Hi friends and neighbors,

may you remember my item "Drop in paddle engine" from May 2012?

Today I have the pleasure to present you my finished paddlesteamer "Fulton`s Folly" with this engine unit.
The casco is made by pitchpine, strips on frame of 5 mm thickness with glass fibre in and outside. The weight of the empty hull is only 45 kg with a lenght of 5,06 m and 1,01 wide between paddleboxes. Wide overall is 1,44 m.
The deplacement of the boat ready to run with engine, two 5 kg propangas containers, tools and so on is approximately 135 kg, it will be possible to sail with 3 adult persons.
Diameter of the radial wheels is 710 mm, even with only one person aboard the wheels will deep in water for 4 - 5 cm.

In january I first presented the not yet finished boat at Karlsruhe Echtdampftreffen without rudder and some details, but with running steamengine, on a trailer. I did some alterations after the event. Most importent is, that now the paddle shaft is 50 mm deeper, this was necessary because the grade of effect of the paddlewheels. Now I think it`s as good as finished.

Even until now there was no occasion to make a test trip on a lake, I presume only minor alterations will be necessary, because I have tested boat and engine in a small basin (6 to 2 m). The draught with one person aboard was only 6 - 7 cm, stability was sufficient.

Now I hope you all will enjoy the pictures!

Thomas

Nice boat! And the dimension of the crankshaft diameter which drives the big wheels shows very good the power of a steam engine!
Only as information to these model builders, who always think, that their engines need some gears to drive paddle wheels!

Andreas

Thomas well done a really good piece of work. 

Thank you!
It´s a joy, that my work is appreciated.
A few furher pictures from Karlsruhe Echtdampftreffen in january. You will see, that the paddleshaft is still more high than after the event.

Thomas

The boat looks beautiful. I hope you can soon test it on a lake and show us a video.

Hi,

a short video of the not complete finished boat (moving engine is good visible) you`ll find in: Paddlewheel steamboat original size at steam exhibition Karlsruhe 2015.

Thomas