Knapp's Roller Boat

[Gordon]

We are all familiar with side wheelers and stern wheelers, but what about one big wheel wrapped around the ship?  It was done By Fred Knapp in Toronto in 1897.  He built a 110' x 22' cylinder equipped with paddles along its length that rolled over the waves while an inner compartment carrying passengers remained still.  It had a steam engine at each end.  "It looked like a large floating smoking sewer pipe with a verandah on each end".  it actually reached a speed of 5 m.p.h. but could only roll over the water in one direction.   How successful was it?  It's written up in a book called "Colossal Canadian Failures". It's hull was buried in the landfill near the foot of Sherbourne Street in Toronto.
If you want to see pictures of this unique craft (could make an interesting model project) just Google "Knapp's Roller Boat".
Gordon.

[steamboatmodel]

Hi All,
There are a number of photos of Mr. Knapp's Roller Boat, but no knowen plans or dimentioned drawings. I keep looking but have not found enough to do a model yet. Here are some of the sites I have found,this site gives some of the story;
http://www.ripnet.com/sites/colonel_edward_jessup/UEL_Col_J/knapp_roller_boat.html
This one has an end on photo:
http://www.heritagetoronto.org/discover-toronto/photos/knapps-roller-boat
This one has two more photos;
http://www.saveontarioshipwrecks.on.ca/News/NLNov06.pdf
This one has one small photo;
http://www.toronto.ca/waterfront/pdf/eb_precinct_plan_pt2.pdf
Regards,
Gerald

[Eddy Matthews]

Knapps roller boat has been talked about many times in the past on Paddleducks, but as Gerald says, there still isn't enough information available to build a model

I'd love to have a crack at building a really unusual paddler, as I like the more bizarre and offbeat types of boat. But so far I've yet to find one with sufficient info to do it justice.

Regards
Eddy

[Dinosaursoupman]

Hey PD's,

With the dimensions supplied by Gordon and the diagram on the ripnet site, you might just be able to make a good representation of Knapp's Roller Boat.  You could also go to your local kitchen supply store and purchase an already complete replica of the vessel; Just purchase a roller pin, remove the handles, and bevel the ends, Viola! Knapp's Roller Boat.

Have you ever gone to an amusement park and walked through the spinning tunnel? I can only imagine that the sensation would have been the same where the only view would have been through the narrow opening at the ends.

I can't see any visible means of steering the vessel. Has anyone any ideas as to how this was accomplished? Was she split at the center and each half operated independently?

Randy

[Gordon]

From what I  have read on various sources, lack of the ability to steer the roller boat was a major problem.  They say that at one point he tried to add a rudder, but I can't imagine where or how.  It's also reported that he attempted to add a bow and stern section to allow it to go as a standard hull for narrow channels, but it seems he ran out of money.
Gordon

[steamboatmodel]

I never have been able to figure how he intended to steer it. I read one account that the exhaust and smoke from the engines one on each end filled the center section. There are reports that some group or another is going to locate and dig the roller boat up, but so far nothing has come of it, but if they don't hurry it will probably be destroyed during redevelopment.
Regards,
Gerald.

[andygh]

A fascinating vessel but it must have been very dark for the passengers