In recent weeks there's been a thread running on venting paddle
boxes.
I've just posted a photo to the Photos section this morning, of a
side wheeler on the Waikato River in New Zealand. The photo shows an
extreme version of paddle box venting - the radial paddles are almost
totally open to the world aside from a few supporting posts.
The steamer is a side wheeler called Quickstep. She was built by
William Hobbes of Onehunga, in Auckland NZ, for the Canadian brothers
George and Francis Quick.
She was launched 18 Dec 1875 and was powered by a Marshall & Co steam
engine. Quickstep was 94ft long by 16 ft wide but drew only 1 1/2 ft.
She hit a snag in May 1876 and sank but was quickly refloated. She
was sold to the Waikato Steam Navigation and Mining Company in March
1876 and was broken up in 1878. The engine was subsequently used to
power a sawmill on the Kaipara Harbour, an hour or so north of
Auckland City.
An interesting approach to design in general:
- unusual sheer puts the stern of the steamer several feet above the
waterline
- with the shallow draft and large diameter paddles, the paddle
shafts have been placed high on the superstructure which would have
made for some interesting stability issues
Apparently she was a really fast boat for her time. As far as I'm
aware this is the only known image of Quickstep which is a pity as
she'd make an interesting and unusual subject for a model. I've been
struck by her appearance which seems to me to me similar to some of
the US Civil War sidewheel gun boats.
regards to all
Tony
Akl, NZ
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