Year 1081 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. April 1 – Emperor Nikephoros III is forced to abdicate the throne and retires to the Peribleptos monastery, he is succeeded by Alexios I Komnenos, crowned on April 5, as ruler of the Byzantine Empire. His brother-in-law Nikephoros Melissenos supports Alexios as new emperor in exchange for the title of Caesar and is appointed as commander of the Byzantine armies in the West. May – A Norman fleet of 150 ships, led by Duke Robert Guiscard, sets off towards the Dalmatian coast. An army of 15,000 men sails to city of Avalona. October 18 – Battle of Dyrrhachium: After taking the island of Corfu, Robert Guiscard advances to Dyrrhachium, lays siege to the city. Alexios I Komnenos supports defend Illyria from the Normans, but is defeated by Guiscard, outside Dyrrhachium, the Byzantine capital city of Illyria. King Alfonso VI of Castile exiles his most famous commander, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, who goes into exile and offers his services to the twins – Counts Ramon Berenguer II and Berenguer Ramon II of Barcelona, but is turned down.

He ends up in the service of Emir Yusuf al-Mu'taman ibn Hud of Zaragoza. King Mihailo dies after a 30-year reign, he is succeeded by Constantine Bodin as ruler of Duklja. Battle of Mynydd Carn: Gruffudd ap Cynan in alliance with Rhys ap Tewdwr, prince of Deheubarth, defeats the forces of Trahaearn ap Caradog, Caradog ap Gruffydd and Meilir ap Rhiwallon, allowing Gruffudd to claim the Kingdom of Gwynedd. King William I orders the creation of a castle at Cardiff during his tour of southern Wales; the first castle on the site would be a motte and bailey type and is built on existing Roman fortifications. Seljuk emir Tzachas conquers Smyrna and founds a short-lived independent state, which emerges as the first sea power in Turkish history. Pope Gregory VII writes a letter to Hermann, bishop of Metz, about the behavior of Emperor Henry IV. Construction begins on St. Canute's Cathedral in Odense. Louis VI, king of France Gruffydd ap Rhys, king of Deheubarth Rudolf I, count of Bregenz and Chur Satake Masayoshi, Japanese samurai Suger, French abbot and historian William I, count of Luxembourg Zhang Bangchang, Chinese prime minister Zhao Mingcheng, Chinese scholar-official September 1 – Eusebius, bishop of Angers October 18 Konstantios Doukas, Byzantine emperor Nikephoros Palaiologos, Byzantine general December 10 – Nikephoros III, Byzantine emperor Abelard of Hauteville, Italo-Norman nobleman Abu al-Walid al-Baji, Moorish scholar and poet Artau I, count of Pallars Sobirà Bernard of Menthon, French priest and saint Bolesław II, king of Poland Caradog ap Gruffydd, prince of Gwent Ibn Hayyus, Syrian poet and panegyrist Jōjin, Japanese Tendai monk and writer Mihailo, king of Duklja Trahaearn ap Caradog, king of Gwynedd

Donal Lardner Ward is an American screenwriter, director and actor. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Donal is the great-grandson of sports writer and humorist Ring Lardner, grandson of sports writer John Lardner and grand-nephew of Academy Award-winning screenwriter Ring Lardner Jr., a member of the Hollywood Ten. His acting career began in 1990 with a part in Whit Stillman's Metropolitan, followed in 1993 by the film My Life's in Turnaround, produced on a budget of $200,000, which he co-wrote, co-directed, co-starred in with Eric Schaeffer. Following the success of My Life's in Turnaround and Schaeffer, with Efrem Seeger, created the sitcom Too Something, for the Fox Network; the series starred Ward, as well as actress Portia de Rossi. In 1999, Ward directed the J. J. Abrams produced The Suburbans, co-written with Tony Guma; the film revolves around a record company executive, played by Jennifer Love Hewitt, attempting to reignite the careers of the one-hit wonder band The Suburbans, played by Ward, Craig Bierko, Will Ferrell, Tony Guma.

The film features performances from Amy Brenneman, Bridgette Wilson, Ben Stiller, Jerry Stiller. The 2000s began with roles in Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, the straight-to-video film Comic Book Villains, starring Donal Logue, Julie Delpy's Looking For Jimmy. In 2007, as part of a half-day marathon of new works for Philip Seymour Hoffman's LAByrinth Theater Company, Ward directed the play Dress Them Down With Whiskey, featuring Tatum O'Neil. In 2011, Ward and Schaeffer reunited for the sequel to My Life's in Turnaround, titled They're Out of the Business. At the same time, Ward was a staff writer for the HBO series How to Make it in America, produced by Mark Wahlberg. In 2018, Ward directed the drama; the film stars Jeanne Tripplehorn, Damian Young, Loudon Wainwright III. It premiered at The Nantucket Film Festival; the film will receive a digital release by Lionsgate Films on 2/24/20. In 2019 Ward was a writer/producer on the final season of The Affair on Showtime, he appeared as "Firefighter Dan" in episode 10.

