Hello from Maryland

[paulmasser]

Hello, paddlers - My name's Paul, and I'm from outside Baltimore, Maryland, perhaps known to many of you from TV shows like Homicide - Life in the City and The Wire for its never-ending drug wars and drive-bys, but also known for its long maritime history. From my office, I can see the Pride of Baltimore II, Maryland's ambassador Baltimore Clipper, at its moorings when it's in town.

I've been fascinated since grade school with the blockade runners operating out of Wilmington, NC and other ports farther south, ever since I read a book about it in my school library. When I was in college in NC, I made good friends from Wilmington and environs, and even got to dive on the wrecks of some of the many blockade runners run aground off (and sometime ON) local beaches. Now I want to build a model of one of the purpose-built Clyde or Mersey steamers.

After I have a chance to explore the info that's already here on your site, I'll no doubt be following up with additional questions.

Thanks,

Paul Masser

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's......& welcome Paul.........  ....we have a few members also very interested in the 'blockade runners'....so I am sure any questions you have will be answered by a PD member from our world wide group..........Derek 

[tonyh]

Hi Paul,

Must say I admire your choice of 'Paddlers' i.e. Blockade Runners. I currently have one under construction to Glynn Guest's 'Phantom' design. Posts on this craft are on this forum. I have had problems with 'top weight' which are now being overcome, to quote Walter "build the superstructure as light as possible, then build it lighter still".

The book 'Confederate Blockade Runners 1861 to 1865', Osprey publishers is useful, and details are in the books database of this forum.

I also found reference to the Model Maker item 'Blockade Runners of the Civil War' elsewhere on this forum, not sure where (perhaps one of the moderators could advise Paul).

Your reference to the full sized craft is interesting, as some months ago the excellent magazine 'Ships in Scale' (from the USA), showed a superb photograph of one which had become exposed after a hurricane.

Tony.

[paulmasser]

Thanks, Tony and Derek - I already have the Osprey book plus the plan of the Hope from Taubman Plans Service. What I'm really having trouble with is the detail of the articulating paddle mechanism. The problem is that most of the plans I've seen of the wheels are just that - plans, giving only a two-dimensional view of a 3-dimensional construct. Or they're at too small a scale (like most photos) for me to make out the detail of the hub-cam assembly. That's while I thought that before I asked site members to send me info, I'd better spend awhile combing through the material on this website to see what's already there. I've also thought about ordering one of the Graupner wheel kits as sort of a rough guide to how one of these things should work.

Any thoughts?

Paul Masser

[Eddy Matthews]

Welcome Paul,

If you take a look in our Downloads area, you'll find a file of images for the Waverley paddlewheels - http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=274 These super scale wheels were built by Robert McLuckie, and they should give you a good idea of how everything goes together.

There are also a full set of drawings for the Waverleys paddlewheels available - http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=279

Obviously these won't be right for your model, but they will show all the basics...

Regards
Eddy