Paddle Wheel Diameter/Width

Is there a known ration between the Diameter and Width for a paddle wheel on a pontoon. I have found many sources indicating that the width should never be more than the the diameter. This will be on a 20 foot pontoon, speed is not an issue.

Thanks,
Bob

 

Have a look at side wheelers...

-Tom

 

Do you have a link?

 

Google

-Tom

P.S. If speed is not an issue then you don't need a paddle wheel...

 

There is a whole section on paddle wheel design in Saunders, Hydrodynamics in Ship Design, Vol 2 Chapter 71.

 

Check the discussion on this page: http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/hy...installation-how-size-propellers-40540-5.html
Cheers

 

See page 277, below.

I believe this spec may be for sidewheels (paddle width four times its height). Another specification calls for the less common sternwheel to be twice the width of a sidewheel, so eight times paddle height. I believe the reason for being so fussy over paddle size is to avoid getting too large a "bite" and thus slowing down the steam engines, which reduced their horsepower output.

There's also a formula for calculating feathering paddle size based on the diameter of the wheel.