Jim Drake

James or Jim Drake may refer to:

Jim Drake (engineer)

Jim Drake (born January 8, 1929 in Los Angeles – died June 19, 2012 in Pfafftown) was an American aeronautics engineer who is credited as the inventor of windsurfing. Patent disputes uncovered earlier designs by Peter Chilvers and Newman Darby such that Drake accepted that he was the third inventor of the concept. He was the engineer who perfected the concepts of board and rig layout and the universal joint which is core to the sport.

Aeronautics career

Drake trained as an aeronautical engineer, although as most of his work was for the US Government, most of the details remain to this day top secret. What is known is that he worked for Rockwell and their division RAND Corporation, worked for North American Aviation, and was on secondment to The Pentagon for various periods of his career both directly and indirectly, part of which was associated with the development of improved Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles during the Cold War of the 1960s and 70's.

Invention of windsurfing

Jim Drake (rugby league)

James "Jim" Gerald Drake (20 February 1931 in Workington – 8 October 2008 in Hull) was an English rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s, playing at representative for Great Britain, English League XIII, and Cumberland, and at club level for Heworth ARLFC, Hull, and Hull Kingston Rovers, as a fullback, prop, second-row, or loose forward/lock, i.e. number 1, 8 or 10, 11 or 12, or 13, during the era of contested scrums.

Drake was the older (by 10-minutes) twin brother of fellow professional rugby league footballer, Bill Drake.

Through injury, Drake missed Hull's 10-9 victory over Halifax in the Championship final during the 1955–56 season at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 12 May 1956.

Drake played Right-prop, i.e. number 10 for English League XIII while at Hull in the 8-26 defeat by France on Saturday 22 November 1958 at Knowsley Road, St. Helens.

Drake played Right-prop, i.e. number 10 in Hull's 13-30 defeat by Wigan in the 1959 Challenge Cup final during the 1958–59 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 9 May 1959.