James Rumsey built one of the first operational steamboat in the US. He a long with Morey and Fitch preceeded Fulton by a few years. What was unique about the Rumsey boat was the propelled without a propeller or paddle wheels. Instead the Steam engine expelled steam and water through a tube out the stern of his boat. It was similar to the little pop-pop toy boats. He had an intake tube in the bow. There is a group in Shepherdstown, WV known as The Rumseian Society. Last summer I had the pleasure of having lunch with two of their members at a Kingston, NY meet. They drove up for the day to meet acouple of us that had contacted them via the Internet.
Check their Website out. It shows photos of their Rumseian Replica Known as "The Rumseian Experiment". They are planning on bringing the Experiment to the 2007 Steamboat Celebration at the Clermont site in Germantown, NY.
I'm looking forward to seeing Nick and Jay again, possible riding the Hudson in the Experiment.
http://www.jamesrumsey.org/
James Rumsey
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