Hi George:
Good to hear from you..and THANKS for taking the time to bring us up
to date on your "Suter" drawings. Yes...things are quiet here at the
ol Paddleduck Pond..but it's to be expected...this time of year is so
hectic..both at work and at home. However, I never worry when
somebody has some news to share or needs information we're all
here..maybe our people are researching and working on model
projects?
So long as we're not losing members, that's the main thing and our
little group has steadily expanded to over 90 members worldwide now.
I don't really have too much news to share either but, like you, I'll
join in and muse along too..so, forgive me if I just ramble on a bit
tonight!!!
By the way for all you more recent Members, George has built a lovely
38" static display model of the sternwheel snag boat "Suter". See
photos of her in the "Photos" section at:
http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Paddleducks/lst> I gathered up all the sketches, photographs and any other
> information I had compiled while building the Suter and started
> making some actual drawings in Autocad. The drawings will be left,
> right, front, rear and plan views along with detail drawings of
> areas that need further clarification.
I envy you...two disciplines I promise to master in 2002 are Cad
drawing AND database design. I have seen the excellent quality of cad
drawings which friends of mine do for Model railroad equipment and it
sure beats a pencil and scale ruler! Which CAD program are you using,
George?
> I just moved into a new home the end of October and
> it will be some time before my shop is set back up so that I can get
> into building another boat so with Autocad at my disposal through
> work and home I thought the time could be best filled with making
> drawings.
Congratulations on the new home...I still havn't recovered from our
almost 3,000 mile move to the West Coast 3 years ago! We moved from
our enormous house replete with two workshops and 25 foot model "train
room" into a tiny three bedroom townhouse and it was a real culture
shock not to have all the space we were accustomed to. My youngest of
three sons , an AVID Model Railroader, was desperately unhappy in his
new surroundings here with the loss of the large railway layout
...that is, right up until we discovered "Train Simulator". Now he
seems to have entirely forgotten the 20 boxes of model railroad
equipment languishing in storage!
> I gather by reading the mail on Paddleducks that the most vocal
> members are from England or Australia where they have boats of a
> completely different design than what most of us are familiar with
> here in the States. I find it very interesting to learn of the
> different designs from around the world.
>
Yes, me too...I have learnt so MUCH from Paddleducks..and it inspires
me to constantly research new areas. I especially like to hear of
paddlers from all around thw world..maybe ones who represent a
special memory..ones that are different or maybe played a special
part in our maritime history. For instance I have ordered a book by a
fellow called John Bierman published about 15 years ago..it's about
400 Jewish refugees who were the last to escape Nazi occupation and
fled in a decrepid old sidewheeler..and a voyage which eventually took
4 years! Apparently the account is fascinating and I'm anxious to see
what the old ship looked like. I've also purchased on Ebay three
inexpensive books about paddlers which operated in the Pacific
Northwest and British Columbia. "Pacific Steamboats" (Newell &
Williamson), "Mississippi Steamboat Era" (Joan & Thomas Gandy)
and "Paddlwheels on the frontier Vol 1" (Art downs). I'm trying to
learn as much as I can about our British Columbia Lake and coastal
paddlers in preparation for a lecture which Robert Turner, the noted
paddlewheeler author and historian, is giving to our Club in January.
As for New Year's Resolutions...I'm going to make a conscious effort
to do MORE modeling in 2002...this year has really been a bit of a
disaster at the workbench (small as it is!). I spent a lot of time
involved in our local Club (The Victoria Model Shipbuilding Society)
but I've managed to pass on some of my responsibilities to some
enthusiastic new members of our Executive. I'm going to try to spend
less time at the computer..although I love the research aspect of
paddlewheelers and exchanging information on these lovely ships...the
Internet is such an invaluable tool...and I get to meet some really
neat people!
I have three research projects on the go.... "Princess Louise" a
gorgeous Canadian Pacific sidewheeler which was a frequent visitor to
Victoria (and which NOBODY seems to have plans for!)..the sleek "PARIS
IV" virtually the ultimate in Cross Channel Railway paddler
engineering, based in Newhaven, Sussex... AND the delightful Excursion
steamer "Worthing Belle". Once the research is complete and I have
good plans, the building is very straight forward. As they say "90%
planning and 10% execution!"
Recent "paddler purchases" on Ebay have been a Lifelike Plastic model
of "Robert E. Lee" which is 22" long and eventually might be a fun
mini R/C model to build. I recently scored a lovely largish print of
"Medway Queen" which looks like it has been taken out of a book. But
the lithography is good and it will look great framed in the office
here
> Here's hoping that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a very happy
> New Year and that the world may once again find some sanity .
>
> P.S. Come on guys, let's hear what's going on with you modeling
> endeavors. This is a small fraternity so let's keep up the interest.
Well...if anyone else here has a spare half hour or so and wants to
just "ramble" and share a few thoughts about ANYTHING..just click the
"post" button and let ya fingers do the talking! It may seem mundane
to you..but YOUR news and thoughts is what makes these forums tick...
In any case...we'll be talking before Christmas...so I wish a good
weekend to you all...everywhere!
PJ
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