New information has come to light regarding the 1926 Waterford model Dispro currently owned by our Associate Director David Stringer. Tamakwans know the boat as Stringer's "Dippy", the antique boat seen (and heard) puttering David and his son Alex across South Tea Lake in the cool morning mist everyday. Dippy (actually D.P.) is short for Disappearing Propeller boat, famous for its engine in the middle of the hull and a propeller that retracts if it gets in water that's too shallow. The boat is a collector's item; there are only a few in existence. So where did Stringer get his?

It was David's Aunt Marion (Omer's sister) who originally "offered" the boat to David back in 1974 when she said to him "I'll burn that 'goshdarned' (her actual term was more colourful) Dippy if you don't come to get it this afternoon". But how did Aunt Marion get it?

It actually first belonged to Bessie Bletcher, sister of Martin Bletcher -- the man who many believe murdered famous Canadian artist Tom Thomson on Canoe Lake in 1917. Martin was reportedly sweet on Tom's girlfirend, Winnie Traynor. (Who wouldn't be?...she herself owned a Dippy.)

Bessie Bletcher traded the 1926 Waterford dippy to Wam Stringer (David's uncle), in exchange for a whitewash job on the Bletcher house. Wam never got around to whitewashing anything, but he didn't hesitate to take possession of the boat, and promptly sold it for $30 to his brother-in-law Hank Grenke. Aunt Marion says that when Bessie Bletcher got wind of this, taking into account her un-whitewashed house, she gave Wam "six kinds of 'schlect' in boxcar letters" (her actual term was more colourful).

Though the dippy changed hands from Stringer to Stringer, David may well be the only one in the family to have successfully operated the boat. But just think...had Tom Thomson lived nine years longer, he might well have been shot in the head by Martin Bletcher, from David Stringer's Dippy!

Oooh, sca-a-a-ary...