Paddleducks
Paddler Information => Research => Topic started by: kiwimodeller on September 29, 2005, 08:11:51 PM
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Hi, while reading back through my old Model Ships and Power Boats magazines from the 1940's and 50's I found lots of interest in paddlers in those days and lots of articles and plans (see my post in plans section) but the one that really made me wonder was the picture and brief mention of "Mr George Lines with his paddle driven hydroplane"!! This was obviously a follow - up to an earlier article which I will have to go looking for but from the photo it appears to be a side wheel driven racing tethered hydroplane with an I.C. engine. Mr Lines is quoted as saying in a letter to Mr Westbury "in the same article you mention my paddle boat and refer to the fact that it will have its own problems and limitations. This I am afraid is quite true, and the big problem seems to be how to get enough slip to allow the engine to reach the higher revs so it can develope more power. The paddle wheels seem to give total grip or total slip, according to the blade area; there is no intermediate period of partial slip such as one gets with a screw propellor. It looks as if I will have to experiment with some form of clutch or gearing between the engine and the paddles." end quote.
The mind boggles at the ingenuity and engineering skills of these old timers!