Oddball?

[Barry]

A  Hobart, Tasmania ferry the PS Kangaroo. Catamaran hull with a central paddle.
Length 110' 4"
Beam 11'4" each hull
Depth 7"2"

[PaddleWheel]

What about this beastie?  http://website.lineone.net/~tom_lee/bessemer.htm

[mjt60a]

....So, I'm after info on anything unusual....a paddlewheel pedalo....

A 'traditional' british seaside pedalo - and it's vintage predecessor...

[mjt60a]

...but this is what I went to see...
Many years ago and after watching boats like Elizabethan and Yarmouth Belle passing by, I had an idea for a 'fake' paddler inspired by the centrifugal pump on an aquarium filter, the steering mechanisms on the SRN1 hovercraft and the fact that fake sidewheelers don't look as good on the river because the paddles are not in the prop wash, as they are on fake sternwheelers...
...found out it had already been built! (minus the fake paddles, that is)

[mjt60a]

Not paddlers but certainly unusual, I wonder has anyone built a model of the 'Snowbird 6' or the earlier 'Snow devil' vehicles?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/england/1916481.stm
http://vekotus.org/wp/tag/fordson-snow-devil/

[Eddy Matthews]

Here's an odd one from the Kingswear Castle website..... It would make a lovely model!

http://www.kingswearcastle.co.uk/Beskydy.htm

Eddy

[waldenmodels]

What about the "Hunter Wheel" paddlers, Eddie? I can't find a picture on the net, but there are a number of illustrations in "The American Steam Navy" (I hope I recall the title correctly)

These vessels had a hole right through the hull below the waterline. Inside was a cofferdam in which two vertical paddle wheels spun around, propelling the ship. Efficiency was horrible, as most of the wheel's energy was expended in churning the water in the cofferdam round and round. Two ships were built, the USS Union and USS Waterwitch.  (not to be confused with HMS Waterwitch mentioned earlier).

And then of course, there's my darling USS Alarm with her Fowler wheel. Though that's not really a paddle wheel

Cheers,

Oliver

[Eddy Matthews]

I'll be honest, I'd never heard of the Hunter Wheel Oliver....

I did a quick search, but apart from some hopeless Wikipedia entries I can find almost nothing on it - I did find one small etching that shows the USS Union, but haven't found anything on the Hunter Wheel itself.....

Can anyone help?

Regards
Eddy

[Dinosaursoupman]

Here's a pic of the USS Alarms' wheel. The vessel was unsuccessful for it's intended purpose and obviously, the wheel was not a success either.

Randy

[mjt60a]

reminds me of a voith-schneider drive...

[waldenmodels]

That's exactly what it is. It provided the necessary maneuverability just fine, but the Alarm only made 7 knots. The wheel was later changed to a Mallory steering screw (think swiveling fan), which added 5ft to her draft, and nothing more.

Cheers,

Oliver