APAM- List of Paddlers Part 1 Modern and Restored Vessels

[thewharfonline]

Hey everyone, here is part one of my 'list' installment. As we've been lisitng boats so far in another thread I thought it was time I released mine. I thought a new thread was in order due the size of my list you'll se in a minute!

If anyone is aware of any other Murray Boats that were missed from the 'current vessel' list please notify me immediately and I will update it.

The list is in microsoft excel format.
Hopefully you can all gain access to it.

Feel free to post your comments or to ask details about any boats. I will give brief answers on this one and still place my main articles on the normal APAM thread. I should be able to answer most questions in relation to most boats through memory or a bit of research so if any of the boats on the list 'floats your boat' feel free to ask a question!

List contains over 100 current paddlers either operating or being built on the Murray River as well as their 'occupation' their PS or PV status and location.

[paddlesteamerman1]

Sean, that list is brilliant!!
The Mayflower though from talking to some museum owners in Morgan has moved to Mannum now...
And we are working to get the Oscar W back to commercial passenger use..
This list is a perfect reference to look anything up
But I didnt see the Grebe, Bunyip, Kananook or SJ on there  :wink:

[Brian]

Sean

The listing shows a surprising number (count = 121)  of paddle vessels based on the Murray River. So it seems that this would demonstrate why our Aussie PDers are so interested in Paddle propulsion.

In the UK I don't think are anywhere as many privately owned paddle vessels. Would the shortage of Paddlers on UK inland waterways (rivers and canals) be because of the width of the UK waterways.
- - -
The meanings of column PS / PV are obviously "Paddle Steamers" and "Paddle Vessels" (non-steam powered),

But what does the column SW mean, would it mean that the vessel is slipway-launched (i.e. the vessel is kept ashore and launched from a slipway when required)?.
- - -
However the list does not show the date of building, so we cannot see which are "heritage" vessels or modern builds/rebuilds.
..

[Red_Hamish]

Hello all, Brian  :shock:  SW = Stern Wheeler    . Have a look at the American sites where you'll hardly find any Paddle wheelers which are Side wheelers as us Europeans are more accustomed to. Stern wheelers would be my preference as  I tend to like the uilitarian look of these ones. currently still building a Paddle tug with side wheels.

cheers

Jim

[thewharfonline]

- - -
However the list does not show the date of building, so we cannot see which are "heritage" vessels or modern builds/rebuilds.
..

I was actually thinking that when I posted the list as I checked it one last time before I looked at it. When I get a moment I will add dates of construction in to the list...at least for the 'heritage' paddlers!

Yes SW is sternwheeler...I obviously didn't add that as a note at the top of the page...Glad you like our impressive number Brian, mind you I haven't touched the 'real' aussie paddler numbers, that will appear on the next list. All the old boats that are sadly little more than wrecks and rotting wood now!

[Roderick Smith]

Sean's first list covers current boats on the Murray-Darling system:
Murray River, Darling River and Lake Burley Griffin (Molonglo River).
His next list will cover former boats, and hence more of the tributary rivers: Goulburn River, Murrumbidgee River, Wakool River, Edwards River, (Lachlan River?), and the upper Darling (McIntyre River and another).
It has been set up as a spreadsheet to allow for easy retrofitting of construction dates, and possibly length.  Other detail would become too cumbersome, and simply replace buying a copy of Parsons.

Here is my list of current Australian paddleboats on other waterways:
Qld:
* Longreach, Thomson River:
- Commercial: PV Thomson Belle (subject of a recent thread).
* Brisbane, Brisbane River:
- Commercial: PV Kookaburra Queen I & SWPV Kookaburra Queen II, Mississippi-style party/dinner cruise boats.  www.kookaburrariverqueens.com.
 - Commercial: fake SWPV Brisbane Paddle Wheeler.
* Nerang, Bischoff Pioneer Park:
- Museum: Maid of Sker (http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_standard2.aspx?pid=2961).

NSW:
* Newcastle, Hunter River:
- Club/commercial: PS William IV replica, languishing during political bickering (subject of a recent thread).
* Windsor, Hawkesbury River:
 - Commercial: PV Hawkesbury Paddlewheeler (former Turrumburra).
* Penrith, Nepean River (a Hawkesbury tributary)
 - Commercial: PV Nepean Belle: sheduled morning/afternoon tea, lunch & dinner cruises; charters.
* Sydney, Harbour:
- Commercial: SWPV Sydney Showboat I (aka Sydney Ballroom) and SWPV Sydney Showboat II, Mississipi-style party/dinner cruise boats.

Vic.:
* Orbost, Snowy River:
- Club: PS Curlip replica/lookalike, under construction (subject of a recent thread, commissiong ceremony Sat.29.11.08).
* Melbourne, Yarra River:
- Commercial: PV Lady Stelfox, on hardstand.
* Ballarat, Lake Wendouree:
- Club/Museum: PV Golden City: Destroyed by arson in 2006; appeal for funds to build a replica.

Tas.
* Huon River?:
- Private: PV Murray Queen (small) at Huon or Port Huon.

WA:
* Perth, Swan River:
- Commercial: PS Decoy replica for party/charter/jazz cruises.

