An out-there idea.

[hartleymartin]

What do people think of taking two canoes and turning them into a catamaran type steamboat? Perhaps being just a little more eccentric, one with a centre paddle for propulsion.

[cyberbadger]

What do people think of taking two canoes and turning them into a catamaran type steamboat? Perhaps being just a little more eccentric, one with a centre paddle for propulsion.

If I were to do it with canoes, I'd cap and seal them.

I'd be pretty worried about having enough displacement for the boiler, engine, fuel , passengers etc + the cross members that hold up the deck and deck itself.

An easier and safer option might be an aluminum pontoon boat hull. (That's what I'm going to do)

-CB

[fredrosse]

Center paddles were used during the American Civil War, an attempt to protect the wheel from gunfire.

Two Canoes, I think too complicated. Why not just buy a 16 to 20 foot long fiberglass hull for a few hundred bucks and build a steamer on that framework. Much less work for you, and much more seaworthy.

Good fiberglass Sailboat hulls (with bad sails or a broken mast) go for very little money, often with a trailer too. Fiberglassing in a propeller shaft tube, (after cutting out the centerboard well) takes about 10 hours work only. Then you get a well streamlined, seaworthy hull with little money and effort spent.

[hartleymartin]

If a suitable hull comes my way for the right price, no doubt I will seize upon the opportunity. However, I made my plan around an easy-to-build hull, assuming that I might not obtain something suitable ready-made.

[Mike Cole]

No reason why it would not work. Some years ago a large version like this was build for use on I think the Amazon. It was written up the the Funnel.
Of course you may end up with something that barely works and is unsaleable.

Mike

[artemis]

Fulton designed (and built?) a twin hulled warship in 1812 with a paddle wheel located between the two hulls for propulsion.

[PeteThePen1]

Hi Folks

I have just spotted this thread, and it has triggered a memory of a report that I saw in the SBA's Funnel Magazine. It was a of a journey undertaken by four blokes down one of the big South American rivers. They had a Stuart Turner 6a, two hulls set up with a platform between on which the engine and boiler were mounted. The journey took place in the 1990s if I recall correctly and they also did a video which made it on to UK TV.

Sorry to be so imprecise, but I am not at home at the moment so the opportunity to check the library is further out of reach than usual.

Anyway, the bottom line is that the idea is not daft and will work.

Regards

Pete

[hartleymartin]

I'd be interested to see this film!

[PeteThePen1]

Hi Folks

I have finally put my hand on the details of the twin hull steam launch in South America.

The article is in Funnel Issue 60 of July 1989, and the article is entitled "Nuts in Brazil" by J A Thornton. The gentleman concerned is not somebody I know and there is no Member of that name in the SBA list.

The vessel was propelled by a Stuart Turner 6a attached to an unspecified light weight (water tube?) wood burning boiler. The engine was mounted on a 15 degree slope with a straight stern tube all mounted on a framework between the two hulls. The two hulls were 7m X 1.2m aluminium boats of unspecified provenance. The deck was approximately 3.6m square, made in three sections on to which was built a metal frame tent frame covered with canvas providing an awning and/or a tent as required.

The journey was down the River Araguaia which is a tributary of the Amazon not too far from San Paulo.

The TV film was shown by the BBC (BBC 2) on 30 October 1988 as part of Series 7 of the Natural World programme. A brief internet search has revealed some references to the programme series and the particular episode, but I did not find any links to see if the material is available for purchase.

If anyone would like a scan of the SBA article, just send me a PM.

Regards

Pete