Self-Propelled Aquaplane

It looks like the guy is about to send the girl flying into the air, but apparently he was demonstrating some kind of water rescue device, not a rocket.

"S. Shapiro, inventor, strapping his Shapson aquaplane on Miss Margaret Travis for demonstration at Santa Monica, Cal. The model is 44 inches over all and is operated by cranks which the swimmer turns to propel the plane. A speed of 12 knots can be obtained." — Chicago Tribune - Mar 3, 1935

East Liverpool Evening Review - Mar 1, 1935

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jul 24, 2017
Category: Inventions | 1930s

Comments

"Is that a rocket on your back or are you just glad to see me?"

Posted by KDP on 07/24/17 at 03:38 PM

He was just looking for an excuse to have a girl put on a swimsuit.

Posted by Brian on 07/24/17 at 06:57 PM

And... how does he propose to get this onto the drowing (and panicking!) victim?

Posted by Richard Bos on 07/27/17 at 11:03 AM

Perhaps lifeguards would use them to get to the victims more quickly.

Posted by RobK on 07/28/17 at 10:06 AM

Obviously, if they have to put in on from the beach and he hopes life guards may add it, it's not likely to be put on a person in the water struggling. Not sure the crank system is going to work without some sort of flow channel. Too bad this wasn't an article from popular mechanics.

Posted by GFinKS on 08/07/17 at 03:08 PM

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