The Steamboating Forum

The sidewheeler Margaret S had its "Little Sister" built about ten years ago, the hull basically a copy of the larger steamboat, at 55% size. This has served as a tender when I had the Margaret S anchored offshore, as docking the large steamer is inconvenient with its side wheels at docks. Now this little boat is getting its own paddlewheels, and eventually a steam plant for miniature excursions.

Getting started, fitting wheels and paddlebox framing, 24 inch paddlewheels diameter, 12 fixed floats on each wheel

Nice! Two sidewheelers - a fleet!

Are you thinking about another walking beam, or a smaller engine geared down to drive the paddles?

Will having paddles on both boats make it difficult to come aboard from one to the other, or are you going to use a different tender for that purpose?

- Bart

Fascinating!
I will be watching your progesss with interest.
RussN

I think I will try a walking beam engine that will basically be made from waterjet cut steel plates, and a pneumatic cylinder converted to steam. Very simple, fixed valve gear (forward only), and an old monotube 5 square foot boiler I have laying around. Propane fired.
No rudders, just use kayak paddle for steering, and maneuvering with engine shutdown. an 11 foot boat is easy enough to maneuver with a kayak paddle.

Getting small steamer stern to stern with the larger boat has worked in the past, so I hope to be able to continue with that method of getting on and off the Margaret S.

Well done Fred

That sounds like a fun project so please keep the camera going. We armchair steamers like to have pictures to inspire us.

Regards

Pete

Paddlewheel made of epoxy and composite board, very strong plastic material, with paddles fitted in routed slots.

Boatbuilding partner Mark Grubb, fitting veneer wood to paddle splash guards. A few layers of this wood, placed with epoxy, and a final layer of Mahogany veneer should look good Sort of like making curved plywood.

The first layer of Paddle-box veneer is coated with epoxy and clamped down on the upper surface of each piece. The "half circle" pieces on each side of a paddle-box is 1/2 inch plywood, that will also get mahogany veneer on the inboard side. The outboard side will be getting a pattern cut into the surface, similar to what was typical for sidewheelers of the past. Open to any suggestions for a pattern here that wold look traditional, either British, or American, or ??? Suggestions please!

A long time needed to make the sidewheel splash guards, built up with epoxy joined Mahogany veneer layers and a marine plywood base. The structural part of the guards is all made from IPE, known as the worst wood to work with, being ultra strong, ultra heavy (it will not float in water), ultra expensive, ultra durable, and a destroyer of carbide cutting tools. I had bought a quantity of this wood years ago from a lumber yard that was going out of business, so I paid about 10 cents on the dollar.

The completed wheel splash guards need a final coat of vanish, and the Mahogany will look good, with brass inlaid edges. Next comes the propulsion system, but I have not even started on that.