New member here. i joined specifically to find information on how to "properly" design the paddle wheels for a sidewheeler boat. i have found a link to a book and a couple of organizations that may be of help, but i would really like to know is whether there is software out there that would simplify the engineering process.. Paddlewheel steamboat, paddlewheel boat, paddlewheel, paddlewheeler, paddlewheel aerator, paddle wheel flow meter, paddle wheel experiment, paddle wheel generator, paddle wheel scraper, paddle. Round and round with paddlewheel propulsion robert clifford1, tim roberts2 1incat tasmania, hobart, tasmania 2revolution design, hobart, tasmania abstract paddle wheel propulsion has not been abundant in high speed craft, except in a few cases where enthusiasts have fitted paddles to small boats to see what speeds can be achieved..
Here is a rough idea of the new boat design. i removed 8 paddles due to the distance between them. the 6' paddle wheel had a spacing of 18" and the 4" wheel would have had about 6" spacing. but removing 8 paddles restored the spacing to 18".. Here is the basic pattern for the paddle wheel. i plan to use 3/4" marine plywood for the hub and circle braces, and 2x4 for the paddle floats supports. the floats will be made of 2x8s. need to make 4 since the chain drive is in the center of the axle with two identical paddle wheels on each side.. This design is intended to be enclosed to avoid injury, thus another reason for the strange boat design. even if run beyond recommended speeds, however, it would bruise rather than cut..
Paddle Boat Design Wheels