Waters Balch & Co Paper Boats

Introduction

The first patent for paper boats were made in Troy, NY by George Waters and his father, Elisha. The idea came about in 1860s when George Waters was in search of a mask for a masquerade he was planning on attending. Not finding a mask at a price he could afford, he set out to make one. His father, Elisha, was a paper box manufacturer in Troy. Because of this, George used this knowledge and utilized a paper pulp from his father's box factory to mold a mask. Following this, George had the idea to layer paper over a shell and make a boat hull. The Waters used a cedar canoe shell as a mold, and layers of manila paper were laid and held together with shellac (a resin). Once many layers were build up, the hull was removed from the mold and a minimal spruce frame was built inside. The paper was then waterproofed with varnish and the job was complete. The boat weighed in at just over 30 lbs, making it 10 lbs lighter than the lightest cedar boats of that time. Not only was the boat lighter than the usual cedar, but it was stronger too.

Success of the Company

Large scale production of paper racing boats began in 1867. The Waters' factory was located one mile north of Troy and was on the Hudson River. The boats were refined to be as even lighter, with a 28' long 12" wide boat with a seat and outriggers weighing less than 22 lbs. Paper in the 1800s was made primarily using linen or cotton fiber, making it different than the wood fiber paper used today. The boats were easily repaired with a touchup of varnish or patches with paper. Because of such advancement in boats, this was marked as an early precursor to fiberglass boats.

Rowing was a popular sport at the time, and after getting their boats in use by some top rowing crews they began winning races. "[Paper boats] were pulled by the winners of fourteen matched races, in 1868, twenty-six match races during the season of 1869, (their second year in use,) and fifty in 1870" [1]. Waters not only made boats for rowing, but also made canoes and boats for hunting and fishing. By 1871, the company had a four-hundred page catalog featuring their boats as well as articles on rowing and boating.

The End of Waters Balch & Co.

Fortunately, the boat company was successful for 30 years. They were faced with other paper boat manufacturers (competition) as well as a downturn in the popularity of rowing in the later years. In 1901, the factory burnt down after George Waters started a fire with a blowtorch while preparing a boat for the Syracuse University crew team. Due to losses greater than insurance would cover, the factory was never rebuilt. Only after couple of years after the fire, both George and Elisha Waters died in 1902, and 1904, respectively.

References

[1]"A History of Rowing in America" by Robert B. Johnson pgs. 249-256 https://books.google.com/books?id=RNI9AAAAYAAJ&ots=7_DMb_ZM78&dq=%22A+History+of+Rowing+in+America%22&pg=PA249&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false [2]http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2010/04/27/troys-paper-boats [3]https://www.duckworksmagazine.com/04/s/excerpts/maib/17/index.htm [4]https://hakaimagazine.com/features/paper-boats-troy/