Paddle Tug "Iona "

[Joe Hardy]

I have received a drawing of the paddle tug "Iona" today. The subject appealed to me because of its age and elegance ( a bit like me ) but I have read  that this particular design has proved to be very unstable and that the paddles tend to dig in. I have been advised by a very kind and helpful member of a web site in another place that building this tug is a no no.
I wonder whether anyone on Paddleducks has built this boat successfully?
I am reluctant to add external ballast but wonder what the effect of adding a little extra draught would be.The increased buoyancy should allow me to add more weight surely. Any advise would be welcome.
Regards
Joe

[Red_Hamish]

I have received a drawing of the paddle tug "Iona" today. The subject appealed to me because of its age and elegance ( a bit like me )

Surely not Joe !

but I have read  that this particular design has proved to be very unstable and that the paddles tend to dig in. I have been advised by a very kind and helpful member of a web site in another place that building this tug is a no no.

I toldyou the paddler bug would bite once you'd got the first one under the belt 

I wonder whether anyone on Paddleducks has built this boat successfully?
I am reluctant to add external ballast but wonder what the effect of adding a little extra draught would be.The increased buoyancy should allow me to add more weight surely. Any advise would be welcome.
Regards
Joe

Hello Joe, welcome along for the digging in ride 

cheers

Jim

[Eddy Matthews]

Hi Joe,

One paddlewheel digging in is a common problem with sidewheelers, especially those with narrow hulls such as the Iona. The smaller the model the greater the problem!

Yes increasing the draught (by a significant amount!), and also setting the paddlewheels so they aren't too deeply immersed in the water will both help.

You will normally find that the model will dig in at a particular speed of the paddlewheels, and being gentle on the throttle, keeping the RPM below that critical speed will also help.

The problem is also compounded by none-feathering paddlewheels as they don't enter, and more importantly leave, the water vertically - Feathering wheels can dramatically help to cure the problem if they are setup well.

I hope that helps a little?

Eddy

[Joe Hardy]

Thanks Eddy.
The drawing I have acquired shows "Iona" at 41" O.A.L. with a beam of 7". My little tug is 36"x8.5" approx (Not so very different) and as you know is perfectly stable. I could be tempted to build "Iona" but I suspect that she would be unsuitable for sailing on our exposed water. Hence my request for information regarding other peoples experiences.
There must have been some successful models built from this drawing because it was published in Model Boats Magazine when you were just a lad.
As you know my knowledge of model paddlers could be written in very large letters on the back of a small postage stamp but I suspect that a modest increase in draught and relatively small floats may be part of the answer, but what do I know.
Regards
Joe

[Eddy Matthews]

You'd be surprised how different the Bamburgh and the Iona will be Joe...

Bamburgh - 36" with a beam of 8.5" = 4.23 length to beam ratio

Iona - 41" with a beam of 7" = 5.86 length to beam ratio

So a significant difference! Although at first glance you would imagine them to be similar...

It can definitely be made to work, but Tynemouths exposed water probably isn't the place to try it!

Regards
Eddy

[Stuart Badger]

Joe

I would suggest that you don't increase the draught - but arrange to have the model mounted on museum 'pillers' for display and use the same holes to mount a lead 'torpedo' weight under the hull for sailing. You won't be able to see it on the water but it gives MAXIMUM leverage to stop the model heeling under rudder commands.

I shall be using the same system on my model of 'Connaught' even though it will be 3 metres long. As Eddy mentioned it's the length to beam ratio that is the problem.

I have seen a model of Iona sailing with this system and it was more stable than a much shorter chunkier model on the water at the same time.

Stuart

[mjt60a]

page 48 of 'Famous Paddle Steamers' (F C Hambleton) has a couple of pages on IONA - the last paddle tug to work on the thames, apparently...  no really useful details though, just a side and deck view

[Joe Hardy]

Thanks Stuart
Eddy will tell you that I am a " Rag and stick man" so I am familiar with external ballast but I had hoped to avoid using a bulb keel on "Iona"
Thanks for taking the trouble to reply
Regards
Joe

[Roderick Smith]

There was a 2006 thread on the prototype, at www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2346.0

Regards,
Roderick  B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Joe Hardy]

Thanks Roderick I had spotted the posts
Joe

[R.G.Y.]

Joe, All good advice. When I built my model of Glen Usk I didn't know a thing about model paddlers, so I built accurately too scale (1.3/4 inc draft). I did one thing right and built VERY LIGHT. She sails very well NOW after adding a rudder made of lead just forward of the paddles, with any wind she would lay down on the lee side and stay there until turning around. My solution was to mount all the battries on a servo arm I now control her like a air craft, aileron control on left stick. I have attached photos as evidence. Geoff.

[Joe Hardy]

Nice Model R.G.Y.
I am hoping for a more simple solution to achieving stability if I decide to build "Iona".
I have been sailing on Tynemouth lake since I was in triangular trousers and I am aware that we sail within a couple of hundred yards of the North Sea.
Every model boat that I build has to take this into consideration and I haven't had a sinking yet , so fingers crossed
Regards
Joe

[Joe Hardy]

Thank you all for you good advice .
If I should decide to build "Iona" I will let you know whether I was successful or not
Regards
Joe

[sandystrone]

Joe

I have seen the plan and would consider it to come out as a stable model with our without feathering paddles.

I have built 10 model paddle steamers so far and have never had to resort to putting lead under the hull, but have increased the draft on certain occasions. This plan of IONA would not require you to go to such extremes bearing in mind how your BAMBURGH turned out so go for it!

[Joe Hardy]

Thanks for your encouragement Sandy.
I certainly can't see any reason why "Iona" should be especially tender providing that the top weight is kept to a minimum.
Regards
Joe