Paddleducks

Paddler Information => Research => Topic started by: Devin on March 17, 2009, 06:27:37 AM

Title: 19th Century New York City Ferryboats
Post by: Devin on March 17, 2009, 06:27:37 AM

I'm looking for any suggestions as to where to look for plans for mid-19th century paddle-wheel ferry boats used in the New York City area, SPECIFICALLY those that were then bought by the Navy for use during the Civil War.  Through photos and a paper model (I believe I found on this website) I have enough info for a scratch build of a ferry gunboat, but only to the waterline.  I need a general idea of what the lower hull looked like.  I don't even need precise measurements or views, just a line drawing of the hull of one of these boats would be a great help.

Thanks!
-Devin

Title: Re: 19th Century New York City Ferryboats
Post by: greateastern on March 18, 2009, 05:12:13 AM

I'm not sure where you live--NYC?--but if you look at Ringwald's The Mary Powell, pg 183, you'll find body and lines for her (1861) that were taken off in 1896. She was part of the Hudson River day Line. That might help with your quest. If you aare in NYC-NYPL should have a copy of this book pub 1972 Howell-North Books isbn 0831070900.
  Plans of a number of early paddlers are available from Taubman plans --Google them for web address.
 If you are looking for the square-ended jobbies, I think there was article in the 50 year special collection of articles from  of the Transactions of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.  I may have it but some stuff is packed away at the moment and I can't remember where it is.  The solano in san francisco was  bigger but has a similar body and lines are available at their website--google Solano ferry.
You might also try the Naval Historical website to see what might be there.
http://www.history.navy.mil/

Title: Re: 19th Century New York City Ferryboats
Post by: Dinosaursoupman on March 18, 2009, 10:54:28 AM

Take a look at this, Devin; http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=pphhphoto&action=browse&fileName=wa/wa0200/wa0222/photos/browse.db&recNum=24&itemLink=D?hh:10:./temp/~pp_NHWw::&linkText=-1&title2=San%20Mateo%20Ferry,%20South%20end%20of%20Lake%20Union,%20Seattle,%20King%20County,%20WA&displayType=1&maxCols=4

Although this is the San Mateo and was built on the West Coast, the underwater designs shown in pictures 30, 33, and 34 probably reflect more accurately what the underwater design of the New York ferries/gunboat conversions would have looked like.

Randy

Title: Re: 19th Century New York City Ferryboats
Post by: Devin on March 21, 2009, 08:28:16 AM

Thanks for the information, guys.  I'll give the Mary Powell book a look and see what that has to offer.

Randy, that San Mateo has deck lines very close to the Hudson River ferries.  The main difference is she's a screw steamer and the boats I'm looking into have side-wheel paddles, but for my purposes that might be close enough if I can fare that lower hull into the paper model I have. 

I've been through Taubman's site from top to bottom and can't find any plans for such a boat.  I am in the NYC area, so  trip to the NY Historical Society might be in order.

Also the latest Ships in Scale has a great model of the side wheeler Chincoteague, a late 19th century ferry.  It's not a double-ender, but the model looks darn close to what I want to pull off.

Thanks again, and any other suggestions, don't hesitate to shout (type) them out!