Oar angle of attack

Thanks that was a fun read, never tought to see a paddlewheel on a planing boat. In this case it's not about the performance, it's about the advantages that kept paddlewheels in business on shallow rivers until rail and road became cheaper and a lot faster. The paddles do not have to reach to the same depth as the hull so you have power even if stranded on a sandbank. They are also almost imune to fouling, wich is important on rivers. With a diesel-electric/hydraulic sidewheeler the maneuverability is comparable (or better at low speeds) to twin screw boats since the wheels are controlled separately.