APAM- List of Paddlers Part 1 Modern and Restored Vessels

[Roderick Smith]

My photo of PV Thomson Belle appears in its own thread (APAM Thomson Belle) in this Research forum.

Today: PS Decoy, based on Swan River (Perth, WA).
This isn't really a replica of the original PS Decoy.  That vessel went from Murray River to Perth, then back again.  It's hull is in use as a houseboat at Dick Bromhead's marina, just north of Mannum (SA).
I don't have a history for the current PS Decoy, and there is no history on the website: www.psdecoy.com
It makes regular Sunday jazz cruises, and is very much in function-charter market.
I believe that it is fairly underpowered, and can be tricky to handle in the broad reach of Swan River opposite the main city centre.  This is actually quite shallow.  Cross-river and up-river ferries have to be careful to stick within channels.

I haven't yet had the chance to cruise on this one.


Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[thewharfonline]

Roderick I think it could be a replica more than you think. When Decoy moved to the Swan River she had a different layout to that of her time on the Murray and I'm pretty sure there are photos in books of her looking very similar to that. I would as such say that she is very much a Decoy replica.
Maybe Derek knows a bit more and can shed some light on the matter.

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi Sean - as Roderick suggests, there is little detailed history on either vessel  :ohno

The 1878 original [74682] is listed as 40HP [actual? indicated? nominal?]
& when she steamed under her own power to Perth [towing barges of fuel wood] she was given an upper deck & was used as the excursion vessel from 1905 to 1908

Dick Bromhead suggested to me that the Perth owners plotted to renig on the charter agreement & had the boiler examiner condem Decoys boilers & hence she lost classification & was towed back to SA, but not before she was totally measured & from these measurements a copy PS decoy was built to the original lengthened [1881] dimensions

The 1908 Perth copy Decoy was installed with a 16HP [actual? indicated? nonimal?] engine so this may well be what Roderick notes as being underpowered

I noted a very SOUR   :hmph attitude from the current owner toward the Perth people as Dick confirmed that when [74682] returned to her home waters, the SA boiler examiner gave the boiler a certificate of worthiness & this boiler maintained certification until at least 1919 or possibly up until 1932

I tend to agree with the point that the Perth copy Decoy is dimensionally = to the [74682] original as fitted out for the excursion trade

[74682] was lengthened in 1881 & sheathed in hardwood over her steel hull [waterline down only] where as the Perth copy is full steel hull

I posted a comunication to the www.psdecoy.com a few years back & an Angelique came back & said they would purchase my 1/24 scale model of [74682]..... :hmmm ... I gracefully declined their kind offer - I mean after 5 years she is only about 67.34578% finished... musn't rush these projects :music  - Derek

[Roderick Smith]

I found this while searching for my Kookaburra River Queen I & II photo.
Brisbane Paddle Wheeler appears to be its name.
It is run by Brisbane Cruises, www.brisbanecruises.com.au

Sun.24.12 update: I phoned to make a booking for Boxing Day.  Kookaburra River Queens and this are not running on that day.
The operator has now confirmed: Brisbane Paddle Wheeler is not propelled by the paddle (ie FSWPV, ie fake SWPV).

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I have never seen this one, and don't have a photo.
Today: just the website (which has photos).
www.nepeanbelle.com.au
This boat plies on Nepean River (a Hawkesbury River tributary) in Sydney's outer-western suburbs, at the foot of Blue Mountains.
The outside looks fairly tacky, but the interior features beautiful timber panelling (according to the website).
I don't know if it is PV or fake PV, but the paddle churn in one photo seems to be genuine.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

This wooden-hulled paddleboat is normally moored at Dick Bromhead's marina, a few km north of Mannum, off an inlet off the west bank of Murray River.
This photo was taken during the 2 days when the Source to Sea fleet was at Mannum.  The photo was taken from the town bank, alongside Mary Ann Reserve
Adjacent are PV Goolwa (running with the fleet from Renmark) and a vintage river launch (Pelican, built in 1917).

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[thewharfonline]

I like Kingfisher.

Details about the boat:
She has a redgum hull and frames.
Construction completed in 1989 (hey she's as old as me then!)

Powered by diesel.

62ft long, 16 ft wide.

Operated near Mannum.

Sean

[michael]

Hull was built at Nathalia Vic, and is usually moored at Dick's marina

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's - could be wrong.... but the photograph  :kewl of PV Kingfisher... is that not taken on the other side or the river @ Mannum?... and is that not the same Dick Bromhead on Kingfisher FWD of the wheel?...... - Derek

[Roderick Smith]

The photo was taken on this side of the river (ie the western bank).
At the time I had not met Dick Bromhead, or seen him on video (he features in one of the river cds).
If the boat is his, it is probably moored at his marina.  When I was there to photograph his houseboat on Decoy's hull, I was in a rush.  Dick was wearing a safety helmet and earmuffs, while sandblasting the hull of a hire houseboat.  Possibly if I had strolled around I would have found PV Kingfisher.
I have updated my earlier post in the wake of responses from Sean and from Derek.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[thewharfonline]

You know Derek it does look like him! Does he own the boat or is it owned by somebody else?

[paddlesteamerman1]

Yes it does look like him doesn't it... It also looks like Robert O'Callaghan who was heavily involved with the Marion (idea came from the source to sea video - he featured and it could be either of them)
I really like the Kingfisher - though I have only seen it once - but it is usually berthed a short distance upstream from Mannum..

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's - The Bromhead Marina.....maybe I am getting a little  : lost as being from New south Wales   , but I thought Roderick's snap'of Kingfisher was taken from the eastern side of the river overlooking the hills or bluffs on the same side as the Bromhead Marina

So for "Out of OZLAND" members.... this Marina is situated on a very quiet backwater arm of our famous Murry river @ Manum & being a back water ... the best description is a turbid fluid whitish muddy mass with fresh green water flora growing in clumps on the surface - with ducks & jumping fresh water [European CARP] fish

The Marina has a set of rail lines disappearing into the murky water, an hydraulic winch & a 10 tonne cradle - mooring is accomplished via floating buoys anchored to mother nature & a short dingy paddle to terra firma

I have 20 something snaps of the HULK of PS Decoy & post some when I return from Whyalla week 2 of 2007 [approx a :sob 5 hour car trip back to Adelaide]..... they fly 2000 Km to Wollongong

I can only re-affirm Jims comment 'don't   drink &   drive' - best regards to all from :nah OZ - Derek

[Roderick Smith]

With the flurry of interest in PV Kingfisher, I am adding an extra one of it before advancing (I have the next several scans done already).
There was also a response earlier that someone had never seen SWPV Goolwa leave Goolwa.  This photo provides the evidence.
The photo was taken on Sun.23.9.01, as I cruised on PS Marion as part of a weekend of celebrations to mark the presence in town of the Source to Sea fleet (which was running to celebrate the centenary of Australian federation).
From the left:
stern of MV Pelican
PV Kingfisher
SWPV Goolwa
a modern houseboat
a glimpse of the wheelhouse of PV Flender Himmel

If Rubens had painted paddleboats, I guess that he would have depicted only SWPS & SWPV.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I have no details of this one, but I have never seen it budge from this mooring, a few metres from the berth of PS Marion.

It was seen at Mildura by one of my reporters, in Sept.01, as part of the Source to Sea fleet.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor