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| Jack London Snark Question |
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Message |
    
Paul Domeier
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 10:04 am: | 
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I'm curious about the type of engine that author, Jack London installed in his 43' motor/sailer, Snark.
The boat was built in San Francisco, 1905-1907, and was equipped with a 70 HP gasoline engine that was manufactured in New York.
That's about all the info Mr. London gives in his hilarious telling of "The Cruise of the Snark," copyright 1908, along with the explanation that upon the engines first running, it broke its cast mounts and fell over on its side.
This is a fantastic site!
Paul Domeier
Vacaville, CA |
andrew
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 08:32 pm: |
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70HP would be a big engine for a 43' boat in 1905-07. Can you find any other clues.... I wonder if there is a "fan club" or "resource web site" for Jack London? A picture or some additional description of the engine would help.
Regards,
Andrew |
rholcomb
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 10:12 pm: |
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Hmmmmm i found this site with an online book
here is the page referring to the engine???
http://www.knowledgerush.com/paginated_txt/crsnk10/crsnk10_s1_p11_pages.html
I wonder,a motor from new york,Hot bulb semi diesel was very popular in that era
i wonder if it was a Meitz and Weiss???? |
rholcomb
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 10:16 pm: |
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andrew
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 11:11 pm: |
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Robert,
Wow.... good detective work!
He does say "gasolene" in the book... |
rholcomb
| | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 04:46 am: |
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FOUND IT !!! A Century engine built by the New York Yacht, Launch and Engine Co. of Morris Heights, New Jersey.
here is the web page i found supporting this theory
http://www.geocities.com/jacklondons/snark.html
look under the paragraph "About the snark" |
rholcomb
| | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 05:07 am: |
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andrew
| | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 10:37 pm: |
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Good work Robert...! There was a beautiful two cylinder 20th Century in New England some years ago. It was displayed (and run) at the Mystic Seaport Engine Show the first couple of years it was held.
Maybe we should have thread on "old marine engines in literature"...
A few that come to mind are:
THE BOAT THAT WOULDN'T FLOAT by Farley Mowat
THE VOYAGE OF THE DETROIT by Thomas Fleming Day
THE BOY, ME, AND THE CAT by Henry M. Plummer |
Paul Domeier
| | Posted on Monday, January 12, 2004 - 11:49 pm: |
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That was a great piece of detective work!
Thanks very much for taking interest in my question.
The book itself is a great read, but I'm a knuckle dragging motor-head, and I was dying for more details on that big monster of an engine.
Paul Domeier
Vacaville, CA |
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