Paddleducks

Paddler Information => Preserved Paddle Ships => Topic started by: Roderick Smith on August 31, 2015, 02:03:34 PM

Title: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on August 31, 2015, 02:03:34 PM
These were amongst my earliest scans, and predated my joining Paddleducks.  I have hunted hard, and it seems that I have never posted them.  I am currently retoning them for various groups, and will post into an expanding thread as I do them.
010923Su Murray River, Mannum (SA): Part of the 'Source to Sea' fleet (in this view, seven paddleboats, steam & diesel, plus assorted launches). (Roderick Smith).
This event was to mark the centenary of Australian federation, from which one outcome was the weir & lock scheme which we enjoy today. Tinnies from Khancoban, then an accumulating fleet from Echuca. Low water knocked that: the tinnies were trailed, and the main fleet started at Mildura. One or two brave Echuca boats did get through.
010923Su-04-Mannum-seven-paddleboats-RSmith.jpg
left to right:
SWPV Murray Princess
PS William Randall
PS Oscar W
PS Industry
SWPV Goolwa (blocking PV Kingfisher)
PV Matilda (just a glimpse)
PV Flender Himmel
PV Mayflower

Edited to take in more of the effect of a fleet in port.
010923Su- 01: self captioned.
010923Su- 02: self captioned.
010923Su- 05: self captioned.

Roderick


Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on June 06, 2016, 07:44:29 PM
010923Su Murray River at Mannum (SA).  Source to Sea.  Roderick Smith:
PV Kulkyne, PV Akuna Amphibious, PV Impulse, QWPV Tamara Rae.
closer view.
PV Kulkyne, PV Canally.
PV Eliza Ann.
Even with the lower deck recessed into the hull, there are floats under the sponsons to provide stability.

Roderick

Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Delaunay on June 07, 2016, 03:01:16 AM
 :) Bien l'bonsoir ou bonjour;
Sympa ces bateaux à roues ... :-\ mais le dernier a des flotteurs additionnels, une sage décision  ;)
Cordialement
François


:) Well the good evening or good morning;
Nice these boats with wheels ...: - \ but the latter has additional floats, a wise decision;)
cordially
François
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: kiwimodeller on June 07, 2016, 07:02:19 PM
Hi Roderick, was this a once only trip or is it an annual event? If so when? It would be worth a trip to Aus to see something like that. Of course the reason for the trip would to be to see kids and grandson but I am sure some paddler time could be scheduled in. If not for the source to Sea can you suggest any other events? Thanks, Ian.
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on June 09, 2016, 04:44:20 PM
This was a once only, celebrating the centenary of Australian federation.  The aim was tinnies from Khancoban to Echuca, then paddlesteamers to Goolwa.  Low water resulted in the tinnies being trailered, and only two Echuca boats getting through; the main fleet ran from Mildura to Goolwa, with various mix & match participants along the way.  In 2003, the river rallied again, this time for the 150th anniversary of the pioneering commercial paddlesteamers.  The fleet ran from Goolwa to Echuca, but on uncertain water, not every boat went the whole way.
The river loves to rally, but water levels are not always favourable.
Other big rallies have been for the centenaries of PS Oscar W (just to Swan Reach), PS Industry (at Renmark), PS Melbourne (at Mildura), and the 150th anniversary of Chowilla Station (above Renmark).
This year's big one will be for the 150th anniversary of PS Adelaide (Echuca, September).  That may well link neatly with PS Marion voyaging from Mannum to the Victorian border: a grander voyage than its usual Berri one (for survey slipping, every 2 years).
www.psmarion.com/cruises
August 26 – September 4 Mannum – Border Cliffs – Renmark Overnight Cruise  2016 Mannum to Border Cliffs to Renmark FINAL
October 7 – 13 Berri – Mannum 7 day Overnight Cruise  2016 Berri to Mannum
AFAIK Echuca is 23-25.9.  It is easy to fill the extra days calling at Murray ports with paddleboats: Yarrawonga, Cobram, Swan Hill, Goolwa.

Roderick

Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: kiwimodeller on June 15, 2016, 06:13:59 PM
Thanks for that, the Marion website looks interesting, will peruse it thoroughly. The original plan was to visit around Xmas but kids and grandson are now coming here so it seems we will not be coming to Aus until sometime next year, probably between April and August. Look forward to seeing some real paddlers in action. Cheers, Ian.
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on June 16, 2016, 03:35:50 PM
More of the fleet at Mannum on Sun.23.9.01.
- PV Mayflower.
- PV Flender Himmel, with a glimpse of SWPV Goolwa rhs.
- PV Matilda.
- PV Black Shag (IIRC 45 cm draft) and PS Etona.  These were the only two Echuca paddleboats to get through, and did so on a sudden short-lived rise after rain.

Roderick
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on June 24, 2016, 07:39:08 PM
010923Su Murray River at Mannum (SA), Source to Sea (Roderick Smith):
- SWPV Goolwa, PV Kingfisher, MV Pelican.
- PV Matilda, SWPV Goolwa, PV Kingfisher.
- MV Progress (a former milk boat), PS William Randell, PS Marion.
- PS Marion, PS Oscar W, a glimpse of SWPV Murray Princess.

Roderick

Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on July 06, 2016, 09:11:53 PM
More Sun.23.9.01 with the Source to Sea fleet at Mannum (SA), all from me:
* MV Progress, PS William Randell, PS Oscar W, SWPV Murray Princess, barge Dart.
* PS Oscar W, PS William Randell, MV Progress.
* SWPV Murray Princess.
* PS Marion, operating short cruises.

