Gustaf Broman Tried to Cross the Atlantic in a Canoe . . . Or Did He?

Men launching a wooden vessel, circa 1750. Gustaf Broman's vessel was not nearly as seaworthy. 18th century French engraving. Photo by Hulton Archive / Getty Images

In 1895, Gustaf Broman announced he would sail across the Atlantic in a 13-foot-long sailboat crafted from a cedar log. His route had an odd beginning -- he planned to start at Oregon, sail down to California, then put the boat on rails and ride it up to New York before finally reaching the Atlantic. Additionally, his log boat was anything but seaworthy. Some 4000 people gathered to watch Broman embark... but, eventually, his past came to light, and people began to wonder whether there was more to the story. (I mean, obviously there was. That's why we're doing a show about it.)