Well PJ ,there were/ARE sternwheelers on the Murray!
History:
========
A number of sternwheeler were used in the early days of Murray/Darling Trade
routes until a true MRP was developed.
English boats ( not sternwheelers)
=============
Too long and narrow, often made from steel hulls with fairly deep draughts,
DECOY is an existing example. Also the engine rooms were well inside the
hulls making for a very uncomfortable working conditions in theAustralian
Summer, and not much better in winter! . Also fire timber was difficult to
load onto and store on these vessels. Old timers say " the Murray hates
steel!" -- could be right not many left.
American Sternwheelers
======================
A number of 'kits' were brought in from America in the early days, and they
were soon found wanting as they could not manouver easily in the very narrow
and twisty river courses of the Muray/Darling except in S.A on the lower
reaches. The combination length of pushed barges and sternwheeler were jsut
too big for the river. And I'm not talking about the huge sternwheelers that
the North Americans love sooo much. These were relatively small craft at
under
50 meters LOA ( boat only)
However a very sucessful sternwheeler operated in those water was the CAPTAIN
STUART , built 1915 disassembled 1998( spent its later years mooored in
GOOLW S.A I believe.
Was used extensively pushing barges of material for the building of the
Murray River Locks System befiore retiring.
Lives on in the guise of a 3/4 scale replica ! called GOOLWA (1982) - 33.5
meters x 8 m x .75m (draught) Houseboat and B & B.
Australian Sternwheelers
========================
There were a few sternwheelers designed and built locally for the specific
purpose of operating as floating stores! The Boiler was in the front and the
paddlewheels at the back , leaving a very large spacious area for the shop to
be fitted out.
There was one , the P.S. KooKaBurra which was being "pooh hoood" by the old
timers as being quite a stupid design -- well the owner had the last laugth
in that she was the most sucessful & profitable boat operating on the Murray
as no matter what the seasion settlements and stations ( ranches to you
N.A's) needed stores - and this one came to them.
In one version the shops sides were removable and there was the store ready
to operate!
There was one vessel that had a split sternwheel system where two seperate
sternwheels were positioned near either side of the stern ( approx 1/5 to 1/6
of the Width over All) with a large gap in the center. I have not been able
to find out if the wheels were differential or not. But I would assume so
othersize there does not seem to be much point! Nor have I found out how the
rudders operated!
But knowing Aussie builders I suspect that someone got the gear from one of
defunct 'imported sternwheelers' and hacked it about, nothing like a large
scale kit bash !!
There are a number of large pleasure sternwheelers operating on the lower
reaches doing tourist trade.
--- The Murray Princess (1986) , 67m x 15m x 1.5 (diesel)
--- Proud Mary ( 1981) , 33.4 x 9.75 x 1.0m ( diesel)
=========================
I've seen a photo of a huge ( North American sized) sternwheeler vessel being
built in Queensland for the coastal trade -- around 1890 I think.
=========================
> These are just musings on my part brought about by a few days of
> overdue R & R...and always with the intention of trying to uncover
> that "out-of-the-ordinary" subject for paddler modeling. Yup...a
> European or Murray River sternwheeler..that would be a blast!!!!!
Finding plans would be a problem, however just few photos could start you
off, esp with MRP's -- who's to say your version not correct ??
>
[snip]
cheers
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