The Story of the First Boat Shoe

The First Boat Shoe, 1852

oil on wood panel , 15"x 18"
by Ed Parker

Now, some of you may be familiar with the story of how a certain sailor Paul A. Sperry slipped on the deck of his boat one night in 1935, and fell overboard into Long Island Sound. He resolved right then to create a better deck shoe. He got the idea for his iconic "Top-Sider" boat shoes while watching his dog, a cocker spaniel named Prince, play in the snow. Realizing that the dog wasn't slipping on the ice, he designed a herringbone pattern reminiscent of the grooves and cracks in his dog's paw, that provided extra traction in all directions.

"His shoes were a hit with boaters not only for their non-slip soles but also for the white colored material the soles were made of that did not leave marks on a boat's deck," writes Connecticut History. While the original Top-Sider had a canvas upper, while the now-familiar leather upper was developed in 1937. The shoe was so effective, that in 1939 they were named the official shoe of the U.S. Navy.

In this charming painting artist Ed Parker re-imagines the origins of the first boat shoe! The artist has gained a national reputation for his sophisticated and whimsical interpretations of historical maritime moments.

The First Boat Shoe (detail) by Ed Parker