Aussie Sister ships?

[AlistairD]

Plus
 Â 
 Murray paddle steamers are comparatively easy to  build,
 put a traction engine boiler and machinery into a hull, and  add some basic wooden paddle wheels and paddle boxes, and there, you have a  paddler.
 Â 
 None of your heavy engineering or naval architect stuff,  eh
 Â 
 Alistair
 

  ----- Original Message -----
   From:    Roderick    Smith (chat@paddleducks.co.uk)
   To: chat@paddleducks.co.uk (chat@paddleducks.co.uk)
   Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 9:51    AM
   Subject: Another Aussie:
   

   
Moderator Eddie posted: 'Welcome aborad Mac, good to    have you with us - But another Aussie? We're getting overrun with    them'.

I was having lunch in Cornwall once (a baked banjo or banji,    which was a fried-egg sandwich). The bartender recognised my accent. I asked    him how he recognised it, and he said: 'My secretary comes from Geelong, and    it just like our Cornish accent; we had Cornish seamen everywhere'. I replied:    'How did you spell that?'.

Reasons for the Aussie enthusiasm:
*    Paddlesteamers played a huge role in the development of Australia.
* We    still have a lot of them.
* Most of what we have still works.
* Most of    what we have is accessible.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News    Victoria



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[Roderick Smith]

Alistair's message was opportune, as it matched a topic of conversation at dinner last night: I have found no instance of two Murray paddlesteamers being identical.  Many were similar, and there is a generic overall style.  Perhaps not one was built to a plan?

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Excelsior]

Apparently the Murray & Jupiter were identical.  I couldn't confirm this though.  The Pevensey & Ulonga were so close to being identical that it's easier to say they were.  The Ulonga was a foot narrower, but otherwise the hull design was the same.  In terms of superstructure, when built the only way to tell them apart was by the shape of the paddleboxes.  The Ulonga's were more square.

There are other, earlier, boats which were pretty much built off the same plans (or lack of) as each other.  I'll go through some of my books & see if I can get you some names.

[thewharfonline]

Ulonga also had cabins behind the paddleboxes as well as in front, Pev only has them in front. Wanera had this too I'm pretty sure, both then differing to Pev.

Both are sister ships to Pev.

Building methods are similar but I doubt an actual identical similarity. Boats were built and rebuilt for their owners best use.

Hence why Adelaide gained square boxes and raised cabin.

I think the boats also covered an experimental piece of time. If railways had not come in we might have seen mass produced similar boats. People were still experimenting with perfect length, height, beam, draught, float size, engine size, deck structure etc.

Techniques of course did emerge, especially compostie hulls (metal and wood) and square boxes but length etc still varied depending on the boats requests.

Mary Anne and Lady Augusta both were converted for better use on the river.

Sternwheelers became sidewheelers- PS Queen for instance

It all depends on the stretch of river the boat was operating on.

None of your heavy engineering or naval architect stuff, eh  

What's the point in all that pansy stuff mate? Are you some kind of wuss. Architecture is for sissies mate, you gotta be a real man mate, a worker, sweatin' through the aussie son. Grab yourself a beer put on ya blue singlet and then you'll see how perfect our boats are! Pfff Heavy Engineering!

Hahaha just having a stab Alistair, trying to be cliche! Your boats are...nice...too.

Just to show I have some apprecition I like the PS Ryde (not in current state) and the Missouri River steamers- Very similar to Aussie paddlers I think- same kind of work conditions I mean, built tougher! I also think the Swiss Lakes paddlers are beautiful boats.

It's only through PD's that I've gained an understanding and appreciation for international paddlers. I used to be so one minded.

[Excelsior]

You're definately right about the three boats not being identical, their dimensions differed.  Especially breadth.  They were close enough that they were considered sisters.  Probably the closest you'll find to being identical on the rivers.

There aren't a lot of photos around, but when built the Pevensey did have cabins located on the sponsons aft of the paddlebox.  I'm sure there were some pics showing this on display in the wharf shed at Echuca.  I haven't seen the book for a long while, but I think there are also some in PJ Phillips' Riverboat Days.  If you look at the photos taken of the slip area with a lot of boats in front, some being built.  The Pev is shown there very early in her life.

You're also right about the Wanera, she had a cabin aft of her starboard paddlebox.  The one on the port side only had a set of steps going down the back.  There's a photo of this in Ships of the Inland Rivers under the entry for Decoy.

I'm going to see if I can find some early pictures of the Pev showing these cabins & post them.  I'm not sure that I'll be able to, but if I can, it's really interesting to see them!

[Excelsior]

The steamers Cato & Pilot were both built in 1883 at Goolwa by the same builders, for different owners.  They were built to the same design.  They even both have a raised forecastle, which very few Murray boats had.  The dimensions listed in Ships of the Inland Rivers vary slightly, but I'd be almost willing to bet that they were closer than recorded.  Apparently each got an identical, but reverse, half of an existing mill engine.  I'm pretty sure that the Pilot's engine has been used in the recreated Cato which has been profiled elsewhere in this forum.

[Excelsior]

Just a thought, maybe a moderator can split this thread into two & move the portions about sister ships to the research part of the forum?

[Eddy Matthews]

Just a thought, maybe a moderator can split this thread into two & move the portions about sister ships to the research part of the forum?

Consider it done Mac