I was admiring 'cover photo' of Dia's excellent model of the PS PEVENSEY, and
mulling over other modelers queries re motive power, etc and I feel that too
many newby paddlers choose ( thru lack of informed info) boats that are just
too difficult as a first model. They then get 'bogged down' on the minute
detail and dont get the 'bl**y thing built !
( a bit like live steam powered model TRAIN engineers -- a mate on mine is
still working on his 15 YEARS later and NO end insight! -- and hes not the
exception!!! but that s another story )
In my 'humble' opinion a Murry River Paddler (MRP) is the ideal first paddler
project.
Why?
1) with few exeptions all MRP's were 'classic rough and ready' working boats,
so a scale quality 'finish' is not necessary. My PS INDUSTRY is a case in
point.
2) unlike the sophisicate and 'fine' European /English boats or the large
American Sternwheelers, MRP's are very simple, with no fancy fittings, etc.
3) with a flat bottomed hull of good proportions MRP's are very stable, and
they are easy to build. Not withstanding Dereks '12 year' DECOY project :-)
[but then again DECOY is really a British boat]
You can build them upright, which is much easier for the first time modeler.
4) almost any cabin superstructure layout is ok -- most MRB's were built
ad-hoc , and no two were exactly alike. So any style you like is perfectly
OK. A excellent example is the famous PS Adelaide. Throughout her life she's
had round then square then round again paddle boxes, and numerous other mods.
Some fishing paddlers were basically open boats with all the gear fully
exposed and , TENTS for sleeping quarters !
5) very often MRP were simply converted barges - the PEVENSEY being such a
boat, so a complex hull shape is not required to achieve a nice MRP - see
Dias Photo. ( by the way his boat is far more detailed and beautiful than
what I'm suggesting here!)
6) motive power can be vey simple to very complex, but a side wheeler is MUCH
easier to setup than any sternwheeler. ( I use Motor Car Wiper Motors that
cost $ASU5 each! ) - you can choose fixed single axle drive or seperate drives
depending upon YOUR ideas and desires.
7) a MRP can be built from scrap material as Quick & Dirty proof of concept
project without hitting the hip pocket and still look good and operate well.
Again my PS INDUSTRY is a case in point - the most expensive parts were the
paddles - the rest scrap material. Some might say - 'looks like it !", I say
"so what - she works and works well !"
control systems can be a real problem for the newbie, I had to invent my
own as I was not going to invest hundreds of dollars in a complex electronic
unit(s) in case I never completed PS INDUSTRY. Again refer to Derek's saga
of electronic control -- I believe he's got is sorted now :-)
Mine cost about $AUS15 from flip switches, cheep servoes and rubber bands!
(AND I had the fun of inventing it!)
So in summary,
- start simple, work up to scale if you want to head that way,
BUT get building !!!
Cheers,
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