Paddle Steamers, why are there so few left in Britain?
Paddle steamers are wonderful craft, but their primary uses seem to have been as ferries, tugs and pleasure craft. When paddles are controlled separately, the craft is very easy to manoeuvre. The Waverley is apparently an exception. The disadvantages are that the craft does not have flush sides and is much wider (cargo vessels would find unloading much more difficult), they take up more room in harbour, need more seaway and there is a lot more to maintain than on a screw driven vessel. With a kort nozzle fitted round the propeller, tugs can now get more power and direction from a standard screw, and bow thrusters have made passenger screw driven vessel much more controllable. For tourism, they are crowd pullers, and I think the Swiss fleets are mainly passenger carrying – it is a shame we don’t have more. Sadly, according to the historic ships register, PS Ryde is to be broken up on site, following an announcement in April 2008. Time to get a preservation society together to salvage th
