Hi PD'rs,

Just started the Saito Delta Queen, thread in Construction forum. A question about paddle wheels for this model. As was commented earlier, the paddle wheel for the DQ does not look too good. If a scale paddle wheel was to be constructed for this model would it drive the boat as well as the original Saito Paddle Wheel. It seems that there is a trade off between true scale and the ability to propel the boat. Any comments would be appreciated. I would like to build a scale paddle wheel since it will look better but it has to perform.

Thanks,

Iran

Hi PD's......Iran.... ...it is a personal choice....but  ...it would be best to keep the total build including the wheel question's in one thread...

At this early stage you can copy & paste this question in the build thread if you wish 

With respect to the kit wheel please confirm the major OD x length width of the wheel + the number of blades & shaft diameter

A few .jpgs may help.......as there are a few aftermarket CNC produced kits available....Derek 

Loyalhanna Dockyard say on their web site that "THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE PADDLE WHEEL SHOULD TURN AT ROUGHLY 45 RPM TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE RUDDER STEERAGE." Their Delta Queen model's to a different scale 1:50 than the Saito one though. The Saito wheel also looks to be a lot simpler in appearance as well with fewer floats or buckets as the Americans like to call them. Photos are of a paddle wheel kit based on the drawings supplied by Loyalhanna. As far as I'm aware their kit sails very well.
My own stern wheeler using a 'Captain Sturt' wheel seems to need a few more revs than the DQ. Seems to go well at around 130 rpm. The Captain Sturt wheel has 14 floats to the DQ's 28. I've seen on some of the American sites that most of them seen to be running 100 - 150 rpm with a stern wheel. Some experimentation might be needed to get the best performance.

I moved the question and pics of the paddle wheel mockup to the construction thread.

Hi,

I think, this fine scale paddle wheel will dig a radial hole into the water because of having too much paddles on its diameter.

Andreas

andy ,
i think you are wroung about the wheel digging a hole , after all, wasnt the revs quoted at 45 rpm?
at that speed you need all the thrust you can generate from the wheel , more , not less floats .
one idea that would solve the problem , would be to fit 2+555 motors w 50mm props , under the stern, the wash from these would disapear in the wheel wash, these would be recessed into half tunnels in the bottom hull.
there is nothing worse than running a model that you have spent yrs on in construction , that crawls across the lake , and wont steer

The Dumas electric motor for the Creole Queen runs at 145 rpm with 12 volts and no load.