CIVIL WAR SIDE WHEELERS.

[Walter Snowdon]

Hi folks (especially our American freinds as this is in your back yard!). For many years I have been interested in coastal and riverine warships especialy from the victorian period. Now to the meat of the thing!. US Civil war sidewheel gunboats had enormously high paddle boxes in relation to the size of their wheels (US Tyler, Lexington, Queen city,, CSS Baltic to name but a few, espcialy the USS Choctaw, whos paddle boxes were about four times higher than her wheel diameter. Question: was this ti frighten the horses or did it have a practical reason. Regards, Walter

[towboatjoe]

I haven't done any research concerning civil war vessels, but I know a guy who is pretty much an expert in that fiel. Lamar Roberts runs a museum in Vicksburg, Mississippi and has wrote a book on civil war vessels and has done a big layout of the battle of Vicksburg.
His email is lamarsue@bellsouth.net.
I'll bet he can tell you anything you wanna know.

[harve202]

In researching several vessels here in Northeastern North Carolina, I have come to the conclusion that the paddle axles were adjustable so as to keep the paddles at the proper float depth according to changes in lwl , lading and other other variables. An empty boat needed to go places too. I may be wrong but old photographs of same vessel under different loads might prove informative if one had access to such. Unfortunately, I do not and must only guess.  Arguments?? Lay on, McDuffers.

[harve202]

I believe this is the process of raising and lowering a paddlewheel axle or drive shaft. I happened to run into the term in my reading yesterday and it could account for the oversized wheelboxes as described.  Comments??BW from NC  

[Walter Snowdon]

Thanks Herve for following this strand up for me. Lifting is the obvious reason for the big boxes. River currents are quite strong and would turn the engines over while anchored, putting strain and wear on cold engines, also strain on the moorings.
I have experienced this on the PS WAVERLEY whilst moored in the Bristol channels with a strong tide. As the Waverley shafts are fixed and can not be declutched, all night long you can hear and see those mighty engines being turned over with the force of water. The sqeeking and groaning has led to more than one crew member to thinking she was haunted.!!
Anyone else seen anything on declutching or lifing paddle wheels?. especialy drawing or description of the clutch and lifting tackle. Thanks again, Walter.