Yesterday ( 20/4/2009 ) ABC TV ( Australia) broadcast a excellent 15 minute story on the building of the P.S CURLIP II.

try

http://www.abc.net.au/landline

and find the button 'old steamer'.

Some very nice scenes of her being built and steaming up river.
The river scenes will give overseas folks some idea of why Australian Paddles developed the way they did.

PS: 'landline' is the name of a highly regarded TV program in Australia.

The program was shown twice, on consecutive days (IIRC Sunday and Monday).
What a brilliant compilation, edited very effectively.
I wasn't caught on camera: I was beside or behind the Landline crew at most vantage points, and we exchanged plans for our moves on the recomissioning Sunday.
I chatted with many of the people who were shown on tv.
I was almost seen in the clip of the 'Poppa Guiseppe' open launch overtaking Curlip.  The launch was the one which put me aboard for the Saturday cruise.  It was the one with the man playing on old accordian.
For more on the vessel and the commissioning weekend, see www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3459.0
I am looking at basing a spring/summer season of Jessie II on the Gippsland lakes, and watch the normal commercial operation.
Based on the friendship of that weekend, I have now joined Wooden Boat Association, and will attend rallies in future.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

HI PD's....newer members will see this posting as from a 'newbie'....but  ....the author of this posting is an original Yahoo PD member Brett S Hallett....a master of many technical fields

http://users.impulse.net.au/dragoncity/

So welcome back Brett....................Derek

Thanks for the kind words Derek --

I have moved ISP's since last Paddleducking,

http://web.aanet.com.au/~dragoncity/   

, but the web page is still there at the impulse address , but never updated.

and I returned mainly to ensure members had a chance to 'see the excellent
TV program mentioned -- in case it disappears.

PS: I sold P.S. Industry some time ago to a paddler down Gippsland way and he seemed
pleased with the boat, even tho I did tell him it was a Proof of Concept project and quite rough.
Bit like full sized paddler really. . He was amazed at the brilliance of my motor/paddle control unit !

Cheers