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Good morning. We used to have side wheelers but then we advanced.

 

Why hoyte, do the stern wheelers perform better. The question is probably 100 yrs too late but I would like to know.

 

They can get up narrower passages. There is a reason towns were named Fargo. That was as far upriver as a steamship could travel.

 

I would think that each had it's pro's and con's. Example the side wheelers were more maneuverable when equipped with the ability to engage one or both wheels much the same as a tracked vehicle. Stern wheelers required less drive machinery and could position the engine farther back in the hull leaving one large area for freight verses the side wheeler having it's freight area broken up by drive machinery midships. It is probable that the stern wheeler style won out first in the United States with freight area being the prime driving factor. This having occurred possibly first on the Mississippi with the transport of huge cargo's of cotton from the big plantations in the days of Slavery. However further study might prove me wrong, the first stern wheeler could easily have been the fore runner of the side wheeler as a test bed for the steam engine. Today being a rainy day I go back to work on a test bed for the diesel engine and screw propeller a sort of stern wheeler and my Fargo will be from the house to the shop 96ft.

 

I seen to recall reading about the first Australian paddlesteamers a while back. IIRC, Sidewheelers/Quarterwheelers (wheels set by the stern but not behind the boat) can be extraordinarily maneuverable. If the rivers are either narrow or winding that can be a big deal.

 

I have reading a bit today about the subject. Yes the side wheelers were more maneuverable and faster but the stern wheelers could operate in shallower water. The 1st successful operator to carry freight up the colorado to supply the army used to turn his boat around and cut through shallow sand bars with the stern wheel.

 

Genius!

If you had a wheel at the bow as well, you could 'walk' the boat over shallows by using 'the paddle wheels' as 'wheels.' They could be mounted on a hydraulic arm to adjust how much ground pressure you needed to get traction.

 

My brother and me standing by a stern wheeler in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, August 1961. This was the second Klondike. The first was wrecked in 1936. #2 was built using the same engine and went into service in 1937. In 1953 it was converted from primarily hauling ore to a tourist boat and lasted until 1955. It was the last operating river boat on the Yukon when it was finally pulled from the river and put on ways at Whitehorse.

 

That wheel is huge. It must be at least 20 ft diameter. All the boats I pictured above would 1/2 the size of that boat. But there must have been American involvement in the murray river freight industry. The 1st hotel at the port of echuca is still operating. . It is a called the american hotel.

 

Not necessarily... after all, people from Canada and people from Mexico, along with people from the United States are all North Americans... just as the French, the Germans, Italians etc are all Europeans. In fact... anyone from North, Central or South America are also or primarily Americans, after which they can be subdivided into country, then state then whatever.

 

Steve, you took the words right out of my mouth. On behalf of all Americans I thank You for that recognition, -Geo.

 

Sorry. I should have said it was called the north American,Canadian,south american hotel. I didn't read it properly.

 

Brendan, If it said American Hotel it most likely meant the U.S. as universally/historically one is interchangeable with the other, however as Lewisboats (Steve) pointed out, one should never take even this for granted anymore. Plus if listed as your post # 6178 states that would have been one hell of a big sign to hang

 

In Latin America they call us Estados Unidos and in Canada it is just "the States".

This happens to be in Canada.

 

In defense, THEY get to have a cool name like Canadian or Mexican while WE would otherwise be stuck with United Statesian.

Nah ... I'll stick with "Texan" wherever I go instead.