Hi from Melbourne

[knighty]

Hi, my name is Stephen Knight and lving in Melbourne, Australia.  I have been dabbling in model boat building for several years and for much of that time trying to locate plans or model kits of some of the Swiss Lake Paddle Steamers without success.  Fell in love with them when we lived in Switzerland a few years ago and hoping I will find success through the expertise and passion of the Paddleduck members.  I am particularly keen on the Lac Leman (Lake Geneva) PS's. Looking forward to contrbuting what I can as well in the way of photos etc.

[Eddy Matthews]

Hi Stephen,

Good to have you aboard, welcome to Paddleducks!

Have a word with Scotfriend (Hans Freund), he lives in Switzerland and often travels on the Swiss paddlers. He got me a set of plans for the Stadt Zurich a few years ago - Just bear in mind that they are shipyard drawings, NOT model plans, so you need to have a reasonable idea of how to build a hull etc.

I don't promise he can help, and he's a busy guy, so don't expect miracles! Though I know he will help if he can.

Regards
Eddy

[Roderick Smith]

Hi Stephen,
Where do you operate your models normally?
I have been out to the western suburbs to view the fleet of Melbourne-based Peter (there are photos somewhere in PaddleducksD).

I live near the lake in South Surrey Park (Box Hill), but get up there only on special-there days, and not every club Sunday.

There are many photos of Swiss paddlesteamers in Paddleducks: a search on Leman produced a few; a search on Swiss paddle steamers produced a few, but neither search produced the thread which contains my series.

www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2345.0 (Swiss) and
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2364.0 (German)

There is also an excellent site with fleet lists, news and advance alerts to regular and special operation:
www.swissitalianpaddlesteamers.com

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[knighty]

Hi Roderick and thanks for the information. 
The only RC boat we have is a 1 Metre Australia II I buiolt with my son many years ago and it hasn't been sailed for a long time, the few boats I have built otherwise are display models.  As to location we are in Prospect Hill Road in Canterbury opposite the Canterbury Primary School so only a few Kms away from you.
I have viewed the swiss italian site frequently and loce the photos and information.  Best trip I ever did was one August 1st (Swiss national Day) when we took La Suisse from Geneva up the lake to Montreaux.  Just brilliant.
I will try to contact Hans and see if he is aware of any place I can find designs and/or models of the lake Geneva ferries.
Once again thanks and maybe I will have to think about getting Matts boat out of the loft and sailing it again.  Where do the groups meet?
Cheers Steve

[Roderick Smith]

Hi Steve,
It is Surrey Park, north-east corner of Canterbury Rd and Elgar Rd (Melway 44 B11).  A park in the aquacentre carpark, and walk down.  This one is a club, with a clubroom, entry of Standard Ave (off Elgar Rd).  I went to  military theme day, which had been advertised widely in the local press.  Other models were on display inside the clubroom.  There were no paddlesteamers that day.
The lake is larger than the one at Cairnlea, but smaller than the one at Ringwood.  It seems to be fairly sheltered.

I have never checked to see if Edwardes Lake ( Preston or Reservoir) is a popular RC operational one.

Box Hill
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2894.0

Scoresby
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2602.0

Cairnlea
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2240.msg8004#msg8004
I can't find my own photos taken at Cairnlea, but they are somewhere in Paddleducks, and it is inefficient to post them a second time.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[greateastern]

Hello Stephen,
Try
http://www.vth.de
Their catalog used to include several Swiss paddlers, Stadt Zurich among them.