American towboat?

[Eddy Matthews]

I've always liked the American towboats, and I've built three so far - Two screw powered, and one sternwheeler. But where there ever any sidewheel towboats?

I've never seen one, but I'd be interested in finding out if any ever existed?

Maybe twoboatjoe can help?

Regards
Eddy

[rpbidgood]

Hi Eddy,
           I've been wondering the opposite - where are the British stern-wheelers? There are after all a number of advantages to having the paddle at the stern (perhaps this answers your question) ie. (i) the boat/ship is narrower,or, if it is the same width then it has a larger cargo capacity; (ii) the vessel can pull directly alongside a quay; (iii) when moving ahead, the paddle wheel is protected by the hull of the ship, a distinct advantage in shallow rivers (see attached drawing). I suppose the answer to my question lies in the fact that we do not have long, navigable rivers, so that most of our ships operate on the sea/coastal waters. Large rivers like the Mississippi, although they might have rough areas, would not produce the fore and aft pitching motion that waves at sea produce; under these conditions a paddle at the stern would tend to leave the water and slam back down. Putting the paddles midships solves this problem, since it is difficult to imagine the middle of the ship leaving the water (leaving aside severe rolling). Hope this makes sense.
Keith.

[Bob Golder]

Hi Keith

I did once some years ago see a canal narrowboat at Wigan with quarter stern wheels.  The boat "JETHRO TULL" seemed to handle well and had good accelleration.  Unfortunately I don't have any photos.

[mjt60a]

.... it is difficult to imagine the middle of the ship leaving the water ....

If you can, take a look at the picture of Waverley on the back cover of 'paddle wheels' issue no. 100...

[Eddy Matthews]

I think your asumptions probably answer the question Keith - No American sidewheel towboats and no British sternwheelers for the reasons you mention.

Regards
Eddy

[rpbidgood]

Hi,
    I knew I should have qualified that statement with "but not impossible".

I don't have a copy of that magazine,and have been unable to find a copy of the picture on a Google search, but how about this - not a photograph, but a rather fanciful painting.


posted by Keith     I'm a harpooner by trade - monsters interest me

[andygh]

They sure do

http://www.austintek.com/LVS/meetings/algonquin_2004/images/15530005.log_hauling_boat.jpg

[rpbidgood]

I stand corrected, those paddles have certainly left the water!.

"Gonna need a bigger anchor though."


posted by Keith    "Eat you pudding, Mr Land"

[Walter Snowdon]

Hi folks. Dredging the murky depths of my grey matter I seem to remember that the Clyde estury once boasted a stern wheel ferry sometime in the mid 19th century (1850s)?. Ive done a quick search of my books but cant turn it up. I know it wasnt a success and was sold on pretty quickly.  regards, walter.

[Bob Golder]

I don't know of a stern wheel Clyde ferry but there was the "CHARLOTTE DUNDAS" which had a recessed stern wheel.  The attached photo of a model shows the arrangement clearly.  She plied the Forth and Clyde canal.

[djcf]

Walter,
Maybe you are thinking of the "Alliance" (I think that was her name) on the Clyde in the mid 1800's.
I have read an article on her in an issue of "Clyde Steamers" magazine, and from memory I think she had twin hulls with a paddle wheel inbetween, also as she was double-ended, a small paddle wheel at each end, laterally, to act as a sort of primitive bow/stern thruster.
Don't think she was successful. I will try to find the original article for more info.

Clark

[Walter Snowdon]

Hi Clark. No. that was  a totaly different and quite revolutionary ship with twin hulls, a central wheel with a fore and aft paddle wheel at 90 degrees to the hull direction for steering and maneuvring. Apparently she could turn on the spot and move sideways! The first bow and stern thrusters?.
The paddle I am thinking of was a deffinate STERN WHEELER . Regards , Walter

[Dinosaursoupman]

Hey Eddy,

I ran across this today and remembered this thread and the question you posed; Were there ever any sidewheel towboats?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Conestoga_(1861) Of course, she was more known for her war service so I doubt there are any photos of her before the Civil War.

Many of the "Tinclads" were converted from towboats and not just a few of them were sidewheelers. Now the real work begins; trying to find pictures of these sidewheel towboats prior to there conversion to Mississippi River gunboats. Researching the time period between 1850 and 1870 will probably get the best results.

Randy

[Eddy Matthews]

That's interesting Randy, thanks....

What would be the best US resource to try and find more information? I see the boat was built in Brownsville, Pennsylvania in 1859 - I wonder if the builders are still in existance? If so, who were they?

Eddy

[Dinosaursoupman]

I see the boat was built in Brownsville, Pennsylvania in 1859 - I wonder if the builders are still in existence?

If you click on the link to Brownsville, Pennsylvania you'll find that the town hardly exists anymore let alone a small shipyard from the mid 1800's. You might have a better chance of looking up "Tinclads" and "timberclads" and see which were previous towboats and follow up on any leads that that may bring. Unfortunately, this is going to be a very tough search. Many of the shipbuilders of the time didn't last long. As the American Frontier was opening, many shipbuilders popped up to meet the need for the westward expansion. But the great number of shipbuilders also led to tremendous competition and many of these builders went out of business after a very short period of time. Records, if they even kept records, were lost with the demise of the company.

As far as resources, I often refer to http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/. This site is by no means complete but it gives me the best starting point for finding where a particular ship may have been built or which shipyard built a particular ship. I've been trying to find a source as comprehensive as the Great Lakes Historical Society that deals with the Mississippi River region but haven't found it yet.

Randy