Scratching Creole Queen

[wim500]

Hello,
As I wrote in my introduction I planned to scratch the Creole Queen in scale 1:60.
At this moment I am gathering information everywhere .
I ordered the plans from Dumas and received them in a few days. As Dumas already told the plans are not suitable for scratchbuild, but the plans give a lot of information.

One of my questions: Does anybody know the exact length of the Creole with or without the gangway.
I found already the lengths of 190 and 200 feet and according the plans 190 feet will fit the best.

A further question: I see two kinds of types of the Creole Queen. One with an open staircase and one with a closed one. In what year did they close the staircase.

And a last question: Were there from the build two paddles or are they changed in the same time as the staircase.

Hoping somebody can help me a little bit further,
Thanks in advance .

[Barry]

The owner's website lists her as being 190ft x 40 ft http://www.creolequeen.com/creole-queen.html. The wheel was changed in 1989-90 according to john Fryant at Paddlewheels and props http://modelplans.steamboats.org/p15-creole-queen.html. On http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=913031 they have a build thread which gives the model length as 471/2" long including the wheel less the gangway.

[wim500]

Thanks Barry for your quick reply. The measurements of the owner's website I already found, but on other websites I found a length a length of 200 feet, so it was a bit confusing and it was not mentioned the length was including the gangway.
The other website are new for me and they are useful. Now I can make a decision which 'version' of the Creole I am going to build.

Regards,
Wim

[Barry]

Just to add a bit the July 2009 issue of Marine Modeller has build article by John Fryant of a modified Creole Queen. He suggests increasing the draft by 3/8" among other things.
I have a kit of her in the cupboard waiting to be built. I'll be making up a styrene replacement paddlewheel. The one supplied with my kit can best be described as die crushed ply.

[wim500]

Thanks again Barry.
I continue to gather information and after that I will start making my own plans in scale 1:60.
Until now I prefer the open staircase and new paddle...
But first I have to finish two Chinese Junks.