Topic starter
11/08/2009 2:12 pm
We've talked a lot about bucket arrangements on paddlewheels, but here's one I've never seen before. Not sure the name of the boat, can't see it in the photo. Apparently it was not a raging success because, as far as I know, it was never duplicated. Study and enjoy.........
11/08/2009 7:46 pm
When the CREOLE QUEEN came out in 1984, she had wavy bucketboards too. I don't know when they were changed, but they didn't last long.
11/08/2009 8:26 pm
Bucket Board Brigade
Looks like that steamboat is new, or at least the unusual paddlewheel is, and the wheel mechanics are putting the finish touches on what may have been a "good idea", but probably turned out otherwise. Notice that the stabbard pitman arm is absent and the boat looks too fresh and clean to have been running for long, if at all.
I'd bet that the wheel shed those bucketboards with regularity considering the row with the V in the center did not much to hold onto on the outboard arms. Looking at the set of buckets as seen from on-edge, the V's did not have as much pitch as imagined from looking at the other buckets from an angle.
The entire arrangement was, in my opinion, someone BIG idee to make the wheel shed water on the uplift; thereby saving steam and slowing the rate of reduction of the coal pile.
Great-looking yawl. My interest in wooden river skiffs has no equal except for the likes of Captain Bates, I'd guess. Those yawls were, in fact, minature versions of the hulls of the big boats that carried them. Is there any other interest in small wooden vessels on this board?
That's also a mighty-fine wooden work flat the boys are working on, too. Sure wish I had one that nice around here at the Rabbit Hash yard.
11/08/2009 9:38 pm
CQ's original wheel
Here is the CREOLE QUEEN and her wavy paddlewheel in 1984, her first year.
11/08/2009 9:39 pm
Shipyard-
While my knowledge is miniscule compared to many others on this board, I'm interested in almost anything that floats. The variety of forms and construction that evolved for the various types of small work craft is amazing.
12/08/2009 1:19 am
Jim, I never saw the likes of that wheel before, but I'll bet it was another ill-fated attempt to reduce vibrations. The idea may have been that since the he outer edges of those buckets didn't all enter the water at the same time it would reduce the slap-slap-slap. And yes, the boat looks brand spankin' new.
As for Judy's photo of the CQ's original wheel, Doc Hawley told me once that it fell apart rather quickly, so they replaced it with the current one.
12/08/2009 9:54 am
Yes, that wavy edge of the buckets was someone's idea at the shipyard to reduce vibration. It didn't work. I designed the hull only of this boat, then acted as an unofficial advisor to the shipyard. They did a good job.
I am probably wrong about this, but I seem to recall that the owner tried some sort of spring arrangement between the bucket planks and the arms of the paddlewheel to absorb the shocks of striking the water. He found out the hard way why naval architects are so hide-bound.
12/08/2009 1:21 pm
Alan Bates;18055 wrote: He found out the hard way why naval architects are so hide-bound.
Wouldn't you say that rivermen in general are hidebound, Alan?
12/08/2009 10:19 pm
Alan, I assume you are talking about the Creole Queen's wheel. The photo that Jim posted is of an old-time wooden sternwheeler. Theres no way you could have designed hat one.
13/08/2009 1:50 pm
I was talking aqbout the Creole Queen's wheel. This shows that among my many Sterling qualities, I am a sloppy observer.
13/08/2009 1:53 pm
Yup! The ones who live longest are. The motto is: "Do it the way it was always done, those old guys ain't dumb."
14/08/2009 1:28 am
Vibration Eliminator
" .....that wavy edge of the buckets was someone's idea at the shipyard to reduce vibration. It didn't work."
New Orleans Paddlewheels, owners of the CREOLE QUEEN, and Halter Shipyards, their builders, must have, both, had an obsession with vibrations caused by the slappity-slap of the buckets striking the water, though many, myself included, love the buck of a working wheel. Ten years later, N. O. Paddlewheels built a larger version of the CG and named her QUEEN OF NEW ORLEANS.
The second time around, they built the QNO with a huge, double-staggered set of sternwheels; each half measuring 21 feet wide with a 106" gap between them that supported a bearing pedestal to help share the load of the double wheels; estimated to weigh about 40-tons each. This experiment worked all too well and the buck stopped there; so much so that the little white ball on the roulette table never knew when the boat was underway.
QNO Double Wheel
Willie and Buster's Whirlwind Tour of the World - Passenger Boats
CQ Paddlewheel
Willie and Buster's Whirlwind Tour of the World - Tall Stacks 2003
Notice that the CQ also has a staggered wheel like the much larger daughter, QNO, that was apparently built after the wavy wheel was removed.
15/08/2009 4:07 pm
I have wanted one of those old yawls since I rowed one once, but they are scarce. I currently own a Reelfoot Lake boat with the forward facing oars, which were still being built when we got ours about 15 years ago. It worked well on Caddo Lake where there are many obstructions, somewhat similar to the situation on Reelfoot. Our boat originally had a little engine and a steel plate was affixed to the aft end to protect the propeller. This would enable the boat to jump over stumps and logs without doing damage. Thus the boat was called a Reelfoot Lake Stumpjumper. We took off the engine as it added too much weight to the stern, so it is strickly a rowing boat, although one could attach a trolling motor to it if power was needed.