Czesław Marchaj
| Czesław Marchaj | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 July 1918 Słomniki, Kingdom of Poland |
| Died | 21 July 2015 (aged 97) Warsaw, Poland |
| Residence | France |
| Nationality | Polish, British |
| Fields |
Aerodynamics Sailing |
| Alma mater | State Academy of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Warsaw |
| Known for | Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic investigations of sailing yacht performance |
Czesław Antony Marchaj (9 July 1918 – 21 July 2015), often known in the West as C.A. Marchaj or Tony Marchaj, was a Polish-British yachtsman and professor whose published scientific studies of the aerodynamics and hydrodynamics of sailing boats have been hugely influential on yacht, sail and rig designers. He was the author of a classic work "Sailing Theory and Practice" and approximately 60 other publications on sailing. He was a member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA), and he was awarded the Silver Medal of The International Sailing Federation (ISAF).
His original youth interest and professional career choice was aviation, with emphasis on gliding. After studying at the State Academy of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering in Warsaw, he joined the Warsaw University of Technology. Led wind tunnel testing of combat airplanes. During the German and Soviet occupation of Poland during World War II soldier of the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa). Also, during the war years, Czesław Marchaj studied philosophy (clandestinely, as higher education was suppressed by occupation authorities) under Władysław Tatarkiewicz.
In the postwar years his interest had turned towards sailing. This resulted (in 1949) in a sentence in a politically motivated process to a prison term under false charges of espionage and "trying to escape to the West" and subsequent long term harassment.
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