Offset floats reefing floats

[freedem]

Hi Mr Badger
could you describe offset floats again I think I understand they
slaped the water more on entering but pushed backwards at a flater
angle on leaving the water?
thankyou
jeffery

[Stuart Badger]

Dear Jeffery

My understanding - and from looking at varios drawings is that it was
thought to be much more important to stop the paddle floats lifting water
than it was to provide a 'clean' entry into the water. The floats were
therefore fitted to the spokes at a slight angle so that on leaving the
water they shed a large proportion of their load and gave better thrust
rather than lifting water not only into the paddle boxes, but in extreme
cases all over the sponsons. One thing to bear in mind I suppose is that the
crew would quite often be working on the sponsons using the cant hooks to
increase the rate of turn while towing. It was dangerous enough work at the
best of times without being semi-submerged in sea water!

I don't think offset/angled floats were particularly common or lasted that
long but they were certainly one of the many solutions tried to overcome the
deficiancies of paddle steamers of the period.

Stuart Badger