Roderick
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on July 17, 2016, 08:20:12 PM
More Sun.23.9.01 with the Source to Sea fleet at Mannum (SA), all from me:
* MV Progress, PS William Randell, PS Oscar W.
* PS Industry.
* PS Industry.
* PS Marion.

Roderick

Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on August 04, 2016, 02:26:52 PM
More of the Source to See fleet on Murray River at Mannum (SA).  Sun.23.9.01.  (Roderick Smith)
 - 25 Marion, Industry.
 - 27 Marion, Industry, Murray Princess.
 - 28 Industry.
 - 29 Industry.

Roderick

 
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on August 13, 2016, 06:22:18 PM
More of the Source to See fleet on Murray River at Mannum (SA).  Sun.23.9.01.  (Roderick Smith)
- PS Industry, PS Marion, dinghies.
- Marion, Industry, dinghy, MV Progress.
- PS Marion (2).
- PS Marion firebox (2).

Roderick
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Delaunay on August 13, 2016, 07:18:21 PM
Hello  :)
Une question sur les machines à vapeur utilisées; Sont elles prévues au départ pour le naval ou une autre activité ?
Je me demande comment ils ce comportement par vent de travers, avec des superstructure aussi importantes ?
Beau, très beau ^reportage photos, manque les odeur de vapeur et le bruit  :whistle
Cordialement


A question about steam engines used; They are originally intended for naval or other activity?
I wonder how they conduct this cross-wind, with such important superstructure?
Beautiful, beautiful ^ photo report, lack of steam smell and sound: whistle
cordially
François
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: derekwarner_decoy on August 13, 2016, 11:47:58 PM
François.....the answer to your question is complex, however if I may try to explain a little

1. most of the original paddlewheel engines [and boilers] were imported from UK and installed hulls built in Australia
2. these were mostly twin cylinder, double acting, non condensing and horizontal axis driving the paddle wheel shaft
3. some were direct engine to paddle drive axis, whilst many had substantial sized straight cut gear reductions to the paddle drive 
4. within a few years, many engines and boilers were constructed in Australia, however from accepted designs from the UK
5. the engines are often termed as portable, where as it should be spelt as potable, being that the water used is suitable for use :whistle

Of course there were exceptions to the rule here....some hulls were constructed in UK, knocked down and reassembled in Australia....a small number of engines were single cylinder, a small number of vessels had vertical boilers and 1 or 2 vessels to my understanding were listed as SC....which is surface condensing

The image posted by Roderick of PS Marion is typical of paddle steam plants with the twin cylinder horizontal engine mounted above the horizontal boiler

The question you ask about superstructure and windage is still an issue.......in a video of PS Marion [3 decks] the skipper suggests the deck structure is similar to a sailing yacht and difficult to handle in the wind

However we must remember the vessels were used on our inland rivers and not the open ocean

Derek
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Delaunay on August 14, 2016, 03:04:37 AM
:) Bonsoir ;
Merci Derek pour ces renseignements.
Oui, sur rivière, le déplacement doit être  conjugué avec le vent mais aussi le courent .
Pour les machine à vapeur, peut-être certaines viennent du utilisation prévue au départ pour les locomobiles ?
Cordialement
François


:) Good evening;
Derek thank you for that information.
Yes, on river, moving must be combined with the wind but also at the.
For the steam engine, maybe some come from the use originally intended for the locomobiles [/ b]?
cordially
François
Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on August 15, 2016, 10:12:43 PM
Re designing for Murray & Darling conditions: A lot of the boilers and engines were derived from UK traction engine and steamroller practice.  Gearing was common: direct gears, chain drive and rope drive.  Nearly all were woodburning; I can't recall any traditional (or modern) coalburner.  I am aware of only a couple of oilburners, and they are modern.  When railways were rebuilding from saturated to superheated, many railway boilers were cascaded to the river.  Some river boilers (notably PS Industry) were purpose built, but were modelled on railway designs.  A few river vessels were twin compound.
Windage was a severe issue, even on a relatively sheltered river.  When I was being given lessons on a large preserved one, my mentor said that handling a Murray River paddlesteamer is like handling a Frisbee with a brick on it.  Even my 9 m riverboat has that characteristic: 2 m airheight above 10 cm draft.  I was on a rare three-deck vessel rounding up in wind; it got half way, and then was just blowing downstream.  The trick is get more than half way, then the current does the rest.  It isn't just paddleboats which have windage trouble.  I was on a full-size ocean voyaging cruise ship trying to get off a dock when the wind was keeping on the dock.  That wharf had a black rubber strake.  The ship got off by rubbing the whole way, and had a black streak along its hull.
The Murray is its own magic world: it is impossible to be just a boater; one has to absorb history, culture, technology, environment and economics.  I always invite our overseas readers to plan a trip, and experience all this.  One grand chance comes soon: PS Marion is voyaging from Mannum to the Victorian border, then back to Berri for survey slipping.
Roderick

Title: Re: Source to Sea (Murray River, Australia, 2001)
Post by: Roderick Smith on September 11, 2016, 08:54:14 PM
More at Mannum on Sun.23.9.01.  (Roderick Smith)
PV Black Shag.  This one had come through from Echuca on a brief rise.
MV Kingfisher, SWPV Goolwa.  This one was about a 3/4 version of the original PS Captain Sturt.  It had joined the fleet at about Renmark.  Today it is a static b&b at Goolwa.
PV Canally, PV Kulkyne, PV Impulse, QWPV Tamara Rae.
MV Progress, PS William Randell, PS Oscar W.  Progress had been a former Murray Bridge milk boat.

Roderick