Hey, Peggy, its me again without a head problem. I'm the one with a 1922 Chapman and you said you'd do anything to get one of the first ones ever printed. Although I haven't raced in several years, my competive spirit is still there, so I thought I go on the Internet and do a job of finding one of those old Chapman's. I wanted one that was authographed too. Thought I had a 1914 through Abe's Books in New York but for some reason that fell through. In seaching (I have literally looked at several hundred 1968 or above editions) I noticed a number of 1972 50th Edition Specials. If that is true, than 1922 was the first Whatdoyouthink? I wrote Motor Boating and asked when the first printing ever was--but no answer. I'm thinking of writing the Library of Congress to see if they can ascertain when the first one was printed. I'm beginning to thing 1922 might be it. Your thoughts, oh wise one. One other interesting thing. I saw no editions in the 1930s. It seems to start again in 1944.
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
1922 is not the first Chapman's
My "Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged" was first copyrighted and published in 1917. So there definitely is an earlier first edition....I believe it was first published in 1914. The title is "Practical Motor Boat Handling, Seamanship and Piloting" and I love the description: "A handbook containing information which every motor boatman should know. Especially prepared for the man who takes price in handling his own boat and getting the greatest enjoyment out of cruising. Adapted for the yachtsman interested in fitting himself to be of service to his Government in time of war." Author is Charles F Chapman, M.E., Editor of MoToR (sic) Boating. New editions (not to be confused with 2nd, 3rd, etc printings) aren't published every year...only when there are changes or updates that require revising it. So the fact that the 50th edition was published in 1972 is meaningless...it was early '90s when the 54th edition--the most current I'bve bought--was published. I haven't bought one since, I'm not sure what the current edition is...somewhere in the low '60s I think. It's not surprising that there were a number of new editions in the late 50s thrugh the early 70s. It was in the late '50s that most of the locks and dams were built that made previously non-navigable rivers navigable and created most of the inland Corps of Engineers lakes, and the ICW was completed...which required adding instructions for locking safely (among other things). The '60s saw the first fiberglass boats and new models, requiring a lot of photography updating. So keep looking for that first one...and let me know if you ever find it.
My "Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged" was first copyrighted and published in 1917. So there definitely is an earlier first edition....I believe it was first published in 1914. The title is "Practical Motor Boat Handling, Seamanship and Piloting" and I love the description: "A handbook containing information which every motor boatman should know. Especially prepared for the man who takes price in handling his own boat and getting the greatest enjoyment out of cruising. Adapted for the yachtsman interested in fitting himself to be of service to his Government in time of war." Author is Charles F Chapman, M.E., Editor of MoToR (sic) Boating. New editions (not to be confused with 2nd, 3rd, etc printings) aren't published every year...only when there are changes or updates that require revising it. So the fact that the 50th edition was published in 1972 is meaningless...it was early '90s when the 54th edition--the most current I'bve bought--was published. I haven't bought one since, I'm not sure what the current edition is...somewhere in the low '60s I think. It's not surprising that there were a number of new editions in the late 50s thrugh the early 70s. It was in the late '50s that most of the locks and dams were built that made previously non-navigable rivers navigable and created most of the inland Corps of Engineers lakes, and the ICW was completed...which required adding instructions for locking safely (among other things). The '60s saw the first fiberglass boats and new models, requiring a lot of photography updating. So keep looking for that first one...and let me know if you ever find it.
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Frank Pratt
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Interesting...
Your link had timed out and went back to the LoC's hompage, but a search of "Chapman, Charles F" (he's one born in 1888, not the flute player by the same name born later) turns up an entire library of books he either wrote or edited on every aspect of both sailing and motorboating, including boat building. As near as I can tell, there was the "Practical" series, begun sometime before 1917...the LoC apparently only has the same 2nd edition, published in 1917, that I have of "Practical Motorboating Handling, Seamanship
Your link had timed out and went back to the LoC's hompage, but a search of "Chapman, Charles F" (he's one born in 1888, not the flute player by the same name born later) turns up an entire library of books he either wrote or edited on every aspect of both sailing and motorboating, including boat building. As near as I can tell, there was the "Practical" series, begun sometime before 1917...the LoC apparently only has the same 2nd edition, published in 1917, that I have of "Practical Motorboating Handling, Seamanship
according to the cover info.............
of the 56th edition the book has been in publication since 1917.
of the 56th edition the book has been in publication since 1917.
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Les Blackwell
This has been a fun thread
Thanks all for writing. This has been fun. I just wanted you all to know that I have several rare book searches going on for a Chapmans between 1910 and 1915. I also told them if this southern lady calls and says that she will pay more, don't listen to her--I'll pay top dollar (acutually, we can share--I intend to corner the market on old Chapmans.)
Thanks all for writing. This has been fun. I just wanted you all to know that I have several rare book searches going on for a Chapmans between 1910 and 1915. I also told them if this southern lady calls and says that she will pay more, don't listen to her--I'll pay top dollar (acutually, we can share--I intend to corner the market on old Chapmans.)
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Yes...but WHICH Chapmans, Les...
The man wrote a zillion books in at least 3 series...and not even the Library Congress seems to know when the first editions of each was published. They show 1922 as the year the first edition of "Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling" was published...Steve has a 56th edition that says the first one was published in 1917. I thought I knew what I have--the 2nd edition of what evolved into " Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling"...but now I have no idea what it is--if it's anything other than just another one of Chapman's early books.
The man wrote a zillion books in at least 3 series...and not even the Library Congress seems to know when the first editions of each was published. They show 1922 as the year the first edition of "Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling" was published...Steve has a 56th edition that says the first one was published in 1917. I thought I knew what I have--the 2nd edition of what evolved into " Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling"...but now I have no idea what it is--if it's anything other than just another one of Chapman's early books.
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