Greetings,

How much power is required to make paddler sail at a reasonable rate
of knots (scale speed)? Depends on the size, hull shape, paddle
efficiency and whatnot of course, but a ballpark (boating pond ;-)
figure for you average 3" model? The solar powered sternwheeler
paddled along on 4.5W IIRC and someone else measured ~24W in (to the
motor - a lot less out to the paddles of course) at full throttle. If
these examples are representative the power requirements seem rather
modest: no need for a 20A or 40A ESC. (Coming from electric flight I
might be a wee bit obsessed about these matters.)

On the live steam side of things, what's a reasonable gearing for the
Cheddar Plovar Paddle Plant assuming Graupner (sized) paddle wheels?

Reagrds
Torbjörn