Stern Wheel Paddle Boat

This is a paddle wheel boat that I built a few years ago out of a lot of scrap parts. It has a 5 HP engine and a transmission giving forward and reverse. Some of the wood came from my brother who is a cabinet maker. The engine came from a push mower, the transmission from a scrapped riding mower. Some of the parts are also from our church and thus I have named it “Dechet Benits” which loosely translated from the French means “Holy Scrap.” We have used it extensively in the lakes near our home in Upstate New York. We have also had it in the Erie Canal system and have transited through lock number 7 near Schenectady. That was fun!

Here’s a short video of the trip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JerxZFFpygc

Here is another image of the boat:

I have made some modifications to it since this was taken. I enclosed the engine because the engine noise was reflected directly back at me and it was quite loud. Imagine sitting with your head right in front of a lawn mower and running it wide open! I also made a rounded enclosure for the wheel to keep down the splashing! This “wall” worked, but if there was a strong breeze from the stern, water would come over the back and get the driver – usually me! – wet.

I never really boated much as a kid. I can only recall one occasion in Rhode Island with my dad and brother on a rough day in Narragansett Bay. Not the best “stomach memory,” but we had fun anyhow! So, this was my first boat build and I seriously overbuilt it. I was worried about the vibration and pounding from the paddle wheel. It does provide a rhythmic thumping as each paddle on the wheel hits the water, but it’s not as bad as I imagined it might be. In any case, the hull is 3/8’s ply with 2x6 planks on the sides. It was easy to build and it is stout – and heavy!

Here are some additional construction photos:

These show my able helpers on an imaginary pirate expedition in the hull. Note the imaginary cannon firing a broadside.

These show a bit more detail of the drive and steering. I have since changed the steering. The rudders were well protected where they are here, but rather ineffective – my brother in law mentioned something about her being as responsive as the Titanic. I could barely steer it into the wind! The rudders are now behind the paddle wheel at the stern and she turns much more readily in forward and reverse!

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2009 T. J. Pickles