Historically, there were many others: Sydney Harbour, Gippsland lakes, Hobart ferries, some Melbourne ferries, Port Phillip Bay excursion ferries, some coastal boats.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[paddlesteamerman1]

Roderick, I remember when I was in TAS last time, there was a funny looking boat on a river in central TAS that was called the PV (PS, I am not sure if it is steam or other power) Penny Royal. It offered 2-3 1hour excursions a day...
If it still exists is anybodies guess...

[Roderick Smith]

The vessel which James recalls was Lady Stelfox: propelled by screw, but with decorative paddles.  They are turned by the motor (ie not totally lazy), but not with sufficient force to create propulsion.  The vessel was taken by barge to Melbourne about 3 years ago, but has not been in revenue service since.  The owner alleged that damage was caused when it was shifted in Victoria Harbour without his knowledge.  It has been on hardstand since.
My only photo doesn't show the paddles.  I posted it with the continuing discussion on fake paddle vessels, under the PV Yarrawonga Queen thread in the Preserved forum.
In Launceston, the gorge cruises are served by MV Lady Launceston, built in Edwardian style, and only about 2 years old.  It has electric propulsion for use in the gorge, but relies on the main diesels during other portions of the cruise.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

With APAM split into two parts, I am placing photos into this half of boats which are unlikely to have Sean histories written (they are newer or smaller than the scope of the first half).  I am not necessarily sticking to source to sea order.

Today: PV Alice, when it was nearly new (launched in Apr.04).  This was built (and owned?) by Peter Turner, who built EPV Gnatty, and features on a website mentioned elsewhere in Paddleducks: www.gnatriverboats.com.au.

On this occasion it was part of a fleet parallelling PS Industry (on which I was riding) and PS Oscar W as part of the ceremonies for the 150th anniversary of Australia's first public railway: a horse-worked line from Goolwa (on the river) to Port Elliot (on the sea), avoiding the treacherous Murray River mouth.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[paddlesteamerman1]

This boat is the one that started my thinking for SJ.. Inspired me.. But it looks really odd I think... Something is odd about it, cant put my finger on it though!!

[Roderick Smith]

PV Mosquito
These notes have been transferred from the General discusion (large) forum.

10.7 m x 3.4 m x 0.9 m
(the beam is measured over the hull, not over the paddleboxes; I guess that the 0.9 is the hull depth, with the actual draft being less than a half of that; Australian authors are always ambivalent on which figure to quote)
wooden hull (Anth suggests red gum)
Maiden voyage July 95
As at 2001, 2.21 Toyota diesel.
I can’t see much of the paddle in my photo: seems to be 2 or 2.4 m diameter, with 12 floats.

Mosquito has towed barge A11 to Boundary Bend for the raising of Canally, and also towed Hero's hull for 13 km, then A11 and Canally in tandem to Nangiloc. I was aboard PS Mary Ann when Mosquito towed it for 2 km to an altered mooring site after the fire had been dropped for the day.

Mosquito was part of the Randell-Cadell 150th anniversary run, from at least its home port (Colignan) to Echuca/Moama.
Mosquito was at the 2005 Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival (as the support vessel for PS Mary Ann).

Mosquito is owned by the Mansell family, which has a private slipway at Colignan, where the family property grows (amongst other products) avocados for the Sydney market. The family has PV Mosquito, PV Impulse, PV Rusty, the hull of PV Wanera and is building a larger private PV. Rob Mansell was the fleet commander for the Randell-Cadell fleet, organising lockings, mooring arrangements, crewing of the replica vessels, the decision to push on to Echuca, and the final fleet arrangement for the ceremonial entry into Echuca. During this voyage, as on many earlier ones, Mosquito was run with an all-girl crew, skippered by Rob's wife.

In the accompanying photo, notice the Australian-standard towing pole.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

This PV was built at Echuca, and spent several months there before heading to a Goolwa owner.  It has a metal hull, and so is ineligible to appear at Goolwa Wooden Boat Festivals.  It has a private mooring at the owner's property on Hindmarsh Island, reached via a narrow channel through weeds.  I tried to motor up the channel to get a good photo while at the 2005 wooden-boat festival, but had to chicken out as I ended up in the weed and not the channel.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[thewharfonline]

The Killawarra was launched in Echuca and stayed there for some time before being moved by her new owners to Hindmarsh Island. Hope that gives some background to the vessel for you!

[Roderick Smith]

See www.kookaburrariverqueens.com

Kookaburra River Queen I is a side-wheel PV, and was built in 1986.
Kookaburra River Queen II is a stern-wheel PV, and was built in 1988.
According to the website both are genuine paddle vessels; both have planked wooden hulls.  The vessels are 30 m long, built of Queensland timbers, have two 260 kW diesel engines and are 130 tons [unstated whether this is displacement or registered tons].
The two run scheduled lunch, dinner and special-event cruises on Brisbane River, Brisbane; also charters for parties, functions, weddings etc.

Both UK and USA Paddleduckers can feel at home on a Brisbane visit.

I enclose a photo from Sean of I, and one from me of I & II.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Tarella has survived as a houseboat just north of Mannum for many years, without its steam engine and without its paddles (so use of the PS title is simply a historical courtesy), and even without much of the hull.  It has been sitting on a concrete plinth.
When I took the accompanying photo it was for sale.
Since then it has been bought by the owner (or syndicate owner) of PV Flender Himmel, with the intention of restoring it to operational condition.

June 07 update: I have included a recent photo, showing the vessel more clearly.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor