Stern Drive Paddlewheeler

[Robert Hornby]

I am about embark on a new project, which will be a typical engine room layout and drive system to a stern paddle. I will be making twin horizontal engines with 15mm bore and a 24mm stroke. The hull portion where the engines will be will be in the order of 180mm wide. The model will be a working one using compressed air.

So my questions are :-
1. Given a hull width at deck level of 180mm how wide should the paddle wheel be?
2. What diameter would be best and the size of the blades?
3. At full speed what sort of revs would the wheel make?

Thank you in anticipation.

Robert

[Eddy Matthews]

The width of the wheel will be dictated by the width of the hull and the space needed on either side for the cranks and pitman arms that drive the wheel, so perhaps 140mm wide?

The diameter will depend on where the wheel is mounted in relation to the models waterline... But at a guess maybe 90-100mm

Revs don't need to be as high as a lot of people imagine, maybe 80-100RPM at full speed.

Regards
Eddy

[Robert Hornby]

Thank you Eddy,
Your info is very helpful, I can continue on with my drawing layout. I will post the drawing to see if I have got it about right or made some glaring errors.
Robert