will share reflections and photos from his rowing odyssey to Hawaii next week.

The presentation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Bainbridge High School commons. The event is free, and donations will be accepted for the Bainbridge Schools Foundation.

Wilson made the 44-day journey from San Diego to Honolulu earlier this fall in a slender homemade craft powered by oars and kites. He called the vessel “KROS,” short for kites, rowing ocean, solar. Wilson’s math students at Bainbridge High helped him prepare for the journey.

You can get a taste of Wilson’s adventure in the video below, which shows KROS dancing through waves under kite power.  Wilson has posted many more amazing images on the KROS page on Facebook.

Photo and video courtesy Rory Wilson, via Facebook

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Teacher’s experimental craft inching across Pacific

It’s been three weeks since former Bainbridge High School teacher Rory Wilson shoved off for Hawaii in an experimental watercraft called KROS.

The 21-foot boat, powered by oars and kites, is creeping steadily toward its goal, according to updates posted by Wilson’s brother Shane on the KROS Facebook page. Wilson launched from San Diego on Sept. 18 and spent the first few days of his solo voyage paddling southwest off Baja California. He is now traveling roughly due west for Hawaii.

Wilson relays his position to Shane using a SPOT GPS tracker (the latest track is shown above). The brothers also talk regularly by satellite phone. According to Shane’s latest post, Wilson has rowed up to 12 hours a day when the wind is too light to use KROS’ kites.

“He sounds like he’s having a great time, all in all…” Shane wrote.

Wilson taught math at Bainbridge High and used the plans for his experimental voyage to engage his students. Before departing last month, Wilson compared the KROS to a moving math problem.

“It’s just like a really cool, multivariable equation of all the factors that go into it,” he told the Sun’s Angela Dice.

Courtesy photos

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