# About paddle steamers



## poseidon9 (Aug 13, 2010)

Paddle steamers used to be quite popular on many coastal routes (and of course on lakes and rivers). In the UK large paddle steamers, like Waverley, were regularly used on coastal cruises even after the World War II. In the USA very large sidewheelers were used for instance on the Long Island Sound until the World War II (thinking of River Fall Line for instance). 

Is anyone able to explain why paddle wheel was used instead of screw in these excursion or scheduled steamers? Did the paddle wheel bring for instance more maneuverability or was it just an old tradition to use paddle wheels on coastal waters? 

Did they use actually paddle steamers on cross-channel routes like on the route Dover-Calais?

I thank for any possible information.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Paddle wheels gave a large platform for superstructure on a narrow hull with shallow draught. 

Manouverability was only better if each paddle had its own engine and most fo the time that was not the case. EG WAVERLEY has just one engine and the big Fall River boats, the Hudson boats etc were all single walking-beam engines.

I don't think draught restriction came into it because on any route where paddle boats were employed, years later the boats were all screw driven.

On the Clyde, paddle boats and turbine driven vessels were run side by side back to the 1890s.

Stephen


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## poseidon9 (Aug 13, 2010)

Stephen J. Card said:


> Paddle wheels gave a large platform for superstructure on a narrow hull with shallow draught.
> ... the Hudson boats etc were all single walking-beam engines...
> Stephen


In case of the US vessels they used that large platform for extra accommodations, etc. In case of British vessels I think however that the extra platform was mostly used only for the paddle boxes, there was just one deck above the boxes like on Waverley. The first Hudson and Long Island side-wheelers were walking-beam type, but how about the last ones? Those last ones didn't have that walking beam outside on deck?

By the way what is the advantage of walking-beam engine? They used them only in the USA and I think after about the turn of the 20th Century the walking beam was no longer used.


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## E.Martin (Sep 6, 2008)

*Dixie Queen*

Took my wife to Asda last friday berthed on the other side of the river 
was a paddle steamer called Dixie Queen,I think she is here for a clean bottom.
Any one know any thing about her?.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

poseidon9 said:


> In case of the US vessels they used that large platform for extra accommodations, etc. In case of British vessels I think however that the extra platform was mostly used only for the paddle boxes, there was just one deck above the boxes like on Waverley. The first Hudson and Long Island side-wheelers were walking-beam type, but how about the last ones? Those last ones didn't have that walking beam outside on deck?
> 
> By the way what is the advantage of walking-beam engine? They used them only in the USA and I think after about the turn of the 20th Century the walking beam was no longer used.


The walking beam engine probably saved space down within the structure and most have been cheap... just one cylinder! Heave knows how that contraptcion worked. I read the stories and it must have been a real job to 'hook up'!

I think the later boats had a horizontal or inclined engine as WAVERLY.

Stephen


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## poseidon9 (Aug 13, 2010)

There is a good recent photo of a ship with a walking beam in the SM gallery:
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/357704/title/jane-moseley/cat/529

Somewhere I did read that they built that walking beam, because people enjoyed looking at it on the top deck. I wonder, if it was a question of cheap technology. Those vessels were quite well equipped for the time being and even luxorious, one did not save money when equipping them.

Perhaps the paddle steamer allows easier reverse function. That was time before any bow thrusters or modern screw technology, so maybe paddles were preferred for the reason of stopping the boat easily as well as for the sake of depth.


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## Andy Lavies (Feb 12, 2006)

Few sidewheel paddlers had independent paddles because of stability problems. One that did have independent wheels was British Rail's "Farringford" on their Lymington to Yarmouth, IOW, route. She was built in 1947 as a car ferry and the extra beam for her car deck ensured her stability. Twin diesel engines, reportedly taken from shunting locomotives, powered generators and the paddle shafts were driven by electric motors though a multirow version of a motorcycle chain. The engines were bridge controlled by conventional telegraphs calibrated in paddle revs - dead slow was 10 and normal full speed was 35. There was a 40 rpm position but any Master who dared to use it would have the engineer on his back in an instant as things started to overheat in the mechanical department. She was double ended, twin rudders each end and the for'd ones (for the direction of travel) locked amidships. I was Master in her for five years and she was the most difficult ship I ever had to handle. Few Masters lived much beyond retirement then - too much stress - and I was glad when she retired from the IOW district.

Andy


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## 5036 (Jan 23, 2006)

Andy Lavies said:


> Few sidewheel paddlers had independent paddles because of stability problems. ...


Also the Director class naval tugs designed to handle large warships in the tight confines of the naval dockyards.


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## eddyw (Nov 6, 2007)

Paddle steamers:Initially only form of steam propulsion available so used on rivers, coastal and ocean routes. Screw developed later but problem of low speed engines (geared up to propellor speed!) Problem of vulnerability of paddles in rough weather and no good for cargo carrying (couldn't cope with large variation in draught). Side wheel paddle ships unmanoeuvrable at low speed (no flow of water past rudder). As problems of screw propulsion solved, paddle propulsion discarded. Survived mainly on coastal passenger routes where piers used for embarkation (paddlers have good deceleration/acceleration and paddle boxes used to pivot ship). Coastal paddlers built as late as post WW2 were really anachronisms, but picturesque. Long may survivors continue to sail!


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Andy Lavies said:


> Few sidewheel paddlers had independent paddles because of stability problems. One that did have independent wheels was British Rail's "Farringford" on their Lymington to Yarmouth, IOW, route. She was built in 1947 as a car ferry and the extra beam for her car deck ensured her stability. Twin diesel engines, reportedly taken from shunting locomotives, powered generators and the paddle shafts were driven by electric motors though a multirow version of a motorcycle chain. The engines were bridge controlled by conventional telegraphs calibrated in paddle revs - dead slow was 10 and normal full speed was 35. There was a 40 rpm position but any Master who dared to use it would have the engineer on his back in an instant as things started to overheat in the mechanical department. She was double ended, twin rudders each end and the for'd ones (for the direction of travel) locked amidships. I was Master in her for five years and she was the most difficult ship I ever had to handle. Few Masters lived much beyond retirement then - too much stress - and I was glad when she retired from the IOW district.
> 
> Andy


Side wheel paddler's with Double Diagonal Compound's usually had a large dog clutch between the engine's to run them together when at sea. The paddle's were made of wood as this was the "fuse" between hitting something hard and damaging the engine. Bent Spider Arm's were a bit of a problem.


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## 5036 (Jan 23, 2006)

A couple of good shots of a Director class paddle tug at work on this post.

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=11176


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