APAM- List of Paddlers Part 1 Modern and Restored Vessels

[paddlesteamerman1]

Canally was built in 1986 in Berri, SA, by Denis Wasley. It has a steel hull measuring 49ft long and with a maximum width of 14ft, but it was said to be hard to steer so the hull was lengthened by another 11ft.
Canally is powered by a 40hp tractor diesel engine. Canally was sold twice in the 1990's and is now based at Mannum. The present owners have completely refurbished the interior of the deckhouse.
I have seen the boat twice out of Mannum - both at Goolwa!! But I like the boat and certainly wouldn't mind owning it, although it does look a little tacky at the minute..
Canally has made several long trips in the last few years including Mildura, Berri, Goolwa etc..

Not much info, but a little bit of ''stuff'' on the boat!!

[Roderick Smith]

I have been in Queensland for a week, and was unable to fit in a trip on either PV Kookaburra River Queen I or SWPV Kookaburra River Queen II, or even on MV (fake SWPV) Brisbane Paddlewheeler.

My recent Murray River posts in this thread have been at Mannum, SA.  This was (and is) an important river town, and the base of Randell's dry dock for riverboat maintenance.

The most important paddleboat to be found there is the superb restored PS Marion: one of the big four Murray River passenger vessels (Gem, Marion, Ruby & Ellen).  Its history will appear in full when one of the other authors reaches it.
After languishing further up river, it was steamed in triumph to Mannum c1964 for retirement as a permanent static display in Randall's dry dock.  A photo of the ceremonial arrival is the avatar of paddlesteamerman1: the black smoke was not typical of Murray boats, and was achieved for the photographic effect by throwing car tyres into the firebox.
I first visited the vessel as a static exhibit.
New aspirations in what constitutes effective preservation arose, and the boat was restored to working order by a band of dedicated volunteers, and is maintained and operated by them: about 12-18 steaming weekends per year.
The program includes short cruises from Mannum, the occasional 2 or 3 night cruise through the scenic limestone-cliff part of the river, regular gourmet-meal cruises on behalf of Rockford Winery (a major sponsor of the vessel), appearances at Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival, and at other ceremonies marking river events (eg the opening of the new bridge at Blanchetown, and the recent commemoration of the major 1956 floods).
See www.psmarion.com for history, photos and events.
I have made several cruises, and am booked on the exceedingly rare operation from Renmark to Wentworth in July this year: the first time Marion has gone that far for 60 years.
I have posted photos with various glimpses in several Paddleducks forums and threads.  Here is a classic three quarter frontal, coming in to dock at Mannum during a short cruise for the crowds attending the Source to Sea celebrations in 2001.
The lower deck has the engine and wood forward, then the kitchen and dining saloon aft.  The sponson cabins hold the engineering workshop and stores.
The middle deck has a lounge with bar forward, then cabins (with toilets and showers above the paddleboxes).
The upper deck has the wheelhouse, several cabins, then a rear lounge.
The berth capacity is above 30:  IIRC 30 passengers, plus the crew.

Marion has appeared in a stamp series in recent years: five 50c stamps (the usual regular letter postage within Australia) showed paddlesteamers which have survived.  IIRC PS Marion, PS Adelaide, PS Ruby (still under restoration), PS Oscar W (was the fifth PV Pyap?).
The first series of overseas stamps (gst free when Australia went to gst) showed PV Coonawarra in the scenic SA cliffs section.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Two more photos of PS Marion.

The first shows the Marshall boiler and engine.  I had to tip it sideways to meet the software's new size-checking rules.

The second shows the vessel leaving lock 1, Blanchetown (also supposedly named William Randell Lock, but the name is not displayed anywhere).

PS Marion doesn't come above this lock very often.  On this occasion it was cruising to Morgan for short-term deployment there for local cruising.  Morgan is part of the same shire (Mid Murray Shire) as Mannum.  The shire is a strong supporter of the project, and this was a chance for ratepayers at the northern end of the shire to experience the paddlesteamer.

The lockmaster wouldn't allow me to alight from the vessel onto the concrete walls (modern health & safety rules) to obtain the photo.  The captain allowed me to ride in the tinnie, and a deckhand positioned the tinnie so that I could obtain this photo.  There was a tradeoff: he then placed me at the pumpout jetty to take the line as Marion docked; he was using the tinnie as a stern thruster.  It was a very impressive sight, standing on a small low jetty as the three-deck boat eased in.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's & thanks Roderick...... :kewl there is PS Marions engine console gauge panel.....4 + the 1 on the boiler = 5... this snap is dated 23.9.2001, I have a later [January 2004] snap of the gauges so will  :computer post it in the Steam Q & A   thread on my return to NSW - Derek

[Roderick Smith]

With the interest in the boiler & engine, I am enclosing a second view, taken on a different cruise.