Donal Lardner Ward on IMDb

Correct Craft is a United States-based builder of powerboats for waterskiing and wakeboard use. It was founded in 1925 by Walt C. Meloon as the Florida Variety Boat Company. Correct Craft operated boat manufacturer in the world. Correct Craft owns Nautique, Supreme, Bass Cat, Yar-Craft, SeaArk and Bryant boat companies, Pleasurecraft Engine Group, Parker boats and Aktion Parks. Nautique specializes in Ski and wake surf boats with their main brands being Ski Nautique and Air Nautique Centurion Boats was purchased by Correct Craft in 2015. Supreme Bass Cat Yar-Craft SeaArk Bryant boat companies Pleasurecraft Engine Group Parker boats Aktion Parks Walter C. Meloon founded the Florida Variety Boat Company in 1925 in Florida. In 1930, the company changed its name to Pine Castle Construction Company. Eight years the company again rebranded as Correct Craft; the company was incorporated in 1947. In 1945, American troops had reached the Rhine River but lacked the transport boats needed to cross it. Correct Craft was commissioned to supply the needed storm boats within a month's time.

Reports vary on the number of boats required, placing the number between 300 and 600. At that time, Correct Craft produced less than 50 boats over the course of a month; the company did not work on Sundays, despite production pressure, refused to open production on a Sunday. The production was finished ahead of schedule. National Geographic called it "A Miracle Production." The United States Army awarded the company an "E" flag for efficiency. Walter C. Meloon retired from his position as company president in 1955, his son, Walter O. Meloon, became the new president; the company received a government contract for 3000 boats in 1957. Inspectors expecting a payoff began rejecting boats the company made when they received no compensation. At the end of the year, Correct Craft had delivered 2,200 approved boats but had 600 rejects on hand; the chief inspector returned 40 of the accepted boats. The order had cost the company more. A complaint to the Corps of Engineers to honor their end of the contract was ignored.

A creditor advised that Correct Craft seek protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Act which would allow the company to continue operations, which it accepted in August 1958. Torrey Mosvold, head of Mosvold Shipping Company, loaned Correct Craft the capital needed to pay off its debts; the Pakistani government ordered more than 200 of the assault boats still sitting in Correct Craft's warehouse, as well as six larger boats. Local automobile dealer Bud Coleman granted the company a ten-year loan on the plant property. Correct Craft was released from Chapter 11 at the start of the year in 1965. Subsequently, the Corps of Engineers offered Correct Craft a $40,000 settlement to drop the filed complaint. Correct Craft released its first Ski Nautique boat, the first fiberglass ski boat, designed by Leo Bentz, in 1961, it was the world's first tournament inboard ski boat. In 1986, SeaWorld signed a contract with Correct Craft to supply Ski Nautique boats for ski shows at their marine parks. In 1995, Suzuki obtained domestic rights as the only distributor of Correct Craft boats in Japan in exchange for Suzuki carrying only Correct Craft boats.

The Total Surface Control hull design was released for the Ski Nautique in 1997. At that time, there were four models of the Ski Nautique available: the original Ski Nautique, the Sport Nautique introduced in 1989, Nautique Super Sport introduced in 1995, Ski Nautique 19"6; the Sport Nautique was the official towboat of the Wakeboard World Championships, the U. S. Wakeboard Open, the Wakeboard Masters, the U. S. National Wakeboard Championship in 1995 and 1996. In 1996, Correct Craft's Team Nautique sponsored slalom world champion Helena Kiellander, woman's slalom record holder Kristie Overton Johnson, men's slalom record holder Andy Mapple, world record distance ski jumper Bruce Neville, barefoot skier Ron Scarpa; the Meloon family sold its stock in the company in 2008, Ambassador Enterprises obtained full ownership of the company. Correct Craft began its acquisition of wake park complexes under its subsidiary Aktion Parks in August 2012, when Correct Craft acquired the Orlando Watersports Complex, the world's premier cable wake park.

In September 2013, Correct Craft announced that its subsidiary, Aktion Parks, was building the Miami Watersports Complex, a 90-acre water sports park. In October 2014, Correct Craft acquired PCM Marine Engines, Crusader Engines Inc. and Levitator Performance Airboat Engines which operate together as Pleasurecraft Engine Group. Correct Craft acquired Bass Cat Boats as well as Yar-Craft, a walleye boat line owned by Bass Cat, in March 2015. In June 2015, Correct Craft acquired majority interest in Centurion Boats and Supreme Boats, based in Merced, California. Correct Craft acquired SeaArk Boats, an aluminum finishing boat company based in Monticello, Arkansas, in May 2016. Correct Craft announced the acquisition of Bryant Boats, based in Sweetwater, Tennessee, in January 2017. Official website