Knapp's roller boat

[Jefferson Eliot]

I just stumbled across your fascinating group while researching the
Knapp Roller Boat.
I am looking into making a documentary about the roller boat. Knapp is
my maternal great grandfather. I have never modeled a paddlewheeler,
but intend to start by building the roller boat. I also intend to
build an animated computer model of the roller boat.
Do paddleducks swim in the digital world? I'm looking for any info on
the rollerboat, from plans to stories to disparaging remarks. Thanks,
jefferson eliot

[Paulrjordan]

Hi Jefferson,, and WELCOME to Paddleducks!
Wow..it's been a while since we discussed the brainchild of the
venerable Mr. Knapp of Toronto. He and his ummm ship (?) have always
fascinated me...but then I do admire radical thinkers! and to meet a
descendant??? It's an Honour to have you here..and especially if you
are going to make Mr. Knapp a little more famous through a
documentary..eminently entertaining!

Now first thing...we have a little background on him (as I'm sure you
must already have lots!) and you can look in our message archive for
the following. It's been almost 2 years since we talked about him.

613 Rollerboat & 'Gators/was Hi from "mariner"
610 New file uploaded to Paddleducks Paddleducks@yahoogroups.com
609 Hi from "mariner" Bryant Owen

We have a Paddleduck in Ontario, Canada who has done some research
into this subject and his name is Bryant Owen..a very nice fellow who
I'm sure will pipe up when he reads your post..even though Ontarians
do tend to hibernate a little at this time of the year!

Just enter the message number in the box at the top of this message
and it will take you straight there.
In message 610 you will see a file was uploaded with a clickable
link..Forget it..it no longer works since I did some housekeeping.
You can still access that folder in our our files section at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Paddleducks/files/

and then follow:
Files > "PADDLERS of the GREAT LAKES" > KNAPP'S ROLLER BOAT.

I believe I also have one or two references to Knapp and picture(s)
in my Canadian Paddler Books.. I'll try to take a look this evening.

> I have never modeled a paddlewheeler, but intend to start by
> building the roller boat. I also intend to build an animated
> computer model of the roller boat.

Well..you'll probably be the first to make a model of the
rollerboat..do you mean an OPERATING MODEL? in which case I admire
you!!! Maybe a static one first? There is very little reference on
Knapp but we have Bill (Worden) in Toronto who is an extremely
knowledgable paddler and there might be material lurking in the
Toronto archives and museums somewhere. There HAS to be some more
information on the boat and, well.. I guess Great Grandad must have
made building plans..somewhere SOMEONE has them. This is going to be
a fascinating bit of detective work.

> Do paddleducks swim in the digital world? I'm looking for any info
> on the rollerboat, from plans to stories to disparaging remarks.

Well yes, many of us do..and some of us a little TOO much often at
the expense of our actual modelmaking! We have lots of digital savvy
people all over the world on this group all sharing one thing in
common...a love of PADDLE WHEELERS and models... If Mr. Knapp had
known about us..he'd be right here too!

In any case we're very much looking forward to hearing more from you
and to hearing just at what stage your research and documentary is at?

Keep us posted.

PJ
Victoria, British Columbia. Canada

[Paulrjordan]

Hi again Jefferson:

I forgot to mention another Paddleduck in Ontario who has also
researched Mr. Knapp. We havn't heard from Chris (Anderson) for about
18 months but he should still be getting digests from the group. I
havn't had any bounces from his email so it's probably still active.

We'll wait to see if he appears in the forum and if not, I'll see if
we can get him on his email. I think Bryant may have been in contact
with him.

PJ
Victoria, BC Canada

[Paulrjordan]

Google threw up some new Great Grandpa Knapp stuff since I last
looked over a year ago..

http://www.ripnet.com/sites/colonel_edward_jessup/UEL_Col_J/knapp_roll
er_boat.html

Excellent bits of information here and two knockout pictures.

This is the United Empire Loyalist Assoc. of Canada, Col Edward
Jessup Branch. Try contacting Mike Filey (who wrote the article) and
Donald and Theodore Shaver.

http://www.interlog.com/~cbra/REVIEWS/nonfiction.html

A book which looks like a fascinating read:

Richmond, Randy, and Tom Villemaire. Colossal Canadian Failures: A
Short History of Things That Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time.
Toronto: Dundurn Press. 318p. photos. biblio. $22.99. ISBN 1-55002-
416-7pa.

Definitely contact the publisher to track down the writers.

The Hudson's Bay "Beaver" Magazine had an article on the Rollerboat
in it's Dec 95/Jan 96 issue. My records show I have a copy of this
magazine but I can't pinpoint it in my mountain of stuff to be
sorted. I'll keep looking but meantime you might want to contact the
Hudsons Bay Archives in Winnipeg. Nice people and (eventually)
respond with all kinds of helpful info.

Then an interesting couple of letters exist in the archives of
Churchill College (Cambridge, UK) in the Churchill Papers.

04 Jan 1926: Letter from F A Knapp (The Manor, Prescott, Ontario,
[Canada]) to Winston Churchill referring to the rejection by the
government of his proposal for the cheap production of electricity
and claiming that his "roller boat" was the inspiration for the tank.

19 Jan 1926: Carbon typescript copy of reply from [Edward Marsh] to F
A Knapp stating that Winston Churchill does not believe that Knapp's
invention played any part in the development of the tank.

PJ
Victoria BC Canada

[Jefferson Eliot]

Paul, thanks for your brilliant research and suggestions and for your warm welcome to the group.
You make a newcomer feel right at home.
I have ordered the book, Colossal Canadian Failures - what a wonderful book idea, (even if it is at the expense of my family dignity). Yes, I want to make a working model - something about the darn thing just cries out for action - but it is clearly over my head. Hmmm, should that stop me? I don't think Knapp would stop.
My mother was woken up in the middle of the night my her mother, "Come quick, Grandad's perpetual motion machine is running!"
She was old enough to figure: "No rush then, I'll see it in the morning."
"No, silly, you know it won't be running that long."
Your enthusiasm and initiative is an inspiration to me and I will pursue this with a new vengeance.
jefferson

[jwearly]

I found two referances in my ME index as listed below. I will look for these
articles when I get home tonight and see if they are the ones I remembered.
Also when I did a search on paddle up came a pretty good list.

Vol Issue Page Author Title Category Notes
87 2171 590 Houstoun John Roller Boat BOAT AND SHIP
89 2205 148 Phillips W.E. Roller Boat in Canada BOAT AND SHIP

--
JWE
Long Beach, CA