Feathers

[Randal R Largent]

I decided to contribute another question, or two, because my
father-in-law always used to tell me there were no dumb ones so here
goes.
Feathering wheels. Are they practical and/or necessary in model
sidewheelers? I checked out the .jpgs on them in the Files and was
flabergasted at Reliants 731 piece!!! wheel.
A (perhaps) related question is in regard to a statement made by Mr.
Herbert Reynolds Spencer in a book he wrote in 1966 about the USS
Michigan. I quote, "The paddle wheels were equipped with brakes, hand
operated. Their function... To prevent the dragging of the paddles when
under sail, the brakes would be applied and would hold the wheel while a
sailor climbed into the paddlewheel box through a hatch and disconnected
two of the paddles or buckets as they were called". Can this be
correct? Wouldn't the paddles be permanently attached with throughbolts
and nuts? Any comments on this?
Thanks
Randy Largent

[Paulrjordan]

The BIG question we've ALL asked! Without going to actual quotes from
model magazines, I can tell you that the majority of sidepaddler
modelers state that feathering blade wheels in models do not add ANY
extra efficiency. This is probably because the major NON-scalable
factor in the equation is ...WATER!

From a visual standpoint, the movement of the "feathering" floats is
so slight on an operating model and generally hidden from view either
by the paddleboxes or below the water, that the effect is virtually
invisible. However on a display model (or an R/C model out of the
water) the effect of the eccentric crank and rods is rather pleasing.
As I've said a number of times, you can buy a ready made set from
Graupner which is the basis of their "Glasgow" sidewheel Tug. However
at almost $100.00 for the pair, it's quite a price tag!
A fellow club member here in Victoria British Columbia, made a
beautiful model of PS "Waverley" for our Expo '86 in Vancouver
and the model was fitted with fully operating feathering wheels
made in brass. He states, while they are very pleasing to the eye,
they made no difference to the model's performance.

> A (perhaps) related question is in regard to a statement made by Mr.
> Herbert Reynolds Spencer in a book he wrote in 1966 about the USS
> Michigan. I quote, "The paddle wheels were equipped with brakes,
> hand operated. Their function... To prevent the dragging of the
> paddles when under sail, the brakes would be applied and would hold
> the wheel while a sailor climbed into the paddlewheel box through a
> hatch and disconnected two of the paddles or buckets as they were
> called". Can this be correct? Wouldn't the paddles be permanently
> attached with throughbolts and nuts? Any comments on this?

This is a fascinating question, Randy..and one I can't begin to
answer..but you can be sure there's some Paddleduck out there who can
peg it for us. I'd love to know more about this subject as it does
"ring a bell" and makes sense...imagine those big old paddle wheels
dragging along in the water!

PJ