Paddleducks
Old Yahoo Group => Yahoo Messages => Topic started by: Paulrjordan on June 13, 2005, 09:52:44 PM
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Prompted by Derek's post on TUG SPEEDS I found some interesting
reference to American Paddlewheeler speeds. If you want to read
the whole text, here is the URL which is called
How Fast Were They? by Jerry Canavit Aug. 1999
http://members.tripod.com/~Write4801/aboutboats/howfast.html
I found this excerpt from it particularly interesting as I has NO idea
these large paddlewheelers were capable of such turns of speed. NOTE
that the following results refer to accounts in "neutral" water
conditions, either without (or compensating for) the effects of
current or tide.
Now..I wonder how these speeds compare to those of their counterparts
on the other side of the Atlantic?
PJ
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(EXCERPT) How Fast Were They?
by
Jerry Canavit
Aug. 1999
As far as "verifiable" accounts of top speeds - back when steamboats
were plentiful, there was no way to determine "peak" speed. The
shortest distance used to determine speed was over the measured mile.
There was nothing like a speed gun back then. Some steamboats
reported speed of 25-26 mph but, in my opinion, these were aided by
current, wind and, more often than not, EXAGGERATION.
Here are a few examples of what is probably as close to "true" speed
in the group of really fast ones:
On June 4, 1901, the big sidewheel Lake Passenger and Freight steamer
CITY OF ERIE raced the big sidewheel passenger steamer TASHMOO from
Cleveland, OH to Erie, PA. It was an off shore race (about 2.5 miles
out) and took place in dead-water (with no current or tidal
influences). It was one of the closest, most competitive races ever
held, with the CITY OF ERIE beating the TASHMOO over the 94.5 mile
course by 45 seconds. The ERIE ran the course in 4 hours, 19
minutes and 9 seconds. Average speed: 21.97 mph.
On April 18, 1896, the big sidewheel packet CITY OF LOUISVILLE made a
two-way run between Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH on the same
day. In theory, the total distance divided by the times both way would
negate the current advantage/disadvantage and give a true average
speed. Downstream time: 5 hrs, 58 minutes - avg speed: 22.38
mph/Upstream time: 9 hrs, 40 minutes - avg speed: 13.82 mph. Total
distance: 267 miles. Two-way average speed: 18.10 mph
On June 18, 1899 the new sternwheel steamer HASSALO was carefully
groomed for a speed run between Portland and Astoria, Oregon. She
was stripped of all superfluous weight, carried no freight and carried
only as few "special" passengers and used "picked fuel." She made
both the downstream and upstream trip in the same day. The purpose of
this trip was to break the 13-year-old record held by the steamer
TELEPHONE between those two cities. Downstream time: 4 hrs, 22 3/4
min - avg speed: 23.80 mph. Upstream time: 6 hours (flat) - avg
speed: 17.50 mph Total distance 210 miles. Average
speed: 20.65 mph.
These are three good examples of three very fast paddlewheelers
operating without the benefit (or disadvantage) of a swift current or
favorable tide. As you can see, the true apparent speed is well
under 25 mph.
The HASSALO, TELEPHONE, ALBANY, NEW YORK and MARY POWELL were all
reported to be capable of making 25 mph or better. The claims exist,
the proof does not.
The Capt. of the Hudson River steamer NEW YORK claimed his boat could
make 28 mph on a short sprint (doubted by most). The HASSALO was
said to have made 26 mph on a two-mile downstream sprint. There are
many "boasts" that have found their way into print. I have found no
documentation for claims in excess of 25 mph for a paddlewheel
steamer. The really fast paddlers could "average" between 21-24 mph
- NO FASTER. There were maybe 25-30 vessels (out of the many
thousands produced) capable of this kind of speed. Finis.
Jerry