I am also enclosing a photo of Marion moored at Morgan, on the same cruise.  This is a fairly rare destination for this boat.  It is moored at the low-level mooring used by SWPV Murray Princess on its regular weekly cruises.  A portion of the famous high-level wharf has been preserved, but is unusable: today's water levels go nowhere near the wharf's level.  My photo was taken from a hill overlooking the rail approach to the wharf (the Morgan railway line has been closed and dismantled).  The wharf is to the left of the frame.  To the right of the frame is the dockyard servicing the river punts which operate at various places along the SA portion of Murray River.


Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

This vessel is also based at Mannum.  It is the largest passenger vessel every built for the Murray, with dimensions determined by lock sizes (locks 1-10 are a standard size; locks 11, 18 & 26 are smaller).
The boat was built in Goolwa (SA), then had the third deck added after going above Murray Bridge.  Maintenance is undertaken in a dry dock at Renmark, but there are seasons when the boat can't get through for this.  Two 6 night cruises are advertised for Nov.07 for this.
It is pitched at the top end of the market, with weekend cruises (Fri. night to Sun. afternoon) towards Blanchetown, and midweek cruises (Sun. night to Fri. afternoon) to Morgan.
The propulsion is via the stern wheel, and the rear lounge (two storeys high) has full-height windows to view the wheel in action.
It also has bow thrusters to get it round tight bends.
In one year, when low water and sandbars prevented access to lock 1, it was running a modified program, incorporating a journey down to Murray Bridge.
I was given a guided tour one morning: it was moored end on to Marion, and all Marion passengers were given an inspection.
Murray Princess has a five chime horn, which sounds as an arpeggio until all five are blaring.  This is very distinctive, but there are few places where the captain is allowed to use all five.

See
www.murrayriver.com.au/boating/paddlesteamers/princess/default.htm
www.captaincook.com.au/home.asp?pageid=1661F5DD27C61DDC&destinationid=CE4687459C510656

Buried in the second reference are tech specs and deck plans.

I googled in to more information on this boat, and on other paddleboats, by searching on Vantage Travel USA, then selecting small-ship cruises.  There is little point sending them a photo of a traditional Australian style.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Bill Worden]

By coincidence, today's mail brought a brochure from Vantage, a big American travel/tour company.

In describing Murray River Princess the brochure says she is "...a modern, romantic representative of a time when hundreds of such vessels plied Australia's Mississippi."

I am no expert on the Murray, although I've been there.  But I don't believe that there was ever an American-style sternwheel overnight passenger steamer there.

Indeed, the high-class Mississippi packets were all sidewheelers.

Perhaps Rod or another OZ lister could send Vantage a photo of Marion or Gem.....

Bfill Worden

[thewharfonline]

Captain Sturt would be the only close American style boat too run on the Murray...

It's very true there is a definately forgotten period of time in Murray River History where gigantic Mississippi Steam Packets operated on the miniscule trickle that is the Murray. At the time dinosaurs roamed the earth...

You definately find some interesting things when you go searching. Little innaccuracies that may mean nothing to tourists but something to us enthusiasts. Let's not forget that an average tourist, when Paddle Steamer pops into mind may think of a Mississippi stern wheeler.

I can't forget the tourist I met who seriously though the steam engine of the pevensey drove a proppeller underneath the water. Even after showing him the wheels and explaining the process he continued to wonder how the boat worked.

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's - Sean or Roderick... I have located 10 snaps of PS Marion taken in January 2004... nothing spectactular.. would either be interested in me posting   :computer them off line :?: - Derek

[Roderick Smith]

From large to small.
I have seen this PV Eliza-Ann only at Mannum.  Although it was advertising Morgan Hotel, I have never seen it at Morgan.
This one is small for two decks.  Even recessing the lower deck into the hull, side floats are needed to maintain stability.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[lner]

I am stuggling to work out precisely where in Mannum this photo was taken.

Is that the punt at the very left of the background?

This one I have never seen at Mannum...... I presume that means it is not usually based there.??

Martin

[Roderick Smith]

Having just reviewed the original photos, I believe that Martin's guess is correct.  I can't recall any boat ramp south of the punt ramp on the eastern shore [see addition below].
On that day, I arrived from the eastern shore on a punt; parked my car; then walked north to south taking notes and photos.  This was the first major river event which I had attended; standing beside my car on the punt was magic: paddleboats as far as I could see.  I had been monitoring the fleet's progress via a website; this was my first opportunity to see the fleet in person.

