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Charles Gray
Hancock County Historical Society
February 15, 199 5
Page 2
The foreman of the shipyard was a half-breed nan^d Placeed (sp.?).
"Get me one of those cypress planks from beneath ^-f^thgrj s house and I'll build you the fastest boat on the coast."	t r i ed
to get his dad to allow him to take one of the huge cypress planks from the basement of their home. Again and again he was refused.
Finally, he wore the old man down and grandfather agreed to give up one of his treasured cypress planks. T have asked my father repeatedly to confirm the unusual size and quality of these boards.
They were nearly 4 feet wide, over 30 feet long and more than 3 inches thick -- without a blemish or a knot. The young man hurried to one of the camps (more about the camps later) and conscripted a half dozen husky boys to help carry the immense slab of wood to the shipyard 1/4 mile away. After much pain and suffering they arrived at the yard with their prize.
Placeed begain work by splitting the huge slab in half reducing it's thickness to an inch or so. The narrow sleek craft took shape quickly and within a few weeks the hull was completed. About 20 feet long, the craft drew only a few inches of water. The sail was mount far to the front. As the project drew to a close and the craft was being painted, Placeed told my dad that the name painted on the stern was to be "KMA". "What does 'KMA' stand for", asked the youth. "This is the fastest boat on the coast", was the answer. "As you pass up other boats in a race just point to those letters on the stern." "Yes, but what does it mean", asked the kid. "Kiss My Ass", was the jocular rep 1y.
The day of the Biloxi Yacht Club races arrived. Dad sailed from Bay St. Louis into the gulf and made the somewhat perilous trip to Biloxi. He entered races in four boat classes and won all of them handily. Complaints from the competing boat owners resulted in dad being dis-qua 1ified as a contestant for owning a boat which was unbeatable. As he sailed away to Bay St. Louis he pointed to KMA prominently painted on the stern.
That/'s all for now. We are compiling several more tall tales and will be sending them soon.
Bes : regards,
Terry Fii)(sching TF/jm