Rhone paddler "Pilat

[Hankwilliams]

For many years my "Pilat" paddler stands as good as unnoticed in the cellar of my mothers house. She was my second life steam model. Now I conclude, to make her functionable again. The model after plan of Bernard Retif is only semi scale. Scale is 1 : 33, but to avoide problems of transport, the model in Mr. Retifs plan got only lenght of 1400 mm, the correct lenght in 1 : 33 would be 1940 mm. At time I made the Pilat in 1989, I`ve extended lenght to 1510 mm for better proportions.

I now made a boiler test - was ok - and an engine overhaul. This oscillating engine was the only complete home made one I `ve made for my boats. The engine got new piston rings, new silver soldered steam tubes and a new paint, yesterday she made a test run outside the model, which was sufficient.

[Hankwilliams]

Some pictures of boat and engine.... May be next week I can show some picture running the Pilat on a lake!

[derekwarner_decoy]

Interesting engine & gearing Thomas......

I she about .....2:1........the 2:1 again? 

Will she now stay with your Fleet at your home?

Derek

[Paddlemex]

Very nice Thomas. The proportions look fine to me.

Is that a small portable torch tip you use as a burner?

Jurgen

[Hankwilliams]

Hi Derek and Jurgen,
the gear reduction are two times 1 : 3, therefore 1 : 6. Bore is 10 mm with 20 mm stroke. Next week I will make some pictures of the model at the lake, then the boat will go back to mothers home, it`s her ship - she wanted "Pilat" as a present some years ago. From my point of sight, the today boat looks a little simplistic - compared with my later models. The boiler was ok, but I renewed the burner and the gas cartridge, both is made by Rothenberger, the common factory for soldering products in Germany.
In 2017 I got a french book about Rhone steamships with the original plans of the "Pilat" type tugs, I add some pictures. On principle the model plan was not too far from the original, but hull is too short and there is a lack of the parabolic bow section. Last 3 pictures show other interesting Rhone steamers.

I considered, to alter lenght of hull to original size, but work is too much - it`s better to concetrate for making new projects.

[Hankwilliams]

Some nice pictures of "Pilat"  in her Element I made today.

[DamienG]

 

[Hankwilliams]

New articles in german model magazines. "Pilat" and "Fulton`s Folly" on the title!

[derekwarner_decoy]

We are honored  to have an Author in our midst...congratulations Thomas....

[Hankwilliams]

Thank you, Derek.

[Paddlemex]

Congratulations Thomas.

Front page on 2 different magazines at the same time - that is something difficult to beat.

Jurgen

[Paddlemex]

I tried to read as much as possible from the shown pages and in the Fultons Folly article you mention Claude Jouffroy's early ships.
I think I have a picture of the model which is displayed in the Paris Maritime Museum. Unfortunately I don't have descriptions of the pictures I took more than 10 years ago, but when you mention that he used a ratchet mechanism instead of a crankshaft I thought that this may be the model.
Also very interesting is the "feathering" mechanism, in particular when this was built in the 1700s.

Jurgen

[Hankwilliams]

Yes, Jurgen, this is the boat of de Joffroy. In the next "Journal für Dampf- und Heißluft" in january there will come out one article about steamboating at river Rhone with excurs to the boats of Claude de Joffroy. The boat model in Paris is the ancestor of our live steam models. There must be one topic by me about de Joffroy in "Research" last year, when I remember correct.

Regards Thomas

[Paddlemex]

Here http://www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=7190.0