* Near the punt ramp, above PS Marion's mooring: PV Akuna Amphibious rafted off PV Tamara Rae
* At PS Marion's dock: PV Impulse
Just down from there: PV Kulkyne rafted off PV Canally.
Lots of private houseboat moorings behind a club and Pretoria Hotel.
Now down at Mary Ann reserve:
PV Eliza-Ann
PV Mayflower
PV Flender Himmel
PV Matilda
SWPV Goolwa
PV Kingfisher
MV Pelican
PV Black Shag (from Swan Hill, Victoria) rafted off PS Etona (the only vessel from Echuca, Victoria), both just above the boat ramp.
PS Marion (cruising from the reserve, and not at its own berth further up)
PS Industry (cruising from the reserve)
PS William Randell rafted off PS Oscar W and barge Dart
Murray Princess (at its own berth)
then a cluster of launches at the public jetty, including MV Winsome (former Popeye 4) and MV Progress (a former Murray Bridge milk boat).

I don't think that Marion stayed at the reserve overnight; it would have gone to the pumpout and then to its own berth ready to leave as a 3 day voyage in the morning (fully booked to Wellington).  Perhaps PV Impulse had to be shifted, to raft off Marion?

Friday update: I have looked more closely at more photos.  I think that the landmark behind Eliza-Ann is a boat ramp downriver of the punts.  I think that it shows in one of my other views.
I thought that I had overlooked reporting PV Shiralee in my list: it wasn't in my notebook, and wasn't in any photo; conclusion: it wasn't at that rally.

I have scanned photos of the two clusters of moored boats (taken from aboard PS Marion).
The seven: Murray Princess, William Randell, Oscar W, Industry, (Kingfisher hidden), Goolwa, (Matilda hidden), Flender Himmel, Mayflower.
The five: houseboats, Kulkyne, Canally (obscured), Impulse (obscured), Akuna Amphibious, Tamara Rae, one of the two punts.


Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

PV Mayflower has an interesting history; in the 1960s it was a cruise vessel at Mildura.  It was then converted for private use, and is normally moored at Morgan (SA).
It appeared in a distant view of the cluster of seven, taken at Mannum in Sept.01, which I posted this morning.
I have a photo (not yet scanned) of it at Morgan.  I also have one of it cruising at Mildura in 1963, which I will post when Sean reaches his writeup of this boat.

The first post is of it cruising as part of the Randell Cadell 150th anniversary fleet, on the Wentworth - Mildura day.  This was taken near Abbotsford lifting-span bridge, before the lunch stop at Mildara winery.  It is towing a pontoon boat (based at Swan Hill) as well as its own tinnie. I took the photo from aboard PS Oscar W.

The second shows it at its new home, Wellington (SA) marina, with my Jessie II visible at the rear.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

This paddlevessel was built as a screw-propelled cane tug for Clarence River (northern NSW).
It was brought to the Murray, and converted to paddle propulsion.
It is based at Ramco, upriver of Morgan.
Between the two, the river passes North West Bend.
Having flowed generally westwards from the source in high alpine bogs, gathering multiple tributaries, this is the point where the river turns to the south to head to the sea at Goolwa.

The current owner uses the boat to support his dredging business.
I have seen it at Wentworth as part of the Randell Cadell 150th fleet, and again for 2004 Junction Rally.
Recently it appeared alongside barge Dart, as part of the travelling display commemorating the major 1956 floods.

I have transferred the photo from the large-construction forum.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

PV Gypsy Ellen is moored at North West Bend (between Morgan and Ramco).  I have never seen this boat.  It was present for local ceremonies during the flood-commemoration voyage during 2006.

This photo was sent to me in Aug.04.  It had appeared in the National Geographic book about Murray River.  I don't know in which reach of the river it was taken, or the date.  Sean's list shows PV Tina being based in Swan Hill, but I have never seen it there.

PV Gypsy Ellen joined the recent commemoration of the 50th anniversary if the 1956 floods, at Cadell and Morgan (ie the two locations closest to North West Bend).

Also joining the commemoration was another boat which I have never seen: PV Incredible, at Cadell, Morgan, Blanchetown, Swan Reach and Mannum.  This hints that it is moored in the vicinity.

I hope to obtain my own photos of both as I cruise Jessie II from Morgan to at least Mildura later this year.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor