Echuca news

[anth]

Too busy with paddle boat's to worry about the summer nats...
We have always wanted to take our GTS Monaros up there....maybe one day...haha there've been in storage for 5 yrs so whats another cpl.

[michael]

I was engineer on Emmylou last night for a 3hr evening cruise. Alot of no hopers on the river, houseboats were seen stuck on sandbars with tinnies trying to push them off, there was also a hire boat  the previous night cruising around the wharf and got stuck on the silt in front of wet dock for 5mins or soo, was a good laugh.
In the attach photo you'll see the tinnier under the wharf and Billy Tea driven up the side of the bank so Luke could paint the chin after coming in contact with a steel cable earlier in the year!

[michael]

As Roderick mention to me I would post a messgae tonight on his boat.
As Rod will say he has been in Echuca this week and I went and saw him this evening at Deep Creek Marina, pictured below is his boat with the PV Florence Annie in the background which is currently For Sale

[Roderick Smith]

I launched at Echuca East ramp on Fri.5.1, then cruised to Barmah on Saturday, and back to Echuca on Sunday for a crew changeover.
On Monday I headed downriver.  All paddlesteamers were cruising, as there was a national scout jamboree at nearby Elmore, and busloads were coming to Echuca each day.
While waiting to collect my brother and nieces, I had a long chat with owner/builder Peter aboard F05, covering a lot of boat-design topics, including gearing and float widths.
Below Echuca, I saw Colonial Lass, Barmah and Run Riot (a modern houseboat with paddles, and with a water slide on the roof).
At Deep Creek Marina I saw PV Florence Annie, looking forlorn.
Michael met us to return my brother to the car in Echuca.
On Tuesday I cruised to Torumbarry Weir and return, and saw Lady Rae and a houseboat stranded there.  I could have got Jessie II across the sill, but had no need to .
I retrieved my boat at Deep Creek today, then visited PV Cameron of Lochiel at its worksite near Echuca, and a lengthy conversation with its owner and builder.  I had also visited Etona's owner.  Hull, boiler and engine work have been completed.  It is now in better mechanical order than when it was built, over 100 years ago.

Meanwhile, the final go or no decision for the long awaiting Ruby & Canally centenary cruise will be made in March.  This has been a drought year; the river is down.  The fleet would be unlikely to get more than 60 km above Mildura.  However, Paddleduckers who have booked to come to Australia (on my recommendation) will still find plenty of interest.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[michael]

PS James Maiden went up the slip Friday where it has bee caulked and having new paddleboxes made. She has been leaking very badly with the bilge pump going off every 20mins! Her boiler is coming out again to be worked on after its inspection last week.
PS Etona's boiler still needs to be tubed and will be a while before she is steaming.
PS Perricoota and Ranger are currently up for sale

[michael]

This weekend in Echuca is the Yearly Riverboats Jazz Food and Wine Festival. Last night we had the riverboat ramble with Paddle Steamers Emmylou, Canberra, Pevensey and PV Pride of the Murray cruising for 3hours. Emmylou had a dinner cruise while the other 3vessels had finger food, drinks and live Jazz bands playing onboard.
Was a good night, I was engineer Emmylou and with Darren onboard needed a good head of steam, photo below is when she was opened right up and was sending waves up through the sponson decks to the suprise of the diners eating above!

[michael]

Peter McLeod put his diesel engine into his boat and connected her up over the weekend.

[anth]

Hi Michael

Any idea what sort of draft his boat will be when finished..?

It would have to be the largest privately owned vessel in Echuca when finished i would think.... :wink:

[michael]

From what i could see today i'm guessing she's 2ft under at the moment and will be probebly 2 n half ft when fitted out. Yeah she is very large, don't won't to get in her way when she's going, especially with no reverse! Will be interesting to see her speed.

[paddlesteamerman1]

Is he going to put reverse in her at all?? How can she stop with no reverse??
Oh, not quite Echuca news.. but PV Coonawarra is up for sale as well.. could be good if you have a spare (large amount of cash).. and PV Mosquito sunk at her moorings (but was quickly raised again)

[michael]

Yeah the yabbies pulled her oakum out, she only went down in 2ft of water.
McLeods never had reverse on any of his boats! He reckons just turn her into the bank if need or the engine has reverse aswell.
He has spent the last couple of weeks building her wheels, just needs floats and she'll be away! Although the river is down and the silt has emerged in front of wet dock so she won't be going anywhere fast unless we all get down there with our shovels, because Billy Tea wants to get out too!

[michael]

Peter McLeod has put his floats on his wheels and has had the engine ticking over, apparently she try's to take off on 30psi!
Tonight Adam Fitton and I spent a few hours fixing up the slipway, replacing bolts in the track and digging all the silt off the tracks which in places was over 1ft deep!
We pull PS Ranger up tomorrow night and replace a plank aswell as give the hull coat of paint and harden up the hull above the waterline.

[michael]

Busy weekend in Echuca.
Saturday afternoon: arrived at 4.00pm where Ranger was tied up at slip, unloaded timber out of hull.
5.00pm we ran the buggeys down the slip a couple of times to remove the mud off the tracks, Ranger was brought up at 6.30pm where we removed the plank.
Sunday: 6.00am  we pressure blasted the hull and measure up the new plank. We then painted the cream topsides of the hull while the timber plank was being steamed, after lunch we took the plank out and after alot of mucking about we put the first 3bolts in at the front and bent the plank around, where we put the next bolt in after the next till it was in nice and snug.
Monday: 7.00am up and painted one paddlewheel, while Adam and Allan started caulking the hull.
1.30pm girlfriend rocks up, painted the rubbing batons and the other paddlewheel.
Tomorrow: back to work for me. The hull gets tar and final coat of paint around new plank, then back into the river Wednesday morning.

[Excelsior]

From the first picture, it looks like the Eclipse has been moved & turned around.  Is something happening with her?

[michael]

Ranger went back into the river this morning(wednesday), with no leaks around the new plank.
She goes back up to the wharf tomorrow night.
Also attached McLeods wheels